17:2 [Are there] not a mockers with me? and doth not mine eye
continue in b their provocation?
(a) Instead of comfort, being now at death's door, he had
but them that mocked at him, and discouraged him.
17:3c Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who [is] he
[that] d will strike hands with me?
(c) He reasons with God as a man beside himself, so that
his cause might be brought to light.
(d) And answers for you?
17:4 For thou hast hid their heart from e understanding:
therefore shalt thou not exalt [them].
(e) That these my afflictions are your just judgments,
though man does not know the reason.
17:5f He that speaketh flattery to [his] friends, even the
eyes of his children shall fail.
(f) He who flatters a man, and only judges him happy in his
prosperity, will not himself only but in his posterity
be punished.
17:6 He hath made me also a g byword of the people; and
aforetime I was as a tabret.
(g) God has made all the world speak of me, because of my
afflictions.
17:8 Upright [men] shall be astonied at i this, and the
innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.
(i) That is, when they see the godly punished: but in the
end they will come to understanding and know what will
be the reward of the hypocrite.
17:9 The righteous also shall hold on his k way, and he that
hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
(k) That is, will not be discouraged, considering that the
godly are punished as well as the wicked.
17:10 But as for l you all, do ye return, and come now: for I
cannot find [one] wise [man] among you.
(l) Job speaks to the three who came to comfort him.
17:12 They change the m night into day: the light [is] short
because of darkness.
(m) That is, have brought me sorrow instead of comfort.
17:13 If I wait, n the grave [is] mine house: I have made my
bed in the darkness.
(n) Though I should hope to come from adversity to
prosperity, as your discourse pretends.
17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou [art] my o father: to
the worm, [Thou art] my mother, and my sister.
(o) I have no more hope in father, mother, sister, or any
worldly thing: for the dust and worms will be to me
instead of them.
17:16p They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when [our]
rest together [is] in the dust.
(p) All worldly hope and prosperity fail which you say,
are only signs of God's favour but seeing that these
things perish, I set my hope in God and in the life
everlasting.
