View Job 20 in the note window.
Zophar, after a short preface, asserts, that the prosperity, of the
wicked is short, and his ruin sure, ver. 1 - 9.
He describes his misery in many particulars, ver. 10 - 29.
2: Therefore - For this thy severe sentence. Make haste - I speak
sooner than I intended. And possibly interrupted Job, when he was
proceeding in his discourse.
3: The check - Thy opprobrious reproofs of us. Understanding - I
speak, not from passion, but certain knowledge.
4: This - Which I am now about to say. Since - Since the world was
made.
6: Though - Though he be advanced to great dignity and authority.
11: Bones - His whole body, even the strongest parts of it.
The sin - Of the punishment of it.
12: Mouth - To his taste; though it greatly please him for the
present. Hide - As an epicure doth a sweet morsel, which he keeps and
rolls about his mouth, that he may longer enjoy the pleasure of it.
14: Turned - From sweet to bitter. Gall of asps - Exceeding bitter
and pernicious. Gall is most bitter; the gall of serpents is full of
poison; and the poison of asps is most dangerous and within a few hours
kills without remedy.
15: Vomit - Be forced to restore them. God, &c. - If no man's hand
can reach him, God shall find him out.
17: See - Not enjoy that abundant satisfaction and comfort, which
good men through God's blessings enjoy.
18: Swallow - So as to hold it. He shall not possess it long, nor to
any considerable purpose. Yea, he shall be forced to part with his estate
to make compensations for his wrongs. So that he shall not enjoy what he
had gotten, because it shall be taken from him.
20: Belly - He shall have no peace in his mind. Desired - Any part
of his desirable things, but shall forfeit and lose them all.
21: Therefore - It being publickly known that he was totally ruined,
none of his kindred shall trouble themselves about any relicks of his
estate.
22: In, &c. - In the height of prosperity he shall be distressed.
Hand, &c. - So his wickedness shall be punished by those as wicked as
himself.
23: Rain - This phrase denotes both the author of his plagues, God,
and the nature and quality of them, that they shall come upon him like
rain; with great vehemency, so that he cannot prevent or avoid it.
Eating - As it fell upon thy sons.
24: Flee - From the sword or spear; and so shall think him self out
of danger.
25: It - The arrow, which had entered into his body, and now was
drawn out of it either by himself or some other person; having in
general said, that it came out of his body, he determines also the
part of the body, the gall; which shews that the wound was both deep
and deadly. Terrors - The terrors of death; because he perceived his
wound was incurable.
26: Darkness - All sorts of miseries. Hid - Or, laid up; by
God for him. It is reserved and treasured up for him, and shall
infallibly overtake him. Secret - In those places where he confidently
hopes to hide himself from all evil: even there God shall find him out.
Not blown - By man, but kindled by God himself. He thinks by his might
and violence to secure himself from men, but God will find him out.
With him - With his family, who shall inherit his curse as well as his
estate.
27: Heaven - God shall be a swift witness against him by
extraordinary judgments; still he reflects upon Job's case, and the
fire from heaven. Earth - All creatures upon earth shall conspire to
destroy him. If the God of heaven and earth be his enemy, neither
heaven nor earth will shew him any kindness, but all the host of both
are, and will he at war with him.
28: Increase of his house - His estate. Depart - Shall be lost.
Flow - Like waters, swiftly and strongly, and so as to return no more.
His - Of God's wrath.
29: Heritage - Heb. the heritage; so called, to denote the
stability and assurance of it, that it is as firm as an inheritance
to the right heir; and in opposition to that inheritance which he
had gotten by fraud and violence.
