View Job 30 in the note window.
Job's honour is turned into contempt, ver. 1 - 14.
His prosperity, into fears, pains, and a sense of the wrath of God,
ver. 15 - 22.
He looks for nothing but death, ver. 23.
And rest therein, ver. 24.
Reflects on his former sympathy with the afflicted, ver. 25.
And describes his own present calamities, ver. 26 - 31.
1: Younger - Whom both universal custom, and the light of nature,
taught to reverence their elders and betters. Whose fathers - Whose
condition was so mean, that in the opinion, of the world, they were
unworthy to be my shepherds the companions of my dogs which watch my
flocks.
3: Solitary - Although want commonly drives persons to places of
resort for relief, yet they were so conscious of their own guilt,
that they shunned company, and for fear or shame fled into, and
lived in desolate places.
4: Who cut - Bitter herbs, which shews their extreme necessity.
Juniper - Possibly the word may signify some other plant, for the
Hebrews themselves are at a loss for the signification of the
names of plants.
7: Brayed - Like the wild asses, for hunger or thirst.
Thorns - Under which they hide themselves, that they might not be
discovered when they are sought out for justice.
10: Spit - Not literally, for they kept far from him, but
figuratively, they use all manner of reproachful expressions,
even to my face. Herein, also we see a type of Christ, who was
thus made a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
11: He - God. Cord - Hath slackened the string of my bow, and so
rendered my bow and arrows useless; he hath deprived me of my strength
or defence. Let loose - They cast off all former restraints of humanity,
or modesty, and do those things before mine eyes, which formerly they
trembled lest they should come to my ears.
12: Right hand - This was the place of adversaries or accusers
in courts of justice. The youth - Heb. young striplings, who formerly
hid themselves from my presence, (Job 29:8).
Push - Metaphorically, they endeavour to overwhelm me.
Ways - Cause - ways, or banks: so it is a metaphor from soldiers,
who cast up banks, against the city which they besiege.
Destruction - To destroy me.
13: Mar - As I am in great misery, so they endeavour to stop all my
ways out of it. Set forward - Increasing it by their invectives, and
censures. Even they - Who are themselves in a forlorn and miserable
condition.
14: Waste place - In the waste place; in that part of the bank
which was broken down. They rolled - As the waters, come rolling in at
the breach.
15: Terrors - If he endeavoured to shake them off, they turned
furiously upon him: if he endeavoured to out run them, they pursued
his soul, as swiftly and violently as the wind.
20: I stand - I pray importunately and continually.
21: Turned - As if thou hadst changed thy very nature, which is kind,
and merciful, and gracious.
22: Thou - Thou exposest me, to all sorts of storms and calamities;
so that I am like chaff or stubble lifted up to the wind, and violently
tossed hither and thither in the air. Substance - By which, my body is
almost consumed, and my heart is melted within me.
23: House appointed - The grave is a narrow, dark, cold house, but
there we shall rest and be safe. It is our home, for it is our mother's
lap, and in it we are gathered to our fathers. It is an house appointed
for us, by him that has appointed the bounds of all our habitations. And
it is appointed for all living. It is the common receptacle for rich
and poor: we must all be brought thither, and that shortly.
24: To the grave - The hand of God's wrath will not follow me beyond
death; I shall then be safe and easy: Tho' men cry in his destruction:
tho' most men cry and are affrighted, while they are dying, while the
body is sinking into destruction; yet I desire it, I have nothing to
fear therein, since I know that my redeemer liveth.
25: Did not I - Have I now judgment without mercy, because I afforded
no mercy to others in misery? No; my conscience acquits me from this
inhumanity: I did mourn over others in their miseries.
26: Upon me - Yet trouble came upon myself, when I expected it not.
27: Affliction - Came upon me suddenly, and unexpectedly,
when I promised myself peace and prosperity.
28: Without the sun - Heb. black, not by the sun. My very
countenance became black, tho' not by the sun, but by the force
of my disease.
29: A brother - By imitation of their cries: persons of like
qualities are often called brethren. Dragon - Which howl and wail
mournfully in the deserts.
