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Job Chapter
Thirteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 13
Job
begins this chapter by observing the extensiveness of his knowledge, as
appeared from his preceding discourse, by which it was evident he was not less
knowing than his friends, Job 13:1; and
therefore would have nothing to do with them as judges in his cause, but would
appeal to God, and debate the matter before him, and leave it to his decision,
since he could expect no good from them, Job 13:3; and all
the favour he entreats of them is, that they would for the future be no longer
speakers, but hearers, Job 13:5; he
expostulates with them about their wicked and deceitful way of pleading for
God, and against him, Job 13:7; and in
order to strike an awe upon them, suggests to them, that they were liable to
the divine scrutiny; that God was not to be mocked by them, that he would
surely reprove them for their respect of persons, and desires them to consider
his dreadful majesty, and what frail creatures they were, Job 13:9; then he
expresses his confidence in God, that he should be saved by him,
notwithstanding the afflictive circumstances he was in, Job 13:14; and
doubted not he should be able so to plead his cause, as that he should be
justified, if God would but withdraw his hand, and take off his dread from him,
Job 13:18; he
desires to know what his sins were, that he should hide his face from him, and
treat him with so much severity, who was but a poor, weak, feeble creature, Job 13:24; and
concludes with a complaint of the bitterness and sharpness of his afflictions,
with which he was consumed, Job 13:26.
Job 13:1 “Behold,
my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it.
YLT
1Lo, all -- hath mine eye
seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.
Lo, mine eye hath seen all this,.... Or
"all those things"F8כל אלה "omnia haec", V. L. Tigurine version, Beza,
Michaelis; so Vatablus, Mercerus, Piscator, Codurcus. he had been discoursing
of, concerning the wisdom and power of God, and his friends also; some of these
he had seen instances of, he had been an eyewitness of them, and could give an
ocular testimony to them; and others he had discerned with the eyes of his
understanding, being opened and enlightened, and had a clear and distinct view
of them, so that he had seen and knew as much of these things as any of them
had. SomeF9"Alia omnia", Schmidt. interpret it
"all" other things, pertaining to the same subject; by what he had
said, it might be concluded he knew more; this was but a sample or specimen of
his knowledge, which, when observed, it might be perceived what an
understanding he had in such divine things: the words are indeed absolute,
"my eye hath seen all things"F11"Omnia",
Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Bolducius, Cocceius, Schultens. ,
which must not be taken in the largest and comprehensive sense of all things to
be seen, heard, and understood; for though Job's knowledge was very great, yet
it did not take so great a compass as this; many things in nature his eye had
not seen, others in providence he could not discern, and but a small portion of
God, of his nature, perfections, ways, and works, was known by him, as he
himself confesses elsewhere, Job 26:14; this
therefore must be limited and restrained to the subject matter in hand, and to
what he and his friends had been treating of:
mine ear hath heard; some things he had
knowledge of by the report of others, from his forefathers, his ancestors, men
of capacity and probity, that could be credited, and safely depended on, and
even some things by revelation from God; for if Eliphaz his friend had an
heavenly vision, and a divine revelation, which his ear received a little of,
why may it not be thought that Job also was sometimes favoured with visions and
revelations from God, whereby he became more intimately acquainted with divine
and spiritual things?
and understood it; that is, what he had seen and heard; some
things may be seen, and yet not known what they are; and other things may be
heard, and not understood; but Job had an understanding of what he had seen
with his own eyes, or had received by revelation, human or divine: and all this
is introduced with a "lo" or "behold"; not as a note of
admiration at his knowledge, though the things known by him were wonderful, but
as a note of attention to them, and to his remark on them, and as expressive of
the certainty of his sight, hearing, and understanding of these things.
Job 13:2 2 What you know, I also
know; I am not inferior to you.
YLT
2According to your knowledge
I have known -- also I. I am not fallen more than you.
What ye know, the same do I know also,....
Concerning God and his perfections, his sovereignty, holiness, justice, wisdom,
power, goodness, &c. and concerning his providences, and his dealings with
men in an ordinary or in an extraordinary way:
I am not inferior unto you; as might be deduced from
the preceding discourse; See Gill on Job 12:3.
Job 13:3 3 But I would speak to the
Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.
YLT
3Yet I for the Mighty One do
speak, And to argue for God I delight.
Surely I would speak to the Almighty,.... Or
"therefore I would speak"F12אולם
"ideo, propterea", Pineda. , since he knew as much as his friends,
and they knew no more than he, if so much, he would have no more to do with
them, they should not be his judges; nor would he be determined by them, but
would appeal to God, and plead his own cause before him, by whom he doubted not
he should be candidly heard; he knew that he was the Judge of all the earth,
and would do right; and that he sat on a throne judging righteously, and would
maintain his right and his cause; that he would judge him according to his righteousness
and integrity, of which he was conscious, and would pass a just decisive
sentence in his favour, and give the cause for him against his friends, as he
afterwards did; for this is not to be understood of speaking to him in prayer,
though that is a speech either of the heart or of the tongue, or of both, to
God; and which he allows of, yea, delights in, and which is a wonderful
condescension; and therefore it may be used with boldness and freedom, and
which gracious souls are desirous of; and the consideration of God being
"almighty", or "all sufficient", is an argument, motive,
and inducement to them to speak or pray unto him, since he is able to do all
things for them they want or desire of him; but here it is to be understood of
speaking to him, or before him, in a judicial way, at his bar, before his
tribunal, he sitting as a Judge to hear the cause, and decide the controversy
between Job and his friends. So, he render it, "I would speak for the
Almighty, and desire to reason for God"F13אל
שדי "pro Omnipotente--pro Deo", Junius
& Tremellius. ; seeing he knew so much of him; not speak against him, as
his friends suggested he had, but for him, on behalf of his sovereignty,
justice, holiness, wisdom, and strength, as he had done, and would do yet more;
by which he would have it known, that as he had as much knowledge as they, he
was as zealous as any of them to plead for God, and defend him, and promote his
honour and glory to the uttermost; but the other sense is best:
and I desire to reason with God: not at the bar of his
justice, with respect to the justification of his person by his own
righteousness; so no man can reason with God, as to approve himself just with
him; nor will any sensible man desire to enter into judgment with him on that
foot; a poor sensible sinner may reason with God at the throne of grace, and
plead for pardoning mercy and justifying grace through the blood and
righteousness of Christ, and from the declarations, proclamations, and promises
of grace through him; but of neither of these sorts of reasoning, are the words
to be understood, but of debating the matter in controversy between Job and his
friends before God, that he might hear it, and decide it; this was what Job was
desirous of, of having the cause brought before him, the case stated and
pleaded, and reasoned on in his presence; this he signifies would be a pleasure
to him; he "should delight" to have it so, as the wordF14אחפץ "lubet", Schultens. here used may be
interpreted.
Job 13:4 4 But you forgers of lies, You
are all worthless physicians.
YLT
4And yet, ye [are] forgers
of falsehood, Physicians of nought -- all of you,
But ye are forgers of lies,.... This is a hard and
very harsh saying; Job was now in a passion, provoked by his friends, and
retorts upon them what they had charged him with, Job 11:3; so often
in controversies and disputes between good men undue heats arise, and
unbecoming words drop from their lips and pens; to tell lies is a bad thing,
but to forge them, to tell a studied premeditated lie, is dreadfully shocking,
contrary to the grace of God, and which good men cannot allow themselves in, it
is the character of bad men, see Isaiah 63:8; but it
may be Job may not design lies in a strict and proper sense, but falsehoods and
untruths; for though no lie is of the truth, yet every untruth is not a lie;
because a man may deliver an untruth, not knowing it to be so, but taking it
for a truth, speaks it, without any design to impose upon and deceive others.
Doctrinal lies may be intended, such as the false prophets told, whereby they
made the hearts of the righteous sad, and were the untempered mortar they
daubed with, Ezekiel 13:10; and
the word here used has the same signification, and may be rendered,
"daubers of lies"F15טפלי שקר "incrustatores fuci", Schultens. ; that
colour over things, and make falsehoods look like truths, and deliver them for
such, and like others speak lies in hypocrisy: now those here referred to were
these, that God did not afflict good men, at least in any very severe manner,
and that Job, being thus afflicted, was a bad man, and an hypocrite; both these
Job charges as lies:
ye are all physicians of no value; or "idol
physicians"F16רפאי אלל "curatores idoli", Bolducius; so Ramban;
"medici idoli", Pineda; so some in Drusius. ; not that pretended to
the cure of idols, but were no better than idols themselves, and understood no
more how to cure than they, than an Heathen deity, the god of physic
Aesculapius, or anyone that might be reckoned such; but was no other than an
image of wood or stone, and so could not be possessed of the faculty of
healing, and such were Job's friends; an idol is nothing, and is good for
nothing, and such were they as physicians, they were idol physicians, like the
"idol shepherd", Zechariah 11:17; of
no value at all: the RabbinsF17Jarchi & Bar Tzemach. say, the
word used signifies a nerve or sinew of the neck, which when broken is
incurable; and such physicians were they, that could do him no service, no more
than cure a broken neck; this is to be understood of them, not as physicians of
his body, that they pretended not to be; he was greatly diseased from head to
foot, and had no hope of a recovery of his health, nor did they pretend to
prescribe for him, nor does he reproach them on that account; but as physicians
of his soul, afflicted and distressed, they came to administer comfort to him
under his afflictions, but they were miserable comforters, as he elsewhere
calls them, Job 16:2; instead
of acting the part of the good Samaritan, and pouring in oil and wine into his
wounds, Luke 10:34, they
poured in vinegar, and made them bleed and smart the more, and added affliction
to his affliction; instead of healing, they wounded him yet more and more; and,
instead of binding up his wounds, opened them wider, and gave him sensible
pain; instead of giving him the cordials of the Gospel, they gave him the
corrosives the law; and instead of pointing out unto him the gracious promises
of God, for the support of his afflicted soul, they loaded him with charges of
sin, and set him to work by repentance and reformation to obtain the
forgiveness of them: they said many good things, but misapplied them, being
ignorant of the case, and so were physicians of no value; as such are who are
ignorant of the nature and causes of a disease, and therefore make wrong
prescriptions, though the medicines they prescribe may in themselves be good:
indeed, in the cases of souls, or for the healing of the diseases of the soul,
which are natural and hereditary, epidemical and universal, nauseous and
loathsome, and of themselves mortal, all physicians are of no value; but Jesus
Christ, who is the only physician of souls, the able, skilful, and infallible
one, that cures all fully freely that apply unto him; bodily physicians are no
use in such cases, nor merry companions, nor legal preachers, who direct to
supple the wounds with tears of repentance, and bind them up with rags of a
man's own righteousness; Christ is the only Saviour, his blood the balsam that
heals every wound, and his righteousness that affords peace, joy, and comfort
to afflicted minds, and delivers from those weights and pressures of mind with
which they are bowed down.
Job 13:5 5 Oh, that you would be
silent, And it would be your wisdom!
YLT
5O that ye would keep
perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.
And that ye would altogether hold your peace,.... Since
what they said of him was not true, nor anything to the purpose, or that tended
to the comfort of his afflicted soul, but the reverse; and therefore he could
have wished they had never broke silence, but continued as they were the first
seven days of their visit; and now, since they had spoken, and had done no good
by speaking, but hurt, he desires for the future they would be silent, and say
no more:
and it should be your wisdom: it would be the greatest
evidence of it they could give; they had shown none by speaking; it would be a
proof of some in them, should they hold their peace; a very biting expression
this see Proverbs 17:28.
Job 13:6 6 Now hear my reasoning, And
heed the pleadings of my lips.
YLT
6Hear, I pray you, my
argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,
Hear now my reasoning,.... Job entreats his
friends that they would be no longer speakers, but hearers; that they would
vouchsafe to sit still, and hear what he had to say; though he was greatly
afflicted, he had not lost his reason, wisdom was not driven out from him, Job 6:13; he had
still with him his reasoning powers, which he was capable of making use of, and
even before God, and desires that they would attend to what he had to say on
his own behalf:
and hearken to the pleadings of my lips; he was
capable of pleading his own cause, and he was desirous of doing it before God
as his Judge; and begs the favour of his friends to be silent, and hear him
out, and then let judgment be given, not by them, but by God himself.
Job 13:7 7 Will you speak wickedly
for God, And talk deceitfully for Him?
YLT
7For God do ye speak
perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?
Will you speak wickedly for God?.... As he suggests they
did; they spoke for God, and pleaded for the honour of his justice, by
asserting he did not afflict good men, which they thought was contrary to his
justice; but: then, at the same time, they spoke wickedly of Job, that he being
afflicted of God was a bad man, and an hypocrite; and this was speaking
wickedly for God, to vindicate his justice at the expense of his character,
which there was no need to do; and showed that they were poor advocates for
God, since they might have vindicated the honour of his justice, and yet
allowed that he afflicted good men, and that Job was such an one:
and talk deceitfully for him? or tell lies for him,
namely, those just mentioned, that only wicked men, and not good men, were
afflicted by him, and that Job was a bad man, and an hypocrite.
Job 13:8 8 Will you show partiality
for Him? Will you contend for God?
YLT
8His face do ye accept, if
for God ye strive?
Will ye accept his person?.... Accepting persons
ought not to be done in judgment by earthly judges; which is done when they
give a cause to one through favour and affection to his person, because rich,
or their friend, and against another, because otherwise; and something like
this Job intimates his friends did in the present case; they only considered
what God was, holy, just, wise, and good in all he did, and so far they were
right, and too much respect cannot be given him; but the fault was, that they
only attended to this, and did not look into the cause of Job itself, but wholly
neglected it, and gave it against him, he being poor, abject, and miserable, on
the above consideration of the perfections of God; which looked like what is
called among men acceptation, or respect of persons:
will ye contend for God? it is right to contend
for God, for the being of God against atheists, for the perfections of God, his
sovereignty, his omniscience, omnipresence, &c. against those that deny
them, for his truths and doctrines, word, worship, and ordinances, against the
corrupters of them; but then he and those are not to be contended for in a
foolish and imprudent manner, or with a zeal, not according to knowledge, much
less with an hypocritical one, as was Jehu's, 2 Kings 10:28; God
needs no such advocates, he can plead his own cause, or make use of persons
that can do it in a better manner, and to better purpose.
Job 13:9 9 Will it be well when He
searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
YLT
9Is [it] good that He doth
search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?
Is it good that he should search you out?.... That is,
God; searching is ascribed to him after the manner of men; not that he is
ignorant of persons or things he searches after, or exercises that application,
diligence, and industry, and takes those pains which are necessary in men to
find out anything; when he makes search, it is not on his own account, but
others; at least it is only to show his knowledge of persons and things, and to
make men known to others, or things to them themselves; and is here to be
understood in a judicial sense, as it frequently is the case, so it was here, a
man that is "first in his own cause", as the wise man says, Proverbs 18:17,
"seemeth just"; to himself and others; it looks upon the
representation he makes of things as if he was in the right: "but his
neighbour cometh and searcheth him"; traverses his arguments in his own
vindication, and shows the fallacy of them; so Job's friends, making the worst
of his cause, and the best of their own, seemed right in their own eyes; but
God, who is the searcher of hearts, and who knows all things, could see through
their coverings of things, and could not be deceived by them, but would find
them out, and expose them; as he did afterwards, when he gave judgment against
them, and declared they had not said that which was right, as his servant Job
had, Job 42:7; and
therefore it was not to their profit and advantage, and to their honour and
credit, to be searched out by him, or to run the risk of it, as they did, which
is the amount of this question:
or as one mocketh another, do ye so mock him? men may be
mocked by their fellow creatures, either by words or gestures, as good men
usually are in all ages, especially the prophets of the Lord, and the ministers
of his word; or they may he deceived and imposed upon by the false glosses and
colourings of artful men, as simple men are deceived by the fair speeches of
false teachers, which is no other than an illusion of them, or mocking them: in
the first sense God may be mocked, though he should not; there have been and
will be such bold and daring creatures as to mock at his promises and his
providence, to mock at his word, ordinances, and ministers, which is
interpreted by him a mocking and despising himself; but in the latter sense he
cannot be mocked, and it is a vain thing to attempt it; "be not deceived,
God is not mocked", Galatians 6:7; he
sees through all the fallacious reasonings of men; he judges not according to
outward appearance; he sees and knows the heart, and all the views and designs
of men, and can detect all their sophisms and false glosses; he is not to be
deceived by specious pretences of doing such and such actions for his glory, as
casting out good men, and their names, or traducing their characters that he
may be glorified, or killing them to do him service, Isaiah 66:5; he is
not to be flattered as one man may flatter another; to do this with him, is to
mock him, he is not to be mocked in this way.
Job 13:10 10 He will surely rebuke you If
you secretly show partiality.
YLT
10He doth surely reprove you,
if in secret ye accept faces.
He will surely reprove you,.... Or "in
reproving he will reprove you"F18הוכח
יוכיח "arguiendo arguet", Pagninus,
Montanus, Munster, Bolducius, Mercerus, Cocceius, Schmidt; "redarguendo
redarguet", Michaelis. ; he will certainly do it, it may be depended upon,
and be expected; he will never suffer sin to go unreproved and uncorrected; he
will do it to the purpose, with sharpness and severity, as the nature of the
crime requires; he reproves by his spirit, and it is well for men when he
thoroughly, and in a spiritual and saving way, reproves them by him, and
convinces them of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and he reproves by his
word, which is written for reproof and correction; and by his ministers, one
part of whose work it is to rebuke and reprove men for bad practices, and bad
principles; and in some cases they are to use sharpness, and which when
submitted to, and kindly taken, it is well; and sometimes he reproves by his
providences, by afflictive dispensations, and that either in love, as he
rebukes his own children, or in wrath and hot displeasure, as others, which is here
designed; and as it is always for sin he rebukes men, so particularly he
rebukes for the following, as might be expected:
if ye do secretly accept persons; acceptance of persons in
judgment is prohibited by God, and is highly resented by him; yea, even the
acceptance of his own person to the prejudice of the character of an innocent
man; which seems to be what Job has respect unto, as appears from Job 13:8; and some
versions render it, "if ye accept his face"F1פנים "faciem ejus", V. L. Munster, Piscator;
"personam ipsius", Beza, so the Targum. ; and though this may be done
no openly and publicly, but in a covert and secret manner, under disguise, and
with specious pretences to the honour and glory of God.
Job 13:11 11 Will not His excellence
make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you?
YLT
11Doth not His excellency
terrify you? And His dread fall upon you?
Shall not his excellency make you afraid,.... To commit
sin, any sin, and particularly that just mentioned, which they might expect to
be reproved for; there is an excellency in the name of God, which is fearful
and dreadful, and in the nature and perfections of God, his power, justice, and
holiness, in which he is glorious and tremendous, and should deter men from
sinning against him; and there is an excellency in his works of nature and
providence, which are wondrous, and show him to be near at hand, and can at
once, if he pleases, take vengeance for sin: or "shall not his
height"F2שאתו "celsitudo ejus",
Montanus, Vatablus, Bolducius; "sublimitas ejus", Beza, Mercerus. ,
&c. his sublimity, his superiority to all beings; he is the most high God,
higher than the highest among men, he is above all gods, all that are so
called; and therefore all the inhabitants of the earth should stand in awe of
him, and not sin: or "shall not his lifting up"F3"Elevatio,
erectio", Drusius. ? &c. on a throne of judgment, as the Targum adds;
he is the Judge of the whole earth, and will judge his people, and right their
wrongs; he sits on a throne high, and lifted up, judging righteously; and will
maintain the cause of the innocent, and avenge himself on those that injure
them, and therefore it must be a fearful thing to fall into his hands: some
render it, "shall not his burning"F4So some in Jarchi
& Bar Tzemach. ; or flaming fire, &c. as Jarchi observes, and apply it
to hell fire, and the everlasting burnings of the lake which burns with fire
and brimstone; and which are very terrible, and may well frighten men from
sinning against God; but the first sense seems to be best:
and his dread fall upon you? the dread of men, of
powerful and victorious enemies, is very terrible, as was the dread of the
Israelites which fell upon the inhabitants of Canaan, Joshua 2:9; but how
awful must be the terror of the great and dreadful God, when that falls upon
men, or his terrible wrath and vengeance are revealed from heaven, and threaten
every moment to fall upon the transgressors of his law, upon those that mock
him and injure his people.
Job 13:12 12 Your platitudes are
proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.
YLT
12Your remembrances [are]
similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.
Your remembrances are like unto ashes,.... Either of
things they put Job in remembrance of, the mementos which they had suggested to
him; see Job 4:7; or the
things which they had brought forth out of their memories, the instances they
had given of what had been in the world, the arguments, objections, and
reasonings, they had made use of in this controversy; their "memorable
sentences"F5זדוניכם "sententiae
vestrae memorabiles", Schultens. , as some render it, were of no more
moment and importance than ashes, and easily blown away like them; or
whatsoever was memorable in them, or they thought would perpetuate their memory
hereafter, as their houses and lands, and towns and cities, called by their
names, these memorials should perish, Psalm 49:11; or
their wealth and riches, their honour and glory, their learning, wisdom, and
knowledge, all should fade, and come to nothing; the memory of the just indeed
is blessed, the righteous are had in everlasting remembrance, because of their
everlasting righteousness; but as anything else, that may be thought to be a
remembrance of man, it is but as ashes, of little worth, gone, and often
trampled upon; and men should remember that they are but dust and ashes, as
Aben EzraF6So the Tigurine version, "meminisse oportebat vos
similea esse cineri". observes, even in their best estate, in comparison
of the excellency of God, before spoken of; and as Abraham confessed in the
presence of God, Genesis 18:27;
your bodies to bodies of clay; that is, are like to
bodies of clay, to such as are made of clay after the similitude of human
bodies; and such are the bodies of men themselves, they are of the earth,
earthly, they are houses of clay, which have their foundation in the dust;
earthen vessels, and earthly houses of this tabernacle, poor, mean, frail,
brittle things, are crushed before the moth, and much more before the Almighty;
the word is by some rendered "eminencies", the most eminent men; what
is most eminent in them are like to "eminences of clay"F7לגבי חמר גביכם
"eminentiae vestrae, eminentiae luteae", Beza; so Bolducius. , or
heaps of dirt: some interpret this, as the former expression, of their words,
reasonings, arguments, and objections; which though great swelling words, were
vain and empty, mere bubbles, and though reckoned strong reasonings,
unanswerable arguments, and objections, had no strength in them, but were to be
easily thrown down like hillocks of clay; and though thought to be like
shields, or high and strong fortresses, as someF8So Cocceius, Beza.
take the word to signify, yet are but clayey ones.
Job 13:13 13 “Hold your peace with me,
and let me speak, Then let come on me what may!
YLT
13Keep silent from me, and I
speak, And pass over me doth what?
Hold your peace, let me alone,.... Or, cease "from
me"F9מגני "desistite a me",
Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. : from speaking to me, or hindering me from
speaking. Job might perceive, by some motions of his friends, that they were
about to interrupt him; and therefore he desires they would be silent, and let
him go on:
that I may speak; or, "and I will speak",
and let come on me what will; either from men, or from
God himself; a good man, when he knows his cause is good, and he has truth on
his side, is not careful or concerned what reproach may be cast upon him, or
what censures from men he may undergo; or what persecutions from them he may
endure; none of these things move him from his duty, or can stop his mouth from
speaking the truth; let him be threatened with what he will, he cannot but
speak the things which he has seen and heard, and knows to be true; as for what
may come upon him from God, that he is not solicitous about; he knows he will
lay nothing upon him but what is common to men, will support him under it, or
deliver him from it in his own time and way, or however make all things work
together for his good: some render it, "and let something pass by
me", or "from me"F11ויעבר עלי מה "ut transeat praeter
me aliquid, vel a me", Schmidt. ; that is, somewhat of his grief and
sorrow, while he was speaking and pouring out his complaints before God; but
the former sense seems best.
Job 13:14 14 Why do I take my flesh in
my teeth, And put my life in my hands?
YLT
14Wherefore do I take my
flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth,.... Or bite
my lips, to keep in my words, and refrain from speaking? I will not do it:
and put my life in my hand? or, expose it to danger
by a forced silence; when I am ready to burst, and must if I do not speak; I
will not thus endanger my life; it is unreasonable I should, I will speak my
mind freely and fully, that I may be refreshed; so Sephorno interprets it of
Job's putting his hand to his mouth, that he might be silent; and of putting a
forcible restraint upon himself, that he might not declare what was upon his
mind; see Job 13:19; but
others, as Bar Tzemach, take the sense to be, what is the sin I have committed,
that such sore afflictions are laid upon me; that through the pain and distress
I am in, I am ready to tear off my flesh with my teeth, and my life is in the
utmost danger? and some think he was under a temptation to tear his own flesh,
and destroy himself; and therefore argues why he should be thus hardly dealt
with, as to be exposed to such a temptation, and thrown in such despair, which
yet he laboured against; but rather the meaning is, in connection with the
preceding verse, let whatsoever will come upon me, "at all events, I will
take my flesh in my teeth, and I will put my life in my hand"F12"Super
quocunque eventu", Schultens. ; I will expose myself to the greatest
dangers which is the sense of the last phrase in Judges 12:3; come
life, come death, I will not fear; I am determined to speak out my mind let
what will be the consequence; and with this bold and heroic spirit agrees what
follows.
Job 13:15 15 Though He slay me, yet
will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
YLT
15Lo, He doth slay me -- I
wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him,.... There is
a double reading of these words; the "Keri", or marginal reading, is לו, "in him", which we follow; the
"Cetib", or textual reading, is לא,
"not", which many follow, and render the words, "lo, he will
slay me, I shall not hope"; or, "I have no hope", or "do
not expect"F13"Non sperabo", Pagninus, Montanus,
Vatablus. So Cocceius, Schultens, Gussetius, p. 420. that is, any other than to
be slain or die; and this agrees with various expressions of his elsewhere,
that he had no hope of any long continuance of life, or of restoration to
health and outward happiness again, but expected to die quickly; see Job 6:11;
but I will maintain mine own ways before him; or "to
his face"F14אל־פניו "ad facies
ejus", Montanus, Bolducius; so Vatablus, Schultens. ; though I die on the
spot instantly, I will stand by it, and make it appear that the ways I have
walked in are right, that I have behaved as a sincere upright man, a man
fearing God, and eschewing evil; a character which God himself has given of me,
and I have not forfeited it: "I will argue" or "prove"F15אוכוח "arguam", Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius,
Schmidt, Schultens; "probabo", Piscator. it before him, as it may be
rendered; that my life and conversation has been agreeable to my profession of
him; that my ways have been according to his revealed will, and my walk as
becoming the character I bear; and this I will maintain and support as long as
I live; I will never depart from this sentiment, or let go my integrity to my
latest breath; see Job 27:5; but the
marginal reading seems best, "yet will I trust in him"F16"An
non sperem in eum?" so some in Munster; so Junius & Tremellius, Beza,
Codurcus. ? verily I will, though I am under cutting and slaying providences,
under sore afflictions, which may be called killing and slaying, or death
itself; though there is an addition of them, one affliction upon another, and
sorrow upon sorrow; though I am killed continually, all the day long, or die by
inches; yea, though in the article of death itself, yet even then "will I
trust" and hope: God only is the object of trust and confidence, and not a
creature, or any creature enjoyment, or creature act; and great encouragement
there is to trust in him, seeing in him is everlasting strength, to fulfil his
promises, to help in time of need, and to save with an everlasting salvation;
he is to be trusted in at all times, in times of affliction, temptation,
desertion, and death itself: it may be renderedF17"In eo tamen
sperabo", Schmidt, Piscator, Michaelis. , "I will hope in him",
since there is mercy and plenteous redemption with him, and he delights in
those that hope in his mercy; his eye is upon them, and his heart is towards
them: or "I will wait for him", or "expect him"F18"Ipsum
expectabo", Drusius. ; wait for deliverance by him, wait all the days of
his appointed time, till his change come; wait for the hope of righteousness by
faith, expect all needful grace from him now, and eternal glory and happiness
hereafter: "but" notwithstanding his trust was alone in God for time
and eternity, yet, says he, "I will maintain mine own ways before
him"; that I am not an hypocrite, or have behaved as a bad man; but have
acted under the influence of grace, according to his mind and will revealed.
Job 13:16 16 He also shall be my
salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.
YLT
16Also -- He [is] to me for
salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.
He also shall be my salvation,.... Job,
though he asserted the integrity of his heart and life, yet did not depend on
his ways and works for salvation, but only on the Lord himself; this is to be
understood not of temporal salvation, though God is the author of that, and it
is only to be had of him, yet Job had no hope concerning that; but of spiritual
and eternal salvation, which God the Father has contrived, determined, and
resolved on, and sent his Son to effect; which Christ being sent is the author
of by his obedience, sufferings, and death; and in him, and in his name alone,
is salvation; and every soul, sensible of the insufficiency of himself and
others to save him, will resolve, as Job here, that he, and he only, shall be
his Saviour, who is an able, willing, and complete one; see Hosea 14:3; and the
words are expressive of faith of interest in him. Job knew him to be his
Saviour, and living Redeemer, and would acknowledge no other; but claim his
interest in him, now and hereafter, and which was his greatest support under
all his troubles; see Job 19:26;
for an hypocrite shall not come before him; a hypocrite
may come into the house of God, and worship him externally, and seem to be very
devout and religious; and he shall come before the tribunal of God, and stand
at his bar, to be tried and judged; but he shall not continue in the presence
of God, nor enjoy his favour, or he shall not be able to make his cause good
before him; and indeed he does not care to have himself examined by him, nor
shall he be saved everlastingly, but undergo the most severe punishment, Matthew 24:51. Job
here either has respect to his friends, whom he censures as hypocrites, and
retorts the charge upon they brought on him; or he has reference to that
charge, and by this means clears himself of it, since there was nothing he was
more desirous of than to refer his case to the decision of the omniscient God,
and righteous Judge; which if he was an hypocrite he would never have done,
since such can never stand so strict and severe an examination.
Job 13:17 17 Listen carefully to my
speech, And to my declaration with your ears.
YLT
17Hear ye diligently my word,
And my declaration with your ears.
Hear diligently my speech,.... Or, "in hearing
hear"F19שמעו שמוע
"audite audiendo", Pagninus, Montanus, Beza, &c. ; meaning, not
only that his friends would attentively hear him, but continue to hear him;
that they would hear him out what he had to say further: upon his expressing
himself with so much faith and confidence in God, they might rise up from their
seats and be preparing to be gone, as not having patience to hear a man talk so
confidently, who they thought was a bad man and an hypocrite; or they might
attempt to interrupt him while speaking, and therefore he desires they would be
still, and patiently and diligently hear what he had more to say:
and my declaration with your ears; that is, that they would
listen to it attentively, when he doubted not but he should make his case as
clear as the sun, and set it in such a point of view, as that it would appear
most plainly to be right, and he to be a just man.
Job 13:18 18 See now, I have prepared my
case, I know that I shall be vindicated.
YLT
18Lo, I pray you, I have set
in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.
Behold now, I have ordered my cause,.... Or
"judgment"F20משפט
"judicium", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. ; that is, he had looked over
his cause afresh, had reviewed the state of his case, had considered it in
every light, had drawn a plan of it, had digested it in a proper manner, and
had arranged his reasons and arguments in vindication of himself in a regular
form; and had them at hand, and could readily and easily come at them on
occasion, to vindicate himself; and upon the whole could say, in the strongest,
manner, and could draw this conclusion,
I know that I shall be justified; which, though it may
primarily respect the case in dispute between him and his friends, and the
charge of wickedness and hypocrisy brought against him by them, from which he
doubted not he should upon a fair hearing be acquitted by God himself, yet it
may include his whole state of justification, God-ward, in which he was and
should continue; and so may respect, not only the justification of his cause
before men, as it was ordered and managed by him, but also the justification of
his person before God, of which he had a full assurance; having ordered his
cause aright, settled matters well, and proceeded upon a good plan and
foundation; which to do is not to put justification upon the foot of purity of
nature at first birth, and a sober life and conversation from youth upward, and
a perfection of good works arrived unto, as imagined; nor upon a comparative
righteousness with respect to other men, even profane and ungodly persons; nor,
upon repentance, and sincere though imperfect obedience; nor upon an external
belief of evangelic truths, and a submission to Gospel ordinances: but such
order their cause well, and rightly conclude their justification, who see and
own themselves to be transgressors of the law of God, behold and acknowledge
their own righteousness to be insufficient to justify them, view the
righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel, in its glory, excellency, and
suitableness, and lay hold upon it as their justifying righteousness; and
observing that the word of God declares, that those that believe in Christ are
and shall be justified, and finding in themselves that they do with the heart
believe in Christ for righteousness, hence they most comfortably and most
sensibly conclude that they are justified persons; for this knowledge is of
faith, and this faith the faith of assurance; it is not barely for a man to
know that there is righteousness in Christ, and justification by it, but that
there is righteousness in him for himself, and that he is the Lord his
righteousness; for the words may be rendered, "I know that I am
righteous"; or, "am justified"F21כי
אני אצדק "quod ego
justus sum", Schmidt; "me justum esse, vel fore", Schultens. ;
justification is a past act in the mind of God; it is present, as it terminates
on the conscience of a believer; it is future, as it will be notified at the
day of judgment before angels and men; see Isaiah 45:25.
Job 13:19 19 Who is he who
will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
YLT
19Who [is] he that doth strive
with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
Who is he that will plead with me,.... Enter the
lists with him; dispute the point, and try the strength of his arguments he had
to plead for his own justification: thus Christ, the head of the church, and
the surety of his people, is represented as speaking when he had by his
obedience and sufferings made satisfaction for them, by bringing in an
everlasting righteousness, and was, as their public and federal head, justified
and acquitted, Isaiah 1:4; and
much the same words are put into the mouth of a believer in him, and are
expressed by him, Romans 8:33; who
stands acquitted from all charges that men or devils, friends or foes, the law
or justice of God, the devil and his own unbelieving heart, at any time, can
bring against him. Job, well knowing the uprightness of his heart and life, the
justness of his cause depending between him and his friends, boldly challenges
them to come forth, and try it with him; or rather he seems desirous that God
himself would take the case in hand, and plead with him; he was ready to engage
with him, and in the presence of his friends, and in their hearing; and doubted
not of being acquitted before God, and at his bar; so satisfied was he of his
own innocence as to the things charged upon him:
for now, if I hold my peace, I shall give up the ghost; his sense
seems to be, that if he was not allowed to speak for himself, and plead his
cause, and have a hearing of it out, he could not live, he could not contain
himself, he must burst and die; nor could he live under such charges and
calumnies, he must die under the weight and pressure of them; though some think
that this not only expresses his eagerness and impatience to have his cause
tried fairly before God, but contains in it an argument to hasten it, taken
from the near approach of his death: "for now", in a little time,
"I shall be silent"F23כי עתה אחריש ואגוע
"nune enim silebo et expirabo", Cocceius; so Schmidt, Schultens. ; be
in the silent grave: "I shall expire"; or die; and then it will be
too late; therefore if any will plead with me, let them do it immediately, or I
shall be soon gone, and then it will be all over: or rather the sense is, I
challenge anyone to reason the matter, and dispute the point with me; and I
promise that, if the cause goes against me, "now will I be silent"; I
will not say one word more in my vindication: "I will die"; or submit
to any death, or any sort of punishment, that shall be pronounced upon me; I
shall patiently endure it, and not complain of it, or object to the execution
of it; so Sephorno.
Job 13:20 20 “Only two things do
not do to me, Then I will not hide myself from You:
YLT
20Only two things, O God, do
with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.
Only do not two things unto me,.... This is
an address not to Zophar as in the place of God, as to me, but to God himself;
by this it appears, that though in modesty he does not mention him, yet he it
is he has the chief, if not the sole regard unto in Job 13:19; for his
desire was to speak to the Almighty, and reason with God, and have nothing more
to do with his friends, Job 13:3; but
before any pleadings begin on either side, he is desirous of settling and
fixing the terms and conditions of the dispute; he requests that two things
might be granted him, which are mentioned in Job 13:21,
then will I not hide myself from thee; through fear
or shame, but boldly appear before God, and come up even to his seat, and plead
with him face to face.
Job 13:21 21 Withdraw Your hand far
from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
YLT
21Thy hand put far off from
me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.
Withdraw thine hand far from me,.... His afflicting hand,
which pressed him; this he desires might be removed, or otherwise he could not
have the command of himself, make use of his reasoning faculties, recollect his
arguments, and give them in their due force and strength; for afflictions of
body affect the soul and memory, understanding and judgment; this is one of the
things he would have agreed unto before the dispute was entered on; the other
follows:
and let not thy dread make me afraid; the terrors
of his law, or the dreadful apprehensions of his wrath; he desires to be freed
from all slavish fear of God, that now possessed his mind through the severity
of his dispensations towards him, behaving as if he was his enemy; or he
deprecates his appearance in any external visible way and manner, which might
be frightening to him, and so hinder freedom of speech in his own defence;
these two things are before requested, Job 9:34; which
should they be granted, he proposes as follows.
Job 13:22 22 Then call, and I will
answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
YLT
22And call Thou, and I -- I
answer, Or -- I speak, and answer Thou me.
Then call thou, and I will answer,.... Either call him by
name in open court, and he would answer to it; or arraign him at the bar, and
exhibit charges against him, and he would make answer to them and clear
himself; his sense is, that if God would take upon him to be plaintiff, and
accuse and charge him with what he had to object to him, then he would be
defendant, and plead his own cause, and show that they did not of right belong
unto him:
or let me speak, and answer thou me: or he would be
plaintiff, and put queries concerning the afflictions he was exercised with, or
the severity of them, and the reason of such usage, and God be the defendant,
and give him an answer to them, that he might be no longer at a loss as he was
for such behaviour towards him: this is very boldly said indeed, and seems to
savour of irreverence towards God; and may be one of those speeches for which
he was blamed by Elihu, and by the Lord himself; though no doubt he designed
not to cast any contempt upon God, nor to behave ill towards him; but in the
agonies of his spirit, and under the weight of his affliction, and to show the
great sense he had of his innocence, and his assurance of it, he speaks in this
manner; not doubting but, let him have what part he would in the debate,
whether that of plaintiff or defendant, he should carry the cause, and it would
go in his favour; and though he proposes it to God to be at his option to
choose which he would take, Job stays not for an answer, but takes upon him to
be plaintiff, as in the following words.
Job 13:23 23 How many are my
iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.
YLT
23How many iniquities and
sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.
How many are mine iniquities and sins? Whether of
ignorance or presumption, through mistake or wilfulness, voluntary or
involuntary, sins of omission or commission, secret or open, or of heart, lip,
or life; for by this heap of words he uses in this and the next clause he means
all sorts of sins, be they what they would; he desires to know what they were,
both with respect to quality and quantity, how greatF9כמה "vox pertinet ad mulitudinem et
magnitudinem", Pineda. they were, what heinous and capital crimes he had
been guilty of, that such sore afflictions were laid upon him; and how many
they were, as they were suggested to be by his friends, and who indeed call
them infinite, Job 22:5; and as
they might seem to be from the many afflictions endured by him, which were
supposed to be for sins; though, as Schultens observes, such an interrogation
as the force of a diminution and negation, as that of the Psalmist; "how
many are the days of thy servant?" Psalm 119:84; that
is, how few are they? or rather none at all; namely, of light and joy, of
pleasure and comfort; so Job represents by this his sins to be but fewF11So
Ben Melech interprets these words. in comparison of what his friends surmised,
or might be concluded from his afflictions; and indeed none at all of a capital
nature, and such as were of a deep die, atrocious and enormous crimes; only
such as were common to good men, who all have their frailties, infirmities, and
imperfections, there being not a just man that does good and sins not: Job did
not pretend to be without sin, but he was not sensible of any notorious sin he
could be charged with, nor was he conscious of allowing himself in any known
sin, or of living and walking therein, which is inconsistent with the grace of
God; moreover, as he knew his interest in his living Redeemer and surety, to
whom, and not to himself, his sins and transgressions were imputed; he might
ask, "how many iniquities and sins are to me"F12לי "sunt mihi", Beza, Schmidt, Michaelis. ? as
the words may be literally rendered; that is, which are to be reckoned to me,
to be placed to my account? none at all; see 2 Corinthians 5:19;
make me to know my transgression and my sin; not that he
was ignorant of sin, of the nature and demerit of it, as unregenerate men are,
who know not the plague of their own hearts, indwelling sin, internal lusts,
nor the exceeding sinfulness of sinful actions, nor the effect and consequences
of sin, pollution, guilt, the wrath of God, the curse of the law, and eternal
death; at least do not know it as to be affected with a sense of it, to have a
godly sorrow for it, repent of it, confess it, and forsake it; such knowledge
as this is from the spirit of God, and which Job had; but his meaning is, that
if he could not be charged with many sins, as might seem to be the case, yet if
there was but one that could be produced, and was the reason of his being
afflicted after this manner, he desires to know what that was, that he might,
upon conviction of it, acknowledge it, repent of it, relinquish it, and guard
against it; he desires to have a copy of his indictment, that he might know
what he stood charged with, for what he was arraigned, condemned, and punished,
as it was thought he was; this he judged a reasonable request, and necessary to
be granted, that he might answer for himself.
Job 13:24 24 Why do You hide Your face,
And regard me as Your enemy?
YLT
24Why dost Thou hide Thy
face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?
Wherefore hidest thou thy face,.... Not from his cry,
because of his sore and grievous afflictions, as Bar Tzemach; nor from helping
and saving him from his troubles, as Sephorno; nor from looking on his right
ways, as Jarchi; but from his person, withdrawing the manifestation of his face
and favour; withholding the discoveries of his love; and denying him the light of
his countenance, and sensible communion with him, and enjoyment of him, he had
been indulged with; Job formerly had seen the face of God, enjoyed his
presence, and walked in fellowship with him; but now he had withdrawn himself
from him, and he knew not where to find him; see Job 23:2; a greater
blessing cannot be had than the gracious presence of God; nothing gives more
pleasure when enjoyed, and nothing more grievous to good men when it is
withheld; oftentimes sin is the cause of it, but not always, as in this
instance of Job; the end of the Lord in all his afflictions, both inward and
outward, was to try his patience, his integrity, and faithfulness; but as Job was
for the present ignorant of it, he desires to know the reason of this the
Lord's behaviour towards him; as it is what all good men should do in the like
circumstances, nothing being more afflicting and distressing to them, and even
intolerable; see Psalm 10:11; some
think here is an allusion to the behaviour of judges towards such as were
condemned by them, they were prejudiced against, and would neither hear nor see
them; or to a rite and custom in former times, as Pineda observes, when judges,
at the time of pronouncing sentence on a malefactor, used to draw a curtain
between them; or to the covering of the face of the criminal, see Job 9:24;
and holdest me for thine enemy? Job had been an enemy to
God, as all men are in a state of nature, yea, enmity itself, as is shown by
their wicked works; but he was now reconciled unto God, the enmity of his heart
was slain, and he had laid down his weapons of rebellion, and ceased committing
hostilities against God, and was become subject to him and to his law, through
the power of efficacious grace; a principle of love, which is the fruit of the
spirit in regeneration, was implanted in him; and he was a true and sincere
lover of God, one that feared him, and trusted in him; whose faith worked by
love, and so appeared to be of the right kind; and therefore, since he was
conscious to himself that he loved God with all his heart, loved his word, his
ways, and worship, his people and all that belonged to him, it was cutting and
grievous to him to be thought and accounted, or deal with, as an enemy to him;
for so he interpreted his conduct towards him; as he afflicted him, he took it
to be in anger and fury, and hot displeasure; and as he hid his face from him,
he supposed it was in great wrath, viewing him in this light as his enemy.
Job 13:25 25 Will You frighten a leaf
driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble?
YLT
25A leaf driven away dost
Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?
Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro?.... A leaf
that falls from a tree in autumn, and withers and is rolled up, and driven
about by the wind, which it cannot resist, to which Job here compares himself;
but it is not to be understood of him with respect to his spiritual estate; for
being a good man, and one that trusted in the Lord, and made him his hope, he
was, as every good man is, like to a tree planted by rivers of water, whose
leaf withers not, but is always green, and does not fall off, as is the case of
carnal professors, who are compared to trees in autumn, which cast their leaves
and rotten fruit; see Psalm 1:3; but in
respect to his outward estate, his frailty, weakness, and feebleness,
especially as now under the afflicting hand of God; see Isaiah 64:6; so
John the Baptist, on account of his being a frail mortal man, a weak feeble
creature, compares himself to a reed shaken with the wind, Matthew 11:7; now
to break such an one was to add affliction to affliction, and which could not
well be borne; and the like is signified by the next clause,
and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? which cannot
stand before the wind, or the force of devouring fire; this also respects not
Job in his spiritual estate, with regard to which he was not like to dry
stubble or chaff, to which wicked men are compared, Psalm 1:4; but to
standing corn and wheat in the full ear; and not only to green grass, which is
flourishing, but to palm trees, and cedar trees of the Lord, which are full of
sap, to which good men are like; but he describes him in his weak and afflicted
state, tossed to and fro like dry stubble; and no more able to contend and
grapple with an incensed God than dry stubble can withstand devouring flames;
this he says, partly to suggest that it was below the Divine Being to set his
strength against his weakness; as David said to Saul, "after whom is the
king of Israel come out? after a dead dog, after a flea?" 1 Samuel 24:14;
which words Bar Tzemach compares with these; and partly to move the divine pity
and commiseration towards him, who uses not to "break the bruised reed,
nor quench the smoking flax", Isaiah 42:3.
Job 13:26 26 For You write bitter
things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
YLT
26For Thou writest against me
bitter things, And causest me to possess iniquities of my youth:
For thou writest bitter things against me,.... Meaning
not sins and rebellions, taken notice of by him, when his good deeds were
omitted, as Jarchi; sin is indeed an evil and a bitter thing in its own nature,
being exceeding sinful and abominable, and its effects and consequences; being
what provokes God to anger most bitterly, and makes bitter work for repentance;
as it did in Peter, who, when made sensible of it, wept bitterly, Matthew 26:75;
sooner or later, sin, though it is a sweet morsel rolled about in the mouth for
a while, yet in the issue proves the gall of asps within, Job 20:14, bitter
and distressing; and this God also puts down in the book of his remembrance,
yea, writes it as with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond, Jeremiah 17:1; but
that cannot be meant here, since Job was inquiring after his sins, asking what
and how many they were, and would not allow of any being committed by him that
were heinous and notorious; wherefore afflictions are rather here intended, which
are bitter and grievous, and not joyous, and especially such as Job was
afflicted with; see 1:20; and these were written
by the Lord in the book of his eternal purposes and decrees, and were the
things he performed, which were appointed for Job, as he full well knew, and as
all the afflictions of God's people are; and besides they were written in a
judiciary way, and so against him; they were, as he apprehended, the sentence
of a judge written down, and read, and pronounced, and according to it inflicted,
and that with great deliberation as things are written, and in order to
continue, as what is written does; and so denotes that a severe decree was gone
forth against him, with design, and was and would be continued:
and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth; which had
been committed through weakness and ignorance; and which, it might have been
thought, would not have been taken notice of and animadverted on; or rather
which Job concluded had been forgiven and forgotten, according to the tenor of
the covenant of grace, and would never have been brought into account any more;
and yet these were not only remembered by the Lord, at least seemingly, by the
afflictions that were endured; but they were by him brought to Job's
remembrance, and the guilt of them charged upon him, and stared him in the
face, and loaded his conscience, and filled him with reproach, and shame, as
Ephraim, Jeremiah 31:19; and
which is deprecated by the Psalmist, Psalm 25:7; and
what aggravated this case and made it the more distressing was, that in Job's
apprehension it was to continue with him as an inheritance, as the wordF13תורישני "haereditare me facis", Beza, Schmidt,
Michaelis; so Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Schultens; so the
Targum and Ben Melech. signifies, which abides with men in their families for
ever; and some respect may be had to the corruption of nature, which is
hereditary, and remains with men from their youth upwards.
Job 13:27 27 You put my feet in the
stocks, And watch closely all my paths. You set a limit[a] for the
soles of my feet.
YLT
27And puttest in the stocks
my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a
print,
Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks,.... Which is
one kind of punishment of offenders, and a preservation of them from making
their escape; and is a security and reservation of them for further punishment
sometimes; and so Job looked upon his afflictions as a punishment for he knew
not what, and with which he was so surrounded and enclosed, that there was no
getting out of them any more than a man can whose feet are set fast in the
stocks; and that he was here kept for greater afflictions still, which he
dreaded. Aben Ezra interprets it, "thou puttest my feet in lime"; and
this is followed by othersF14"Calce tinxisti pedes meos",
Gussetius, p. 550. so some in Ben Melech. , suggesting, as a man's steps in
lime are marked and easily discerned, so were his by the Lord; but this seems
to be foreign from the mind of Job, who would not make such a concession as
this, as if his steps taken amiss were so visible:
and lookest narrowly into all my paths; so that there
was no possibility of escaping out of his troubles and afflictions; so strict a
watch was kept over him; see Job 7:19; according
to Ben Gersom, this refers to the stocks, "it keeps all my ways",
kept him within from going abroad about the business of life, and so may refer
to the disease of his body, his boils and ulcers, which kept him at home, and
suffered him not to stir out of doors; but the former sense is best:
thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet; either it,
the stocks, made a mark upon his heels, with which they were pressed hard, as
Gersom; or rather God set one upon them, afflicting him very sorely and putting
him to an excruciating pain, such as is felt by criminals when heavy blows are
laid upon the soles of their feet, to which the allusion may be; or else the
sense is, that he followed him closely by the heels, that whenever he took a
step, it was immediately marked, and observed by the Lord, as if he trod in his
steps, and set his own foot in the mark that was left.
Job 13:28 28 “Man[b] decays
like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
YLT
28And he, as a rotten thing,
weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.
And he as a rotten thing consumeth,.... This by some Jewish
writersF26R. Levi, Ben Gersom, & Bar Tzemach. is referred to and
connected with the driven leaf and dry stubble Job compares himself to, Job 13:25; and so
the sense is, that his body, which, for its frailty and weakness, is compared
to such things, is like any rotten thing, a rotten tree, as Ben Melech; or any
thing else that is rotten, that is consuming and wasting away, as Job's body
was, being clothed with worms and clods of dust:
as a garment that is moth eaten; a woollen garment, which
gathers dust, out of which motifs arise; for dust, in wool and woollen garments
produces moths, as AristotleF1Hist. Animal. l. 5. c. 32. and PlinyF2Nat.
Hist. l. 11. c. 35. observe; and a garment eaten by them, slowly, gradually,
and insensibly, yet certainly, decays, falls to pieces, becomes useless, and
not to be recovered; such was Job's body, labouring under the diseases it did,
and was every day more and more decaying, crumbling into dust, and just ready
to drop into the grave; so that there was no need, and it might seem cruel, to
lay greater and heavier afflictions on it: some interpreters make this
"he" to be God himself who sometimes is as rottenness and a moth to
men, in their persons, families, and estates; see Hosea 5:12.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)