7 But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.
So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.
And the men of Sheba came against them and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news. And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The fire of God came down from heaven, burning up the sheep and the goats and the young men completely, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news. And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The Chaldaeans made themselves into three bands, and came down on the camels and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news. And this one was still talking when another came, and said, Your sons and your daughters were feasting together in their oldest brother's house, When a great wind came rushing from the waste land against the four sides of the house, and it came down on the young men, and they are dead; and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.
My soul is tired of life; I will let my sad thoughts go free in words; my soul will make a bitter outcry.
While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me; When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me. When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place, The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats; The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths; The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths. For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me; For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter. The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart. I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress. I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking. I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me. By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away. Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number; My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches, My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand. Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions. After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts; They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains. I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear. I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
The voice of my sorrow is a weariness to me; all the night I make my bed wet with weeping; it is watered by the drops flowing from my eyes. My eyes are wasting away with trouble; they are becoming old because of all those who are against me.
My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training: For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 16
Commentary on Job 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
SECOND SERIES.
Job 16:1-22. Job's Reply.
2. (Job 13:4).
3. "Words of wind," Hebrew. He retorts upon Eliphaz his reproach (Job 15:2).
emboldeneth—literally, "What wearies you so that ye contradict?" that is, What have I said to provoke you? &c. [Schuttens]. Or, as better accords with the first clause, "Wherefore do ye weary yourselves contradicting?" [Umbreit].
4. heap up—rather, "marshal together (an army of) words against you."
shake … head—in mockery; it means nodding, rather than shaking; nodding is not with us, as in the East, a gesture of scorn (Isa 37:22; Jer 18:16; Mt 27:39).
5. strengthen … with … mouth—bitter irony. In allusion to Eliphaz' boasted "consolations" (Job 15:11). Opposed to strengthening with the heart, that is, with real consolation. Translate, "I also (like you) could strengthen with the mouth," that is, with heartless talk: "And the moving of my lips (mere lip comfort) could console (in the same fashion as you do)" [Umbreit]. "Hearty counsel" (Pr 27:9) is the opposite.
6. eased—literally, "What (portion of my sufferings) goes from me?"
7. But now—rather, "ah!"
he—God.
company—rather, "band of witnesses," namely, those who could attest his innocence (his children, servants, &c.). So the same Hebrew is translated in Job 16:8. Umbreit makes his "band of witnesses," himself, for, alas! he had no other witness for him. But this is too recondite.
8. filled … with wrinkles—Rather (as also the same Hebrew word in Job 22:16; English Version, "cut down"), "thou hast fettered me, thy witness" (besides cutting off my "band of witnesses," Job 16:7), that is, hast disabled me by pains from properly attesting my innocence. But another "witness" arises against him, namely, his "leanness" or wretched state of body, construed by his friends into a proof of his guilt. The radical meaning of the Hebrew is "to draw together," whence flow the double meaning "to bind" or "fetter," and in Syriac, "to wrinkle."
leanness—meaning also "lie"; implying it was a "false witness."
9. Image from a wild beast. So God is represented (Job 10:16).
who hateth me—rather, "and pursues me hard." Job would not ascribe "hatred" to God (Ps 50:22).
mine enemy—rather, "he sharpens, &c., as an enemy" (Ps 7:12). Darts wrathful glances at me, like a foe (Job 13:24).
10. gaped—not in order to devour, but to mock him. To fill his cup of misery, the mockery of his friends (Job 16:10) is added to the hostile treatment from God (Job 16:9).
smitten … cheek—figurative for contemptuous abuse (La 3:30; Mt 5:39).
gathered themselves—"conspired unanimously" [Schuttens].
11. the ungodly—namely, his professed friends, who persecuted him with unkind speeches.
turned me over—literally, "cast me headlong into the hands of the wicked."
12. I was at ease—in past times (Job 1:1-3).
by my neck—as an animal does its prey (so Job 10:16).
shaken—violently; in contrast to his former "ease" (Ps 102:10). Set me up (again).
mark—(Job 7:20; La 3:12). God lets me always recover strength, so as to torment me ceaselessly.
13. his archers—The image of Job 16:12 is continued. God, in making me His "mark," is accompanied by the three friends, whose words wound like sharp arrows.
gall—put for a vital part; so the liver (La 2:11).
14. The image is from storming a fortress by making breaches in the walls (2Ki 14:13).
a giant—a mighty warrior.
15. sewed—denoting the tight fit of the mourning garment; it was a sack with armholes closely sewed to the body.
horn—image from horned cattle, which when excited tear the earth with their horns. The horn was the emblem of power (1Ki 22:11). Here, it is
in the dust—which as applied to Job denotes his humiliation from former greatness. To throw one's self in the dust was a sign of mourning; this idea is here joined with that of excited despair, depicted by the fury of a horned beast. The Druses of Lebanon still wear horns as an ornament.
16. foul—rather, "is red," that is, flushed and heated [Umbreit and Noyes].
shadow of death—that is, darkening through many tears (La 5:17). Job here refers to Zophar's implied charge (Job 11:14). Nearly the same words occur as to Jesus Christ (Isa 53:9). So Job 16:10 above answers to the description of Jesus Christ (Ps 22:13; Isa 50:6, and Job 16:4 to Ps 22:7). He alone realized what Job aspired after, namely, outward righteousness of acts and inward purity of devotion. Jesus Christ as the representative man is typified in some degree in every servant of God in the Old Testament.
18. my blood—that is, my undeserved suffering. He compares himself to one murdered, whose blood the earth refuses to drink up until he is avenged (Ge 4:10, 11; Eze 24:1, 8; Isa 26:21). The Arabs say that the dew of heaven will not descend on a spot watered with innocent blood (compare 2Sa 1:21).
no place—no resting-place. "May my cry never stop!" May it go abroad! "Earth" in this verse in antithesis to "heaven" (Job 16:19). May my innocence be as well-known to man as it is even now to God!
19. Also now—Even now, when I am so greatly misunderstood on earth, God in heaven is sensible of my innocence.
record—Hebrew, "in the high places"; Hebrew, "my witness." Amidst all his impatience, Job still trusts in God.
20. Hebrew, "are my scorners"; more forcibly, "my mockers—my friends!" A heart-cutting paradox [Umbreit]. God alone remains to whom he can look for attestation of his innocence; plaintively with tearful eye, he supplicates for this.
21. one—rather, "He" (God). "Oh, that He would plead for a man (namely, me) against God." Job quaintly says, "God must support me against God; for He makes me to suffer, and He alone knows me to be innocent" [Umbreit]. So God helped Jacob in wrestling against Himself (compare Job 23:6; Ge 32:25). God in Jesus Christ does plead with God for man (Ro 8:26, 27).
as a man—literally, "the Son of man." A prefiguring of the advocacy of Jesus Christ—a boon longed for by Job (Job 9:33), though the spiritual pregnancy of his own words, designed for all ages, was but little understood by him (Ps 80:17).
for his neighbour—Hebrew, "friend." Job himself (Job 42:8) pleaded as intercessor for his "friends," though "his scorners" (Job 16:20); so Jesus Christ the Son of man (Lu 23:34); "for friends" (Joh 15:13-15).
22. few—literally, "years of number," that is, few, opposed to numberless (Ge 34:30).