1 Then Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
1 Then Job H347 answered H6030 and said, H559
2 How long will ye vex H3013 my soul, H5315 and break H1792 me in pieces with words? H4405
3 These ten H6235 times H6471 have ye reproached H3637 me: ye are not ashamed H954 that ye make yourselves strange H1970 to me.
4 And be it indeed H551 that I have erred, H7686 mine error H4879 remaineth H3885 with myself.
5 If indeed H551 ye will magnify H1431 yourselves against me, and plead H3198 against me my reproach: H2781
6 Know H3045 now H645 that God H433 hath overthrown H5791 me, and hath compassed H5362 me with his net. H4686
7 Behold, I cry out H6817 of wrong, H2555 but I am not heard: H6030 I cry aloud, H7768 but there is no judgment. H4941
8 He hath fenced up H1443 my way H734 that I cannot pass, H5674 and he hath set H7760 darkness H2822 in my paths. H5410
9 He hath stripped H6584 me of my glory, H3519 and taken H5493 the crown H5850 from my head. H7218
10 He hath destroyed H5422 me on every side, H5439 and I am gone: H3212 and mine hope H8615 hath he removed H5265 like a tree. H6086
11 He hath also kindled H2734 his wrath H639 against me, and he counteth H2803 me unto him as one of his enemies. H6862
12 His troops H1416 come H935 together, H3162 and raise up H5549 their way H1870 against me, and encamp H2583 round about H5439 my tabernacle. H168
13 He hath put H7368 my brethren H251 far H7368 from me, and mine acquaintance H3045 are verily estranged H2114 from me.
14 My kinsfolk H7138 have failed, H2308 and my familiar friends H3045 have forgotten H7911 me.
15 They that dwell H1481 in mine house, H1004 and my maids, H519 count H2803 me for a stranger: H2114 I am an alien H5237 in their sight. H5869
16 I called H7121 my servant, H5650 and he gave me no answer; H6030 I intreated H2603 him with H1119 my mouth. H6310
17 My breath H7307 is strange H2114 to my wife, H802 though I intreated H2589 for the children's H1121 sake of mine own body. H990
18 Yea, young children H5759 despised H3988 me; I arose, H6965 and they spake H1696 against me.
19 All my inward H5475 friends H4962 abhorred H8581 me: and they whom I loved H157 are turned H2015 against me.
20 My bone H6106 cleaveth H1692 to my skin H5785 and to my flesh, H1320 and I am escaped H4422 with the skin H5785 of my teeth. H8127
21 Have pity H2603 upon me, have pity H2603 upon me, O ye my friends; H7453 for the hand H3027 of God H433 hath touched H5060 me.
22 Why do ye persecute H7291 me as God, H410 and are not satisfied H7646 with my flesh? H1320
23 Oh that H5414 my words H4405 were now H645 written! H3789 oh that H5414 they were printed H2710 in a book! H5612
24 That they were graven H2672 with an iron H1270 pen H5842 and lead H5777 in the rock H6697 for ever! H5703
25 For I know H3045 that my redeemer H1350 liveth, H2416 and that he shall stand H6965 at the latter H314 day upon the earth: H6083
26 And though after H310 my skin H5785 worms destroy H5362 this body, yet in my flesh H1320 shall I see H2372 God: H433
27 Whom I shall see H2372 for myself, and mine eyes H5869 shall behold, H7200 and not another; H2114 though my reins H3629 be consumed H3615 within H2436 me.
28 But ye should say, H559 Why persecute H7291 we him, seeing the root H8328 of the matter H1697 is found H4672 in me?
29 Be ye afraid H1481 of the sword: H2719 for wrath H2534 bringeth the punishments H5771 of H6440 the sword, H2719 that ye may know H3045 there is a judgment. H1779 H1779
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul, And break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: Ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, Mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach;
6 Know now that God hath subverted me `in my cause', And hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry for help, but there is no justice.
8 He hath walled up my way that I cannot pass, And hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone; And my hope hath he plucked up like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, And he counteth me unto him as `one of' his adversaries.
12 His troops come on together, And cast up their way against me, And encamp round about my tent.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, And mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, And my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call unto my servant, and he giveth me no answer, `Though' I entreat him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, And my supplication to the children of mine own mother.
18 Even young children despise me; If I arise, they speak against me.
19 All my familiar friends abhor me, And they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, And I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; For the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That with an iron pen and lead They were graven in the rock for ever!
25 But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth, And at last he will stand up upon the earth:
26 And after my skin, `even' this `body', is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God;
27 Whom I, even I, shall see, on my side, And mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger. My heart is consumed within me.
28 If ye say, How we will persecute him! And that the root of the matter is found in me;
29 Be ye afraid of the sword: For wrath `bringeth' the punishments of the sword, That ye may know there is a judgment.
1 And Job answereth and saith: --
2 Till when do ye afflict my soul, And bruise me with words?
3 These ten times ye put me to shame, ye blush not. Ye make yourselves strange to me --
4 And also -- truly, I have erred, With me doth my error remain.
5 If, truly, over me ye magnify yourselves, And decide against me my reproach;
6 Know now, that God turned me upside down, And His net against me hath set round,
7 Lo, I cry out -- violence, and am not answered, I cry aloud, and there is no judgment.
8 My way He hedged up, and I pass not over, And on my paths darkness He placeth.
9 Mine honour from off me He hath stripped, And He turneth the crown from my head.
10 He breaketh me down round about, and I go, And removeth like a tree my hope.
11 And He kindleth against me His anger, And reckoneth me to Him as His adversaries.
12 Come in do His troops together, And they raise up against me their way, And encamp round about my tent.
13 My brethren from me He hath put far off, And mine acquaintances surely Have been estranged from me.
14 Ceased have my neighbours And my familiar friends have forgotten me,
15 Sojourners of my house and my maids, For a stranger reckon me: An alien I have been in their eyes.
16 To my servant I have called, And he doth not answer, With my mouth I make supplication to him.
17 My spirit is strange to my wife, And my favours to the sons of my `mother's' womb.
18 Also sucklings have despised me, I rise, and they speak against me.
19 Abominate me do all the men of my counsel, And those I have loved, Have been turned against me.
20 To my skin and to my flesh Cleaved hath my bone, And I deliver myself with the skin of my teeth.
21 Pity me, pity me, ye my friends, For the hand of God hath stricken against me.
22 Why do you pursue me as God? And with my flesh are not satisfied?
23 Who doth grant now, That my words may be written? Who doth grant that in a book they may be graven?
24 With a pen of iron and lead -- For ever in a rock they may be hewn.
25 That -- I have known my Redeemer, The Living and the Last, For the dust he doth rise.
26 And after my skin hath compassed this `body', Then from my flesh I see God:
27 Whom I -- I see on my side, And mine eyes have beheld, and not a stranger, Consumed have been my reins in my bosom.
28 But ye say, `Why do we pursue after him?' And the root of the matter hath been found in me.
29 Be ye afraid because of the sword, For furious `are' the punishments of the sword, That ye may know that `there is' a judgment.
1 And Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and crush me with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed to stupefy me.
4 And be it [that] I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and prove against me my reproach,
6 Know now that +God hath overthrown me, and hath surrounded me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, and I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He hath hedged up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaketh me down on every side, and I am gone; and my hope hath he torn up as a tree.
11 And he hath kindled his anger against me, and hath counted me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops have come together and cast up their way against me, and have encamped round about my tent.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are quite estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my known friends have forgotten me.
15 The sojourners in my house and my maids count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.
16 I called my servant, and he answered not; I entreated him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, and my entreaties to the children of my [mother's] womb.
18 Even young children despise me; I rise up, and they speak against me.
19 All my intimate friends abhor me, and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ye my friends; for the hand of +God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as ùGod, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh would that my words were written! oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That with an iron style and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 And [as for] me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and the Last, he shall stand upon the earth;
26 And [if] after my skin this shall be destroyed, yet from out of my flesh shall I see +God;
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another: -- my reins are consumed within me.
28 If ye say, How shall we persecute him? when the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be ye yourselves afraid of the sword! for the sword is fury against misdeeds, that ye may know there is a judgment.
1 Then Job answered,
2 "How long will you torment me, And crush me with words?
3 You have reproached me ten times. You aren't ashamed that you attack me.
4 If it is true that I have erred, My error remains with myself.
5 If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach;
6 Know now that God has subverted me, And has surrounded me with his net.
7 "Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry for help, but there is no justice.
8 He has walled up my way so that I can't pass, And has set darkness in my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.
10 He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. My hope he has plucked up like a tree.
11 He has also kindled his wrath against me. He counts me among his adversaries.
12 His troops come on together, Build a siege ramp against me, And encamp around my tent.
13 "He has put my brothers far from me. My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
14 My relatives have gone away. My familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger. I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer; I beg him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.
18 Even young children despise me. If I arise, they speak against me.
19 All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh. I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 "Have pity on me, have pity on me, you my friends; For the hand of God has touched me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God, And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That with an iron pen and lead They were engraved in the rock forever!
25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.
26 After my skin is destroyed, Then in my flesh shall I see God,
27 Whom I, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. "My heart is consumed within me.
28 If you say, 'How we will persecute him!' Because the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be afraid of the sword, For wrath brings the punishments of the sword, That you may know there is a judgment."
1 And Job made answer and said,
2 How long will you make my life bitter, crushing me with words?
3 Ten times now you have made sport of me; it gives you no sense of shame to do me wrong.
4 And, truly, if I have been in error, the effect of my error is only on myself.
5 If you make yourselves great against me, using my punishment as an argument against me,
6 Be certain that it is God who has done me wrong, and has taken me in his net.
7 Truly, I make an outcry against the violent man, but there is no answer: I give a cry for help, but no one takes up my cause.
8 My way is walled up by him so that I may not go by: he has made my roads dark.
9 He has put off my glory from me, and taken the crown from my head.
10 I am broken down by him on every side, and I am gone; my hope is uprooted like a tree.
11 His wrath is burning against me, and I am to him as one of his haters.
12 His armies come on together, they make their road high against me, and put up their tents round mine.
13 He has taken my brothers far away from me; they have seen my fate and have become strange to me.
14 My relations and my near friends have given me up, and those living in my house have put me out of their minds.
15 I am strange to my women-servants, and seem to them as one from another country.
16 At my cry my servant gives me no answer, and I have to make a prayer to him.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body.
18 Even young children have no respect for me; when I get up their backs are turned on me.
19 All the men of my circle keep away from me; and those dear to me are turned against me.
20 My bones are joined to my skin, and I have got away with my flesh in my teeth.
21 Have pity on me, have pity on me, O my friends! for the hand of God is on me.
22 Why are you cruel to me, like God, for ever saying evil against me?
23 If only my words might be recorded! if they might be put in writing in a book!
24 And with an iron pen and lead be cut into the rock for ever!
25 But I am certain that he who will take up my cause is living, and that in time to come he will take his place on the dust;
26 And ... without my flesh I will see God;
27 Whom I will see on my side, and not as one strange to me. My heart is broken with desire.
28 If you say, How cruel we will be to him! because the root of sin is clearly in him:
29 Be in fear of the sword, for the sword is the punishment for such things, so that you may be certain that there is a judge.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 19
Commentary on Job 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
SECOND SERIES.
Job 19:1-29. Job's Reply to Bildad.
2. How long, &c.—retorting Bildad's words (Job 18:2). Admitting the punishment to be deserved, is it kind thus ever to be harping on this to the sufferer? And yet even this they have not yet proved.
3. These—prefixed emphatically to numbers (Ge 27:36).
ten—that is, often (Ge 31:7).
make yourselves strange—rather, "stun me" [Gesenius]. (See Margin for a different meaning [that is, "harden yourselves against me"]).
4.erred—The Hebrew expresses unconscious error. Job was unconscious of wilful sin.
remaineth—literally, "passeth the night." An image from harboring an unpleasant guest for the night. I bear the consequences.
5. magnify, &c.—Speak proudly (Ob 12; Eze 35:13).
against me—emphatically repeated (Ps 38:16).
plead … reproach—English Version makes this part of the protasis, "if" being understood, and the apodosis beginning at Job 19:6. Better with Umbreit, If ye would become great heroes against me in truth, ye must prove (evince) against me my guilt, or shame, which you assert. In the English Version "reproach" will mean Job's calamities, which they "pleaded" against him as a "reproach," or proof of guilt.
6. compassed … net—alluding to Bildad's words (Job 18:8). Know, that it is not that I as a wicked man have been caught in my "own net"; it is God who has compassed me in His—why, I know not.
7. wrong—violence: brought on him by God.
no judgment—God will not remove my calamities, and so vindicate my just cause; and my friends will not do justice to my past character.
8. Image from a benighted traveller.
9. stripped … crown—image from a deposed king, deprived of his robes and crown; appropriate to Job, once an emir with all but royal dignity (La 5:16; Ps 89:39).
10. destroyed … on every side—"Shaken all round, so that I fall in the dust"; image from a tree uprooted by violent shaking from every side [Umbreit]. The last clause accords with this (Jer 1:10)
mine hope—as to this life (in opposition to Zophar, Job 11:18); not as to the world to come (Job 19:25; Job 14:15).
removed—uprooted.
11. enemies—(Job 13:24; La 2:5).
12. troops—Calamities advance together like hostile troops (Job 10:17).
raise up … way—An army must cast up a way of access before it, in marching against a city (Isa 40:3).
13. brethren—nearest kinsmen, as distinguished from "acquaintance." So "kinsfolk" and "familiar friends" (Job 19:14) correspond in parallelism. The Arabic proverb is, "The brother, that is, the true friend, is only known in time of need."
estranged—literally, "turn away with disgust." Job again unconsciously uses language prefiguring the desertion of Jesus Christ (Job 16:10; Lu 23:49; Ps 38:11).
15. They that dwell, &c.—rather, "sojourn": male servants, sojourning in his house. Mark the contrast. The stranger admitted to sojourn as a dependent treats the master as a stranger in his own house.
16. servant—born in my house (as distinguished from those sojourning in it), and so altogether belonging to the family. Yet even he disobeys my call.
mouth—that is, "calling aloud"; formerly a nod was enough. Now I no longer look for obedience, I try entreaty.
17. strange—His breath by elephantiasis had become so strongly altered and offensive, that his wife turned away as estranged from him (Job 19:13; 17:1).
children's … of mine own body—literally, "belly." But "loins" is what we should expect, not "belly" (womb), which applies to the woman. The "mine" forbids it being taken of his wife. Besides their children were dead. In Job 3:10 the same words "my womb" mean, my mother's womb: therefore translate, "and I must entreat (as a suppliant) the children of my mother's womb"; that is, my own brothers—a heightening of force, as compared with last clause of Job 19:16 [Umbreit]. Not only must I entreat suppliantly my servant, but my own brothers (Ps 69:8). Here too, he unconsciously foreshadows Jesus Christ (Joh 7:5).
18. young children—So the Hebrew means (Job 21:11). Reverence for age is a chief duty in the East. The word means "wicked" (Job 16:11). So Umbreit has it here, not so well.
I arose—Rather, supply "if," as Job was no more in a state to stand up. "If I stood up (arose), they would speak against (abuse) me" [Umbreit].
19. inward—confidential; literally, "men of my secret"—to whom I entrusted my most intimate confidence.
20. Extreme meagerness. The bone seemed to stick in the skin, being seen through it, owing to the flesh drying up and falling away from the bone. The Margin, "as to my flesh," makes this sense clearer. The English Version, however, expresses the same: "And to my flesh," namely, which has fallen away from the bone, instead of firmly covering it.
skin of my teeth—proverbial. I have escaped with bare life; I am whole only with the skin of my teeth; that is, my gums alone are whole, the rest of the skin of my body is broken with sores (Job 7:5; Ps 102:5). Satan left Job his speech, in hope that he might therewith curse God.
21. When God had made him such a piteous spectacle, his friends should spare him the additional persecution of their cruel speeches.
22. as God—has persecuted me. Prefiguring Jesus Christ (Ps 69:26). That God afflicts is no reason that man is to add to a sufferer's affliction (Zec 1:15).
satisfied with my flesh—It is not enough that God afflicts my flesh literally (Job 19:20), but you must "eat my flesh" metaphorically (Ps 27:2); that is, utter the worst calumnies, as the phrase often means in Arabic.
23. Despairing of justice from his friends in his lifetime, he wishes his words could be preserved imperishably to posterity, attesting his hope of vindication at the resurrection.
printed—not our modern printing, but engraven.
24. pen—graver.
lead—poured into the engraven characters, to make them better seen [Umbreit]. Not on leaden plates; for it was "in the rock" that they were engraved. Perhaps it was the hammer that was of "lead," as sculptors find more delicate incisions are made by it, than by a harder hammer. FOSTER (One Primeval Language) has shown that the inscriptions on the rocks in Wady-Mokatta, along Israel's route through the desert, record the journeys of that people, as Cosmas Indicopleustes asserted, A.D. 535.
for ever—as long as the rock lasts.
25. redeemer—Umbreit and others understand this and Job 19:26, of God appearing as Job's avenger before his death, when his body would be wasted to a skeleton. But Job uniformly despairs of restoration and vindication of his cause in this life (Job 17:15, 16). One hope alone was left, which the Spirit revealed—a vindication in a future life: it would be no full vindication if his soul alone were to be happy without the body, as some explain (Job 19:26) "out of the flesh." It was his body that had chiefly suffered: the resurrection of his body, therefore, alone could vindicate his cause: to see God with his own eyes, and in a renovated body (Job 19:27), would disprove the imputation of guilt cast on him because of the sufferings of his present body. That this truth is not further dwelt on by Job, or noticed by his friends, only shows that it was with him a bright passing glimpse of Old Testament hope, rather than the steady light of Gospel assurance; with us this passage has a definite clearness, which it had not in his mind (see on Job 21:30). The idea in "redeemer" with Job is Vindicator (Job 16:19; Nu 35:27), redressing his wrongs; also including at least with us, and probably with him, the idea of the predicted Bruiser of the serpent's head. Tradition would inform him of the prediction. Foster shows that the fall by the serpent is represented perfectly on the temple of Osiris at Philæ; and the resurrection on the tomb of the Egyptian Mycerinus, dating four thousand years back. Job's sacrifices imply sense of sin and need of atonement. Satan was the injurer of Job's body; Jesus Christ his Vindicator, the Living One who giveth life (Joh 5:21, 26).
at the latter day—Rather, "the Last," the peculiar title of Jesus Christ, though Job may not have known the pregnancy of his own inspired words, and may have understood merely one that comes after (1Co 15:45; Re 1:17). Jesus Christ is the last. The day of Jesus Christ the last day (Joh 6:39).
stand—rather, "arise": as God is said to "raise up" the Messiah (Jer 23:5; De 18:15).
earth—rather, "dust": often associated with the body crumbling away in it (Job 7:21; 17:16); therefore appropriately here. Above that very dust wherewith was mingled man's decaying body shall man's Vindicator arise. "Arise above the dust," strikingly expresses that fact that Jesus Christ arose first Himself above the dust, and then is to raise His people above it (1Co 15:20, 23). The Spirit intended in Job's words more than Job fully understood (1Pe 1:12). Though He seems, in forsaking me, to be as one dead, He now truly "liveth" in heaven; hereafter He shall appear also above the dust of earth. The Goel or vindicator of blood was the nearest kinsman of the slain. So Jesus Christ took our flesh, to be our kinsman. Man lost life by Satan the "murderer" (Joh 8:44), here Job's persecutor (Heb 2:14). Compare also as to redemption of the inheritance by the kinsman of the dead (Ru 4:3-5; Eph 1:14).
26. Rather, though after my skin (is no more) this (body) is destroyed ("body" being omitted, because it was so wasted as not to deserve the name), yet from my flesh (from my renewed body, as the starting-point of vision, So 2:9, "looking out from the windows") "shall I see God." Next clause [Job 19:27] proves bodily vision is meant, for it specifies "mine eyes" [Rosenmuller, 2d ed.]. The Hebrew opposes "in my flesh." The "skin" was the first destroyed by elephantiasis, then the "body."
27. for myself—for my advantage, as my friend.
not another—Mine eyes shall behold Him, but no longer as one estranged from me, as now [Bengel].
though—better omitted.
my reins—inward recesses of the heart.
be consumed within me—that is, pine with longing desire for that day (Ps 84:2; 119:81). The Gentiles had but few revealed promises: how gracious that the few should have been so explicit (compare Nu 24:17; Mt 2:2).
28. Rather, "ye will then (when the Vindicator cometh) say, Why," &c.
root … in me—The root of pious integrity, which was the matter at issue, whether it could be in one so afflicted, is found in me. Umbreit, with many manuscripts and versions, reads "in him." "Or how found we in him ground of contention."
29. wrath—the passionate violence with which the friends persecuted Job.
bringeth, &c.—literally, "is sin of the of the sword"
that ye may know—Supply, "I say this."
judgment—inseparably connected with the coming of the Vindicator. The "wrath" of God at His appearing for the temporal vindication of Job against the friends (Job 42:7) is a pledge of the eternal wrath at the final coming to glorify the saints and judge their enemies (2Th 1:6-10; Isa 25:8).