14 I have said H7121 to corruption, H7845 Thou art my father: H1 to the worm, H7415 Thou art my mother, H517 and my sister. H269
Yet shall he be brought H2986 to the grave, H6913 and shall remain H8245 in the tomb. H1430 The clods H7263 of the valley H5158 shall be sweet H4985 unto him, and every man H120 shall draw H4900 after H310 him, as there are innumerable H4557 before H6440 him.
Because G3754 thou wilt G1459 not G3756 leave G1459 my G3450 soul G5590 in G1519 hell, G86 neither G3761 wilt thou suffer G1325 thine G4675 Holy One G3741 to see G1492 corruption. G1312 Thou hast made known G1107 to me G3427 the ways G3598 of life; G2222 thou shalt make G4137 me G3165 full G4137 of joy G2167 with G3326 thy G4675 countenance. G4383 Men G435 and brethren, G80 let G2036 me G1832 freely G3326 G3954 speak G2036 unto G4314 you G5209 of G4012 the patriarch G3966 David, G1138 that G3754 he is G5053 both G2532 dead G5053 and G2532 buried, G2290 and G2532 his G846 sepulchre G3418 is G2076 with G1722 us G2254 unto G891 this G5026 day. G2250 Therefore G3767 being G5225 a prophet, G4396 and G2532 knowing G1492 that G3754 God G2316 had sworn G3660 with an oath G3727 to him, G846 that of G1537 the fruit G2590 of his G846 loins, G3751 according to G2596 the flesh, G4561 he would raise up G450 Christ G5547 to sit G2523 on G1909 his G846 throne; G2362 He seeing this before G4275 spake G2980 of G4012 the resurrection G386 of Christ, G5547 that G3754 his G846 soul G5590 was G2641 not G3756 left G2641 in G1519 hell, G86 neither G3761 his G846 flesh G4561 did see G1492 corruption. G1312
And G1161 as concerning that G3754 he raised G450 him G846 up G450 from G1537 the dead, G3498 now no more G3371 to G3195 return G5290 to G1519 corruption, G1312 he said G2046 on this wise, G3779 G3754 I will give G1325 you G5213 the sure G4103 mercies G3741 of David. G1138 Wherefore G1352 he saith G3004 also G2532 in G1722 another G2087 psalm, Thou shalt G1325 not G3756 suffer G1325 thine G4675 Holy One G3741 to see G1492 corruption. G1312 For G1063 G3303 David, G1138 after he had served G5256 his own G2398 generation G1074 by the will G1012 of God, G2316 fell on sleep, G2837 and G2532 was laid G4369 unto G4314 his G846 fathers, G3962 and G2532 saw G1492 corruption: G1312 But G1161 he, whom G3739 God G2316 raised again, G1453 saw G1492 no G3756 corruption. G1312
For G1063 this G5124 corruptible G5349 must G1163 put on G1746 incorruption, G861 and G2532 this G5124 mortal G2349 must put on G1746 immortality. G110 So G1161 when G3752 this G5124 corruptible G5349 shall have put on G1746 incorruption, G861 and G2532 this G5124 mortal G2349 shall have put on G1746 immortality, G110 then G5119 shall be brought to pass G1096 the saying G3056 that is written, G1125 Death G2288 is swallowed up G2666 in G1519 victory. G3534
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 17
Commentary on Job 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Job 17:1-16. Job's Answer Continued.
1. breath … corrupt—result of elephantiasis. But Umbreit, "my strength (spirit) is spent."
extinct—Life is compared to an expiring light. "The light of my day is extinguished."
graves—plural, to heighten the force.
2. Umbreit, more emphatically, "had I only not to endure mockery, in the midst of their contentions I (mine eye) would remain quiet."
eye continue—Hebrew, "tarry all night"; a figure taken from sleep at night, to express undisturbed rest; opposed to (Job 16:20), when the eye of Job is represented as pouring out tears to God without rest.
3. Lay down now—namely, a pledge or security; that is, be my surety; do Thou attest my innocence, since my friends only mock me (Job 17:2). Both litigating parties had to lay down a sum as security before the trial.
put me in a surety—Provide a surety for me (in the trial) with Thee. A presage of the "surety" (Heb 7:22), or "one Mediator between God and man" (see on Job 16:21).
strike hands—"who else (save God Himself) could strike hands with me?" that is, be my security (Ps 119:122). The Hebrew strikes the hand of him for whom he goes security (Pr 6:1).
4. their heart—The intellect of his friends.
shalt … exalt—Rather imperative, "exalt them not"; allow them not to conquer [Umbreit], (Isa 6:9, 10).
5. The Hebrew for "flattery" is "smoothness"; then it came to mean a prey divided by lot, because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (De 18:8), "a portion" (Ge 14:24). Therefore translate, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey (which the conduct of my friends implies that they would do), even the eyes," &c. [Noyes] (Job 11:20). Job says this as to the sinner's children, retorting upon their reproach as to the cutting off of his (Job 5:4; 15:30). This accords with the Old Testament dispensation of legal retribution (Ex 20:5).
6. He—God. The poet reverentially suppresses the name of God when speaking of calamities inflicted.
by-word—(De 28:37; Ps 69:11). My awful punishment makes my name execrated everywhere, as if I must have been superlatively bad to have earned it.
aforetime … tabret—as David was honored (1Sa 18:6). Rather from a different Hebrew root, "I am treated to my face as an object of disgust," literally, "an object to be spit upon in the face" (Nu 12:14). So Raca means (Mt 5:22) [Umbreit].
7. (Ps 6:7; 31:9; De 34:7).
members—literally, "figures"; all the individual members being peculiar forms of the body; opposed to "shadow," which looks like a figure without solidity.
8. astonied—at my unmerited sufferings.
against the hypocrite—The upright shall feel their sense of justice wounded ("will be indignant") because of the prosperity of the wicked. By "hypocrite" or "ungodly," he perhaps glances at his false friends.
9. The strength of religious principle is heightened by misfortune. The pious shall take fresh courage to persevere from the example of suffering Job. The image is from a warrior acquiring new courage in action (Isa 40:30, 31; Php 1:14).
10. return—If you have anything to advance really wise, though I doubt it, recommence your speech. For as yet I cannot find one wise man among you all.
11. Only do not vainly speak of the restoration of health to me; for "my days are past."
broken off—as the threads of the web cut off from the loom (Isa 38:12).
thoughts—literally, "possessions," that is, all the feelings and fair hopes which my heart once nourished. These belong to the heart, as "purposes" to the understanding; the two together here describe the entire inner man.
12. They—namely, "my friends."
change the night into day—that is, would try to persuade me of the change of my misery into joy, which is impossible [Umbreit] (Job 11:17); (but) the light of prosperity (could it be enjoyed) would be short because of the darkness of adversity. Or better for "short," the Hebrew "near"; "and the light of new prosperity should be near in the face of (before) the darkness of death"; that is, they would persuade me that light is near, even though darkness approaches.
13. Rather, "if I wait for this grave (Sheol, or the unseen world) as my house, and make my bed in the darkness (Job 17:14), and say to corruption," rather, "to the pit" or "grave," &c. (Job 17:15). Where then is my hope? [Umbreit]. The apodosis is at Job 17:15.
14. Thou art my father, &c.—expressing most intimate connection (Pr 7:4). His diseased state made him closely akin to the grave and worm.
15. Who shall see it fulfilled? namely, the "hope" (Job 11:18) which they held out to him of restoration.
16. They—namely, my hopes shall be buried with me.
bars—(Isa 38:10). Rather, the wastes or solitudes of the pit (sheol, the unseen world).
rest together—the rest of me and my hope is in, &c. Both expire together. The word "rest" implies that man's ceaseless hopes only rob him of rest.