19 The rich H6223 man shall lie down, H7901 but he shall not be gathered: H622 he openeth H6491 his eyes, H5869 and he is not.
They are exalted H7426 for a little while, H4592 but are gone and brought low; H4355 they are taken out H7092 of the way H1870 as all other, and cut off H5243 as the tops H7218 of the ears of corn. H7641
And they shall spread H7849 them before the sun, H8121 and the moon, H3394 and all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 whom they have loved, H157 and whom they have served, H5647 and after H310 whom they have walked, H1980 and whom they have sought, H1875 and whom they have worshipped: H7812 they shall not be gathered, H622 nor be buried; H6912 they shall be for dung H1828 upon the face H6440 of the earth. H127
The eye H5869 of him that hath seen H7210 me shall see H7789 me no more: thine eyes H5869 are upon me, and I am not.
So man H376 lieth down, H7901 and riseth H6965 not: till the heavens H8064 be no more, H1115 they shall not awake, H6974 nor be raised out H5782 of their sleep. H8142 O that H5414 thou wouldest hide H6845 me in the grave, H7585 that thou wouldest keep me secret, H5641 until thy wrath H639 be past, H7725 that thou wouldest appoint H7896 me a set time, H2706 and remember H2142 me! If a man H1397 die, H4191 shall he live H2421 again? all the days H3117 of my appointed time H6635 will I wait, H3176 till my change H2487 come. H935 Thou shalt call, H7121 and I will answer H6030 thee: thou wilt have a desire H3700 to the work H4639 of thine hands. H3027
Yet he shall perish H6 for ever H5331 like his own dung: H1561 they which have seen H7200 him shall say, H559 Where H335 is he? He shall fly away H5774 as a dream, H2472 and shall not be found: H4672 yea, he shall be chased away H5074 as a vision H2384 of the night. H3915 The eye H5869 also which saw H7805 him shall see him no more; H3254 neither shall his place H4725 any more behold H7789 him.
One dieth H4191 in his full H8537 strength, H6106 being wholly at ease H7946 and quiet. H7961 His breasts H5845 are full H4390 of milk, H2461 and his bones H6106 are moistened H8248 with marrow. H4221 And another dieth H4191 in the bitterness H4751 of his soul, H5315 and never eateth H398 with pleasure. H2896 They shall lie down H7901 alike H3162 in the dust, H6083 and the worms H7415 shall cover H3680 them.
That the wicked H7451 is reserved H2820 to the day H3117 of destruction? H343 they shall be brought forth H2986 to the day H3117 of wrath. H5678
How are they brought into desolation, H8047 as in a moment! H7281 they are utterly H5486 consumed H8552 with terrors. H1091 As a dream H2472 when one awaketh; H6974 so, O Lord, H136 when thou awakest, H5782 thou shalt despise H959 their image. H6754
Whose G3739 fan G4425 is in G1722 his G846 hand, G5495 and G2532 he will throughly purge G1245 his G846 floor, G257 and G2532 gather G4863 his G846 wheat G4621 into G1519 the garner; G596 but G1161 he will burn up G2618 the chaff G892 with unquenchable G762 fire. G4442
O Jerusalem, G2419 Jerusalem, G2419 thou that killest G615 the prophets, G4396 and G2532 stonest G3036 them which are sent G649 unto G4314 thee, G846 how often G4212 would I G2309 have gathered G1996 thy G4675 G3739 children G5043 together, G1996 even as G5158 a hen G3733 gathereth G1996 her G1438 chickens G3556 under G5259 her wings, G4420 and G2532 ye would G2309 not! G3756
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 27
Commentary on Job 27 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 27
Job had sometimes complained of his friends that they were so eager in disputing that they would scarcely let him put in a word: "Suffer me that I may speak;' and, "O that you would hold your peace!' But now, it seems, they were out of breath, and left him room to say what he would. Either they were themselves convinced that Job was in the right or they despaired of convincing him that he was in the wrong; and therefore they threw away their weapons and gave up the cause. Job was too hard for them, and forced them to quit the field; for great is the truth and will prevail. What Job had said (ch. 26) was a sufficient answer to Bildad's discourse; and now Job paused awhile, to see whether Zophar would take his turn again; but, he declining it, Job himself went on, and, without any interruption or vexation given him, said all he desired to say in this matter.
Job 27:1-6
Job's discourse here is called a parable (mashal), the title of Solomon's proverbs, because it was grave and weighty, and very instructive, and he spoke as one having authority. It comes from a word that signifies to rule, or have dominion; and some think it intimates that Job now triumphed over his opponents, and spoke as one that had baffled them. We say of an excellent preacher that he knows how dominari in concionibus-to command his hearers. Job did so here. A long strife there had been between Job and his friends; they seemed disposed to have the matter compromised; and therefore, since an oath for confirmation is an end of strife (Heb. 6:16), Job here backs all he had said in maintenance of his own integrity with a solemn oath, to silence contradiction, and take the blame entirely upon himself if he prevaricated. Observe,
Job complained much of the reproaches of his friends; but (says he) my heart shall not reproach me, that is, "I will never give my heart cause to reproach me, but will keep a conscience void of offence; and, while I do so, I will not give my heart leave to reproach me.' Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. To resolve that our hearts shall not reproach us when we give them cause to do so is to affront God, whose deputy conscience is, and to wrong ourselves; for it is a good thing, when a man has sinned, to have a heart within him to smite him for it, 2 Sa. 24:10. But to resolve that our hearts shall not reproach us while we still hold fast our integrity is to baffle the designs of the evil spirit (who tempts good Christians to question their adoption, If thou be the Son of God) and to concur with the operations of the good Spirit, who witnesses to their adoption.
Job 27:7-10
Job having solemnly protested the satisfaction he had in his integrity, for the further clearing of himself, here expresses the dread he had of being found a hypocrite.
Job 27:11-23
Job's friends had seen a great deal of the misery and destruction that attend wicked people, especially oppressors; and Job, while the heat of disputation lasted, had said as much, and with as much assurance, of their prosperity; but now that the heat of the battle was nearly over he was willing to own how far he agreed with them, and where the difference between his opinion and theirs lay.