The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
ARGUMENT.
The purpoſe of this Chapter (in which Job replies to Bildad) is to ſhew, that it would be ſufficient for him alſo merely to repeat the ſame things, as they had done in Ten Diſcourſes: But the more to aggravate their want of Compaſſion, or rather Cruelty, toward him, he repreſents ſeveral new things, which made his condition more deplorable then he had hitherto ſaid. One of which was, that he could not tell the Reaſon why God dealt thus with him: who notwithſtanding was ſo gracious, that in the depth of this Miſery and Anguiſh, He affords him a glimmering of a comfortable Hope, (which began now to appear in his Soul, and which he had hitherto wanted,) that God would at laſt take pity upon him, and ſhew his Friends their errour, by reſtoring him to his former Health and Splendour. That ſeems to be the literal meaning of the 25. and 26. verſes, and of the two next that follow: where, among other things, he ſays he doubted not but his Redeemer ſhould ſtand laſt upon the earth, (ſo it is in the Hebrew, the word day not being there,) that is, quite overcome the Devil, and deliver him from theſe Diſtreſſes; like a mighty Conquerour, who keeps the field, when all his oppoſers are routed and fled away. But in this he was, as S. Auſtin calls him, eximius Prophetarum, and propheſied of the Reſurrection of the Body at the laſt day.
1. THEN Job anſwered, and ſaid,1. THEN Job, hearing him alſo repeat his former diſcourſe, (Ch. VIII.) wherein he reflected on him as a Wicked man, burſt out again into theſe words.
2. How long will ye vex my ſoul, and break me in pieces with words?2. Will you never ceaſe to torment me, and to break my very heart with your words, which grate upon me as ſorely as all the Miſeries I endure?
3. Theſe ten times have ye reproached me: you are not aſhamed that you make your ſelves ſtrange to me.3. You have reproached me often enough, one would think; and yet you are not aſhamed to continue your hard-hearted Cenſures, as if I were a perfect Stranger, and my manner of life utterly unknown to you.
4. And be it indeed that I have erred, mine errour remaineth with my ſelf.4. Suppoſe that I have done amiſs, (which is more then you know,) I ſuffer ſufficiently for it; and it doth not become you to increaſe my Sufferings by your Reproaches.
5. If indeed you will magnifie your ſelves againſt me, and plead againſt me my reproach:5. But if you will ſtill proceed to lift up your voice to declaim againſt me, and alledge my Calamities, which have made me contemptible, as an argument to condemn me;
6. Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compaſſed me with his net.6. Let this anſwer ſuffice you: That I am ſenſible it is God's doing; who, having laid me thus low, and inviron'd me with unavoidable Miſeries, calls upon you to compaſſionate rather then reproach me.
7. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.7. And my Caſe is the more pitiable, becauſe I know not the Cauſe of all this; nor can have any audience or redreſs, though I appeal to God with the loudeſt cries, and proteſt to Him that I am innocent.
8. He hath fenced up my way that I cannot paſs, and he hath ſet darkneſs in my paths.8. There is no way open for my eſcape; but his Plagues ſurround me ſo on every ſide, that I am at my wits end, and know not which way to turn my ſelf.
9. He hath ſtript me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.9. He hath not merely ſtript me of my Ornaments, and taken that Dignity and Authority from me wherewith I was inveſted;
10. He hath deſtroyed me on every ſide, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.10. But brought me to ſuch utter Ruine, that, like a Tree pluck'd up by the very roots, I have not ſo much as Hope remaining, which is the onelyonly comfort of the miſerable.
11. He hath alſo kindled his wrath againſt me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.11. For He hath done all this with ſuch violence, as if He were extreamly incenſed againſt me, and look'd upon me as his Enemy.
12. His troups come together, and raiſe up their way againſt me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.12. Whole Armies of Evils, by his order, have at the ſame time invaded me; and laid ſuch a ſtreight ſiege to me, that not the ſmalleſt Comfort I had could eſcape their fury.
13. He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily eſtranged from me.13. I look'd for ſome relief from my Brethren; but they were ſo aſtoniſht at the number and dreadfulneſs of my Calamities, that they durſt not approach me: and as for my Neighbours, who formerly ſo much courted my acquaintance, they truly kept aloof off, as if they had never known me.
14. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.14. They whom Nature inclined to it have failed to perform the duties of Humanity towards me; and they to whom I was tied by a ſtronger bond then Nature have forgotten the Friendſhip there was between us.
15. They that dwell in mine houſe, and my maids count me for a ſtranger: I am an aliant in their ſight.15. They that have been kindly entertain'd at my houſe, nay, the people of my Family, have forgot the reſpect they were wont to give me; and look upon me as if they had no relation to me.
16. I called my ſervant, and he gave me no anſwer: I entreated him with my mouth.16. I called to my Slave, and he regarded not what I ſaid; no, not when I beſeeched him as if he had been my Maſter.
17. My breath is ſtrange to my wife, though I intreated for the childrens ſake of mine own body.17. Which is the leſs wonder, ſince I am become ſo loathſome that my Wife will not come near me; though I have conjured her to it by the dear memory of our Children, thoſe common pledges of our mutual love.
18. Yea, young children deſpiſed me; I aroſe, and they ſpake againſt me.18. After theſe examples young Children and Fools deſpiſe me: and when I riſe up to invite them to me, abuſive language is all the return they make to my Courteſy.
19. All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned againſt me.19. And, which is worſt of all, the men whom I intruſted with my greateſt Secrets cannot endure me; and they who have received ſo many tokens of my Love are become mine Enemies.
20. My bone cleaveth to my skin, and to my fleſh, and I am eſcaped with the skin of my teeth.20. All theſe Afflictions have ſo waſted me, that I am little more then skin and bone: a Mouth to complain withall is all the fleſh that is left me.
21. Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me.21. O ye my Friends, (if you ſtill deſerve that name,) who are the onelyonly perſons that undertake to comfort me, have pity, have pity, I beſeech you, upon a miſerable wretch; and conſider what Wounds the hand of God hath given me.
22. Why do ye perſecute me as God, and are not ſatisfied with my fleſh?22. Will you aſſume the ſame prerogative, and think you have the ſame right to afflict me? And doth it not ſuffice you to ſee my Body all conſumed, but you will vex my very Soul alſo with your perverſe reaſonings?
23. Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!23. Oh that the Proteſtations and Appeals I have ſo often made might remain upon record, and be regiſtred in the publick Acts and Monuments!
24. That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!24. May they be graven upon a plate of lead with an iron pen; nay, cut into a rock or marble pillar to continue to all Poſterity!
25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the earth.25. For my Hope, which was as dead as my ſelf, (XVII. 13, 15. XIX. 10.) begins to revive, becauſe, though I ſeem for the preſent to be forſaken of God, yet I know that He can hereafter deliver me out of this miſerable condition, ſince He lives for ever; and will, I doubt not, at laſt appear victorious over all the Enemies which now oppreſs me.
26. And though after my skin, worms deſtroy this body, yet in my fleſh ſhall I ſee God:26. And though the Worms, which have eaten my Skin, ſhould proceed to conſume the reſt of this wretched Body; yet I feel my Soul inſpired with a comfortable belief, that before I die I ſhall ſee my ſelf reſtored, by the mercy of God, to a happy eſtate.
27. Whom I ſhall ſee for my ſelf, and mine eyes ſhall behold, and not another; though my reins be conſumed within me.27. He will not let me always lie under theſe Reproaches; but I begin to aſſure my ſelf, that with theſe very eyes I ſhall ſee Him vindicate my Innocence: not onelyonly others, but I my ſelf ſhall live to ſee it; and I even faint away with vehement deſire to behold that happy day.
28. But ye ſhould ſay, Why perſecute we him, ſeeing the root of the matter is found in me?28. Which will make you repent that you have thus perſecuted me; who have not without ground thus long diſputed this matter with you, but am ſure the right lies on my ſide, and not on yours.
29. Be ye afraid of the ſword: for wrath bringeth the puniſhments of the ſword, that ye may know there is a judgment.29. Take my advice therefore in good time, and dread the juſt diſpleaſure of God againſt you for your perverſe Reaſonings, (for his wrath puniſhes mens iniquity with the ſword or ſome ſuch ſore Vengeance,) whereby you will know to your coſt, that there is a more righteous Judgment then yours.