Westminster Annotations, Job · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Vers. 2. MIserable comforters] Or, troublesome, Chap. 13. 4.
V. 3. Shall vain words have an end?] Which serve for vain ostentation, and for no true comfort.
vain words] Heb. words of winde, chap. 15. 2.
what emboldeneth thee] For Eliphaz did reply against Jobs answer.
V. 4. and shake mine head at you] Mock at your misery, as ye do at mine, 2 King. 19. 21. Psal. 22. 7, 8. Lam. 2. 15.
V. 5. But I would strengthen you with my mouth] Though I could mock, yet I would comfort you, and not do as ye do to me.
V. 6. Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged] It is true as true as ye say, my complaints bring no deliverance: yet if I should not complain, how should I ease my self? chap. 13. 13.
what am I eased?] Heb. what goeth from me? Or, how will it go from me?
V. 7. he] That is, God. Or, it, to wit, my grief.
thou hast made desolate all my company] My family. His children were destroyed, his wife was an enemy rather then a wife.
V. 8. which is a witnesse against me] That thou art angry with me.
V. 9. gnasheth upon me with his teeth] Psal. 37. 12.
mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me] Looks thorow me with his eyes, as if he would pierce me.
V. 10. they have gaped upon me] My friends have mocked me boldly, v. 20. and others, chap. 30. 1, 9, 10. or, have assaulted me with open mouth, to devour me, Psal. 22. 13.
they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully] Smiting on the cheek was a signe of reproach, Lam. 3. 30. Mic. 5. 1. 1 Kin. 22. 24.
they have gathered themselves together against me] They have filled themselves: they have glutted themselves with my sorrows, Exod. 15. 9. or, they have filled themselves with matter to plead against me.
V. 11. hath delivered me] Heb. hath shut me up.
into the hands of the wicked] The Caldeans and Sabeans that took away my cattell.
V. 12. set me up for … mark] Chap. 7. 20. Lam. 3. 12.
V. 13. His archers compasse me round about] Sicknesses and sores wound me to the heart.
doth not spare] Lam. 2. 2, 21.
he poureth out my gall upon the ground] So that my life is in danger.
V. 15. I have sowed sackcloth] The sackcloth I put on for the losse of my children, cleaves to my sores, as if it were sowed on.
and defiled my horn in the dust] Psal. 7. 5. My glory is brought lowe. A metaphor from beasts, whose strength is in their horns.
V. 16. on my eye-lids is the shadow of death] Mine eyes be dark, as if I were dying.
V. 17. Not for any injustice in mine hands] Chap. 31. 13. and 21. 28. Signifying, that he is not able to comprehend the cause of this his grievous punishment; for he was not guilty of injustice toward man, nor of hypocrisie before God, Isai. 53. 9.
V. 18. O earth, cover not thou my blood] If I have committed murder, let the earth reveal it, Gen. 4. 10. Isai. 26. 21. and let not God hear my prayer in my misery, Isai. 1. 15.
V. 19. now, behold, my witnesse is in heaven] Though man condemn me, and I be in misery, yet now God is witnesse of my integrity.
on high] Heb. in the high places.
V. 20. My friends scorn me] Heb. are my scorners. Psal. 109. 4. My sorrow is the more, because they are not strangers, but friends that deride me: having therefore no hope on earth, I pray to God to clear me.
but] Or, therefore.
V. 21. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour] It may be read thus; And he will plead for a man with God, and the son of man, for his friend; That is, Christ, who is God and man, will plead my cause with his father: he can prevail, because he is God; he will undertake it, because he will be man like me. Or, he desireth that a man might plead his cause before God, as an advocate doth for his client, chap. 9. 32, 33, &c.
neighbour] Or, friend.
V. 22. When a few yeers are come] Heb. yeers of number] I desire to have God cleer me quickly, that I may die with comfort, for I cannot live long.
go the way whence I shall not return] Chap. 7. 9, 10.