Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 30 · Verses 3-4 – Verse 8
Verſe 3. For want and famine they were ſolitary, fleeing into the wilderneſs in former time deſolate and waſte:
4. Who cut up mallows by the buſhes, and juniper-roots for their meat.
In the ſecond branch of this deſcription, Job inſtructs how baſe and vile they were, by giving an account of the poverty and miſeries, which they brought upon themſelves, through their own fault. Their wants and miſeries did drive them unto, (as our Tranſlation carrieth it) and appeared in the ſolitary habitations, and their poor ſhifts they made for their meat. As for their habitations, they lived in ſolitary places, far from the ſociety of men, and places that were utterly waſte before they made reſort in them, v. 3. And for their food, they lived upon wilde, ſalt and unwholſome foot, which none would eat of if they were not ready to ſtarve, ſuch as Mallows and Juniper roots, v. 4. And ſo they were indeed ſolitary in want and famine, as the beginning of v. 3. may be read. As for the word rendered, Mallows, I do rather underſtand it of a ſaltiſh plant or ſhrub, which is called by the Greeks, either, Halimos, becauſe it groweth in brackiſh or ſaltiſh places; or, Alimos, becauſe men, by eating thereof, do keep off hunger for a long while; though the name in the Original agree rather with the firſt, as being taken from ſalt. Some doe alſo read the latter part of Verſe 4. thus, They cut up Juniper-roots to warm them, as the ſame word is rendered, Iſa. 47.14. And we finde that a fire of Juniper wood hath a great heat, Pſ. 120.4. But it is not very probable that they would take pains to digg up theſe roots only for fire, ſeeing they might have buſhes and ſticks enow beſide, with more caſe. And albeit as that plant, rendered, Mallows here, is very ſalt and unwholſome food, ſo Juniper-roots are ſcarce any foot at all; Yet the Phraſe (which it may be was a proverbial ſpeech) may import this, that their wants and hunger drave them to make uſe of that which was ſcarce food, and they chooſed to uſe theſe poor ſhifts, rather than they would work.
By what is here, and afterward, ſpoken of theſe perſons, it ſeems they were a ſort of wandering theeving Arabians, in ſome things not unlike vagrant ſturdy beggars, or theſe who are commonly called Egyptians, among us; and the reaſon of their wild kind of life ſeem to have been, partly, becauſe it was fitteſt for their ill ſhifts. For lurking in deſarts, woods and buſhes, they might ſurprize paſſengers upon the way, and …ob them, and fall in, upon occaſion, upon families about them, to ſteal from them, and then retire to their lurking holes. Partly, becauſe, wanting means, and being unwilling to work, they could not (for poverty, and want of apparrel and other neceſſaries) converſe among men in Civil Societies; and therefore (as our Verſion hath it) for want and famine they were ſolitary, and they chooſed to take wretched fare there, rather than appear among men, and follow a lawfull Calling. Partly, becauſe idle and vicious perſons were not ſuffred, but ſeverely puniſhed in theſe places where Job lived; and therefore they, being unwilling to work, or abandon their vices, and being afraid of puniſhment, did rather chooſe to flee a way, and lead a miſerable life in deſerts, as is intimated, v. 5. &c.
Doct. 1. Albeit ſome men may proſper for a time in …l courſes; Yet God may cauſe others ſmart as viſibly for them; As here theſe vitious Vagabonds were oppreſſed with want and famine, and were ſolitary, &c.
2. Idleneſs, or want of diligence in a lawful calling, is an evil that will very ſoon b…ng men to reap viſibly the bitter fruits thereof▪ For, this, in particular, was the fault which was viſibly plagued in them. They were vitious, unprofitable perſons, v. 2. And this drew on want and famine, or, want of all neceſſaries, and particularly of meat, which is moſt neceſſary of outward accommodations. See Prov. 18.9. and 20.4.
3. It is a great judgement upon men, when, through their own fault, they are deprvived of the benefit of human Society; as here it was a …l…gue upon theſe vagabonds, that their vicious lives, and their unwillingneſs to relieve their own neceſſit…es by a lawfull Calling, made them ſeek to be ſolitary, and flee into the wilderneſs, in former time, (or, yeſterday, even till of late that they went thither) deſolate and waste, or barren and unfrequented. To enjoy the benefit of humane Society is a mercy which men ſhould improve while they have it. And albeit, in ſome caſes and times, a cottage in a wilderneſs were to be choſen, if we had God's call to it, whereby we might be free of the contagion of evil company, Pſ. 55.6, 7, 8. Jer. 9.2. Yet men ſhould take heed that, upon no pretence, they chooſe ſuch a lot without Gods warrant, neglecting thoſe duties to others, to which they are bound in their ſtations. For even Hermitages will not cure mens vices, but they may carry thoſe with them to moſt retired places; as the experience of theſe perſons, here deſigned, doth witneſs. If mens hearts be naught, they will finde them bad enough there; and if they minde ſincerity, they may, by the grace of God, attain it in any place where God hath fixed their ſtation, were it in never ſo great a crowd
4. Such is the power of vice and idleneſs, over theſe that are addicted thereunto, that, rather than they will work, they w…ll endure greater toyle and miſery than any they would readily be put to in the uſe of a lawfull Calling; For, theſe Vagabonds, being aſhamed of their want and famine, did run to the deſolate wilderneſs, and toyled for Mallows and Juniper-roots, to fill their hungry bellies, rather than they would work in a lawful calling, whereby they might, probably, lodge and fare better. Withall, albeit ſuch as labour in a lawful calling have Gods allowance for a more liberal uſe of the creatures than theſe wretches could attain unto; yet their practice, in living by that kind of food, doth intimate how men may ſubſiſt upon very little and courſe food; and that hunger is a very pinching tryal, and will drive men to feed upon that which is ſcarcely food, ſuch as theſe things were whereof they made uſe. See 2 King. 6.25. and 18.27.
Verſe 5. They were driven forth from among men, (they cryed after them, as after a thief)
6. To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
7. Among the buſhes they brayed, under the nettles they were gathered together.
In the third Branch of this deſcription, Job demonſtrates their vitiouſneſs by this, That becauſe thereof, they were expelled from among humane Societies. Not only did himſelf, and other faithful Magiſtrates, expell and baniſh them, becauſe of their idleneſs, and vitious lives; but when, at any time, theſe Vagabonds appeared among men, they were ſuſpected that they would make ſome ill ſhift among them, and therefore Neighbours did hurry them away, and purſued them with clamours till they were gone from among them, v. 5. So that they were forced to live in a miſerable condition, in holes, and caves, and rocks, v. 6. Where they brayed like Aſſes, being either hurt by the nettles and bryars, where they conveened to ſhelter themſelves; or pinched with hunger, and cold, and other inconveniences, v. 7. And as this (as was marked before) was, in part, the cauſe of their ſolitary habitation, that they were purſued by Juſtice, and driven from among men; ſo it was alſo the cauſe of their Childrens ſpleen againſt Job, that he had been ſo ſevere againſt them.
Doct. 1. Idle perſons are very ready to take an ill ſhift, when they have opportunity; For, ſo is here ſuppoſed, that they were Thieves, and cryed after as ſuch.
2. It is an evidence of a well-governed and ordered Society, where idle Perſons and Vagabonds are not permitted to find ſhelter; As here where Job bare rule, thoſe perſons were driven forth from among men, (or, from the middle, or body, to wit, of their Cities and Societies) they cryed after them, as after a Thief. They had that mark put upon them, that they were unworthy of the company of men, and were hatefull to all.
3. As the want of a commodious habitation is a ſore affliction and tryal, Heb. 11.38. So it is juſt that idle perſons reap the fruit of their idleneſs in poor and ſorry accommadations: As here again is marked to have been the lot of theſe perſons, that they were driven ſorth — to dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks, and among the buſhes, and under the nettles, where they were gathered together.
4. Men who ſin like beaſts, are juſtly left to ſuffer like beaſts; So that though they be ſenſible of their miſery, yet they never ſeriouſly lay it to heart, nor ſtudy to remove the procuring cauſes of it; For, ſo much doth their braying, like beaſts, and particularly, like Aſſes, import, that they felt the ſmart of their miſeries, but did not make any uſe of them. See Hoſ. 7.14.
5. Such may be the ſtrange revolutions of time, in the holy and wiſe providence of God, that theſe who have ſmarted for their crimes by the hand of Juſtice, or their poſterity, may have occaſion to inſult over godly Magiſtrates, who executed juſtice upon them, becauſe of their afflictions; As here the poſterity of theſe baſe men have Job in deciſion, who had juſtly driven them forth from among men.
Verſe 8. They were children of fools, yea, children of baſe men: they were viler than the earth.
In the laſt Branch of this deſcription, their baſeneſs is yet further demonſtrated from their baſe kind and deſcent, That they were Children of fooliſh, obſcure, vile and contemptible Parents, whereof this was but too evident a proof, that they had educated theſe their children ſo ill. This may be indeed underſtood of theſe young men who derided Job, v. 1. That their Parents (of whom he hath already ſaid ſo much) were fooliſh and obſcure perſons. But the context leads us rather to underſtand it of the Parents and Progenitors of theſe their Parents, that they alſo were vile and baſe, and ſo they were an ill race for ſeveral Generations.
Doct. 1. Albeit grace be free, yet oft-times as Parents are, and as they breed their Children, ſo do Children prove; For, theſe being children of fools, &c. themſelves prove like their Progenitors.
2. No low condition in the world, through want of wealth or honour, is a diſcredit to men, if they want not grace and vertue alſo; Therefore he begins with this, as the great reproach of theſe Progenitors, that they were fools; or, men who had no vertue nor piety, wherein mans true wiſdome appeareth; unto which he adds, only in the ſecond place, that they were alſo baſe men, (or, men of no name, repute, or eſteem in the world) as being th…n a reproach, when it is joyned with the former, and a reproach that might juſtly be charged upon them, when, being ſo baſely born, they had not ſtudied to ennoble themſelves by vertue and piety.
3. Nothing can be more baſe and contemptible, in the judgment of right diſcerners, than wicked and lewd idle perſons are; For, albeit the earth be vile, if we ſpeak comparatively, as being the loweſt and groſſeſt of the Elements, and trod upon by all; yet, they were viler than the earth, upon which they trod, and out of which man was formed at firſt. This may be underſtood both of theſe fools and baſe men, of whom he ſpeaks in the beginning of the Verſe, and of their vitious and idle Children (of whom v. — 1, 2, 3, &c.) whoſe Off-ſpring did now deride Job, that they were ſo laden and polluted with vices, as they became moſt vile, and were not worthy to tread upon the earth, as being unprofitable burdens upon it, as the Heathen Poet deſcribes ſuch.