Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 30 · Verses 12-14
Verſe 12. Upon my right hand riſe the youth, they puſh away my feet, and they raiſe up against me the wayes of their deſtruction.
13. They mar my path, they ſet forward my calamity, they have no helper:
14. They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the deſolation they rolled themſelves upon me.
In theſe Verſes we have the ſecond Branch, or, Head, of Jobs preſent miſeries (and a conſequent alſo of looſing this Cord, and afflicting him, v. 11.) which, being a diſtinct tryal from the former, contains an account of the violence and oppreſſion he ſuſtained, Now after the Caldeans and others had robbed him. The words are intricate and perplexed, as being the language of a man ſurcharged with afflictions; yet, they may be taken up in this order: Firſt, He propounds his Caſe more generally, how he was oppreſſed and violented, v. 12. Wherein we have to conſider,
1. The actors in this trouble, the youth, or, young bloſſomes, as the word purports. Theſe were either ſome of thoſe of whom he hath been ſpeaking, v. 1. &c. Or ſome others who were yet younger than they, who were wont to hide themſelves from him before, chap. 29.7, 8.
2. The inſolence of their attempt, they riſe up, in violence and rebellion, upon the right hand: which not onelyonly imports, that they thought themſelves better than he; for the Right hand is the more honourable place than the Left, (unleſſe it be when the Perſon on the Left hand is ſet upon a throne of Majejeſty; for in that caſe to be upon the Right, imports onelyonly that one is next in dignity to him who is on the Throne, as 1 King 2.19. Pſal. 110.1.) But that now they were able to aſſault him in his greateſt ſtrength (which uſually is in mens Right hand) and to prevail againſt him, his power being now exhauſted. Thus Satan is ſaid to ſtand at Joſhuah's right hand, Zech. 3.1. when he had fair advantages to accuſe and prevail againſt him, if the Lord, the Interceſſor, had not interpoſed.
3. A general account of their attempts againſt him, in two expreſſions: One is, They paſh away my feet; which may be underſtood literally, that when he went at any time abroad to take the aire, they lay'd blocks in his way (in contempt and malice) to make him ſtumble and fall. But it is rather ſpoken Metaphorically (as this part of the diſcourſe is full of figurative expreſſions) that any means of ſtanding and ſubſiſtence he had yet remaining, they tripped and turned him out of it; and when he would have ſought redreſs, they ſupplanted him that he could not proceed. The other expreſſion is, They raiſe up againſt me the wayes of their deſtruction; Which is a Metaphor taken from a Siege, (of which ſee chap. 19.12. Lam 3.5.) wherein Souldiers beſieging a place, do draw lines, and build forts, to hemme in and annoy the beſieged; and when they are about to make an aſſault, they do fill up the ditches, that they may make an eaſie way whereby to enter in at the breaches, to make havock of the beſieged, and plunder their wealth. So they (as the Metaphor is inſiſted upon, v. 14.) did omit no skill nor activity, in falling upon him and oppreſſing him. Secondly, He gives a more particular account of the effects their violence and oppreſſion had upon him, v. 13. Where we have to conſider,
1. The effects themſelves; whereof one is, They mar my path. Th…s doth import (in proſecution of the Metaphor) That as beſieged perſons are ſhut up on all hands, that they cannot ſtir abroad; So they deprived him of any comfort, or way to eſcape theſe violences; and withall, that they ſo diſturbed his Spirit, that he was put out of a good frame of patience, and driven from theſe paths of tender walking, which would have been comfortable to him. The other effect is, They ſet forward my calamity; that is, They added to the many afflictions that were already upon him: not onelyonly by robbing him of what had been left with him, but by their perverſe judgements, falſe accuſations, and bitter reproaches, of him, whereof they made uſe as a pretence to palliate their violence.
2. The facility which was in bringing theſe effects upon him, which made them ſucceſsfull in their undertaking; Which he ſub-joynes in theſe words, That in doing all this to him, they have no helper. This imports that, though they had no perſons of reſpect to countenance and ſtir them up to their violence, Yet, theſe Youths were eager enough, and able enough, of themſelves, to undertake and effectuate it.
3. He ſubjoynes a more particular account of their proceedings againſt him, which produced theſe ſad effects, v. 14. Where he proſecutes the former Metaphor of a Siege, v. 12. and (as our Tranſlation hath it, though it be not ſo expreſs in the Original, which hath onelyonly, They came as a wide breach, or, at a wide breach) illuſtrates it by a new Metaphor, of the Sea, or, a Flood, breaking in at a breach, and overflowing all the Countrey: Shewing, That, as when Beſiegers have levelled the way for their aſſault, and made a breach whereby to enter, they do enter in at the breach in great numbers, even like a flood of waters, and do overwhelm the defenders, as if they tumbled and rolled themſelves upon them, and do plunder all their goods; So, theſe Oppreſſors, having now acceſs to deal with Job, (by reaſon that God had made a breach upon him, and brought him to deſolation, or, a deſolate condition) they break in upon him, and overwhelm him in this day of his calamity; and ſeek all occaſions againſt him, (as the word, rolling, is tranſlated, Gen. 43.18.) to render him odious and ſuſpected of Injuſtice, that they may ſpoyle him of what he hath. The meaning of all which, is, That they violently invaded his poſſeſſions, which were left by the Caldeans and Sabeans, or not taken away by the immediate hand of God, and ſpoyled him of all, under a pretence of ſeeking reparation of former injuries. They who either were poor, or alledged that he had wronged them in the exerciſe of his office, did all come upon him and aſſault him; taking what was in his Houſe, dividing and poſſeſſing his land, and making profit of his loſſe.
From v. 12. Learn, 1. When the Lord lets looſe one tryal upon his people, they may look for others upon the back of it; For, here he hath yet more tryals to endure, beſide that of deriſion, v. 1. And of Gods afflicting hand upon him, v. 11.
2. Youth is but a flouriſhing bloſſome, which ſoon and eaſily fades; For, ſo much doth the word in the Original import. Which may warn youth not to glory in it.
3. As youth are ordinarily prone to much ill, (as here they were) So it is an evidence of a youthful diſpoſition, and of unacquaintedneſs with the vanity and revolutions of time, (be in whom it will) to be inſolent and violent againſt the afflicted: For, he complains, that the youth riſe up againſt him, as a prank that would be committed by none, but thoſe who were young, either in years, or in their diſpoſitions and humours.
4. When God expoſeth a man to trouble, very weak Inſtruments will be able to prevail againſt him; For, even the youth roſe upon the right hand.
5. It is a piece of tryal, to a great Spirit, to be trod upon by his inferiours; As here it was to Job, that the youth ſhould riſe upon the right hand, as better than he, and able to prevail againſt him.
6. Inſolency and cruelty will purſue men, even when they are in a low condition, with new indignities and troubles; For, to puſh away his feet, now when he was afflicted, was a great indignity, and an evidence of their inſolency and cruelty, whatever way we underſtand it.
7. It aggravates mens cruelty and violence yet more, that they goe about it deliberately, and with reſolution, As here, they made as it were a formal ſiege about Job, and raiſe up againſt him the wayes of their deſtruction, as reſolving to ruine him.
8. When Gods people are near-by ſpoyled and deprived of all they have, and are thereby made objects of compaſſion, they may yet reſolve to have more tryals, ſo long as any thing is left; For, ſo they purſued him with deſtruction upon the remainders of his eſtate, as hath been explained.
From v. 13. Learn, 1. When God is trying his people, and while it is his pleaſure that the tryal continue, they may expect that all their endeavours to redreſs and relieve themſelves, will be in vain; For, they marred his path, and ſhut him up, that he could find no out-gate, or means to be free of their violence.
2. Diſturbance of ſpirit, by irritations, provoking to impatience under trouble, brings a great loſs to the afflicted; For, thus alſo they marred his path, and he reſents it as a great prejudice.
3. Croſſes upon the back of croſſes, and cruel uſage of the afflicted, eſpecially by unworthy perſons, will readily diſturb theſe who otherwiſe are very calm; For, this marred his path, and diſcompoſed his ſpirit, that the youth ſhould ſo violently purſue him with new injuries, who had already ſuffered ſo much.
4. It is great cruelty, in the ſight of God, to be obſtructers of the comfort or eaſe of afflicted godly men; For, Job complains of it as a great cruelty, that they marred his path.
5. It is yet greater cruelty to help forward, and add unto the calamities of godly men in affliction; For, he complains that they ſet forward his calamity. It is a great ſin to add to the affliction of the afflicted, were it but by an inſolent and untend…r look, Pſ. 22.17. Obad. v. 12. or an inſolent word, Pſ. 69.26. But much more to add thereto by cruel deeds, Iſ. 47.6. Zech. 1.15. God will reckon with ſuch, not only for what they actually inflict themſelves, but for all the wounds which they cauſe bleed afreſh, by their ſuper-added cruelties. And it being the uſual lot of Gods people to be exerciſed with ſuch cruelty, it may invite them who find any ſympathizers in their troubles, to eſteem of it as a ſingular mercy.
6. When God hides himſelf, and leaves godly men to be tryed, Inſtruments will be very eager, and weak Inſtruments will need but little help, to carrry on their tryal; For, though theſe were but the youth, yet they have no helper, in doing all this.
From v. 14. Learn, 1. Wicked men are kept from doing evil by no inward principle, but only by ſome external reſtraints; For, they are like waters, that muſt be hemmed in by banks, otherwiſe they will overflow the Country; or like Souldiers, that are only kept from entring a beſieged place, till a breach be made.
2. God, in his holy providence, doth ſometime miniſter opportunities to wicked men, to diſcover themſelves, and bring forth theſe diſpoſitions, which at other times are reſtrained in them; For, now a deſolation makes a breach upon Job, and then they diſcover their cruelty.
3. Gods people may find tryals very ſad, both in reſpect of the meaſure thereof, and of their own cruſhed ſpirits, which are not able to bear much; For, they came upon him as a wide bre…king in of waters, or, at a wide breach, numerouſly, unanimouſly, and with impetuous violence; And they rolled themſelves upon him, when he is already deſolate, or, made him feel their weight, that they might overwhelm h…m, both by calumnies and unjuſt cenſures of his former carriage and adminiſtrations, and by violent oppreſſion, under pretext of ſeeking reparation. It is not to be thought ſtrange, albeit much trouble, and little inherent ſtrength, tryſt together.
4. God takes notice, and will reckon with cruel perſons, both for the meaſure of their violence, for their timeing of it, and for the affliction it brings to godly men, who are already cruſhed; All theſe are imported in this complaint, as aggravations of their cruelty, to be noticed by God, that they came upon him, as at a great breach, that they timed it in the deſolation, and that they rolled themſelves upon him, and overwhelmed him.