Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Verſ. 2. THen anſwered Bildad the Shuhite.] As Bildad ſpake next after Eliphaz, when they firſt began to argue with him, ſo now again in replying, he keepes his turn, and ſpeakes next after Eliphaz, as he did before.
Verſ. 2. How long will it be ere you make an end of words? &c.] Many learned Expoſitours hold, that in this and the following verſe Bildad ſpeakes, not to Iob, but to his two companions Eliphaz and Zophar, or at leaſt joyntly both to Iob and them (and that becauſe in the Originall it is expreſſed indeed in the plurall number) and that the drift of theſe words is to blame them, becauſe they had hitherto multiplyed words one againſt another, but all little or nothing to the purpoſe, and that thereupon he addes the following clauſe, mark and afterward we will ſpeak, that is, let us be ſure that we mark and well underſtand one another, and then we may the better hope to carry on our diſpute to ſome good effect. But becauſe 1. His joyning his friends with himſelf in that clauſe, mark and afterwards we will ſpeak, ſeems rather to imply that he doth not direct his ſpeech to them. 2. His friends having ſtill pleaded the ſame thing againſt Iob which he himſelf doth here in his following ſpeech, to wit, that God doth alwaies deſtroy wicked men, there was no colour why he ſhould blame his friends for multiplying words nothing to the purpoſe, and 3. Iob in the firſt words of his next reply ſeems directly to ſtrike at theſe words of Bildad, as ſpoken to him, chap. 19.2. yea, ſaith he, How long will ye vex my ſoul and break me in pieces with words? in theſe regards I rather think that Bildad ſpake this only to Iob, and that it is expreſſed in the plurall number, either becauſe there were ſome friends at this diſpute, that ſided with Iob though Iob only ſpake; or elſe rather becauſe it was a propriety of ſpeech which the Hebrews uſed, to ſpeak ſometimes in the plurall number though they ſpeak but to one; It ſeems therefore to me moſt probable, that Bildad did with theſe words interrupt Iob before he had made an end of ſpeaking, and becauſe Iob had been ſtill larger in anſwering them then they had been in their arguing againſt him, therefore he upbraides him for being ſo full of words, How long will it be ere you make an end of words? as if he ſhould have ſaid, will you never have done? How long will it be ere you give over this multiplying of words, I ſay mere words, nothing to the purpoſe, and that have no ſubſtance nor ſolidity in them? mark and afterwards we will ſpeak, that is, obſerve what we ſay and then we ſhall willingly proceed to argue the cauſe farther with you. And herein he doth alſo covertly tax Iob, that hitherto he had not well obſerved or not well underſtood what they had ſaid, and that thereupon it was that he ranne on, and would ſtill defend his cauſe, though there was no ſtrength at all in any thing he ſpake.
Verſ. 3. Wherefore are we counted as beaſts and reputed vile in your ſight?] As is noted in the foregoing verſe, many hold that this alſo was ſpoken by Bildad to his two friends; as if he had ſaid, Why ſhould you ſuffer your ſelves to be thus ſcorned and deſpiſed, and that even to your faces? (for that muſt needs be the meaning of thoſe words and reputed vile in your ſight?) But taking it as ſpoken to Iob, and that thoſe words in your ſight (which in the originall are expreſſed in the plurall number) were ſpoken with reſpect to thoſe ſtanders-by that ſided with Iob, as is ſaid in the former verſe, then the words do clearly contain an expoſtulation with Iob for ſlighting all that they had ſpoken, wherefore are we counted as beaſts and reputed vile in your ſight? that is, why are we ſcorned and deſpiſed, as if we were mere bruits that had no underſtanding? And indeed many things Iob had ſpoken whereto Bildad might have reſpect in theſe words, as when he ſaid that God had hid their heart from underſtanding, chap. 17.4. and verſ. 10. I cannot find one wiſe man among you; and when he had tearmed them miſerable comforters, chap. 16.2. and ſent him to the beaſts to be inſtructed by them, chap. 12.7. Ask now the beaſts and they shall teach thee, &c.
Verſ. 4. He teareth himſelf in his anger.] In relation to that which Iob had ſaid, chap. 13.14. wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? or to that which he had ſaid, chap. 16.9. He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me, Bildad here chargeth Iob with this, that he did even tear himſelf in his anger; as if he ſhould have ſaid, Whereas Iob complains that his enemy that hateth him teareth him in his wrath, the truth is that he teareth himſelf, though he would ſeem to deny it; and his meaning is, either that he carried himſelf like a mad man, who in their diſtraction are wont often to tear not their garments only, but their own fleſh alſo; or elſe that through the impatience of his ſpirit, and his inward vexing and fretting he did continually torture and tear himſelf.
Shall the earth be forſaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?] Some Expoſitours underſtand the firſt clauſe thus, shall the earth be forſaken for thee? that is, if you be cut off and periſh, muſt all the glory of the world needs periſh with you? you make a doe about your dying, as if the whole earth would be left deſolate and without an inhabitant, if you ſhould be taken away; why, what do you make of your ſelf, that ſuch a matter ſhould be made of it, that you are like to be laid ſhortly in the grave? Shall the earth be forſaken for thee? if you die, muſt all the world needs die with you? But the commoner and better expoſition of theſe words is, that Bildad doth here check Iob for maintaining that, which would overthrow the ſetled courſe of Gods providence in the government of the world, Shall the earth be forſaken for thee? &c. as if he had ſaid, To juſtify you, who will not yield that your wickedneſſe hath brought theſe miſeries upon you which you now ſuffer, or becauſe of your complaints and outcryes, that you are innocent, and that you are unmeaſurably and unjuſtly afflicted, ſhall we ſay that Gods providence hath forſaken the earth, or that God ſcared by your clamours will overturn the whole courſe of nature, which he hath eſtabliſhed by an unchangeable decree? Surely the decree of God, that it ſhall be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked, is as firm and ſure, as that the earth ſhall be inhabited, and that the rocks and mountains ſhall ſtand firm in their places; and therefore you may as well hope that God ſhould give over the government of the world, that the earth ſhould be forſaken or the rocks be removed out of their place, as that God ſhould proſper the wicked or make the righteous miſerable. As when we talk of thoſe things, which we judge impoſſible, we uſe to ſay, Yes, ſhall we look for ſtars in the ſea or fiſhes in the heavens? ſo to imply how impoſſible it was which Iob maintained, that he was innocent notwithſtanding Gods hand was ſo ſore upon him, what ſaith Bildad, Shall the earth be forſaken for thee, and shall the rock be removed out of his place? Iob had given Zophar Bildads friend ſuch a ſarcaſticall check, chap. 12.2. No doubt but ye are the people and wiſedome shall die with you. And here now Bildad replyes upon him with the like kind of ſpeech.
Verſ. 5. Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the ſpark of his fire shall not shine.] This is here ſet down as that unchangeable courſe of Gods Providence, which as Bildad implyed in the foregoing verſe would not be altered for Iobs ſake, yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, &c. as if he ſhould have ſaid, Never think that God will change the conſtant way of his governing the world for you: yea, aſſure your ſelf though the wicked man may live in a glorious and proſperous condition, yet it ſhall not long continue; this ſplendour of his ſhall quite be extinguiſhed, ſo that there ſhall not ſo much as a ſpark of it remain: all his deſignes to keep up himſelf in his former glory ſhall come to nothing. Concerning this metaphoricall expreſſion of light for proſperity. See the Notes alſo upon 2 Sam. 22.29▪ and Eſth. 8.19.
Verſ. 6. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.] That is, all the honour and bravery of his houſehold and family ſhall be turned into woe and miſery, and the glory that he hath raiſed ſhall in and with himſelf expire and come to an end. And indeed if by the putting out of the wicked mans candle (or lamp) be meant, not only that his proſperity ſhould be turned into miſery, but alſo that himſelf ſhould be cut off by the hand of God, it is very probable that Bildad might herein allude to that which Iob had ſaid, chap. 17.1. My breath is corrupt my daies are extinct, and meant hereby to let Iob know, that therein it fared no otherwiſe with him, then all wicked men muſt expect to fare.
Verſ. 7. The steps of his ſtrength shall be ſtreightned.] There are two particulars may be implyed herein, to wit, 1. That the miſery that ſhould at laſt befall the wicked man ſhould make him leave that pride of his ſtately going, which he uſed whilſt he was in the height of his former power and glory, and 2. Principally that he ſhould not carry on his affairs with ſuch ſpeedy ſucceſſe as formerly he had done, but in every thing he undertook, yea when he was carrying on his deſignes with greateſt ſtrength, he ſhould fall into troubles and meet with unremoveable ſtreights and difficulties, concerning which ſee the Note alſo, 2 Sam. 22.37.
Verſ. 8. For he is caſt into a net by his own feet, &c.] Thus he compares the wicked man to ſome wild beaſt, ſome beaſt of prey: and affirms that through his bruitiſh blindneſſe he ſhould even throw himſelf into dangers and miſchiefs; and then the following clauſe, and he walketh upon a ſnare is added, either to imply that it is no wonder he is ſo caught, and that becauſe whereever he goes he is in continuall danger of ſome miſchief or other; or elſe to imply that ſtriving to get out of the ſnare wherein he is caught, he ſhould only farther intangle himſelf, falling ſtill into more and more ſnares every ſtep he takes.
Verſ. 9. The grin shall take him by the heel, &c.] That is, he ſhall be ſuddenly and unexpectedly intangled when he was moſt confident of his ſafety becauſe of his great power, and riches, and the wiſe ordering of his affairs; and the robber ſhall prevail againſt him, that is, ſhall overmaſter, and deſtroy him. And it is likely this is here added, becauſe robbers uſed to lay ſnares and traps for them that paſſed by; and when they were taken therein then they fell upon, them and ſlew them: and that he had reſpect herein to thoſe plundering Sabeans and Chaldeans, that had robbed Iob of his cattell.
Verſ. 10. The ſnare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.] The meaning of this is only thus much, that the wicked man is alwaies in danger of hidden miſchiefs, which he never foreſees or fears. But yet ſome conceive that he the rather ſpeaks of a ſnare laid for him in the ground, either as alluding to the cuſtome of robbers in thoſe times, who uſed to lye lurking in holes, and dens of the earth, and ſo were as a ſnare in the ground, leaping out on a ſudden from thence and ſurpriſing them that paſſed by; or elſe to imply that it was a deadly ſnare, and ſuch as ſhould lay him in the duſt, in the grave.
Verſ. 11. Terrours shall make him afraid on every ſide and drive him to his feet.] Becauſe Iob had complained of the terrours wherewith he was often affrighted, chap. 7.14. Thou ſcareſt me with dreams and terrifyeſt me through viſions, and chap. 6.4. The terrours of God do ſet themſelves in aray againſt me, therefore doth Bildad mention this here as one of the judgements which God brings upon the wicked man, to wit, that he ſhould be ſo affrighted with variety of terrours from God, from Satan and his own conſcience, that they ſhould make him run up and down as a diſtracted man, deſiring any where to hide himſelf but not knowing where. And thus as before he compared the wicked man to beaſts in regard of the nets, ſnares, and traps that are laid for them, ſo here he compares his terrours to hounds wherewith ſuch beaſts are purſued by huntſmen, which appears the more clearly by the following expreſſions.
Verſ. 12. His ſtrength shall be hunger-bitten, &c.] Some underſtand this of the conſumption of his wealth, His ſtrength, that is, his great and mighty eſtate, shall be hunger-bitten, ſhall waſt, and conſume, and be eaten up; Again others underſtand it of his children, His ſtrength, that is, his children, (who are the ſtrength of their fathers according to that Pſal. 127.4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, ſo are the children of the youth, and that Gen. 49.3. where the firſt-born is called the beginning of the fathers ſtrength) shall be hunger-bitten, that is, ſhall pine away for want of food. But becauſe in the following verſe he ſpeakes of the waſting of the wicked mans own ſtrength, I conceive it is ſo alſo to be underſtood here, to wit, that though the wicked man be never ſo great, yet God would bring him to that condition that he ſhould even famiſh for hunger. And accordingly alſo we muſt underſtand the following clauſe, and deſtruction shall be ready at his ſide, that is, ſudden and unavoidable deſtruction ſhall wait continually upon him, ready every moment to ſeiſe upon him.
Verſ. 13. It shall devour the ſtrength of his skin, &c.] By the ſtrength of his skin is meant the fleſh and fat of all his members, which bears up his skin and makes it look freſh and fair, to which ſome adde alſo the ſinews and bones: and that which Bildad ſaith ſhall devour the ſtrength of his skin is that deſtruction mentioned in the former verſe, destruction shall be ready at his ſide, or the famine and hunger, whereof it is alſo there ſaid that his ſtrength shall be hunger-bitten. And the ſame I conceive is meant alſo by the firſt-born af death in the following clauſe, even the firſt-born of death shall devour his ſtrength; for though by the firſt-born of death ſome conceive the devil is meant, becauſe he was the firſt condemned to die, or becauſe he had the power of death, Heb. 2.14. and generally Expoſitours hold that thereby is meant the bittereſt, cruelleſt, terribleſt, and ſtrongeſt of all deaths, that which amongſt all the waies of dying carrieth away the preheminence, which is the ſtrength of death and hath in it a double portion of dying, when the agonies of death are moſt dreadfull upon a man, ſo that all the while he is dying, he is as one that is tortured upon a rack; (and indeed becauſe the firſt-born had a double portion, and were the chief among their brethren, and were eſteemed the ſtrength of their parents, Gen. 49.3. Reuben thou art my firſt-born, my might, &c. therefore the ſtrongeſt and chiefeſt of all things whatſoever are uſually tearmed the firſt-born, as Eſay. 14.30. the pooreſt and moſt beggarly of men are called the firſt-born of the poor) yet I conceive that principally Bildad intended hereby that one particular way of dying, which indeed muſt needs be of all the moſt grievous, to wit, when men die by famine or hunger, being ſtarved to death for want of food.
Verſ. 14. His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours out of his body; his bodily ſtrength whereon he truſted ſhall be utterly deſtroyed; Or, every thing wherein he placed any confidence ſhall be utterly rooted out of his dwelling place, namely his riches, children, &c. and it shall bring him to the king of terrours, that is, this rooting his confidence out of his tabernacle, or his broken confidence, the deſpair he ſhall fall into upon the rooting out of his confidence, ſhall bring him to the chiefeſt and greateſt of all terrours, or to death, which is indeed to a naturall man the moſt terrible of all terribles, as a heathen could ſay, and ſo conſequently alſo to the devil, who in regard of the terrours wherewith he at laſt affrights thoſe wicked men, whom at firſt by his flattering temptations he drew into ſin, and in regard of thoſe eternall torments wherewith he ſhall torment them, may well be called the king of terrours.
Verſ. 15. It shall dwell in his tabernacle, becauſe it is none of his, &c.] That is, the king of terrours mentioned in the foregoing words; Or rather, deſtruction, miſery, and want, (whereof he had ſpoken before verſ. 12.) ſhall dwell in his tabernacle. As in reference thereto he had ſaid before, verſ. 13. It shall devour the ſtrength of his skin, ſo in reference thereto again he ſaith here, It shall dwell in his tabernacle becauſe it is none of his, that is, Deſtruction ſhall take poſſeſſion of his dwelling place, becauſe he got it by unjuſt means, and ſo indeed in right it is none of his. As for the following clauſe, brimſtone shall be ſcattered upon his habitation, the meaning of it is, either 1. That God ſhould utterly burn up his dwelling place, to wit, either with ſtorms of thunder and lightning from heaven, which is of a ſulphureous nature, as by the ſavour thereof may be ſometimes diſcerned, or with very ſhowers of fire and brimſtone; or 2. That God ſhould make the place of his habitation barren and deſolate, ſalt and brimſtone being uſually eſteemed ſignes and cauſes of barrenneſſe in a land, according to that Deut. 29.23. The whole land thereof is brimſtone, and ſalt, and burning, that it is not ſown nor beareth, nor any graſſe groweth therein, & this may ſeem the more probable becauſe of the word ſcattered which is here uſed, brimstone shall be ſcattered upon his habitation; or 3. That God ſhould deſtroy him and his with ſome ſtrange and horrible judgement, as once he did Sodome and Gomorrha; for thus (as in alluſion to that) the Scripture is wont to expreſſe unuſuall and ſtupendious judgements, as Pſal. 11.6. upon the wicked he shall rain ſnares, fire, and brimſtone, and a horrible tempeſt; and ſo again, Ezek. 38.22. and that Bildad did allude to that deſtruction of Sodome and Gomorrha, we may the rather think becauſe Iob and theſe his friends dwelt not farre from thoſe parts and lived not long after the time when thoſe cities were deſtroyed, ſo that the memory of that judgement muſt needs be freſh amongſt them. And yet withall it is likely that he did covertly alſo put Iob in mind how his cattel and ſervants were conſumed with fire from heaven, chap. 1.16.
Verſ. 16. His roots shall be dryed up beneath; and above shall his branch be cut off.] This may be inferred as an effect of that which he had ſaid before, brimſtone shall be ſcattered upon his habitation, to wit, if that be underſtood of the barrenneſſe of the land wherein he dwelt. But I conceive the plain meaning of theſe words to be this, that he ſhall utterly be deſtroyed root and branch▪ he and all that belongs to him, according to that, Mal. 4.1. All that doe wickedly shall be ſtubble; the day comes that shall burn them up, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, it shall leave them neither root nor branch; for the wicked man is here compared to a blaſted tree, as before, chap. 15.30. of which ſee the Note there.
Verſ. 18. He shall be driven from light into darkneſſe, &c.] Herein may be comprehended, that by the miſeries that God ſhall bring upon him, he ſhall be violently turned out of a proſperous condition into an eſtate of diſmall and dolefull diſtreſſe, and diſhonour, and ſorrow; but yet doubtleſſe the chief thing intended herein is, that he ſhould be at laſt alſo driven from the light of this world into the land of darkneſſe, the grave, yea into that utter darkneſſe of hell: for therefore to explain theſe words is that following clauſe added, of being chaſed out of the world.
Verſ. 19. He shall neither have ſon nor nephew, &c.] That is, he ſhall leave no poſterity behind him, neither ſon, nor ſons ſon; wherein he plainly ſtrikes at Iob, that had loſt all his children.
Verſ. 20. They that come after him shall he aſtonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted.] At his day, that is, the day of his deſtruction, that obſervable day, when God ſhall at length render to the wicked man according to his works, according to that, Pſal. 137.7. Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Ieruſalem; and Pſal. 37.13. The Lord shall laugh at him; for he ſeeth that his day is coming: The meaning therefore of theſe words is, that the judgement of God upon the wicked man ſhall be ſo grievous and fearfull, and thereupon ſo notorious, that it ſhould be famous in ſucceeding times, and the very report of it ſhould aſtoniſh thoſe that live then, though they never ſaw it, even as it did affright thoſe that went before, or, that lived with him, who were eye-witneſſes of the vengeance that was inflicted on him.
Verſ. 21. Surely ſuch are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.] That is, of every ungodly man; concerning which ſee the Note, 1 Sam. 2.12. It is as if he had ſaid, Certainly, as ſure as God is juſt, this is and this will be at laſt the portion of all wicked men and hypocrites, that do not truly fear God; to this their ſtately dwellings ſhall at laſt be brought, and to this all their great wealth and pomp ſhall come; and therefore do not deceive thy ſelf Iob; by thy preſent condition it is evident what thou haſt been; and if thou wilt not hearken to thy friends to repent and turn unto the Lord, thus as all other wicked men doe, thou muſt expect to end thy daies.