Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
Verſ. 2. HEar diligently my ſpeech, and let this be your conſolations.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, You pretend that you came to comfort me; but indeed you have added to my affliction. Well, yet if ye would but now at length give me the hearing with patience and meekneſſe, and obſerve diligently what I ſhall ſay, not interrupting and ſlighting me as you have done, this ſhould be to me inſtead of your intended conſolations, or, I would take it as an evidence that you did indeed ſeriouſly deſire to comfort me. And this he doubtleſſe ſpake, becauſe Zophar had immediately before interrupted him, and would not ſuffer him to goe on to ſpeak out his mind: and withall to imply how confident he was of his cauſe.
Verſ. 3. Suffer me that I may ſpeak, &c.] That is, Let it not be burdenſome to you to hear me a while; yea though that which I ſhall ſay ſhould prove irkſome and troubleſome to you, yet bear with me, and do but patiently ſuffer me to ſpeak my mind. And this he might the rather preſſe, becauſe his friends had often taxed him for ſpeaking too much, as we may ſee chap. 11.1. and 15.2. And after that I have ſpoken, mock on; which laſt words are added, not as giving way that they ſhould mock him in his miſery, or deride thoſe words of truth which he ſhould ſpeak; but to imply that he verily hoped, that if they would hear him ſpeak, he might convince them ſo that they would ſoon give over mocking (for this his confidence in what he had to ſay was a good inducement to move his friends to hear him;) or at leaſt, if that could not be, that he was then reſolved to bear what he could not help, and as near as he could that he would not be troubled with their ſcoffs.
Verſ. 4. As for me, is my complaint to man? &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, No, I do not bemoan my ſelf to man, but to God; though I ſpeak to you, yet it is out of a deſire to approve my ſelf to God, that God may hear, and that God may help. And if it were ſo, why should not my ſpirit be troubled? that is, if my complaint were to man, I ſhould then indeed have cauſe enough to be troubled: God is the ſearcher of the heart, and knows my innocency; men know it not, and therefore paſſe uncharitable cenſures upon me: In God there is much mercy and pity; man is mercileſſe and cruell: God can help me and eaſe me of my troubles; man neither can help, nor will comfort me. Some, I know, underſtand this otherwiſe, to wit, as if he proved his hope in God by his enduring thoſe inſupportable miſeries that lay upon him, If it were not ſo, why should not my ſpirit be troubled? as if he ſhould have ſaid, Had I not hope in God, how could I have ſuſtained my ſelf all this time? Many deaths would have been eaſier to me then that which I have ſuffered; and therefore, that I have not been quite overwhelmed before this time, but do ſtill cleave to God, and truſt in him, it is ſurely an argument that I have a greater ſupport to bear up my ſpirit, then any thing in man could afford: and therefore, ſince you ſee that I plead my cauſe as before God, I beſeech you hearken to me. But the firſt Expoſition agrees beſt with the words.
Verſ. 5. Mark me, and be aſtonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.] This may be underſtood, as if he had ſaid, Mark me, and you will be aſtoniſhed, and will lay your hand upon your mouth; or elſe plainly, as is expreſſed in the words, by way of counſell, Mark me, and be aſtonished, &c. Some referre thoſe words Mark me to the miſeries he ſuffered; others to the blameleſneſſe of his converſation in former times; others to that which he meant immediately to ſay concerning the proſperity of many deſperate ungodly men: But I conceive it is beſt to comprehend them all in thoſe words, Mark me, and be aſtonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth; that is, whereas you ſlight what I ſuffer, and make nothing of it, do but weigh well the inſupportable grievouſneſſe of my miſeries, and withall how innocently and uprightly I have formerly lived, and do but then alſo compare herewith that which I ſhall now ſay concerning the proſperity of many atheiſticall ungodly wretches, and then even with aſtoniſhment admire the wonderfull proceedings of God in his Providence, to wit, that ſuch vile wretches ſhould live in ſuch height of proſperity, and that one that hath lived as I have done ſhould be ſo ſorely plagued as I have been; and be ſilent, do not run on in judging ſo raſhly as you have done, that all who are thus afflicted muſt needs be wicked men: for that by laying of the hand upon the mouth is meant a reſolution of being ſilent, and a reſtraining of our ſelves from ſpeaking what we are otherwiſe inclinable to ſay, is evident in other places, where the ſame phraſe is uſed, as chap. 29.9. The Princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth; and Pro. 30.32. If thou haſt done foolishly in lifting up thy ſelf, or if thou haſt thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
Verſ. 6. Even when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.] Some Expoſitours referre this likewiſe only to the remembrance of his grievous ſufferings, and ſo conceive that the drift of Iob herein was to imply, that if the remembrance thereof did ſo afflict him, it were a ſigne of too much inhumanity in them, if they could ſee their friend in ſo ſad a condition, and not be moved with it. But I rather think that it muſt be referred to all for which he ſaid in the former verſe that they might be aſtoniſhed; Even when I remember I am afraid, &c. that is, when I remember what I ſhall now tell you, to wit, how it fares many times with thoſe that are moſt deſperately wicked, and withall how I have endeavoured to approve my ſelf to God in all my waies, and what notwithſtanding I have now ſuffered, I am afraid, and my very fleſh doth tremble to think of it, nor know I what to ſay of theſe hidden waies of Gods proceedings.
Verſ. 7. Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea are mighty in power?] Iob propounds this by way of Queſtion, Wherefore do the wicked live? &c. either to imply how ſtrange it ſeemed to him that God ſhould ſo proſper wicked men, and that he could not conceive wherefore it ſhould be; according to that of the Prophet, Ier. 12.1. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked proſper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherouſly? or elſe as by way of replying upon that, which his friends had ſo often objected concerning the judgements of God upon wicked men; If God doth ſo certainly puniſh all wicked men here in this world, and them only, that I muſt be judged a wicked man, becauſe the hand of God is ſo heavy upon me; if when the wicked are in a proſperous condition, it never laſts long, (as Zophar had immediately before ſaid, chap. 20.5. that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment, and verſ. 8. that he shall fly away as a dream, &c.) why then, ſaith Iob, wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea are mighty in power? that is, wherefore is it that many times they live in health and pleaſure even to old age, and are uſually men of mighty eſtates, and of greateſt dignity and authority in the places where they live?
Verſ. 8. Their ſeed is eſtablished in their ſight with them, &c.] This is in anſwer to that which Zophar had ſaid to the contrary, chap. 20.10. His children shall ſeek to pleaſe the poor; and Eliphaz, chap. 15.33. He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall caſt off his flower as the olive.
Verſ. 11. They ſend forth their little ones like a flock, &c.] This may imply their being trained up under guardians and guides, & their unity amongſt themſelves: and their children dance, to wit, as young cattel, calves, and lambs, and kids are wont in a kind of wantonneſſe to skip and leap; whence are thoſe expreſſions, Pſal. 29.6. He maketh them alſo to skip like a calf, and Pſal. 114.4. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
Verſ. 13. They ſpend their daies in wealth, and in a moment goe down to the grave.] That is, they goe away in a trice, they do not lye long in a weariſome languiſhing condition before they die, nor undergoe any of thoſe ſore pains and conflicts in their death which moſt men ſuffer; and ſo as they lived, ſo they die, without any great trouble. It is the ſame, as many think, with that which the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 73.4. there are no bands in their death.
Verſ. 14. Therefore they ſay unto God, Depart from us, &c.] The meaning of this is, that becauſe of their proſperity they deſpiſe God; they ſay unto God, Depart from us, &c. If they ſay not ſo much with their mouths, yet the horrible prophaneneſſe of their lives diſcovers that they think ſo in their hearts, or is in effect all one as if they thought ſo, ſince thoſe that ſhould harbour ſuch thoughts in their hearts could not live more atheiſtically then they do: which agrees with that of the Apoſtle, Tit. 1.16. They profeſſe that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and diſobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. And the drift of this is to ſhew, that even the worſt of wicked men do often live in ſuch exceeding great proſperity, as is before deſcribed.
Verſ. 16. Lo, their good is not in their hand, the counſell of the wicked is farre from me.] The judgement of Expoſitours is very different concerning the drift of theſe words. Some take the firſt clauſe as ſpoken ironically, Lo, their good is not in their hand; as if he ſhould have ſaid, By this which I have ſaid concerning the uſuall proſperity of ungodly men, you ſee how unſound that is which you have maintained, to wit, that their good is not in their hand, but that God doth alwaies ſtrip them of the goods they have unjuſtly gotten. And then for the ſecond clauſe, that is added, they ſay, by way of preventing an objection, to wit, that if wicked men fared ſo well, then it would be his beſt courſe to walk in their waies: that his friends might not object this, he adds, the counſell of the wicked is farre from me; as if he ſhould have ſaid, I would be loth to have their proſperity upon thoſe tearms, I have alwaies abhorred and do ſtill abhorre the thoughts and courſes of ſuch prophane men, and far be it ever from me to deſire a ſhare in their pomp by treading in their ſteps. Again, others underſtand it thus, Lo, their good is not in their hand, that is, it was not their own hand, their own wiſedome or induſtry that got them thoſe goods they enjoy, or raiſed them to ſuch a proſperous eſtate, but it was the hand of God that conferred theſe things upon them: and therefore we ſee that God doth many times exalt and proſper the worſt of men: and then for the next clauſe, they ſay that is added, to ſhew how fooliſh and wicked a thing therefore it is in ſuch men as he had ſpoken of, to carry themſelves ſo ſcornfully and inſolently towards God; the counſell of the wicked is far from me, that is, I am therefore farre from thinking as wicked men do, that aſcribe all they have to themſelves, according to that of the Aſſyrian, Iſa. 10.13, 14. By the ſtrength of my hand I have done it, and by my wiſedome, for I am prudent, &c, & thereupon carry themſelves ſo impiouſly towards God, as if they were not beholding to him for any thing they had, nor did expect or look for any favour from him. But then laſtly there is another Expoſition, that is farre more generally approved, to wit, that this is added, to diſcover the folly of wicked men in ſetting themſelves in ſuch defiance againſt God, as he had in the foregoing words deſcribed, in whoſe power it is to caſt them down from their proſperous eſtate, even whenſoever he pleaſeth; Lo, their good is not in their hand, that is, though they carry themſelves thus preſumptuouſly, it is not in their power to keep what they have gotten, God can eaſily ſtrip them of all, and caſt them down from their lofty condition: and thereupon he inferres the next clauſe, the counſell of the wicked is farre from me, ſo farre am I from envying their proſperity, that I would by no means be in their condition; I never did nor ever ſhall approve of their waies. And thus theſe words are as it were a tranſition to that which follows, concerning Gods puniſhing of wicked men.
Verſ. 17. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? and how oft cometh their deſtruction upon them?] Iob ſeems clearly in theſe words to allude to that which Bildad had ſaid, chap. 18.5, 6, The light of the wicked shall be put out, and the light of his fire shall not shine, &c. and again verſ. 12. Deſtruction shall be ready at his ſide: but yet what his drift in theſe words was is not ſo clear. For ſome conceive this queſtion muſt be reſolved negatively, how oft is the candle of the wicked put out? &c. that is, ſurely it is not often thus; though ſometimes indeed it is thus, yet ſo far is it from being alwaies thus, that truly it is not often thus; the candle of the wicked is not often put out, nor cometh their deſtruction often upon them, to wit, from heaven. And thus, they ſay, Iob confutes what his friends had maintained, concerning the certain deſtruction of wicked men here in this world, as before by affirming that they lived uſually in a moſt proſperous eſtate, ſo here alſo by denying that they were uſually cut off and deſtroyed, as his friends had again and again affirmed. Again, ſome reſolve it affirmatively, how oft is the candle of the wicked put out? &c. that is, very often doth God put out the candle of the wicked. Having ſaid in the foregoing verſe, that it is not in their power to keep themſelves in that proſperous condition which a while they have enjoyed, he makes that good now, by ſhewing that God doth often eclipſe their glory, and deſtroy them miſerably: and ſo he yields, as farre as truth would permit, to what his friends had affirmed, to wit, that God did often deſtroy wicked men; though withall he denies that it was continually and ordinarily ſo. So that Iob doth not here contradict what he had ſaid immediately before, concerning the proſperous eſtate of wicked men, nor doth he grant that which his friends had maintained: for by ſhewing that wicked men do ſometimes proſper exceedingly, and are at other times grievouſly puniſhed, he doth ſufficiently diſprove what they had ſaid, that wicked men are alwaies puniſhed here in this world, and clears it fully, that we cannot judge whether men be wicked or no by their outward condition. And indeed, according to our Tranſlation, I ſee not how this clauſe can be otherwiſe underſtood, becauſe in the following words he proceeds farther to ſet forth, how God poures forth his wrath upon wicked men.
God diſtributeth ſorrows in his anger.] That is, he gives unto every wicked man his portion of plagues and ſorrows, out of thoſe treaſures of wrath, which he hath in ſtore for the ungodly; and ſo in this Job might have reſpect to that wherewith Zophar had concluded his laſt reply, chap. 20.29. This is the portion of a wicked man from God, &c. But withall this word (diſtributeth) may likewiſe imply, 1. that God gives them their portion herein proportionably, according to their ſeverall deſerts; 2. that often he puniſheth them diverſly, ſome by one judgement, and ſome by another; and 3. that he alſo puniſheth the ſame perſons diverſly and at divers times, ſometimes one way and ſometimes another, partly with temporall puniſhments here in this world, and partly with the torments of hell in the world to come.
Verſ. 18. They are as ſtubble before the wind, and as chaff &c.] That is, they ſhall be deſtroyed and come to nothing, be they never ſo great, and ſtrong, and mighty, eaſily, ſuddenly, unreſiſtably and irrecoverably; yea and all their great wealth ſhall be ſcattered as it were into a thouſand hands. But withall we may note, that by comparing the wicked to ſtubble and chaff, Job implyes likewiſe how ſapleſſe and fruitleſſe they are, as being void of all goodneſſe; how light and unſtable in all their waies, quickly carried away with any wind of doctrine, and with every blaſt of Satans or the worlds temptations; and laſtly, how baſe and worthleſſe, and how little God eſteems of them.
Verſ. 19. God layeth up his iniquity for his children; he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.] This laſt clauſe, he rewardeth him, and he shall know it, may be underſtood, as the former, of the Lords puniſhing the wicked man in his children, to wit, that by puniſhing them he rewardeth the wicked man according to his wickedneſſe: and he shall know it, to wit, becauſe it ſhall be done in his life-time; for his greater vexation he ſhall before he dies ſee the judgements of God fall upon his children, and his conſcience ſhall tell him that it is for his wickedneſſe that they are puniſhed. Or elſe it may be meant of the puniſhments wherewith he ſhall be puniſhed in his own perſon, thereby farther to aggravate the miſery appointed pointed for the wicked mans portion, he rewardeth him, that is, he doth not only recompence his ſin upon his children, as was expreſſed in the firſt clauſe, but alſo upon himſelf in his own perſon; and he shall know it, that is, he ſhall know that the evil which befalls him is the juſt vengeance of God upon him.
Verſ. 20. His eyes shall ſee his deſtruction, &c.] This may be alſo meant, either of his own perſonall ruine, or of the joynt-ruine both of him and his, even all that he hath. As for the following clauſe, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty, the meaning of that is, that God ſhould poure out his wrath with many ſore puniſhments in a full meaſure upon him; and the metaphoricall expreſſion he uſeth ſeems to imply, that the pains and terrours thereof ſhould enter into his very bowels, and that he ſhould become as a man that is drunk and mad with the ſore calamities that God ſhould bring upon him: yea purpoſely, I conceive, God is here expreſſed by this name (Almighty) to imply how grievous and inſupportable thoſe plagues muſt needs be, that were inflicted by the wrath of an Almighty God.
Verſ. 21. For what pleaſure hath he in his houſe after him, when the number of his moneths is cut off in the midſt?] This is added, either 1. as an aggravation of the wicked mans miſery, when he himſelf is cut off by the revenging hand of God, eſpecially if it be done in the flower of his age, to wit, that all the pleaſure he took in thinking how great and honourable his houſe and family would be when he is gone, doth then come to nothing; or 2. as a reaſon why the wicked man ſhall ſurely be puniſhed, not only in his children after his death, but alſo in his own perſon, as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, to wit, becauſe being dead himſelf, the miſery of his children cannot then trouble him; or elſe 3. as a reaſon why God doth deſtroy the wicked mans children whilſt himſelf yet lives, as was ſaid before verſ. 19. to wit, becauſe being once dead, he neither takes any delight in the welfare of his poſterity, nor conſequently is at all troubled with any miſeries that they then ſuffer; yea becauſe wicked men do not uſually take any thought, what ſhall become of others when they are dead, ſo it may goe well with them in their own daies, let their poſterity after them ſhift for themſelves.
Verſ. 22. Shall any teach God knowledge? &c.] They carry themſelves as if they meant to teach God wiſedome and knowledge, that murmure againſt any of his proceedings, as when he proſpers the wicked or afflicts the righteous, or that preſcribe God the way of his judgements, to wit, whom, and when, and how he ſhall puniſh; which they do that limit God, by maintaining that he cannot puniſh the righteous or afflict the godly. Of this therefore it is that Job here complains, alledging it as a high degree of impudence, that man, who walks ſo much in the dark, and hath all the knowledge he hath from God, and whoſe wiſedome at the beſt is mere folly in compariſon of Gods unſearchable wiſedome, ſhould yet dare to teach God what he ſhould doe: and ſo he covertly taxeth his friends of this arrogance, in that they did as it were ſet a law to God, by condemning him for a wicked man becauſe of his grievous calamities, as concluding that God could not in juſtice either ſuffer the wicked to goe unpuniſhed, or afflict the righteous. Now the reaſon that he gives, why it is ſuch arrogance for any man to carry himſelf ſo as if he would teach God knowledge, is in the laſt words, becauſe God judgeth thoſe that are high, shall any teach God knowledge? ſeeing he judgeth thoſe that are high; that is, ſeeing he is, as Solomon alſo faith, Eccleſ. 5.8. higher then the higheſt, the ſupreme judge of the whole world, who rules and governs thoſe that are higheſt amongſt men, and that exalt themſelves moſt in their eminency, princes, and kings, and emperours, yea the very angels themſelves in heaven. And indeed three things are implyed herein, from whence it may be ſtrongly inferred, that we ought to adore and admire the works of God we underſtand not, and not to judge them according to the rule of our reaſon; to wit, 1. that it muſt needs be a high degree of preſumption, to queſtion his wiſedome who is ſo infinitely farre above all the creatures; 2. that it cannot be reaſonably thought that he ſhould fail in the government of men, who rules and governs thoſe glorious and holy ſpirits the angels in heaven; and 3. that being the ſupreme Governour of the world, the King of kings and Lord of lords, yea the Lord of the angels, he muſt needs be infinite in wiſedome, yea the abſolute rule of all wiſedome and juſtice, and therefore unqueſtionable.
Verſ. 23. One dieth in his full ſtrength, being wholly at eaſe and quiet, &c.] To prove the unſearchableneſſe of Gods proceedings, and that it is not poſſible to judge what men are by that which God doth to them here in this world, Job here inſtanceth how differently God deals with two ſeverall men both in their life and death, and yet how after death they are both alike laid in the grave, and there ſeems to be there no difference at all. Of the firſt he ſaith here, One dieth in his full ſtrength, being wholly at eaſe and quiet; that is, he lives in a full eſtate, and in much quiet both of body and ſpirit, and ſo he dies alſo in abundance of all things, when he ſeemed to be as healthfull and ſtrong as ever, and had as much cauſe ſtill to deſire to live as ever: and then again, verſ. 24. His breaſts are full of milk, and his bones are moiſtned with marrow; that is, there is not the leaſt decay in his body, only God is pleaſed ſuddenly to take him away by death; or, his milk-pails are full of milk (for ſo this clauſe may be read, as we ſee in the margin of our Bibles) and his bones are moiſtned with marrow, that is, he hath a full eſtate and a healthfull body (for if we read it thus, by his milk-pails full of milk muſt be meant his plenty of all outward riches and pleaſures.) Of the other man he ſaith, verſ. 25. And another dieth in the bitterneſſe of his ſoul, and never eateth with pleaſure; that is, he lives and dies in great miſery, under very bitter and wofull preſſures both of mind and body, having ſcarce ever enjoyed one good hour in his life, or ever eaten one bit of meat with any pleaſure or comfort. And then concerning both theſe joyntly together he concludes, verſ. 26. they shall lye down alike in the duſt, and the worms shall cover them; that is, however differently God dealt with them before, yet after death they are both alike laid in the grave; and therein there ſeems to be no difference, even the rich man that lived ſo proſperouſly, and that was formerly clad ſo richly and gorgeouſly, ſhall then have no other covering, but that of duſt and worms, as hath alſo the poor man. This, I take it, is the meaning of theſe words. But now of what ſort of men this inſtance is to be underſtood, and to what purpoſe it is alledged, is ſomewhat more queſtionable. Some ſay that Job meant, that one man being a wicked man lives and dies in a proſperous condition, an… another being a godly man lives and dies in extreme miſery; and will have his drift in this inſtance, to ſhew how unſearchable Gods proceedings are, in that God ſhould deal ſo well with the wicked, and ſo ill with the righteous. Others hold that the words muſt be underſtood of two wicked men; and that the aime therefore of this inſtance is to ſhew, that there can be no judging whether men be wicked or no by that which outwardly befalls them, becauſe God deals ſo differently with wicked men, ſometimes bleſſing them, and ſometimes puniſhing them. But I rather think, with others, that it is meant of any two men, equally good or bad; and that hereby he ſheweth Gods abſolute Sovereignty is in diſpoſing of men as he pleaſeth, and how unſearchable his proceedings are, in that two men, one whereof deſerves no more good nor ill then the other, ſhould be ſo differently dealt with both in life and death, and yet after death both ſhould be alike laid in the grave.
Verſ. 27. Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which you wrongfully imagine againſt me.] That is, I know the injurious thoughts and imaginations which you harbour in your hearts concerning me, to wit, that in all that you have ſaid concerning the deſtruction of wicked men, you have ſtill aimed at me & my children, though you have not named us; and that you peremptorily conclude within your ſelves, that I am a wicked man, becauſe the hand of God is ſo heavy upon me.
Verſ. 28. For ye ſay, Where is the houſe of the prince? &c.] Some underſtand this of Iobs eldeſt ſon, whoſe houſe it was that was blown down upon him, his brethren and ſiſters, chap. 1.18, 19. and that Iob chargeth his friends, that in relation hereto they did in their thoughts thus inſult over him, where is the houſe of the prince? that is, what is now become of the houſe of that young gallant, your ſon and heir? Did not that exemplary judgement plainly diſcover the wrath of God againſt you and yours? But I rather think it is meant of Iob himſelf: where is the houſe of the prince? that is, what is now become of the houſe of Job, that mighty man of eſtate, that lived formerly like a prince? As if they ſhould have ſaid, You ſee that after all the pomp wherein he hath lived, God hath at laſt utterly overthrown his houſe and family, and ſo hath juſtly given him the reward of his wickedneſſe. And then for the following clauſe, and where are the dwelling-places of the wicked? either it is meant of Iobs children, as if he had ſaid, Hath not God deſtroyed both him, and his wicked brood too, his children? or elſe of all wicked men in generall, and is added to the former clauſe, to imply that this which had befallen Iob, was indeed the conſtant portion of all wicked men.
Verſ. 29. Have ye not asked them that goe by the way? and do ye not know their tokens?] Some think that from the foregoing verſe unto the end of the 33. verſe, Iob goes ſtill on in ſetting out the injurious thoughts which his friends had concerning him; and accordingly therefore they underſtand theſe words as the thoughts of Jobs friends, arguing as it were with others concerning him, Have ye not asked them that goe by the way? &c. that is, It is certainly notorious to every one that goes by the way, and if ſuch were enquired of, they would readily anſwer, that the things which have befallen Job are the juſt vengeance of God upon him for his wickedneſſe: nor can it be denied, theſe things being the clear marks and tokens of Gods wrath. But I rather take theſe words, with that which follows, to be Jobs anſwer to thoſe injurious thoughts concerning him, wherewith he had charged his friends in the foregoing verſe; Have ye not asked them that goe by the way? &c. By them that goe by the way may be meant travellers, and then the drift of the words muſt be all one in effect as if he had ſaid, You, my friends, inſult over me, as a wicked hypocrite, becauſe of the ruine of my houſe and family; but if you would ask thoſe that by travelling through many places and countries have the more experience and knowledge, they would readily tell you, to wit, that which I have hitherto maintained, that the righteous are often afflicted, and the wicked are often in a proſperous eſtate, or (as follows in the next verſe) that the wicked is reſerved to the day of deſtruction, &c. Or, by them that goe by the way, may be meant the ordinary common ſort of people, (as before Judg. 5.10. of which ſee the Note there) as if he had ſaid, Do but ask any of the common ſort of people that goe up and down by the way, any that you ſhall firſt meet with, not any one of them but will tell you this which I now maintain, and will be able to make it good out of their own obſervation: to which purpoſe is that which follows, and do ye not know their tokens? for by their tokens is meant the proofs and examples which they could alledge to prove the truth of this, to wit, that the righteous do often ſuffer many grievous preſſures, and that the wicked live oft in great pomp and proſperity: and that expreſſion it ſeems Job purpoſely uſeth, as alluding to the marks and tokens which men are wont to obſerve as they travell, that they may be ſure to goe in the right way, thereby to imply that ſuch men could as readily alledge convincing evidences hereof, as they could tell the marks of waies that lead to ſuch or ſuch a place; do ye not know their tokens? that is, can ye deny, or, can ye be ignorant of thoſe things which every man can alledge, to prove that which I ſay concerning the proſperity of wicked men? &c. I know ſome underſtand theſe words otherwiſe, and do ye not know their tokens? that is, do ye not underſtand that their preſent proſperity, riches and honours, are ſure tokens that there is wrath that abides them hereafter? But I prefer the former Expoſition.
Verſ. 30. That the wicked is reſerved to the day of deſtruction, &c.] This is that which Iob ſaith they might learn of them that goe by the way, to wit, that wicked men are many times not puniſhed, but even when judgements fall upon others they eſcape, as being reſerved to the day of deſtruction, that ſhall yet at laſt come upon them.
Verſ. 31. Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?] Some Expoſitours underſtand theſe words as ſpoken of God, Who ſhall declare the way of God to his face? &c. Becauſe concerning that which was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, that the wicked is reſerved to the day of deſtruction, &c. ſome might argue in their minds, why this ſhould be ſo, as judging it a ſtrange thing in the way of Gods proceedings, that God ſhould ſo long ſpare wicked men, and let them flouriſh and proſper, when he meant to deſtroy them at laſt, and why he ſhould not rather cut them off immediately without any ſuch delaies; therefore by way of preventing theſe ſecret cavils that might ariſe in mens minds, theſe words are added, who shall declare his way to his face? that is, when God deals thus with wicked men, forbearing them for a while, who ſhall challenge God for this, and boldly argue the matter with him, demanding a reaſon of him why he doth ſo? who shall repay him what he hath done? that is, who ſhall retort that upon God which he hath done? or, who ſhall reply upon him for this? where is the man that dares be ſo bold as to doe this? And thus they would make theſe words to be parallel with thoſe other paſſages, chap. 9.12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who shall ſay to him, what doeſt thou? and chap. 23.13. But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? what his ſoul deſireth, even that he doth: and verſ. 22 of this chapter, Shall any teach God knowledge, ſeeing he judgeth thoſe that are high? Thus, I ſay, ſome underſtand theſe words of God. But queſtionleſſe they are rather ſpoken of the wicked man; who shall declare his way to his face? As if he ſhould have ſaid, So farre a while doth the wicked man ſeem to be from bearing the juſt reward of his wickedneſſe, that no man dares declare his way to his face, that is, no man dares to his face tell him of his faults, or no man dares ſhew him whether his wicked courſes will at length bring him; and much leſſe dares any man appear as a witneſſe to accuſe him, or as a judge to condemn him, and ſo to repay him what he hath done, that is, puniſh him for his wickedneſſe.
Verſ. 32. Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and remain in the tomb.] I find the opinion of Expoſitours very different concerning the dependance of theſe words upon that which went before. They that take theſe words to be a part of thoſe injurious thoughts, which Iob tells his friends they harboured in their hearts concerning him (as is noted before verſ. 29.) underſtand them as inferred upon the foregoing verſe, thus, Though no man dares meddle with him, yet God ſhall bring down his pride by his judgements, and ſo ſhall lay him in the grave; and then they ſay theſe words, and remain in the tomb, are added, to imply that then he is quite cut off from ever returning to that pomp & plenty wherein he had formerly lived in the world. But now they that take theſe words to be ſpoken by Job as in his own perſon, underſtand them otherwiſe, even as a farther declaration of the wicked mans proſperous condition, to wit, that though he exalts himſelf ſo in his pride, that no man dares tell him of any thing he doth amiſſe, or though he be above the reach of man to controll or puniſh him, (as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe;) yet doth not God take him in hand, but he ſhall be brought to the grave, that is, dying not a violent, but a naturall death, he ſhall be carried to his grave with great magnificence, pomp and ſtate, and ſo ſhall have an honourable and ſolemn buriall, and shall remain in the tomb, to wit, free from all fear of any the miſeries which here in this world others undergoe. This laſt clauſe, and shall remain in the tomb, is tranſlated by ſome according to the ſtrict letter of the originall Hebrew, which is put into the margin of our Bibles, and shall watch in the heap. And if we ſhould ſo read it, we muſt know that this expreſſion might be uſed, in reference either to the dead bodies of great men, which being ſet upright in vaults, and being ſo embalmed and ſpiced that they were kept from putrifaction, as it was the cuſtome in thoſe times, ſeemed as it were to be living men, and looked as if they ſtood to keep continuall watch in that place; or elſe to thoſe ſtatues and Repreſentations of the dead, which were placed upon their tombs, or ſet up in preſſes near to their tombs, (as we ſee the uſe is alſo in our times) which being as farre as art could reach made to the life, had alſo the appearance of watchmen, that were ſet to watch in thoſe heaps.
Verſ. 33. The clods of the valley shall be ſweet unto him, &c.] They that take theſe words ſtill to be a part of the injurious thoughts of Iobs friends againſt him, do accordingly underſtand them thus, That the wrath of God ſhould lye ſo heavy upon him, that death ſhould be moſt welcome to him, or that he ſhould then be glad to lye in a ſlimy pit, to wit, the grave, that was formerly ſcarce content with a princely palace: and the reaſon why he expreſſeth the grave by theſe words, the clods of the valley, is becauſe their burying-places in thoſe times were uſually in the loweſt dales and valleys. But I rather conceive that theſe words are ſtill a continuation of Jobs reply to the injurious thoughts of his friends; and then this phraſe, the clods of the valley are ſweet to him, do only imply, either his continuance for ever there, (for it is an argument that we take much ſweet delight and content in a place, when we ſtay long in it) or elſe that there he ſleeps quietly and ſweetly, as it were, free from all cares and feares, and from all danger of worldly troubles and ſorrows. And as for the following words, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him, they are added to imply, that his death cannot be reckoned as an effect of Gods wrath upon him, ſince herein he goes the way of all fleſh; all men living, the righteous as well as the wicked, either have gone, or ſhall goe this way. And this expreſſion, And every man shall draw after him, is grounded upon this truth, that every man living doth every moment, as his life waſteth away, draw nearer and nearer to the grave. We uſe to ſay of men lying at the point of death, that they are drawing on; but it is true alſo of all that live, that they are ſtill drawing on to their end, and haſting to the grave, there to overtake that innumerable multitude that is gone before them.
Verſ. 34. How then comfort ye me in vain, ſeeing in your anſwers there remaineth falſehood?] That is, what a vain thing is it in you, to think to comfort me, by telling me that if I will repent me of my wickedneſſe, God will certainly reſtore me to a proſperous condition, ſince, as you ſee, that which you have maintained concerning the miſery of wicked men, and the flouriſhing eſtate of the righteous, is apparently falſe, and all your arguing is grounded upon errours and miſtakes, both concerning God and concerning me. The ſame errours and falſehoods which Jobs friends had maintained in their firſt diſpute with him, the ſame they had again maintained in the ſecond; though they multiplyed anſwers, yet they mended them not: and therefore it is that he ſaid, that in their anſwers there remained falſehood.