Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
Verſ. 1. WHy, ſeeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him, not ſee his daies?] 1. By this, that times are not hidden from the Almighty, is meant, that God knoweth all times, and all things that are or ſhall be done in time. 2. By they that know him are meant the godly, that love and fear God, according to that, Pſal. 36.10, O continue thy loving-kindneſſe to them that know thee! and 3. By this, that they ſee not his daies, is meant, that they ſee not the noted and memorable daies wherein God doth his great and famous works, either of mercy or judgement; or more particularly, the daies of his executing vengeance upon wicked men here in this life, which indeed are uſually by way of eminency called in the Scripture Gods daies, as Iſa. 2.12. The day of the lord of hoſts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, &c. and ſo in many other places. The drift of theſe words is, to ſhew that God doth not alwaies puniſh wicked men here in this world, as Jobs friends had maintained he did. For the proving whereof, as he mentions many ſorts of leud men that live in peace and proſperity, and are never puniſhed here in this world, ſo before this enumeration of ſuch prophane ones as goe unpuniſhed, he prefixeth the words of this verſe by way of introduction; the meaning whereof may be thus ſet forth: Seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, that is, ſeeing God knoweth all times, and conſequently both the times how long men are to live in the world, and when is the fitteſt time and opportunity to puniſh wicked men, ſo that no wicked man can ſlip out of the world unknown to God, or before the time that God intended to puniſh him, why do they that know him, not ſee his daies? that is, why do the righteous ſervants of God, that walk with him, and obſerve his dealings, and to whom God is moſt ready to reveal himſelf, as to his boſome friends, not ſee the daies of Gods puniſhing wicked men here in this life? The ſumme of this introduction is therefore briefly this; that if God did conſtantly determine to puniſh all profane ungodly men in this world, ſince he knows the times how long they are to continue here, and ſo cannot be diſappointed by their unexpected dying, he would certainly take the fitteſt time to doe it: and ſo the godly ſhould obſerve the time when, and the manner how God alwaies puniſheth wicked men, and ſo ſhould infallibly know by Gods dealing with thoſe upon whom God laies his hand, whether they are wicked men or no.
Verſ. 2. Some remove the land-marks, &c.] Here Job begins to reckon up the foul enormities of thoſe that yet often goe unpuniſhed here in this world; and mentions in the firſt place the removing of land-marks, this being in all ages, and amongſt all nations, even by the light of nature, eſteemed an execrable wickedneſſe, and therefore alſo forbidden in Moſes law, Deut. 19.14: under which alſo all other unjuſt encroachings upon other mens eſtates may be compriſed, according to that, Prov. 23.10. Remove not the old land-mark, and enter not into the fields of the fatherleſſe. And to this he adds, they violently take away flocks and feed thereof: and if we read the laſt clauſe as it is in the margin of our Bibles, and feed them, it is doubtleſſe added to ſhew the impudency of ſuch men, that when they have driven away other mens cattel, do not kill them, or ſell them away, to conceal their rapine thereby, or to ſupply their neceſſities, but putting them into their own paſtures do openly there feed them, as if they were their own: and withall their impunity; God never calls them to a reckoning, but they quietly enjoy what they have ſo unjuſtly gotten.
Verſ. 3. They drive away the aſſe of the fatherleſſe, &c.] Aſſe here may be put for aſſes; or, this may be intended as an aggravation of the wicked mans oppreſſion, that though the fatherleſſe have but one aſſe, yet he ſticks not to ſpoil him of it. And the like may be ſaid of the following clauſe, They take the widows oxe for a pledge. Oxe here may be put for oxen: but however it is to the ſame effect. For becauſe the widows oxen are ſo neceſſary for the ploughing of her ground, and other ſuch like employments, and of a yoke of oxen if one be taken away, the other becomes uſeleſſe, it being a moſt unmercifull act to take that for a pledge without which the poor man cannot live, and therefore forbidden in Gods law, Exod. 22.26. (concerning which ſee the Note there;) hence it is that this is mentioned here as ſuch a high degree of wickedneſſe.
Verſ. 4. They turn the needy out of the way, &c.] Expoſitours find it hard to determine what is meant here by turning the needy out of the way. Some underſtand it of cauſing the needy, by their oppreſſions, to take leud and unwarrantable courſes to help themſelves; ſo turning them out of the way of righteouſneſſe, which God hath preſcribed them. 2. Some underſtand it of turning the needy out of the way of juſtice, to wit, either by overawing them, ſo that they dare not appear in judgement againſt them; or elſe by obſtructing the waies of juſtice ſo by their great power, that the needy are thruſt from their right, and can find no way of righting themſelves: and ſo they make this place parallel with that, Amos 2.7. they turn aſide the way of the meek. 3. Others conceive it is meant of thoſe that by their robberies do ſo infeſt the high-waies, that the very pooreſt, becauſe of their cruelty, are afraid to travell in the ordinary way, and therefore ſeek out ſecret by-waies whereby they may ſafely paſſe. 4. Others apply it to thoſe that by their oppreſſions and hard dealing with the poor, do turn them out of the way of their livelyhood, the way of exerciſing their trade and profeſſion, and force them to hide themſelves; as when by taking thoſe things as pawns from them, which are abſolutely neceſſary for the exerciſe of their callings, or by any other way of cruell uſage, they are diſabled from going forth to their work, and from following their ordinary imployments. And 5. others hold, that by turning the needy out of the way is only meant, that they are by the unjuſt dealing of their oppreſſing neighbours put to ſuch ſhifts, that they ſcarce know which way to turn themſelves, and cannot in a manner be ſuffered to live by them. And indeed with theſe two laſt Expoſitions the following clauſe doth beſt agree, the poor of the earth hide themſelves together: the meaning whereof doubtleſſe is, that by the oppreſſours enlarging of their eſtates and other unmercifull dealings, the needy are many times forced to run together into holes and corners to hide themſelves, and to crowd together in any corner like bees in a hive, and ſcarce dare ſhow their heads abroad amongſt others. See 1 Sam. 14.11. and Heb. 11.37.
Verſ. 5. As wild aſſes in the deſart goe they forth to their work, riſing betimes for a prey, &c.] Some underſtand this of the needy, mentioned in the foregoing verſe, that are turned out of the way by their great oppreſſours; to wit, that being forced to fly into the deſart, they do there live more like beaſts, even like wild aſſes, then like men, going forth to their work, to wit, to that toiling and moiling labour wherein they are made to drudge for others, or to ſeek a poor livelyhood for themſelves, riſing betimes for a prey, that is, to gather here and there, or any way to ſeiſe upon ſomewhat wherewith to ſatisfie their hunger: and accordingly alſo they underſtand the following clauſe, the wilderneſſe yieldeth food for them and for their children; that is, all the food they have, is what they can get in the wilderneſſe. But now the moſt of Expoſitours underſtand this of thoſe that oppreſſe the poor and needy, or of the mighty robbers that were in thoſe times, to wit, that they were like wild aſſes in the deſart, in that they were a company of fierce, ſavage, untamed men, ſons of Belial, that would be in no ſubjection to any laws or government, but exerciſed all kind of violence and rapine upon thoſe that were near them, and lived like beaſts in that regard; they goe forth to their work, riſing betimes for a prey, that is, every day they ramble up and down diligently, to rob and make a prey of all that come near them, which is their only work and imployment: and ſo alſo they underſtand the following clauſe, the wilderneſſe yieldeth food for them and for their children; that is, they and theirs live by rapine, as others by their grounds which they till and dreſſe; or, in the wilderneſſe, by their robberies and murthers, they provide for them, their children and ſervants, not caring what becomes of others.
Verſ. 6. They reap every one his corn in the field, and they gather the vintage of the wicked.] Even this likewiſe ſome underſtand of the poor, to wit, either that they are glad to work for their mighty task-maſters, in reaping their corn and gathering their vintage; (for in this ſenſe it may be ſaid, that they reap every one his corn, either becauſe they reap every one that parcell of corn which is allotted them for their task, or becauſe they are forced to reap their own corn, not for themſelves, but for the oppreſſour that hath taken their fields by force from them) or elſe that by way of forraging for themſelves, here one cuts down the corn in one field, and another the corn in another field, and gather the vintage of their wicked oppreſſours, which they thought to have had for themſelves. But this too the moſt Expoſitours underſtand of thoſe great oppreſſours and robbers, of whom Job had ſpoken in the foregoing verſes, to wit, that they reap the corn, and gather the vintage, of the fields and vineyards which they had wrung by unjuſt violence from the right owners, or that they pretend ſome title or other to any mans corn and vintage which they have a mind to, and take it away by force from them; which is expreſſed in the laſt clauſe by thoſe words, and they gather the vintage of the wicked; either 1. becauſe it was gotten wickedly: or 2. becauſe they condemn thoſe for wicked men whom they ſo oppreſſe, and under that notion take their inheritance from them, as Ahab did the vineyard of Naboth: or 3. becauſe in their oppreſſions they ſpare not the vineyards of thoſe that are as wicked as themſelves; and ſo one wolf makes a prey of another.
Verſ. 7. They cauſe the naked to lodge without clothing, &c.] See the Note, chap. 22.6.
Verſ. 8. They are wet with the showers of the mountains, &c.] That is, the poor, mentioned in the foregoing verſe, that are ſtripped of their clothing, are expoſed to wet, whilſt they work abroad in the fields for their great lords, or whilſt they wander up and down in the deſart to provide for themſelves; and embrace the rock for want of shelter, that is, hide themſelves in the holes of rocks for want of other ſhelter, and are glad and joyfull of ſuch a refuge, which this phraſe of embracing the rock may ſeem to imply. We have the like phraſe, Lam. 4.5. they that were brought up in ſcarlet, embrace dunghils, that is, are forced to ſit or lye upon dunghils.
Verſ. 9. They pluck the fatherleſſe from the breaſt.] And this not only they might be ſaid to have done, that took them from the breaſt to ſell them for bond-ſlaves; but they likewiſe that took away their mothers or nurſes, to make ſlaves of them, or that forced them to leave their ſucklings to goe and work in their fields or vineyards, and it may be to wean them before they would have done it, that they might be fitter to toil and labour for them; and thoſe alſo that by ſtarving their mothers or nurſes, diſabled them that they could not give their little ones ſuck. For the following clauſe, and take a pledge of the poor, ſee the Note chap. 22.6.
Verſ. 10. They cauſe him to goe naked without clothing, &c.] That is, the poor man mentioned in the foregoing verſe, whom they had taken for a pledge, they would force him to work for them, and yet not afford him neceſſary raiment. And then it follows, They take away the sheaf from the hungry; that is, from the hungry poor they take away that little corn which they had gotten for the nouriſhment of them and theirs, haply that one ſheaf of gleanings which with much pains they had gathered: Or elſe the meaning may be, that they would not ſuffer their poor hungry harveſt-men to taſt the leaſt of the corn which they reaped and gathered in for them; an act of great inhumanity, though it were to a beaſt, as is evident by that law, Deut. 25.4. Thou shalt not muzzle the oxe when he treadeth out the corn.
Verſ. 11. Which make oyl within their walls, and tread their wine-preſses, and ſuffer thirſt.] Some underſtand this of griping oppreſſours; who will ſcarce taſt of the bleſſings they enjoy in greateſt plenty. But the words ſeem clearly to hold forth the contrary, to wit, that it is ſpoken of the poor that are oppreſſed. And it may be underſtood either of thoſe that make wine and oyl in their own houſes, and yet afterwards have not wherewith to quench their thirſt, namely, becauſe they are preſently forced to ſell all away to pay their debts, or elſe becauſe ſpoilers come ſtraightwaies upon them and carry it all away; Or elſe of the poor labourers, that make wine and oyl in great mens houſes, and yet are ready to periſh for thirſt, to wit, not only becauſe their wages are not paid them, at leaſt not in time, or becauſe they allow them wages whereon they cannot live; but alſo becauſe they are not allowed to quench their thirſt with that they provide for their great Maſters. And well may this be mentioned as a high degree of wickedneſſe, as is noted above verſ. 10. that they ſhould ſuffer them to be hungry and thirſty, at the very time when they toiled and moiled to prepare for them ſuch choice dainties, and ſhould be hard-hearted to the poor, when they receive ſo liberally from God.
Verſ. 12. Men groan from out of the city, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, Theſe things are thus not only in the country, in deſart and ſolitary places, but alſo in cities, the places where ſeats of juſtice are uſually erected; they are not only done in ſecret, but openly: the groans and cries of the oppreſſed are openly heard in the cities, and the ſoul of the wounded cryeth out; that is, the men that are wounded in their very ſouls becauſe of the oppreſſions of the wicked, and the wrong that is daily done them, or, the men that are wounded and ſlain by the overbearing power of tyrants and oppreſſours, do in their grief, or whilſt they are dying, complain bitterly of what they ſuffer, and cry unto God for vengeance; Or it may be meant, that the bloud, or the ſouls of thoſe that are wounded and ſlain do cry for vengeance, as is ſaid concerning the bloud of Abel, Gen. 4.10. (of which ſee the Note there) and the ſouls of the Martyrs ſlain by their cruell perſecutours, Revel. 6.9, 10. Some underſtand the firſt clauſe particularly of thoſe that grieve and groan in the city, becauſe of thoſe grievous oppreſſions which they hear the poor endure in the country; and ſome apply both clauſes to the groans of ſuch as inhabite cities, when they are ſtreightned and damnified, and ſometime, if they ſtir forth a little, wounded and ſlain by thoſe field-robbers, whereof Job had ſpoken in the foregoing verſes. But I conceive it muſt be taken generally of the groans and complaints of all that are oppreſſed in cities, whatever their ſufferings and oppreſſions be. As for the laſt clauſe, yet God layeth not folly to them, it is that for which Job had alledged all that he hath hitherto ſpoken of profane wicked men; to wit, that though their wickedneſſe be ſo great, and the oppreſſed cry to God againſt them, yet many times God doth not in the leaſt puniſh them for the evil they commit, and ſo ſtop them in their fooliſh and wicked waies, but ſuffers them to run on in their leud and ſinfull courſes.
Verſ. 13. They are of thoſe that rebell againſt the light, &c.] This I conceive is primarily meant of that naturall light, whereof Job ſpeaks alſo in the following verſes; for againſt this light it may be ſaid that they rebell, becauſe they hate and abhorre it: they know not the waies thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof; that is, they are birds of darkneſſe, they ſpend their daies moſt in the dark, and take little or no pleaſure to be in the light. Having ſpoken before of open oppreſſours, now he comes to ſpeak of thoſe that ſin more ſecretly and cloſely. But yet ſecondarily it muſt queſtionleſſe be underſtood of ſpirituall light, to wit, that they rebell againſt God the father of lights, againſt the light of nature, and againſt the light of Gods word and ſpirit: and that 1. Becauſe mens ſeeking darkneſſe and ſecrecy when they ſin, is an argument that they rebell againſt the light of their own conſciences; and 2. Becauſe this their ſinning ſo wilfully and deſperately, not of ignorance, is mentioned here as a great aggravation of their wickedneſſe, and that which makes it farre more ſtrange that God ſhould ſpare them. And indeed even in regard of this light it might be well ſaid, that they know not the waies thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof; becauſe they do not approve of, nor delight in, nor will walk in thoſe waies to which by this ſpirituall light they are directed: at leaſt if they ſometimes do ſomething that the light directs them, yet to be ſure they will not make it their conſtant courſe, they will not abide in thoſe waies.
Verſ. 14. The murderer riſing with the light, killeth the poor and needy, &c.] This is meant either directly of thoſe that do purpoſely goe forth to kill ſuch as they have conceived malice againſt; and then the next clauſe, and in the night is as a thief, muſt be underſtood thus, that in the night he ſeeks to ſlay thoſe he hates ſecretly, as in the day he ſeeks to doe it by open aſſault; or, that having ſhed the bloud of men in the day, in the night he ſeeks to hide his head, as thieves are wont to doe: or elſe of robbers and high-way men, as we uſe to call them; and that both becauſe robbers are frequently alſo murderers, and likewiſe becauſe by robbing and ſpoiling them of their eſtates, they do in a manner ſhorten their daies; and then the meaning of the laſt clauſe is this, and in the night is as a thief, that is, as he robs openly by day, ſo he is a cloſe pilfering thief by night: for this word (as) doth not alwaies import a likeneſſe only, as we ſee Joh. 1.14. and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the father.
Verſ. 16. In the dark they dig through houſes, which they had marked for themſelves in the day-time, &c.] That is, thoſe wicked ones of whom he ſpake verſ. 13. that rebell againſt the light. It cannot be ſo properly meant of adulterers, of whom he had ſpoken in the words immediately foregoing (they are uſually let in by agreement, or have ſome cloſer way of getting in to ſatisfie their luſt, and are ſeldome wont to dig through houſes, or break in by force;) and therefore it muſt be underſtood of another knot of wicked wretches, to wit, of thieves, who are wont indeed to view the houſes by day which they purpoſe to rob, to obſerve the ſtrength of the houſe, and which way they may get in with moſt eaſe and advantage, and then accordingly break into them by night. As for the laſt clauſe, they know not the light, ſee the Note verſ. 13.
Verſ. 17. For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death, &c.] That is, moſt hatefull and terrible: to wit, both becauſe coming ſuddenly upon them, before they have fully accompliſhed their wickedneſſe, they are vexed to be ſo croſſed in their intended evil; as alſo becauſe they are afraid they ſhall be diſcovered, ſurpriſed, and taken: which the following words do more clearly hold forth, if one know them, they are in the terrours of the shadow of death.
Verſ. 18. He is ſwift as the waters, &c.] A moſt knotty place this is, inſomuch that we can hardly find any two Expoſitours that are in every regard of the ſame mind in giving the ſenſe of the words: and yet all agree, that Job ſpeaks here ſtill of thoſe wicked wretches that rebell againſt the light, of whom he had been ſpeaking hitherto, though he ſpeaks of them ſometimes indefinitely in the ſingular number, He is ſwift as the waters, and ſo verſ. 20, 21, &c. and ſometimes in the plurall number, their portion is curſed in the earth, and ſo verſ. 24, &c. It is not to be wholly ſlighted which ſome ſay, that Job having before ſpoken of the thief at land, digging through houſes, he now ſpeaks alſo of the Pirate, that robbeth by ſea; he is ſwift as the waters, to wit, when he is in chaſe of any ſhip that he ſeeks to make a prey of; their portion is curſed in the earth, that is, they that live at land curſe them, becauſe they are ever and anon ſo exceedingly damnifyed by them; he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards, that is, having once taſted the ſweetneſſe of ſea-robbing, he will no more live at land, to toil and moil in dreſſing vineyards. But there are three other Expoſitions which ſeem to me the moſt probable. Firſt, ſome conceive that theſe words do farther ſet forth the wickedneſſe of theſe deſperate wretches: He is ſwift as the waters, that is, they purſue their wicked deſigns with full ſail, they are as prone and forward to doe evil as water is to run downward, and as ſpeedy and ſwift in doing evil, as the waters are in gliding away from one place to another; which agrees with that which Solomon ſaith of ſuch kind of men, that their feet are ſwift in running to miſchief, Prov. 6.18. their portion is curſed in the earth, that is, the places where they chuſe to live, as fitteſt for them that intend to live by robbery and ſpoil, are forreſts and deſarts, that are curſed with barrenneſſe, Heb. 6.18. he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards, that is, they love not to live by honeſt labour, as by ploughing and dreſſing the vineyards, but by thieving and robbery, and therefore the way of the vineyards is no place for them. Again 2. ſome underſtand theſe words of the fears of wicked men, and their ſeeking to hide themſelves: having ſaid in the foregoing verſe, if one know them, they are in the terrours of the shadow of death, he adds here, He is ſwift as the waters; that is, when they are in danger to be diſcovered and apprehended, they ſlip away, as nimbly as the water glides away in a river, nor can ſtay long in any place, but fly all company, by reaſon of the terrours that are continually upon them: their portion is curſed in the earth, that is, they ſeek to hide themſelves in woods, and rocks, and deſarts, as before is noted; Or, they live a moſt miſerable baſe life, not only in regard of the deſolateneſſe and the ſolitarineſſe of the places where they live, but alſo becauſe of the terrours wherewith Cain-like they are continually perplexed. He beholdeth not the way of the vineyards, that is, they fly ſo ſpeedily away, that they have not ſo much time as to viſit their houſes, or to ſee their vineyards; Or, they live a ſolitary ſad life in deſarts and mountains, and enjoy not the pleaſure of gardens and vineyards as other men do; Or rather, they flee not to the vineyards, that are places alwaies frequented, as being uſually planted near to cities, and where all the year long there is ſtill ſome company, either working, or …ending them, or walking for their pleaſure; in ſuch places as theſe they dare not be ſeen. And then 3. many underſtand them of Gods puniſhing ſuch wicked men; He is ſwift as the waters, that is, they paſſe away, to wit, by death, ſuddenly and irrecoverably, as waters in rivers run ſwiftly away, and come back no more; ſee the Note, Gen. 49.4. their portion is curſed in the earth, that is, their habitations ſhall be deſtroyed by the magiſtrate when they come to apprehend them, or when they are cut off by ſentence paſſed upon them; Or, their inheritance in the land is barren, covered over with weeds and briars; Or, they are curſed even here while they are upon earth, where they ſeem to live in a very happy condition; becauſe the curſe of God ſhall be at laſt upon all their earthly concernments, (and perhaps their poſteritie too) either by waſting and conſuming it, or by cauſing all that they have to tend to their hurt. He beholdeth not the way of the vineyards, that is, they flie not ſo farre as the vineyards, though uſually in the ſuburbs of the cities, before they be apprehended and taken; Or, even their vineyards are ſo curſed with barrenneſſe, that they take no pleaſure to viſit them and to look upon them. And if it be objected, that if we underſtand theſe words thus, that which Job ſaith here ſhould contradict what he had ſaid before, concerning wicked mens running on unpuniſhed, and living in a proſperous condition; ſee the anſwer to this in the Note, chap. 21.17.
Verſ. 19. Drought and heat conſume the ſnow waters; ſo doth the grave thoſe which have ſinned.] That is, As the earth, when it is drie by the heat of the weather, doth ſoon drink up the waters of the melted ſnow that lay unmelted all the winter; ſo doth the grave at laſt ſwallow up the wicked, when they had run on in ſin to that very time. And I conceive that doubtleſſe the drift of the words is, to ſhew, that after thoſe wicked wretches had lived ſuch an abominable and damnable life, as he had now deſcribed, yet they died at length an ordinarie naturall death, as other men die, without the leaſt viſible ſign of the vengeance of God upon them, more then there is in the death of other men. Job had in a manner ſaid the ſame before, chap. 21.13. concerning which ſee the Note there. For whether by their paſſing away as the ſnow-waters, is meant their dying ſuddenly, or their waſting away by degrees, the aime of the words is certainly to ſhew, that they are gathered to the grave at laſt as other men are. We have the like expreſſions, Pſal. 58.8. As a ſnail which melteth, let every one of them paſſe away; and Pſal. 68.2. As the wax melteth before the fire, ſo let the wicked perish. And this Expoſition is indeed moſt ſuitable to the ſcope of Job in this place, which is to ſhew, that God doth not manifeſt his wrath againſt all wicked men, neither whilſt they live nor when they die. But yet ſome learned Expoſitours do rather take the words to be a deſcription of the ſad concluſion and miſerable end of ſinners, wicked and ungodly men, to wit, that they are for their ſins cut off in a way of wrath; and whilſt the righteous in death triumph over death, and cannot be cut off from their ſpirituall bliſſe, death doth abſolutely triumph over the wicked, and doth wholly conſume and ſwallow up them and all their happineſſe.
Verſ. 20. The womb shall forget him, &c.] That is, His wife, or rather his mother, and ſo conſequently all his deareſt and neareſt friends, ſhall utterly forget him; Or, He ſhall periſh and be forgotten, as if he had never been conceived and born into the world. Some conceive that this, as that did in the foregoing verſe, referres to the eaſineſſe of the wicked mans death, as the cauſe why his friends the ſooner forget his death; they ſhall not be grieved or troubled at his death, becauſe he died ſo eaſie a death: to which purpoſe is that alſo which follows, the worm shall feed ſweetly on him, that is, (ſay ſome) It ſhall be ſweet and delightfull to him that the worms feed on him, (an expreſſion like that, chap. 21.33. the clods of the valley shall be ſweet unto him, concerning which ſee the Note there) Or rather, the worms ſhall make a ſweet banquet of him; he that had wont to feed on ſin, and to make a prey of others, ſhall then become a prey to the worms, to whom his fleſh ſhall be ſweet-meat. The ſumme of all is, that he ſhall fare no worſe in the grave then others fare. He shall be no more remembred, that is, there ſhall be no remarkable ſtroke of judgement in his death to make him be talked of, when he is gone; and wickedneſse shall be broken as a tree, that is, as an old rotten tree doth waſt and moulder away piece-meals and by degrees, till it be at laſt quite gone, ſo ſhall the wicked man waſt and conſume away by degrees. But then again others underſtand this alſo of the miſerie and wretchedneſſe of wicked men in their death; The womb shall forget him, that is, his neareſt relations, as they were wearie of him whilſt he lived, ſo being dead they ſhall ſcarce ever mind him, or think of him more: he shall be no more remembred, that is, he ſhall never be mentioned with honour, but his name ſhall rot amongſt men, or he ſhall be forgotten as a man not worthy to be thought of; and wickedneſſe shall be broken as a tree, as a barren & unfruitfull tree is cut down or grubbed up by the roots, or as any other tree is violently ſhiver'd in pieces & thrown down by a tempeſt, or as a rotten and worm-eaten tree is eaſily broken or blown down by the wind, and then never ſprouts up again; ſo wickedneſſe, that is, wicked men (according as we find the like expreſſion Pſal. 107.42. and all iniquity shall ſtop her mouth) after they have flouriſhed a while in their wickedneſſe, ſhall be ſuddenly taken away by death, and be cut off from amongſt the living.
Verſ. 21. He evil intreateth the barren, that beareth not; and doth not good to the widow.] But rather hurt. Under theſe two particulars, of evil intreating the barren, and doing no good to the widow, all oppreſſion of the needy and helpleſſe is comprehended: and evil intreating the barren is made one of the great oppreſſions of the wicked, becauſe therein they did afflict thoſe that were in a ſad afflicted condition before, and that had no children to riſe up in their defence: and if it be meant of the hard uſage of their own wives when they were barren, whom they ſhould have comforted, and who dare not mutter againſt them, this muſt needs implie the greater cruelty. Some conceive that this is added, to ſhew why the wicked, when they are dead, are no more minded nor remembred, as is ſaid in the foregoing verſe, to wit, becauſe they were ſuch mercileſſe wretches whilſt they lived, evil intreating the barren, &c. But I rather conceive that Job here returns to ſet forth the wickedneſſe of thoſe wretches, whom notwithſtanding God ſuffers to live in proſperity, till they come at length to die in an ordinarie way, as other men do.
Verſ. 22. He draweth alſo the mighty with his power, &c.] Some underſtand this of Gods puniſhing wicked men, to wit, that when he begins to contend with the wicked, he ſubdues or brings under the mightieſt of them as well as the meaneſt; and ſo alſo they underſtand the following clauſe, he riſeth up, that is, God riſeth up to contend with wicked men; and no man is ſure of life, no man can ſecure himſelf againſt the killing ſtroke of Gods indignation, or the diſcovery of Gods indignation makes every man afraid of his life. But the tenor of the words ſheweth clearly that Job ſtill proceeds to deſcribe the wickedneſſe of wretched men, whom God notwithſtanding proſpers. He draweth alſo the mighty with his power: the meaning is, either that by his power he procures the mighty to ſide with him, judges, and magiſtrates, and great men, and ſo this makes him terrible to others, he riſeth up, and no man is ſure of life; or elſe, that he draweth the mighty, to wit into his net, according to that, Pſal. 10.9. he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net; when he hath cruſhed the poor by his oppreſſions, then, encouraged hereby, he layeth wait alſo for the mightie, and ſubdues them, and brings them into ſubjection to him, even magiſtrates alſo and judges, whereby likewiſe he ſubverts all publick order and government: he riſeth up, and no man is ſure of life; that is, if any man riſe up to oppoſe this oppreſſour, he ſhall but ruine and deſtroy himſelf thereby; or, Though the oppreſſour riſeth up to make a Covenant of peace with men, yet they are all of them for all that afraid of their lives; there is no aſſurance in any vow or oath, whereby he engageth himſelf: Or rather, he riſeth up to contend with the mightie, and the terrours of death preſently ſeiſe upon them all. But if we read this laſt clauſe, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, He riſeth up, and he truſteth not his own life, either it is meant of the oppreſſed, to wit, that he riſeth up, namely, to ſue for favour to the oppreſſour, or to flie from him, but do what he will, he truſteth not his own life, but gives himſelf for a dead man, becauſe of the over-bearing power of his adverſary; or elſe of the oppreſſour, to wit, that when he riſeth to contend with the mightie, or every day he riſeth, he is afraid of his own life, being ſtill jealous, as tyrants are wont to be, that ſome body or other will kill him.
Verſ. 23. Though it be given him to be in ſafety, whereon he reſteth, yet his eyes are upon their waies.] Some Expoſitours underſtand this thus; that though the oppreſſed give gifts to the oppreſſour, that he may thereby purchaſe his peace, or, though the oppreſſour grants this to the oppreſſed, that he ſhall live in peace and ſafety by him, and thereupon he reſts upon this his covenant and promiſe, that he will ſurely be as good as his word; yet the oppreſſour keeps his eyes upon theſe to whom he hath thus engaged himſelf, and watcheth all their waies, and if he can but get the leaſt advantage againſt them, will be ſure to cruſh them. But there are ſeverall other Expoſitions given of the words that ſeem farre better then this; to wit, 1. that though God gives to the oppreſſour that which may well in outward appearance ſecure him in peace, and he reſt hereon, yet it is not becauſe God is ignorant of his wicked courſes, ſeeing Gods eyes behold all his waies: or 2. that though God lets him live in ſafetie, and he reſts hereon with great ſecurity, yet Gods eyes are upon his waies to favour him and to bleſſe him: or rather 3. that though it be given of God to wicked wretches that they live in peace and proſperitie, and they reſting hereupon are confident they ſhall never be moved, yet God takes ſtrict notice of all their wicked waies, that he may be ſure at laſt to charge them all upon them, and that he may take the fitteſt time to deſtroy them.
Verſ. 24. They are exalted for a little while, &c.] to wit, both in eſtate and mind; but are gone and brought low, they are taken out of the way as all other; that is, for all their greatneſſe, on a ſudden God pulls them down, and they are gone and laid in the grave, as other men, and often after the ſame manner as others are, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn; that is, as high as they bear their heads, they are cut down as the corn in harveſt, to wit, eaſily and in a trice, or not by any notorious judgement, but by an ordinary naturall death, when they come to ripeneſſe of years, as the corn is ripe in harveſt. The drift of the verſe may be to ſhew, either that God cuts off the greateſt of wicked men many times by a ſudden ſtroke of judgement; or elſe rather, that after all their horrid wickedneſſe, they are cut off by death in an ordinarie way as all other men are.
Verſ. 25. And if it be not ſo now, who will make me a lyar, and make my ſpeech nothing worth?] That is, If it be not as I have ſaid, that God many times proſpers the wicked, and afflicts the righteous, let any man that will, undertake to confute what I have ſpoken.