Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
Verſ. 1. MOreover Iob continued his parable.] What is meant by a parable, ſee in the Note, Numb. 23.7. It was now Zophars turn to reply upon Job the third time, as Eliphaz and Bildad had done; and it ſeems that Iob was ſilent a while, expecting his reply: but when he ſaw that neither he nor any of the other two offered to reply again upon him, (which was either becauſe they had nothing farther to object againſt Jobs defence, or becauſe they ſaw him ſo ſtiff, that they judged it in vain to talk any farther to him) then Job began again to plead his cauſe, much after the ſame manner as before; addreſſing his ſpeech to them all joyntly together, and that with ſome more courage then formerly, and as one that did in a manner triumph over them, as is expreſſed in the five following chapters.
Verſ. 2. As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgement, and the Almighty, who hath vexed my ſoul, &c.] To aſſure his friends that he would ſpeak nothing but the truth, that ſo they might the more regard what he ſaid, and that by this ſolemn calling▪ God to witneſſe of the truth of what he ſpake, he might win them to credit what he ſhould ſay concerning his integrity, which by no other arguments he could hitherto bring them to believe, Job here ſwears ſolemnly by the living God, that (as it follows in the two next verſes) as long as he breathed, his lips ſhould not ſpeak wickedneſſe, nor his tongue utter deceit. As for that clauſe which he adds, concerning Gods taking away his judgement, and the Almighties vexing his ſoul, As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgement, &c. ſome hold that he adds that as in relation to their opinion, As the Lord liveth, who, as you think, hath taken away my judgement, &c. but then others ſay, that by Gods taking away his judgement he meant, either that God had not judged him according to his righteouſneſſe and integrity, or that God had bereaved him as it were of his righteouſneſſe, in that he had not cleared his innocency, to the ſtopping of the mouths of thoſe that falſely accuſed him, but rather, by the ſeverity of his proceedings againſt him, did ſeem to judge him to be a wicked wretch and an hypocrite, as they had cenſur'd him to be; as where Gods people are charged with ſaying, Iſa. 40.27. My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is paſſed over from my God, becauſe they thought that God did not regard them as his people, in taking their part againſt their enemies: or elſe (as ſome conceive) that the Lord had abridged him of his right, in that he was not admitted to plead his cauſe before God, as he had often deſired he might do. So that he doth not expreſly accuſe God of dealing unjuſtly with him, but only complains that God had not dealt with him according to the ordinary way of his proceedings with men, whereby his integrity was hidden and overclouded; neither could he perceive what the cauſe ſhould be why Gods hand was ſo heavy upon him. And in the oath he takes here, this he interpoſeth, who hath taken away my judgement, and hath vexed my ſoul, either to imply how ſafely they might believe, that he would doe what he now engaged himſelf, ſeeing he durſt, appeal to that God as a witneſſe, who had hitherto dealt ſo ſeverely with him; or elſe to intimate, that though God ſeemed to condemn him by the heavy preſſures he had brought upon him, yet that ſhould not make him caſt off his confidence in God, or yield himſelf to be an hypocrite.
Verſ. 4. My lips shall not ſpeak wickedneſſe, nor my tongue utter deceit.] This Proteſtation of Jobs, Expoſitours underſtand diverſly. For firſt, ſome take it generally thus, that he would ſpeak nothing falſely or diſſemblingly, but would ſpeak the truth from his heart: Secondly, others underſtand it as if he had ſaid, that no ſeverity of Gods proceedings with him, nor no unjuſt cenſures of theirs, ſhould make him utter a word whereby he might diſcover himſelf to be either a prophane wicked wretch, or a diſſembling hypocrite: and 3ly. (which I like beſt) others give this to be the meaning, that he would not wickedly, either for fear or flattery, betray the truth, or lie againſt his own conſcience, by yielding to thoſe falſe accuſations which they had paſſed upon him, which he knew to be falſe.
Verſ. 5. God forbid that I should juſtifie you, &c.] To wit, by ſpeaking or doing any wicked thing, which may ſeem to juſtifie or make good thoſe unjuſt cenſures of wickedneſſe or hypocriſie, which you have paſſed upon me; or rather by yielding to that which you have ſaid, that God for my wickedneſſe and hypocriſie hath brought theſe miſeries upon me.
Verſ. 6. My righteouſneſſe I hold fast, and will not let it goe, &c.] That is, I have hitherto conſtantly perſevered in a way of righteouſneſſe, and ſo I will ſtill; or rather, I have hitherto reſolutely maintained my integrity, and ſtill I will maintain it: my heart shall not reproach me ſo long as I live; that is, my conſcience ſhall not upbraid me for that which, were I guilty of it, would indeed be a ſhame and reproach to me, to wit, either for ſpeaking or doing wickedly, or elſe rather for denying mine integrity.
Verſ. 7. Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riſeth up againſt me as the unrighteous.] This is alſo divers waies underſtood by Expoſitours. Some ſay that Job here ſpeaks ironically, and by the wicked unrighteous man means himſef; as if he ſhould have ſaid, You judge me a wicked ungodly man, becauſe of the extreme afflictions that lye upon me; but as ſad as my condition is, ſo much good I wiſh my enemies that riſe up againſt me, that I could be glad that they were in no worſe a condition, then that poor wretch whom you ſo harſhly condemn as a wicked man. Others again hold, that thoſe that had robbed him of his eſtate, and other waies wronged him, are the enemies he here ſpeaks of, and ſo make the ſenſe of the words to be this, Let thoſe that robbed me and wronged me be looked upon as wicked ungodly men: I for my part am no ſuch man. Others again conceive, that by his enemies and thoſe that roſe up againſt him, Job meant theſe his friends, and ſo give this to be the ſenſe of the words, Let thoſe that condemn me for a wicked man, becauſe of mine afflictions, bear the brand of wicked men, and not I that am innocent of thoſe things they charge me with: as if he ſhould have ſaid, They that oppoſe the truth which I have maintained, that cauſeleſly condemn me for a wicked wretch, they deſerve to be judged wicked men better then I do: only ſome, to allay the ſharpneſſe of ſuch a cenſure, ſay that Job doth not abſolutely condemn them for wicked men, but only affirms that there was more of wickedneſſe in that which they did, then there was in any thing they could faſten upon him, Let mine enemy be as the wicked and as the unrighteous; according to a like expreſſion, chap. 2.10. Thou ſpeakeſt as one of the foolish women. And laſtly, others, moſt probably, conceive that in theſe words Iob gives a farther proof of his integrity, Let mine enemy be as the wicked, &c. as if he had ſaid, Though the wicked may live I know in a very proſperous condition, yet ſo farre am I from liking their waies, that I could wiſh mine enemy no greater miſchief, then that he ſhould be a wicked man, or that God ſhould deal with him as he will certainly deal with the wicked. And indeed the like expreſſions we often meet with, as 2 Sam. 25, 26. Let thine enemies and they that ſeek evil to my Lord be as Nabal: and ſo alſo 2 Sam. 18.32. and Dan. 4.19.
Verſ. 8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his ſoul?] The ſcope of theſe words, together with the following verſes, is, either to ſhew how farre he was from being a wicked hypocrite, as they had judged him to be, by declaring what thoughts he had of the wretched condition of ſuch men, to wit, that when God comes to ſeiſe upon them by the harbingers of death, and to take or pluck away their ſouls, though they had gained never ſo much before, and ſo thereby God ſeemed to proſper them, they muſt needs be then in a hopeleſſe and comfortleſſe condition, becauſe all that they placed their hopes in, their wealth, and friends, and other things ſhall fail them; and whereas they promiſed themſelves long life, and much pleaſure in their eſtates, they ſhall find their hopes herein diſappointed, and in God, who then ſhews himſelf an enemy, they can have no confidence: Or elſe, to prove that his friends might have diſcerned a difference betwixt him and hypocrites, even in theſe ſad calamities that had befallen him, and therefore had no cauſe to cenſure him ſo harſhly; to wit, becauſe though outwardly it fares alike with the righteous and the hypocrite, yet their carriage of themſelves in the hour of adverſity is very different, the hypocrite not having then any hope in God, when God ſummons him by death, which the righteous have: from whence he intimates, that ſince he in his loweſt eſtate did ſtill hope in God, and pray to God, and deſired to plead his cauſe before God, they might hereby plainly perceive that he was not an hypocrite. And to the ſame purpoſe is that which follows.
Verſ. 9. Will God hear his cry, when trouble cometh upon him?] That is, when either trouble and terrours of conſcience, or any outward diſtreſſe do ſeiſe upon him.
Verſ. 10. Will he delight himſelf in the Almighty? &c.] That is, when he ſees that he is likely to be taken away from all the comforts he enjoyed here, will he then comfort himſelf in God alone, as acknowledging him to be alone an all-ſufficient ground of joy and comfort? or, though Gods hand be never ſo heavy upon him, will he notwithſtanding ſtill cleave to God, and delight himſelf in him, as knowing that God is well pleaſed with him? will he alwaies call upon God? that is, not only in adverſity, but in his proſperity too? and ſo alſo not only in proſperity, but in times of diſtreſſe too? yea though his afflictions be never ſo ſore, and of never ſo long continuance?
Verſ. 11. I will teach you by the hand of God, &c.] Some tranſlate this, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, I will teach you being in the hand of God, and ſo take the ſenſe of the words to be this, that whereas hypocrites in diſtreſſe have no hope in God, it was not ſo with him; for though he were at the preſent under the afflicting hand of God, he would teach them better. But taking the words as they are in our Bible, the meaning muſt be either thus, I will teach you by the hand of God, that is, God aſſiſting me, or by Gods ſpeciall inſpiration, I will teach you; as where the prophet ſaith, Iſa. 8.11. the Lord ſpake to me with a ſtrong hand, and inſtructed me: or elſe thus rather, I will teach you by the hand of God, that is, I will teach you by ſhewing you the mighty power of God, and the glorious works of his hand, to wit, what are the uſuall diſpenſations of his Providence both toward the righteous and toward the wicked. And hereto agreeth the following clauſe, that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal; that is, I will not conceal the decrees and judgements which God daily executes in the world, ſometimes proſpering, and ſometimes puniſhing both the wicked and the righteous. And indeed of all theſe he ſpeaks in his following diſcourſe; and this he premiſeth before-hand, either that he might quicken their attention, by ſhewing what great and high things they were, of which he meant to ſpeak; or elſe thereby to give them to underſtand, that he ſhould plainly diſcover by the uſuall waies of Gods proceedings, that there is no judging of men by their outward condition.
Verſ. 12. Behold, all ye your ſelves have ſeen it, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, You are learned wiſe men, men that obſerve the waies and works of God, at leaſt ſuch you boaſt your ſelves to be; and therefore herein I dare appeal to your ſelves, concerning the truth of that which I have ſaid, and that which I ſhall now farther ſay; you your ſelves have known it, and have ſeen it ſo in your own experience. But what was it they had ſeen? Some referre it to that which he had ſaid concerning his innocency; ſome to that foregoing obſervation of his, that he had not carried himſelf in his diſtreſſe as hypocrites uſed to do: But I conceive it is beſt referred to that which he meant now to teach them, as he had ſaid in the foregoing verſe, concerning Gods diſpenſing the ſame, both bleſſings and afflictions, to the wicked and to the righteous; This, ſaith he, ye your ſelves have ſeen; and then he adds, why then are ye thus altogether vain? that is, why do you ſo vainly conclude that God alwaies puniſheth wicked men, and proſpers the righteous, and thereupon condemn me for an hypocrite? why do you multiply words nothing to the purpoſe, not giving any one ſolid anſwer to that which I have objected, and yet perſevere in condemning me upon grounds ſo palpably falſe?
Verſ. 13. This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppreſſours, &c.] Zophar had ſaid the very ſame in effect, chap. 20.29. of which ſee the Note there; and therefore ſome think that Job, in this and the following verſes, doth only alledge what his friends had ſaid, and that to ſhew why he had charged them in the foregoing verſe, that they were altogether vain, to wit, that they had ſaid, This is the portion of a wicked man with God, &c.] But I doubt not but Job delivers this as his own judgement. And yet he doth not hereby recant what he had formerly ſaid concerning the proſperity of the wicked, nor yield to that which his friends had hitherto maintained, to wit, that God doth alwaies manifeſt his indignation againſt wicked men by puniſhing them here in this world; only to clear his meaning in that he had ſaid concerning the proſperous condition of the wicked, to ſhew that he was willing to yield to all that was truth in that which his friends had ſaid, and that ſo much he was able to ſay as well as they, he grants them here thus much, that indeed many times the proſperity of the wicked did end in extreme miſery; though they might long live free from puniſhment, yet often that befell them at laſt, even here in this world, which God, who is Almighty, had appointed them for their portion and inheritance, and therefore the mightieſt of theſe oppreſſours are not able to reſiſt it: and then afterwards he adds, what it was wherein he oppoſed his friends, to wit, that it was not alwaies thus, but that many times on the other ſide in his ſecret wiſedome, whereof he ſpeaks much in the following chapter, the righteous were afflicted ſorely, whilſt the wicked lived in great proſperity.
Verſ. 14. If his children be multiplyed, it is for the ſword, &c.] Againſt which, though they be never ſo many, they ſhall not be able to defend themſelves: and ſo that which might ſeem to the wicked man at firſt a pledge of Gods favour, ſhall be found at laſt to have been given merely for the encreaſe of his future miſery, that he might have many children to be devoured by the ſword, to wit, the ſword of Gods vengeance, or rather the ſword of an enemy; for the following clauſe makes this later Expoſition the more probable, and his off-ſpring shall not be ſatisfied with bread, that is, they ſhall not only live in penury and want, but ſhall even periſh by famine.
Verſ. 15. Thoſe that remain of him shall be buried in death, &c.] That is, thoſe of his children and childrens children that remain, and are not cut off by ſword or famine, ſhall die yet of ſome other diſeaſe, and ſo ſhall be buried; though they lived as if they ſhould never die, yet they shall be buried in death, that is, they ſhall die, and being dead ſhall be buried. I know there are divers other Expoſitions given of theſe words: as thus, they shall be buried in death, that is, they ſhall die, and rot when they die, and that ſhall be all their buriall, according to that Jer. 16.4. Or, they shall be buried in death, that is, whilſt they are yet dying, before the breath be well out of their bodies, at leaſt ſo ſoon as ever they are dead, they ſhall be preſently clapped into the grave, without any funerall rites and ſolemnities; Or, they shall be buried in death, that is, ſo ſoon as they are dead, they ſhall be buried in oblivion, their name and memory ſhall be buried with them; Or, they shall be buried in death, that is, in the grave, which is called the chambers of death, Prov. 7.27. But the firſt Expoſition is, I conceive, as the plaineſt, ſo the beſt. And as for the following clauſe, And his widows shall not weep, it is expreſſed in the plurall number, his widows, either becauſe they had in thoſe times many wives, or elſe becauſe it comprehends the widows of the wicked mans whole family: and by not weeping is meant, either that through extreme penury they ſhould not be able to make any funerall for him; or elſe that indeed they ſhould not mourn for his death: and that either becauſe their miſeries ſhould be ſo many and ſo exceeding great, that being as it were ſtupified thereby they ſhould not be able to weep; or elſe rather becauſe they ſhould be indeed glad that they were rid of him.
Verſ. 18. He buildeth his houſe as a moth, &c.] It may be ſaid that the wicked man buildeth his houſe as a moth, 1. becauſe he builds it with much pains and skill, as the moth makes her neſt: 2. becauſe he doth even waſt himſelf in the doing of it, even as a moth makes her bag or ſilken woolly neſt out of her own bowels: 3. becauſe he builds his houſe with the ſpoil and ruine of others, as the moth eats the garment where ſhe builds her neſt: But 4. that which I conceive is chiefly intended is, becauſe though he buildeth his houſe, as if he hoped to dwell there for ever, yet both he and it ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, as when the moth is quickly bruſhed or ſhaken out of the garment, where ſhe had made her neſt. For upon the like ground, Bildad had before compared the wicked mans houſe to the houſe of a ſpider, chap. 8.14. of which ſee the Note there. And to the ſame purpoſe in the next clauſe it is ſaid, that it ſhall be as a booth that the keeper maketh: For if it be meant of thoſe that are ſet to keep a vineyard or a garden of fruits, they uſe only to make ſome ſlight booth of the boughs of trees, and perhaps ſtollen out of the neighbours hedges or woods, which, ſo ſoon as the fruits are fully ripe and gathered, and the keeper gone, are quickly broken down and burnt up by the poor, or fall down of themſelves: and if it be meant of thoſe that keep cattel, their booths or tents ſeldome ſtand ſo long, becauſe they ſo often remove to ſeek for freſh paſture.
Verſ. 19. The rich man shall lye down, but he shall not be gathered, &c.] That is, He ſhall die as others, but he ſhall not be buried as others, at leaſt not with the ſolemnity of friends attending him to his grave. For that by being gathered is meant buried, we may ſee in many other places; as where it is ſaid of Aaron, Numb. 20.26. he shall be gathered and shall die there, and of Joſiah, 2 Kings 22.20. I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave, and of the Jews, Jer. 8.2. they shall not be gathered neither buried, they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. And hereto agrees alſo the following clauſe, he openeth his eyes, and he is not: for though, becauſe this is mentioned after his death and buriall, therefore ſome Expoſitours underſtand it of the wicked mans ſoul after it is parted from his body, to wit, that he then ſees with the eyes of his mind, that he is cut off from the land of the living; yet I think we may better take it as a farther amplification of that which was ſaid already in the foregoing clauſe, he openeth his eyes, and he is not, that is, whilſt he is looking about him, and beholding with much joy the riches he hath ſtored up for many years, in an inſtant he is gone; or thus, He openeth his eyes lying on his death-bed, looking about for help, eaſe or comfort, but in ſtead thereof he perceives himſelf a dead man, ready to be taken from all his comforts; or thus, Being yet in his former condition, in the twinckling of an eye he is taken away.
Verſ. 20. Terrours take hold on him as waters, &c.] That is, when God brings his judgements upon him, and eſpecially when he ſees death approaching, the terrours of an evil conſcience, yea many and manifold affrightments beſides ſhall ſuddenly, unexpectedly and unreſiſtably ſurpriſe and overwhelm him, as when an unexpected floud of waters breaks forth upon men, and overwhelms them. We have had formerly expreſſions much like to this, concerning which ſee the Notes chap. 18.11. and 20.25. and 22.11. And doubtleſſe of this affrighting evil muſt the following clauſe be underſtood, a tempeſt ſtealeth him away in the night; that is, the wrath of God, or ſome grievous judgement from God comes upon him with unreſiſtable violence, when he leaſt thinks of it, (as it were in the night) and carrieth him away, to wit, out of the world, or out of that pompous condition wherein he lived.
Verſ. 21. The Eaſt wind carrieth him away, &c.] This is alſo meant, as the foregoing clauſe, of the wrath or Judgements of God; which are compared to the Eaſt wind, becauſe that wind in thoſe Eaſtern countries uſed to be moſt violent, and is therefore called the wind of the Lord, Hoſ. 13.15.
Verſ. 22. For God shall caſt upon him, and not ſpare; he would fain flee out of his hand.] That is, God, in this tempeſt of his wrath, ſhall ſhowre down Judgements upon him as thick as hail-ſtones, without ſhewing him any more pity, then he hath formerly ſhewn to others; ſo that though he would fain flee from his vengeance, yet he ſhall not be able.
Verſ. 23. Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiſſe him out of his place.] To wit, by way of wonder, deriſion and ſcorn; but eſpecially by way of rejoycing, that the world is rid of ſuch an oppreſſing miſcreant, and that the juſt judgements of God are at laſt executed upon him: for in theſe regards men are ſaid to hiſſe and clap their hands, in other places of Scripture, as Lam. 2.15. All that paſſe by clap their hands at thee, they hiſſe and wagge their head at the daughter of Ieruſalem, ſaying, Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty? &c. and ſo alſo Ezek. 25.6. and 1 Kings 9.8.