Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI·
Verſ. 2. OH that my grief were throughly weighed, &c.] Eliphaz ſought to make good that there was no true piety nor fear of God in Iob, becauſe his paſſions in his afflictions were ſo violent, and his complaints ſo grievous and bitter in the two foregoing chapters. Iob now undertakes to ſhew that his calamity, grief and anguiſh of ſpirit were ſuch and ſo intolerable, that they might well drive him to thoſe bitter complaints that he had uttered, though his heart were all the while upright towards God. According therefore to this drift and aime of Iobs words, they may be underſtood two ſeverall waies. 1. That if his grief, that is, the bitterneſſe and anguiſh of his ſpirit, and his lamentations and complaints were laid in one ſcale, and his calamity and diſtreſſe, both outward and inward, were laid in the other, and ſo weighed together, his calamity would far overweigh his grief and bitter complaints; his calamities being indeed heavier, then all the ſands of the ſea, according to that which Iob ſaith alſo in another place, chap. 23.2. My stroke is heavier then my groaning; or 2. That if his grief and calamities were weighed againſt the ſand of the ſea, they would be found heavier then that, as elſewhere the wrath of fooliſh wicked men is therewith compared, Pro. 27.3. A ſtone is heavy, and the ſand weighty, but a fools wrath is heavier then them both. However doubtleſſe Iobs intention in theſe words is to ſhew, that ſuch miſery as he had undergone might well make any man that was fleſh and bloud to complain, as bitterly as he had done, yea though therein he ſhould forget himſelf.
Verſ. 3. Therefore my words are ſwallowed up.] That is, I want words to expreſſe my grief and miſery: when I would ſet forth what I ſuffer, extreme anguiſh ſtops my mouth, and I am not able to utter what I would ſay.
Verſ. 4. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, &c.] That is, God hath not only wounded me, with divers and many outward calamities, but beſides alſo he hath wounded my ſpirit inwardly, by making impreſſions of his wrath upon my conſcience, perſwading me that theſe things he hath laid upon me in his indignation and hot diſpleaſure againſt me. All kind of plagues, eſpecially thoſe that come ſuddenly and ſwiftly, are compared to arrows in the Scripture, Pſal. 38.2. For thine arrows stick faſt in me: and thy hand preſſeth me ſore. and again, Ezek. 5.16. But here they are principally the inward terrours wherewith his ſoul and conſcience were wounded, that are compared to arrows, yea to poyſoned arrows, (it being uſuall in thoſe daies to poyſon the heads of their arrows in times of war) and that becauſe the miſeries he underwent, however grievous in themſelves, were far the more grievous, and did the more torment him, becauſe they were dipped, as it were, in the poyſon of Gods wrath and diſpleaſure, that is, he apprehended that God had in his wrath and hot indignation laid theſe heavy puniſhments upon him, which made them ſo inſufferably painfull, inſomuch that they did with their burning drink up his ſpirit, that is, his vitall ſpirits and ſtrength, or his bloud (wherein lye the vitall ſpirits) according to that duplicate page duplicate page which the Lord ſaith, Deut. 32.42. I will make mine arrows drunk with bloud, (and my ſword shall devour flesh) and that with the bloud of the ſlain; &c.
Verſ. 5. Doth the wild aſſe bray when he hath graſſe? or loweth the ox over his fodder?] Two ſeverall waies theſe words are expounded by Interpreters: and haply what both ſay Iob did intend. 1. That it is no wonder though they that lived in all plenty and peace, were ſo quiet and ſtill, and ſpake nothing that might ſavour of impatience and diſcontent, were he in ſuch an eſtate, he could do ſo, even the bruit beaſts both wild and tame, yea thoſe that have the leaſt ſhadow of underſtanding in them, the aſſe and the ox, will be quiet when they want nothing; and were they not therefore too uncharitable, they might well think that he would not complain ſo bitterly, if he had not juſt cauſe: But then 2. ſome again underſtand them, as ſpoken to ſhew the reaſon, why the words that Eliphaz had ſpoken to him did no whit appeaſe his grief, to wit, becauſe he had ſaid nothing that could yield true ſatisfaction to a troubled ſoul (namely as he applyed what he ſaid, charging Iob with hypocriſie, and that now he quarrelled with God, being juſtly puniſhed for his former wickedneſſe) even the bruiteſt beaſts, ſaith Iob, are quiet when they have whereon to feed, and worſe were I therefore then a beaſt, if I ſhould not be pacified, had there been any thing in your words that might have eaſed or refreſhed my mind.
Verſ. 6. Can that which is unſavoury be eaten without ſalt? &c.] Theſe words, as thoſe before, may alſo be probably expounded two ſeverall waies; to wit, 1. That it is not poſſible that any man ſhould take pleaſure in ſuch bitter afflictions, as God had mingled for him to drink, yea that he ſhould not abhorre them, and complain of the bitterneſſe of them, no more then it is poſſible for a man not to diſtaſte that which is unſavoury and hath no reliſh in it; all afflictions are grievous, eſpecially ſuch as have no mixture of any thing that is pleaſing; and if the want of a little ſalt make men diſtaſte meat, needs muſt Iob diſtaſte ſuch bitter ſorrows as he had underwent, unleſſe he were ſenceleſſe and ſtupid, or 2. That Eliphaz his ſpeech to him had been ſo harſh and bitter, that it was as poſſible for a mans palate to find reliſh in the white of an egge or any other unſavoury meat, as for him to receive any comfort from ſuch unſavoury ſpeeches, as he had uttered: and indeed though Eliphaz ſpake what was moſt true in it ſelf, yet as he applyed it, there was not the leaſt grain of pity or prudence in what he had ſaid, and ſo was more likely to imbitter his ſpirit more and more, then any whit to allay his grief or temper his paſſions.
Verſ. 7. The things that my ſoul refuſeth to touch, are as my ſorrowfull meat.] Iob here proceeds ſtill on in the metaphor he had formerly uſed, comparing the words of Eliphaz to bitter meat, now given him to feed upon to his great ſorrow, which heretofore he ſhould have abhorred to touch; he was forced now to ſwallow down that with grief, which in former times he could not have endured. Others underſtand this more generally, of all the ſeverall miſeries, that Iob underwent, which he was forced now to feed upon, though in former times his ſtomack would have riſen againſt them: yea ſome underſtand it of the corruption running down from his ſoars upon his meat, by means whereof that which formerly he ſhould have loathed to touch, he was now forced to eat together with his meat But the firſt expoſition is the beſt.
Verſ. 9. Even that it would pleaſe God to destroy me, that he would let looſe his hand and cut me off.] That is, that God would be pleaſed preſently to cut me off and make an end of me, and not ſuffer me thus to languiſh away by degrees; hitherto he hath held back his hand, that though I were wounded, yet his ſtrokes might not be mortall, but by this meanes my miſerie is the greater, and therefore my deſire is (if he would be ſo pleaſed) that he would let looſe his hand and ſtrike home, even that he would out of hand preſently deſtroy me.
Verſ. 10. Then should I yet have comfort, yea I would harden my ſelf in ſorrow;] That is, If I were ſure that God would out of hand make an end of me, that would be ſome comfort to me, and though what I ſuffered were never ſo bitter, yet would I harden my ſelf to endure it.
For I have not concealed the words of the holy One.] This Iob gives as a reaſon, why he deſired death, to wit, becauſe he had alwaies profeſſed the truth of God, and therefore knew well, that death could do him no hurt, but only give him an entrance into a bleſſed and happy eſtate.
Verſ. 11. What is my ſtrength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?] This is added as another reaſon, why he deſired death, and might juſtly doe ſo, to wit, becauſe his condition was ſuch, that he could not hope that his life could long continue; languiſh he might a while in that grievous miſery (and better it were for him to be cut off preſently then to doe ſo) but to hope he ſhould prolong his daies it was altogether vain, and that becauſe he was not able to endure ſuch grievous miſery as he ſuffered, his ſtrength would not bear it: Eliphaz had told him that becauſe of the great things that God often doth in the world, the poor hath hope even in their loweſt condition, chap. 5.16. and again, verſ. 24, 25. that if he would turn unto the Lord, he ſhould know that his tabernacle ſhould be in peace, his ſeed ſhould be great, and his off-ſpring as the graſſe of the earth, and that he ſhould come to his grave in a full age, &c. In anſwer therefore to all this, Iob now tells him that he was ſo worn out with the miſeries he had undergone, that he could not hope in regard of any ſtrength in him, that his life ſhould be prolonged for the recovering of ſuch a happy condition. This is the drift of theſe words, what is my ſtrength that I should hope? and ſo likewiſe do many Expoſitours underſtand the next clauſe alſo, what is mine end that I should prolong my life? for they conceive, that by his end here is meant the end of his miſery, that he could not ſee any likelyhood that his miſeries ſhould come to an end, and ſo ſhould therefore deſire ſtill to live, or rather that it is meant of the end of his life, that mans life being ſo fading and tranſitory, and ſo ſoon at an end, there was no reaſon why he ſhould hope long to prolong his life, eſpecially lying under the preſſure of ſuch inſupportable miſeries, and therefore had juſt cauſe rather to deſire that he might be preſently cut off. But there is another Expoſition of the laſt clauſe which others, and that upon good grounds do moſt approove, what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? as if he had ſaid, I know no ſuch evil in coming to mine end, that I ſhould deſire to prolong my life: the miſery of dying cannot be ſo great, thar I ſhould deſire to avoid that to ſpin out my life in that grievous miſery I now undergo, ſince after death I am ſure to be in a bleſſed condition; let them therefore that have no hope in their death, deſire the prolonging of their life; but as for me, being aſſured what mine end will be, I ſee not why I may not well deſire death rather then life.
Verſ. 12. Is my ſtrength the ſtrength of ſtones? or is my flesh of braſſe?] To wit, that I ſhould hope to outwear theſe grievous miſeries I lie under, or for the preſent endure them without complaint, as if I had no ſence nor feeling of them: No; I am made of fleſh and bones as well as others, and therefore muſt needs feel what I endure, nor can long endure what I feel.
Verſ. 13. Is not my help in me? and is wiſedome driven quite from me?] Either hereby is meant, that Iob was not yet ſo void of wiſedome and judgement, but that he was able to diſcern between right and wrong, and ſo accordingly to judge of their unjuſt dealing with him, to help himſelf and maintain his cauſe againſt all their falſe accuſations, or elſe rather that he had in him that which would ſuſtain and ſupport him againſt all their harſh cenſures, to wit, his innocency and the teſtimony of a good conſcience, and that he did ſtill continue in the fear of God, which is the only true wiſedome. And indeed this expoſition agrees well with that of the Apoſtle, Gal. 6.4. But let every man proove his own work, and then shall he have rejoycing in himſelf alone, and not in another.
Verſ. 15. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they paſſe away: &c.] Iob here compares his friends to winter brooks, that are full of water in the winter, and are dryed up in the ſummer; and the reaſon why he ſo compares them, is more fully explained in the following verſes, to wit, that as thoſe brooks when the traveller paſſeth by them in the winter time, having then no need of them, overflow their banks, and by reaſon of rain and ſnow are full of water and blackiſh by reaſon of the ice, (which may be meant of their being black by reaſon of the deepneſſe of waters, or of the colour of ice) and ſo being frozen ſeem ſtable and like to continue, but then in the warm ſummer they are ſuddenly dryed up and gone; at firſt haply there are ſeverall little drilling ſtreams here and there paſſing through the ſands (which are therefore called, verſ. 18. the paths of their way) but at laſt even they alſo are dryed up and vaniſh to nothing, and ſo when the troups of Tema and companies of Sheba (that is, thoſe that travell through the countries of Tema and Sheba, of Arabia the deſert, and happy, where they went by troups, becauſe of the danger of robbers) that had formerly taken notice of thoſe brooks in winter time, do afterwards in ſummer time come thither to ſeek for water to quench their thirſt, whereof they are exceeding deſirous in thoſe hot countries, they find none and ſo are aſhamed and confounded, as men uſe to be that have long hoped certainly for any thing, and then in time of need their expectation fails them, ſo did his friends deceive him now; for in the time of his proſperity, when he had no need of their comfort, they made a fair ſhow of great friendſhip, but now in his afflictions, when he had need of their comfort, they failed him quite.
Verſ. 19. The troups of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.] That is, the inhabitants of Arabia the deſert, and Arabia the happy, travelling either for merchandiſe or other occaſions from thoſe countries; for the poſterity of Tema the ſon of Iſhmael, Gen. 25.15. did inhabit Arabia the deſert, and the poſterity of Sheba, who was the grandchild of Abraham by Keturah, Gen. 25.3. did inhabit the other Arabia.
Verſ. 21. For now ye are nothing; ye ſee my caſting down, and are afraid.] That is, ye yield me no comfort. Iuſt ſuch as thoſe brooks before ſpoken of, are in the ſummer to the thirſty travellers, ſuch are you to me; for having made great ſhow of love in the time of my proſperity, when I had no need of you, now in the day of my calamity, when I ſtand in need of your friendſhip, ye are nothing, not one drop of comfort comes from you; my affliction you ſee, and are afraid, that is, you ſtand aſtoniſhed, not able to ſpeak one word of comfort, yea ye are ready to fly off from me, as being afraid to be infected by me and are ſtartled at me, as a fearfull ſpectacle of Gods vengeance, one upon whom the wrath of God is poured forth becauſe of my ſins.
Verſ. 22. Did I ſay, bring unto me? or give a reward for me of your ſubſtance?] The drift of Iob in theſe words, might be either to clear himſelf from that charge of being ſo impatient merely for the loſſe of his eſtate, becauſe his not ſeeking to them to have his loſſes repaired, did plainly diſcover that it was not that which did ſo exceedingly pinch him, or elſe to aggravate their uncharitableneſſe: If he had deſired of them a ſupply of his wants or help in his troubles, it had been fit they ſhould have done it; and was it not hard then they ſhould not afford him a mouth full of counſell or comfort? or laſtly, to ſhew how cauſeleſſely they were ſo harſh to him; Did I ſay, bring unto me? &c. That is, being deprived of my eſtate, I ſent not to you to relieve me, or to give me any thing to ſupply my wants, or to reſcue that which I had, out of the hands of thoſe that ſpoyled me of my ſubſtance; had I been thus or any other way burthenſome or chargeable to you, it had been the leſſe ſtrange that you ſhould be thus bitter; for ſuch I know is the common guiſe of the world to inſult over thoſe that ſeek to them for ſuccour, and to uſe them as reproachfully as they pleaſe; but I neither have nor do yet deſire any ſuch thing of you; All that I deſire of you is, that you would comfort me in my affliction, and it is very ſtrange you cannot afford me that.
Verſ. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue: &c.] That is, it is not enough to paſſe harſh cenſures upon me, as that I have been an hypocrite, and that for my wickedneſſe all this is fallen upon me, convince me of this by evident proofs, and I will yield preſently, I will complain no more, I will reply no more againſt you.
Verſ. 25. But what doth your arguing reproove?] That is, though right words are powerfull to convince men, yet this kind of arguing which you uſe hath no power of reproof in it; you have charged me with many things, but you have convinced me of nothing.
Verſ. 26. Do you imagine to reproove words, &c.] Two ſeverall waies this expoſtulation of Iobs may be well underſtood, 1. As if he charged them with an unjuſt ſlighting that which he had ſpoken, Do you imagine to reproove words? &c. that is, do you think that all I have ſpoken is mere empty words, and that there is no weight of reaſon in them? Do you conceit that you ſpeak nothing but clear reaſon, and I nothing but idle frothy diſcourſe, the ſpeeches of an idle headed man who cares not what he ſaith, or ſaith he knows not what, yea the ſpeeches of one that is deſperate, which are as wind, that is, the ſpeeches of a mad man, who being in a condition that ſeems deſperate and hopeleſſe, is therefore as a man diſtracted, and ſpeaks he knows not what, words no more to be regarded then a puffe of wind? and indeed this laſt expreſſion doth in this ſenſe agree with other places, where vain regardleſſe words are compared to wind, as Ier. 5.13. The prophets shall become wind, and Iob 15.3. Should a wiſe man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the Eaſt wind? or 2. As if he accuſed them of captiouſneſſe and ſeeking to contend with him without cauſe, Do you imagine to reproove words? that is, Do ye continue to catch at my words, do ye think it enough to take an advantage of ſome word or other that I have ſpoken, not conſidering the truth of the cauſe, and the aime and intention of him that ſpeakes them, yea and thoſe too the ſpeeches of one that is in a deſperate condition as I now am, not conſidering that the words of men in ſuch a condition are uſually as wind, that is, ſudden, violent, and full of paſſion; as if he ſhould have ſaid, in this ye deale not fairly with me.
Verſ. 27. Yea ye overwhelm the fatherleſſe, and you dig a pit for your friend.] That is, this your inſulting over me, and trampling upon me in my miſeries, when I am in ſuch a poor condition, forſaken of all, not having one left to plead for me, is all one as if you ſhould overwhelm and oppreſſe the fatherleſſe, that are left to the wide world, and have no body uſually to ſtand up in their defence; and whilſt you thus ſeek, as you do, to intrap me in my words, and to take advantage againſt any word that falls from me, this is no other but to dig a pit for your friend. And indeed the captiouſneſſe of men in cavilling at that which they hear ſpoken by others, and picking a quarrell againſt them for it, is uſually in the Scriptures compared to digging of pits, and laying of ſnares treacherouſly to catch men in, as Eſa. 29.21. where it is ſaid of wicked men, that they make a man an offender for a word, and lay a ſnare for him that reprooveth in the gate.
Verſ. 28. Now therefore be content, look upon me, &c.] Iob having hitherto chiefly complained of the uncharitableneſſe of his friends in paſſing ſuch rigid cenſures upon him becauſe of his complaints, he now again addreſſeth himſelf to ſet forth the grievouſneſſe of his miſery, and to that end doth firſt in theſe words deſire his friends to attend to what he ſhould farther ſay, Now therefore be content, that is, be no longer carried away with paſſion, but be willing and yield to hear that I ſhall ſay, and ſo to conſider better of my condition, look upon me, that is, ſlight me not, turn not away your eyes from me in diſcontent, but view me well and obſerve well the condition wherein I am, as I ſhall diſcover it to you (for this clauſe may be meant both of beholding him with their bodily eyes, and of marking what he ſhould ſay concerning his condition) by that which I ſhall declare, yea by that which you may ſee with your eyes, it is evident and clear, whether I have lyed or do lie unto you; yet ſome underſtand this ſomewhat otherwiſe, thus, look upon me, for it is evident unto you if I lie, as if he had ſaid, come let us quietly argue out this buſineſſe a little farther, I am not afraid to diſpute it with you face to face, and no doubt upon a more ſober debate the truth will out, you will ſoon diſcover in my words or in my countenance whether that which I have ſpoken be true or falſe.
Verſ. 29. Return I pray you, let it not be iniquity; &c.] Some underſtand theſe words, Return I pray you, as ſpoken by Iob to call back his friends that were ready to goe away in a pet or in a fume; But we need not, I conceive, build upon ſuch a ſuppoſition; the words are clear enough, if we underſtand them to be a perſwaſion of his friends to conſider again more equally of his cauſe and condition. Return I pray you, as if he ſhould have ſaid, you have hitherto caſt me off as a reprobate, as a wicked wretch forſaken of God, why? becauſe you were carried away with paſſion, and did not ſeriouſly and exactly weigh my condition; Return therefore from theſe unjuſt and paſſionate cenſures, betake your ſelves to a more equall review of my eſtate, to conſider of and diſcuſſe theſe things more ſeriouſly then yet you have done, let it not be iniquity, that is, conſider well of what I ſuffer, and in your diſputing and reaſoning with me, let right prevail, and deal not unjuſtly with me, or do not charge me with iniquity till we have again weighed the matter, yea return again, my righteouſneſſe is in it, that is, return again to a ſecond conſideration or debate of my cauſe, the reſult will be that my righteouſneſſe and innocency will appear in the buſineſſe, or my righteouſneſſe depends upon your examining of my cauſe yet more exactly.
Verſ. 30. Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taſt diſcern perverſe things?] That is, do I or have I ſpoken that which is unjuſt? am I not able to judge what is true and what is falſe, what is juſt and what is unjuſt? or obſerving what I ſhall farther now ſay, you ſhall find that I will not utter any thing falſe or unjuſt, and that I am able to judge of things, and that I have not ſpoken a miſſe in defending my innocency as you think I have done.