My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.
Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?
Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?
For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.
He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.
Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.
Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.
My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.
They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.
v. 1-5. Job still insists upon it that his friends dealt unfairly and unkindly with him.
His case was really pitiable (Job 17:1): My breath is corrupt, or broken; my days are extinct, or quenched. I have no comfortable enjoyment of myself, nor have I any comfortable prospect before me. All his hope and prospect were now cut off; he looked upon himself as a dying man. The graves are ready for me. He is as good as dead, and may at any time be thrown into the grave; so that the grave may be said to be ready for him, and he for it.
Their carriage towards him was very aggravating.
(1.) They unjustly censured and condemned him (Job 17:2): Are there not mockers with me? Yes, every one of them was a mocker. Their reproofs were really reproaches, and their arguments banters. “My eye dwells upon their provocation; that is, I am so taken up with it that I can mind nothing else. I cannot divert myself from thinking of the injury they do me.” Note: Those that are in affliction have a great deal of reason to complain of those that add to their affliction, and make a jest of their calamities, or of those that are under them.
(2.) They were very unskilful in dealing with him (Job 17:4): “Thou hast hid their heart from understanding; thou dost not suffer them to judge rightly of my case, nor to speak properly to it, and therefore thou shalt not exalt them; they shall not gain the reputation they aim at, of wise counsellors and consolers.” Note: It is God that gives men understanding, and, if he withholds it, those that should be wise prove fools and make themselves ridiculous. Those that judge falsely will not be exalted, but abased.
(3.) They exposed him to reproach and contempt (Job 17:5): He that speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. This may be understood either as a reason why God would not exalt them (because they flattered those that they should have dealt plainly with, and so betrayed them into a false security), or as a further instance of the indignity they put upon Job: “They make a proverb of me, and say, He speaks flattery to his friends, is a sycophant, and aims to impose upon those he converses with; and therefore his children shall be reduced to beggary, and their eyes shall fail with looking for relief, and none coming.” Those that are given to flattery will justly lose their credit. Some understand it thus: “He that informs against his friends (for so the word signifies), that betrays their secrets, or falsely accuses them, to curry favour with those that are in power, even the eyes of his children shall fail; they shall be disappointed of what they expect from him.”
v. 6-10. Here Job complains of the contempt which he had fallen under, and yet comforts himself with the testimony of his conscience.
- He complains of his disgrace (Job 17:6): He has made me a by-word of the people, a laughing-stock to all about me. “God has made me so.” This was the language of his discontent. God permits wicked men to make him a by-word. He was made an open shame, a gazing-stock, the object of scorn and contempt. Those that were the most base and abject had him in derision. And God had not only made him a by-word, but a tabret, a drum, for them; they made songs and ballads of him. He was not only ridiculed, but insulted, and triumphed over, as they do over a drum or pipe. “And, which is worst of all, aforetime I was as a tabret, I was mirthful, but now I am made a tabret.” Note: Those that are now in the depths of adversity ought to consider that it is a change, that there is nothing new in it, and that those who rejoice must rejoice as though they rejoiced not, for the fashion of this world passes away.
- He comforts himself with the testimony of his conscience (Job 17:8): Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. Good men, who are upright in heart, cannot but be astonished at the uncommon sufferings and strange providences that sometimes attend the best of men. They are amazed to see a Job upon the dunghill, and the wicked men in great power. But this good comes of it, that it stirs up their zeal and indignation against sin and sinners; they stir up themselves to bear a testimony against them, and to be so much the more bold and active in religion, as they see it suffering in its friends. Or thus: When upright men are astonished at the sufferings of Job, and ready to stumble at them, then the innocent stirs up himself against the hypocrite, and is so much the more careful to approve himself to God in his integrity, lest he should be suspected of hypocrisy.
- He resolves to hold fast his integrity, notwithstanding (Job 17:9): The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. Those that are truly good, and truly great, will be firm and resolute in their adherence to God and duty, whatever difficulties and discouragements they meet with in it. (1.) They shall hold on their way, and not turn aside into the by-paths of sin. They will proceed and persevere in their duty, notwithstanding the reproaches and persecutions of their enemies, and the frowns and rebukes of divine Providence. (2.) They shall grow stronger and stronger, shall increase with all the increase of God. Their inward man shall be renewed daily, and, the more they are afflicted, the more they shall abound in grace, and in the fruits of righteousness. Their experiences of the faithfulness of God to them in their trials shall increase their faith, and their faith shall increase their strength. Those that have clean hands shall be stronger and stronger, for innocency and integrity are a man’s best armour; and though they may be run down for a time, yet they will recover themselves, and their righteousness will be brought forth as the light.
- He challenges his friends to answer him, if they could (Job 17:10): But, as for you all, do you return now, and come again, to prove me a hypocrite; search into my life, and see if you can find any thing to fasten upon; try if you can answer what I have said for myself, and invalidate my plea. “Do come again; you have had your say, but you have not given me satisfaction; let me therefore have your thoughts again.” Job was confident of his own integrity, and therefore dared his friends to make the strictest inquiry into his conduct.
v. 11-16. Here Job speaks very despairingly of his present condition and his future prospects in this world.
- His sun was setting, and his night coming on (Job 17:11): My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. He looked upon himself as a dying man, and therefore gave up all his designs and projects. The purposes of his heart were broken off, that is, all the schemes he had laid for the education and advancement of his children, for the improvement of his estate, and for acts of charity and beneficence. Note: It is a great weakening and mortifying blow to have the purposes of the heart broken off; and those that have had their hearts most set upon a thing will be most troubled when they are disappointed in it. But, since our days are past, it is our wisdom to see that our purposes are broken off from the world and brought back to God.
- He could neither take pleasure in his present state nor promise himself any good (Job 17:12): They change the night into day; that is, “I have such restless nights that they seem as long as days; and, when day comes, I can take no comfort, can relish no pleasure, in it, but it is to me as darkness. I have no agreeable society, no cheerful conversation; every thing looks black and dismal.” Or it may be meant of his friends: “They labour to represent my case as not so bad as I apprehend it to be, and so they change the night into day; but all in vain.” It is a poor relief to those that are in trouble to make light of their trouble.
- He expected no other than to be in the grave quickly (Job 17:13): If I wait, the grave is my house. He not only expected to die, but to be buried, to have a house in the grave. There he must dwell, and make his bed. The grave is a house, a narrow, dark, cold, ill-furnished house; but it is our house, appointed for all living, our long home. If I make my bed in the darkness, that is, in the grave, corruption is my mother and my sister. This is a very melancholy representation of the state of death and the grave; but it is good to be well acquainted with it. Let us consider then, (1.) That the grave is a dark place. We shall there be separated from all the comforts of light and life. (2.) That in the grave we must make our bed. As we lie, so we must rest. The body must lie down in its own corruption. (3.) That the body will be in a state of corruption: I have said to corruption, Thou art my mother and my sister. This is a hard saying; who can bear it? How can we own kindred to that which is so noisome and offensive? But the matter is not so bad as it seems; for, [1.] Corruption is here personified, that the expression may be the more startling and affecting. [2.] It is spoken with reference to Christ, who, though he knew no sin, was made sin for us, and it was said of him that he should see corruption. He that was the Son of God condescended so far as to own a relation to sinful mortals; and therefore we may the more easily reconcile ourselves to the thought of a relation to corruption, which is the consequence of sin.
- He concludes that therefore it was to no purpose to hope for any comfort or happiness in this life (Job 17:15, 17:16): And where is now my hope? As for my hope, who shall see it? It is cut off, it is gone; I have no prospect of deliverance from my troubles, no expectation of prosperity, no confidence in my friends. If I go down to the pit, shall we have comfort there? Shall we see light there? No; there all our expectations from this world will be buried with us. Those that are going down to the pit have no more to look for from this earth. Note: It is our wisdom to build our hope upon that which we shall have when we go down to the pit, that is, a well-grounded hope in God’s mercy and a well-prepared soul for God’s kingdom.
My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.
Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?
Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?
For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.
He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.
Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.
Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.
My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.
They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.
v. 1-5. Job still insists upon it that his friends dealt unfairly and unkindly with him.
His case was really pitiable (Job 17:1): My breath is corrupt, or broken; my days are extinct, or quenched. I have no comfortable enjoyment of myself, nor have I any comfortable prospect before me. All his hope and prospect were now cut off; he looked upon himself as a dying man. The graves are ready for me. He is as good as dead, and may at any time be thrown into the grave; so that the grave may be said to be ready for him, and he for it.
Their carriage towards him was very aggravating.
(1.) They unjustly censured and condemned him (Job 17:2): Are there not mockers with me? Yes, every one of them was a mocker. Their reproofs were really reproaches, and their arguments banters. “My eye dwells upon their provocation; that is, I am so taken up with it that I can mind nothing else. I cannot divert myself from thinking of the injury they do me.” Note: Those that are in affliction have a great deal of reason to complain of those that add to their affliction, and make a jest of their calamities, or of those that are under them.
(2.) They were very unskilful in dealing with him (Job 17:4): “Thou hast hid their heart from understanding; thou dost not suffer them to judge rightly of my case, nor to speak properly to it, and therefore thou shalt not exalt them; they shall not gain the reputation they aim at, of wise counsellors and consolers.” Note: It is God that gives men understanding, and, if he withholds it, those that should be wise prove fools and make themselves ridiculous. Those that judge falsely will not be exalted, but abased.
(3.) They exposed him to reproach and contempt (Job 17:5): He that speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. This may be understood either as a reason why God would not exalt them (because they flattered those that they should have dealt plainly with, and so betrayed them into a false security), or as a further instance of the indignity they put upon Job: “They make a proverb of me, and say, He speaks flattery to his friends, is a sycophant, and aims to impose upon those he converses with; and therefore his children shall be reduced to beggary, and their eyes shall fail with looking for relief, and none coming.” Those that are given to flattery will justly lose their credit. Some understand it thus: “He that informs against his friends (for so the word signifies), that betrays their secrets, or falsely accuses them, to curry favour with those that are in power, even the eyes of his children shall fail; they shall be disappointed of what they expect from him.”
v. 6-10. Here Job complains of the contempt which he had fallen under, and yet comforts himself with the testimony of his conscience.
- He complains of his disgrace (Job 17:6): He has made me a by-word of the people, a laughing-stock to all about me. “God has made me so.” This was the language of his discontent. God permits wicked men to make him a by-word. He was made an open shame, a gazing-stock, the object of scorn and contempt. Those that were the most base and abject had him in derision. And God had not only made him a by-word, but a tabret, a drum, for them; they made songs and ballads of him. He was not only ridiculed, but insulted, and triumphed over, as they do over a drum or pipe. “And, which is worst of all, aforetime I was as a tabret, I was mirthful, but now I am made a tabret.” Note: Those that are now in the depths of adversity ought to consider that it is a change, that there is nothing new in it, and that those who rejoice must rejoice as though they rejoiced not, for the fashion of this world passes away.
- He comforts himself with the testimony of his conscience (Job 17:8): Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. Good men, who are upright in heart, cannot but be astonished at the uncommon sufferings and strange providences that sometimes attend the best of men. They are amazed to see a Job upon the dunghill, and the wicked men in great power. But this good comes of it, that it stirs up their zeal and indignation against sin and sinners; they stir up themselves to bear a testimony against them, and to be so much the more bold and active in religion, as they see it suffering in its friends. Or thus: When upright men are astonished at the sufferings of Job, and ready to stumble at them, then the innocent stirs up himself against the hypocrite, and is so much the more careful to approve himself to God in his integrity, lest he should be suspected of hypocrisy.
- He resolves to hold fast his integrity, notwithstanding (Job 17:9): The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. Those that are truly good, and truly great, will be firm and resolute in their adherence to God and duty, whatever difficulties and discouragements they meet with in it. (1.) They shall hold on their way, and not turn aside into the by-paths of sin. They will proceed and persevere in their duty, notwithstanding the reproaches and persecutions of their enemies, and the frowns and rebukes of divine Providence. (2.) They shall grow stronger and stronger, shall increase with all the increase of God. Their inward man shall be renewed daily, and, the more they are afflicted, the more they shall abound in grace, and in the fruits of righteousness. Their experiences of the faithfulness of God to them in their trials shall increase their faith, and their faith shall increase their strength. Those that have clean hands shall be stronger and stronger, for innocency and integrity are a man’s best armour; and though they may be run down for a time, yet they will recover themselves, and their righteousness will be brought forth as the light.
- He challenges his friends to answer him, if they could (Job 17:10): But, as for you all, do you return now, and come again, to prove me a hypocrite; search into my life, and see if you can find any thing to fasten upon; try if you can answer what I have said for myself, and invalidate my plea. “Do come again; you have had your say, but you have not given me satisfaction; let me therefore have your thoughts again.” Job was confident of his own integrity, and therefore dared his friends to make the strictest inquiry into his conduct.
v. 11-16. Here Job speaks very despairingly of his present condition and his future prospects in this world.
- His sun was setting, and his night coming on (Job 17:11): My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. He looked upon himself as a dying man, and therefore gave up all his designs and projects. The purposes of his heart were broken off, that is, all the schemes he had laid for the education and advancement of his children, for the improvement of his estate, and for acts of charity and beneficence. Note: It is a great weakening and mortifying blow to have the purposes of the heart broken off; and those that have had their hearts most set upon a thing will be most troubled when they are disappointed in it. But, since our days are past, it is our wisdom to see that our purposes are broken off from the world and brought back to God.
- He could neither take pleasure in his present state nor promise himself any good (Job 17:12): They change the night into day; that is, “I have such restless nights that they seem as long as days; and, when day comes, I can take no comfort, can relish no pleasure, in it, but it is to me as darkness. I have no agreeable society, no cheerful conversation; every thing looks black and dismal.” Or it may be meant of his friends: “They labour to represent my case as not so bad as I apprehend it to be, and so they change the night into day; but all in vain.” It is a poor relief to those that are in trouble to make light of their trouble.
- He expected no other than to be in the grave quickly (Job 17:13): If I wait, the grave is my house. He not only expected to die, but to be buried, to have a house in the grave. There he must dwell, and make his bed. The grave is a house, a narrow, dark, cold, ill-furnished house; but it is our house, appointed for all living, our long home. If I make my bed in the darkness, that is, in the grave, corruption is my mother and my sister. This is a very melancholy representation of the state of death and the grave; but it is good to be well acquainted with it. Let us consider then, (1.) That the grave is a dark place. We shall there be separated from all the comforts of light and life. (2.) That in the grave we must make our bed. As we lie, so we must rest. The body must lie down in its own corruption. (3.) That the body will be in a state of corruption: I have said to corruption, Thou art my mother and my sister. This is a hard saying; who can bear it? How can we own kindred to that which is so noisome and offensive? But the matter is not so bad as it seems; for, [1.] Corruption is here personified, that the expression may be the more startling and affecting. [2.] It is spoken with reference to Christ, who, though he knew no sin, was made sin for us, and it was said of him that he should see corruption. He that was the Son of God condescended so far as to own a relation to sinful mortals; and therefore we may the more easily reconcile ourselves to the thought of a relation to corruption, which is the consequence of sin.
- He concludes that therefore it was to no purpose to hope for any comfort or happiness in this life (Job 17:15, 17:16): And where is now my hope? As for my hope, who shall see it? It is cut off, it is gone; I have no prospect of deliverance from my troubles, no expectation of prosperity, no confidence in my friends. If I go down to the pit, shall we have comfort there? Shall we see light there? No; there all our expectations from this world will be buried with us. Those that are going down to the pit have no more to look for from this earth. Note: It is our wisdom to build our hope upon that which we shall have when we go down to the pit, that is, a well-grounded hope in God’s mercy and a well-prepared soul for God’s kingdom.