Job in this chapter sets forth his then unhappy state and condition, in contrast with his former state of prosperity described in the preceding chapter: things had taken a strange turn, and were just the reverse of what they were before; he that was before in such high esteem and credit with all…

But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, &c.] Meaning not his three friends, who were men in years, and were not, at least all of them, younger than he, see (Job 32:6, Job 32:7) ; nor were they of such a mean extraction, and such low-lived creatures, and of such characters as here…

Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, &c.] For though they were strong, lusty, hale men, able to do business, yet their strength was to sit still and fold their hands in their bosoms, so that their strength was of no profit or avail to themselves or others; they were so slothful…

For want and famine they were solitary The Targum interprets it, without children; but then this cannot be understood of the fathers; rather through famine and want they were reduced to the utmost extremity, and were as destitute of food as a rock, or hard flint, from whence nothing is to be had,…

Who cut up mallows by the bushes Which with the Troglodytes were of a vast size [[16]]; or rather “upon the bush” [[17]] or “tree”; and therefore cannot mean what we call mallows, which are herbs on the ground, and grow not on trees or bushes; and, besides, are not for food, but rather for…

They were driven from among men From towns and cities, and all civil society, as unfit to be among them; not for any good, it may be observed, but for crimes that they had done, like our felons, and transported persons: they cried after them as after a thief; as they were driven and run along, the…

To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys Or “brooks” [[10]], in such hollow places as were made by floods and streams of waters: in caves of the earth, and in the rocks; where they betook themselves for fear of men, and through shame, being naked and miserable not fit to be seen: Job has respect to…

Among the bushes they brayed Like wild asses; so Sephorno, to which wicked men are fitly compared, ; or they “cried”, or “groaned” [[11]], and “moaned” among the bushes, where they lay lurking; either they groaned through cold, or want of food; for the wild ass brays not but when in want, ; under…

They were children of fools Their parents were fools, or they themselves were such; foolish children, or foolish men, were they that derided Job; and their derision of him was a proof of it: the meaning is not that they were idiots, or quite destitute of reason and natural knowledge, but that they…

And now am I their song The subject of their song, of whom they sung ballads about the streets, in public places, and at their festivals and merriments, as Christ the antitype of Job was the song of the drunkard, ; see ; or the meaning may be, they rejoiced in his afflictions and calamities, and…

They abhor me As it is no wonder they should, since his inward and most intimate friends did, ; they abhorred him, not for any evil in him; Job was ready enough to abhor that himself, and himself for it, as he did when sensible of it, ; but for the good that was in him, spoken or done by him; which…

Because he hath loosed my cord Not his silver cord, for then he must have died immediately, ; though it may be understood of the loosening of his nerves through the force of his disease, and the afflictions he endured from God and man, see ; or rather of the shattered state and condition of his…

Upon my right hand rise the youth “Springeth”, as Mr. Broughton translates the word; such as were just sprung into being, as it were; the word [[12]] seems to have the signification of young birds that are not fledged; have not got their feathers on them, but are just got out of the shell, as it…

They mar my path Hindered him in the exercise of religious duties; would not suffer him to attend the ways and worship of God, or to walk in the paths of holiness and righteousness; or they reproached his holy walk and conversation, and treated it with contempt, and triumphed over religion and…

They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters As when a wide breach is made in the banks of a river, or of the sea, the waters rush through in great abundance, with great rapidity and swiftness; and with a force irresistible; and in like manner did Job’s enemies rush in upon him in great…

Terrors are turned upon me Not the terrors of a guilty conscience, for Job had a clear one, and held fast his integrity; nor the terrors of a cursing and condemning law, for he knew he was justified by his living Redeemer, and his sins forgiven for his sake; nor the terrors of death, for that he…

And now my soul is poured out upon me Either in prayer to God for help and deliverance; or rather he was dissolved as it were in floods of tears, because of his distress and anguish; or his spirits were sunk, his strength and courage failed, and his heart melted, and was poured out like water; yea,…

My bones are pierced in me in the night season Such was the force of his disease, that it pierced and penetrated even into his bones, and the marrow of them; and such the pain that he endured in the muscles and tendons about them, and especially in the joints of them, that it was as if all his…

By the great force of my disease is my garment changed Either the colour of it, through the purulent matter from his ulcers running down upon it, or penetrating through it; or by reason of it he was obliged to shift himself, and to have a change of raiment very frequently; or the supplement, “of my…

He hath cast me into the mire As Jeremiah was literally; here it is to be understood in a figurative sense; not of the mire of sin, into which God casts none, men fall into it of themselves, but of the mire of affliction and calamity; see ; and which Job here ascribes to God; and whereby he was in…

I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me Which added greatly to his affliction, that though he cried to the Lord for help and deliverance, yet he turned a deaf ear to him; and though he heard him, as undoubtedly he did, he did not answer him immediately; at least not in the way in which he…

Thou art become cruel to me Or “turned”, or “changed” [[6]], to be cruel to me. Job suggests that God had been kind and gracious to him, both in a way of providence, and in showing special love and favour to him, in a very distinguishing manner; but now he intimates his affections were changed and…

Thou liftest me up to the wind Of affliction and adversity, to be carried up with it, and tossed about by it, as chaff or stubble, or a dry leaf, being no more able to stand up against it than such things are to oppose the wind; though some interpret this of God’s lifting him up in his state of…

For I know that thou wilt bring me to death Quickly and by the present affliction upon him; he was assured, as he thought, that this was the view and design of God in this providence, under which he was to bring him to death and the grave; that he would never take off his hand till he had brought…

Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave Or, “verily” [[7]], truly he will not I am well assured he never will, meaning either he never would stretch out his hand to shut up the grave; or rather keep it shut, and prevent Job from going down into it; or to open it, and fetch him out of…

Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? &c.] In outward trouble, whether personal in his own body, or in his family, or in his worldly affairs, or from wicked men, the men of the world; or in inward trouble, in soul trouble, on account of indwelling sin, the breakings forth of it, the lowness…

When I looked for good As he thought he might reasonably expect it, since he had shown such a sympathizing spirit to persons in trouble, and such pity and mercy to the poor: in the time of his prosperity, he looked for a continuance of the good things he enjoyed, and expected to have had them for…

My bowels boiled, and rested not All contained within him, his heart, lungs, and liver, in a literal sense, through a violent fever burning within him; or figuratively, being under great distress and trouble, by reason of his afflictions, outward and inward, see ; the days of affliction prevented…

I went mourning without the sun So overwhelmed with grief, that he refused to have any comfort from, or any advantage by the sun; hence Mr. Broughton renders it, “out of the sun”; he did not choose to walk in the sunshine, but out of it, to indulge his grief and sorrow the more; or he went in black…

I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. ] Or ostriches, as the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions; either he was obliged to dwell with such persons as were comparable to these creatures for their devouring words, hissing noise, and venomous speeches, or for…

My skin is black upon me Either through deep melancholy, as may be observed in persons of such a disposition, through grief and trouble; or rather through the force of his disease, the burning ulcers and black scabs with which he was covered, as the Jews were through famine, in their captivity, ;…

My harp also is turned to mourning Which he used, as David, either in religious worship, expressing praise to God thereby, or for his recreation in an innocent way; but now it was laid aside, and, instead of it, nothing was heard from him, or in his house, but the voice of mourning: and my organ…