Job 14 Man’s natural misery, sin, and short life, our plea with God not to disturb us by his power, but suffer us to accomplish our appointed time, Job 14:1–6. The other creatures decay and revive; but man, once dead, returneth not till the end of all things, Job 14:7–12.

That is born of a woman. This expression is here used, either, 1. To intimate the cause of man’s misery, that he was born of a woman, a weak creature, 1 Pet. 3:7, and withal corrupt and sinful, and of that sex by which sin and calamity was brought into the world. See Job 15:14, Gen. 3:17, 1 Tim.

He cometh forth out of his mother’s womb, Job 1:21. Like a flower; which quickly groweth up and maketh a fair show, but soon withereth, or is cut down. As a shadow; which being made by the sun, follows its motions, and is in perpetual variation, until at last it quite vanish and disappear.

Dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one; either, 1. To take thought or care about him. Or rather, 2. To observe all his ways, that thou mayst find cause of punishment. He is not a fit match for thee. It is below thee to contend with him, and to use thy infinite wisdom and power to crush him.

I do not say, I am clean, as Zophar pretendeth, Job 11:4; but confess that I am a very unclean creature, and therefore liable to thy justice, if thou wilt deal rigorously with me; but remember that this is not my peculiar case, but the common lot of every man, who, coming from sinful parents, and…

His days; the days or (as it follows) months of his life. Are determined; are by thy sentence and decree limited to a certain period. With thee, i.e. exactly known to thee, or in thy power and disposal.

Turn from him; withdraw thine afflicting hand from him. That he may rest; that he may have some present comfort and ease. Or, and let it cease, to wit, the affliction, which is sufficiently implied. Others, and let him cease, to wit, to live, i.e. take away my life.

But man, though a far nobler creature, is in a much worse condition, and when once he loseth this present and worldly life, he never recovers it; therefore show some pity to him, and give him some comfort whilst he lives.

Wax old; begin to wither and decay. And the stock die, to wit, in outward appearance.

Through the scent of water, i.e. by means of water. Scent or smell is figuratively ascribed to a tree. Like a plant; like a tree newly planted.

Dieth, and wasteth away; his body by degrees rotting away; or, and is cut off, as this word is used, Ex. 17:13, Isa. 14:12. Where is he? i.e. he is nowhere; or, he is not, to wit, in this world, as that phrase is commonly used. See Job 3:16, Job 7:8, Job 7:21.

This may be understood either, 1. By way of opposition, the waters go or flow out of the sea, and return thither again, Eccles. 1:7; and a lake or river sometimes decayeth, and drieth up, but afterwards is recruited and replenished. But man lieth, &c., as it follows. Or, 2.

Man lieth down, to wit, in his bed, the grave, or to sleep the sleep of death, as this phrase is used, Gen. 46:30, Deut. 31:6, 2 Sam. 7:12, 1 Kings 1:21.

In the grave; either, 1. In some dark vault under ground, such as good men hide themselves in times of persecution, Heb. 11:38. Lord, hide me in some hiding place from thy wrath, and all the intolerable effects of it, which are upon me; for I cannot be hid from thee, but by thee. Or, 2.

Shall he live again? i.e. he shall not, namely, in this world, as was said before. The affirmative question is equivalent to an absolute denial, as Gen. 18:17, Ps. 46:7, Jer. 5:9, and every where.

I trust there is a time coming when thou wilt grant me the mercy which now thou deniest me, to wit, a favourable hearing, when thou wilt call to me to speak for myself, and I shall answer thee; which I know will be to thy satisfaction and my comfort.

For now; so this is a reason of his desire of death, Job 14:13. Or rather, But now; for this seems to be added by way of opposition. I believe thou wilt pity and help me, but for the present it is far otherwise with me.

Sealed up in a bag; as writings or other choice things, that they may be safely kept, and all of them brought forth upon occasion, and not one of them forgotten or lost. Compare Deut. 32:44, Job 37:7, Hos. 13:12. Thou sewest up mine iniquity, i.e.

As when a great mountain falls, either by an earthquake or inundation of waters, or from any other cause, it moulders away like a fading leaf, (as the Hebrew word signifies,) and never recovers its former height and stability; and as the rock, when by the violence of winds or earthquake, &c.

When once thou takest away this life, it is gone for ever; for he speaks not here of man’s future and eternal life in another world. He passeth, i.e. he dieth, or is about to die.

He knoweth it not; either, 1. Is ignorant of all such events; or, 2. Is not concerned nor affected with them. A dead or dying man minds not these things.

This is man’s condition; he is miserable both when he dies, because he dies without hope of returning to life, as he had discoursed before; and (as he now adds) whilst he lives, whilst his flesh is upon him, and his soul within him; whilst the soul is clothed with or united to the body, he feels…