1 Job 17:1-16. Job's answer continued. breath ... corrupt - result of elephantiasis. But Umbreit, "my strength (spirit) is spent." extinct - Life is compared to an expiring light. "The light of my day is extinguished." graves - plural, to heighten the force.
2 Umbreit, more emphatically, "had I only not to endure mockery, in the midst of their contentions I (mine eye) would remain quiet." eye continue - Hebrew, "tarry all night"; a figure taken from sleep at night, to express undisturbed rest; opposed to (Job 16:20), when the eye of Job is represented as pouring out tears to God without rest.
3 Lay down now - namely, a pledge or security; that is, be my surety; do Thou attest my innocence, since my friends only mock me (Job 17:2). Both litigating parties had to lay down a sum as security before the trial. put me in a surety - Provide a surety for me (in the trial) with Thee. A presage of the "surety" (Heb 7:22), or "one Mediator between God and man" (see on Job 16:21). strike hands - "who else (save God Himself) could strike hands with me?" that is, be my security (Psa 119:122). The Hebrew strikes the hand of him for whom he goes security (Pro 6:1).
4 their heart - The intellect of his friends. shalt ... exalt - Rather imperative, "exalt them not"; allow them not to conquer [Umbreit], (Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10).
5 The Hebrew for "flattery" is "smoothness"; then it came to mean a prey divided by lot, because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (Deu 18:8), "a portion" (Gen 14:24). Therefore translate, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey (which the conduct of my friends implies that they would do), even the eyes," etc. [Noyes] (Job 11:20). Job says this as to the sinner's children, retorting upon their reproach as to the cutting off of his (Job 5:4; Job 15:30). This accords with the Old Testament dispensation of legal retribution (Exo 20:5).
6 He - God. The poet reverentially suppresses the name of God when speaking of calamities inflicted. by-word - (Deu 28:37; Psa 69:11). My awful punishment makes my name execrated everywhere, as if I must have been superlatively bad to have earned it. aforetime ... tabret - as David was honored (1Sa 18:6). Rather from a different Hebrew root, "I am treated to my face as an object of disgust," literally, "an object to be spit upon in the face" (Num 12:14). So Raca means (Mat 5:22) [Umbreit].
7 (Psa 6:7; Psa 31:9; Deu 34:7). members - literally, "figures"; all the individual members being peculiar forms of the body; opposed to "shadow," which looks like a figure without solidity.
8 astonied - at my unmerited sufferings. against the hypocrite - The upright shall feel their sense of justice wounded ("will be indignant") because of the prosperity of the wicked. By "hypocrite" or "ungodly," he perhaps glances at his false friends.
9 The strength of religious principle is heightened by misfortune. The pious shall take fresh courage to persevere from the example of suffering Job. The image is from a warrior acquiring new courage in action (Isa 40:30, Isa 40:31; Phi 1:14).
10 return - If you have anything to advance really wise, though I doubt it, recommence your speech. For as yet I cannot find one wise man among you all.
11 Only do not vainly speak of the restoration of health to me; for "my days are past." broken off - as the threads of the web cut off from the loom (Isa 38:12). thoughts - literally, "possessions," that is, all the feelings and fair hopes which my heart once nourished. These belong to the heart, as "purposes" to the understanding; the two together here describe the entire inner man.
12 They - namely, "my friends." change the night into day - that is, would try to persuade me of the change of my misery into joy, which is impossible [Umbreit] (Job 11:17); (but) the light of prosperity (could it be enjoyed) would be short because of the darkness of adversity. Or better for "short," the Hebrew "near"; "and the light of new prosperity should be near in the face of (before) the darkness of death"; that is, they would persuade me that light is near, even though darkness approaches.
13 Rather, "if I wait for this grave (Sheol, or the unseen world) as my house, and make my bed in the darkness (Job 17:14), and say to corruption," rather, "to the pit" or "grave," etc. (Job 17:15). Where then is my hope? [Umbreit]. The apodosis is at Job 17:15.
14 Thou art my father, etc. - expressing most intimate connection (Pro 7:4). His diseased state made him closely akin to the grave and worm.
15 Who shall see it fulfilled? namely, the "hope" (Job 11:18) which they held out to him of restoration.
16 They - namely, my hopes shall be buried with me. bars - (Isa 38:10). Rather, the wastes or solitudes of the pit (sheol, the unseen world). rest together - the rest of me and my hope is in, etc. Both expire together. The word "rest" implies that man's ceaseless hopes only rob him of rest.
breath ... corrupt - result of elephantiasis. But Umbreit, "my strength (spirit) is spent."
extinct - Life is compared to an expiring light. "The light of my day is extinguished."
graves - plural, to heighten the force.
2 Umbreit, more emphatically, "had I only not to endure mockery, in the midst of their contentions I (mine eye) would remain quiet."
eye continue - Hebrew, "tarry all night"; a figure taken from sleep at night, to express undisturbed rest; opposed to (Job 16:20), when the eye of Job is represented as pouring out tears to God without rest.
3 Lay down now - namely, a pledge or security; that is, be my surety; do Thou attest my innocence, since my friends only mock me (Job 17:2). Both litigating parties had to lay down a sum as security before the trial.
put me in a surety - Provide a surety for me (in the trial) with Thee. A presage of the "surety" (Heb 7:22), or "one Mediator between God and man" (see on Job 16:21).
strike hands - "who else (save God Himself) could strike hands with me?" that is, be my security (Psa 119:122). The Hebrew strikes the hand of him for whom he goes security (Pro 6:1).
4 their heart - The intellect of his friends.
shalt ... exalt - Rather imperative, "exalt them not"; allow them not to conquer [Umbreit], (Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10).
5 The Hebrew for "flattery" is "smoothness"; then it came to mean a prey divided by lot, because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (Deu 18:8), "a portion" (Gen 14:24). Therefore translate, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey (which the conduct of my friends implies that they would do), even the eyes," etc. [Noyes] (Job 11:20). Job says this as to the sinner's children, retorting upon their reproach as to the cutting off of his (Job 5:4; Job 15:30). This accords with the Old Testament dispensation of legal retribution (Exo 20:5).
6 He - God. The poet reverentially suppresses the name of God when speaking of calamities inflicted.
by-word - (Deu 28:37; Psa 69:11). My awful punishment makes my name execrated everywhere, as if I must have been superlatively bad to have earned it.
aforetime ... tabret - as David was honored (1Sa 18:6). Rather from a different Hebrew root, "I am treated to my face as an object of disgust," literally, "an object to be spit upon in the face" (Num 12:14). So Raca means (Mat 5:22) [Umbreit].
7 (Psa 6:7; Psa 31:9; Deu 34:7).
members - literally, "figures"; all the individual members being peculiar forms of the body; opposed to "shadow," which looks like a figure without solidity.
8 astonied - at my unmerited sufferings.
against the hypocrite - The upright shall feel their sense of justice wounded ("will be indignant") because of the prosperity of the wicked. By "hypocrite" or "ungodly," he perhaps glances at his false friends.
9 The strength of religious principle is heightened by misfortune. The pious shall take fresh courage to persevere from the example of suffering Job. The image is from a warrior acquiring new courage in action (Isa 40:30, Isa 40:31; Phi 1:14).
10 return - If you have anything to advance really wise, though I doubt it, recommence your speech. For as yet I cannot find one wise man among you all.
11 Only do not vainly speak of the restoration of health to me; for "my days are past."
broken off - as the threads of the web cut off from the loom (Isa 38:12).
thoughts - literally, "possessions," that is, all the feelings and fair hopes which my heart once nourished. These belong to the heart, as "purposes" to the understanding; the two together here describe the entire inner man.
12 They - namely, "my friends."
change the night into day - that is, would try to persuade me of the change of my misery into joy, which is impossible [Umbreit] (Job 11:17); (but) the light of prosperity (could it be enjoyed) would be short because of the darkness of adversity. Or better for "short," the Hebrew "near"; "and the light of new prosperity should be near in the face of (before) the darkness of death"; that is, they would persuade me that light is near, even though darkness approaches.
13 Rather, "if I wait for this grave (Sheol, or the unseen world) as my house, and make my bed in the darkness (Job 17:14), and say to corruption," rather, "to the pit" or "grave," etc. (Job 17:15). Where then is my hope? [Umbreit]. The apodosis is at Job 17:15.
14 Thou art my father, etc. - expressing most intimate connection (Pro 7:4). His diseased state made him closely akin to the grave and worm.
15 Who shall see it fulfilled? namely, the "hope" (Job 11:18) which they held out to him of restoration.
16 They - namely, my hopes shall be buried with me.
bars - (Isa 38:10). Rather, the wastes or solitudes of the pit (sheol, the unseen world).
rest together - the rest of me and my hope is in, etc. Both expire together. The word "rest" implies that man's ceaseless hopes only rob him of rest.