blb/Comm/jfb/Job/Job017.html

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Title = 'The Book of Job';
SubTitle1 = 'Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET';
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<p id="Chapter17" align="center">Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET<br>CHAPTER 17
<p id="Job17_1"><a onclick="return mV('Job',17,'1-16');">Job 17:1-16</a>. JOB'S ANSWER CONTINUED.
<p><b>1. breath...corrupt</b>&#8212;result of elephantiasis. But UMBREIT, "my strength (spirit) is spent."
<br><br><b>extinct</b>&#8212;Life is compared to an expiring light. "The light of my day is extinguished."
<br><br><b>graves</b>&#8212;plural, to heighten the force.
<p id="Job17_2"><b>2.</b> UMBREIT, more emphatically, "had I only not to endure <i>mockery,</i> in the midst of their <i>contentions</i> I (mine eye) would remain quiet."
<br><br><b>eye continue</b>&#8212;<i>Hebrew,</i> "tarry all night"; a figure taken from sleep at night, to express undisturbed <i>rest;</i> opposed to (<a onclick="return mV('Job',16,20);">Job 16:20</a>), when the eye of Job is represented as pouring out tears to God <i>without rest.</i>
<p id="Job17_3"><b>3. Lay down now</b>&#8212;namely, a pledge or security; that is, be my surety; do Thou attest my innocence, since my friends only mock me (<a onclick="return mV('Job',17,2);">Job 17:2</a>). Both litigating parties had to lay down a sum as security before the trial.
<br><br><b>put me in a surety</b>&#8212;Provide a surety for me (in the trial) with Thee. A presage of the "surety" (<a onclick="return mV('Hbr',7,22);">Hbr 7:22</a>), or "one Mediator between God and man" (see on JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Job/Job016.html#Job16_21">Job 16:21</a>).
<br><br><b>strike hands</b>&#8212;"who else (save God Himself) could strike hands with me?" that is, be my security (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',119,122);">Psa 119:122</a>). The <i>Hebrew</i> strikes the hand of him for whom he goes security (<a onclick="return mV('Pro',6,1);">Pro 6:1</a>).
<p id="Job17_4"><b>4. their heart</b>&#8212;The <i>intellect</i> of his friends.
<br><br><b>shalt...exalt</b>&#8212;Rather imperative, "exalt them not"; allow them not to conquer [UMBREIT], (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',6,9,10);">Isa 6:9-10</a>).
<p id="Job17_5"><b>5.</b> The <i>Hebrew</i> for "flattery" is "smoothness"; then it came to mean a <i>prey</i> divided by <i>lot,</i> because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',18,8);">Deu 18:8</a>), "a portion" (<a onclick="return mV('Gen',14,24);">Gen 14:24</a>). 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] (<a onclick="return mV('Job',11,20);">Job 11:20</a>). Job says this as to the sinner's <i>children,</i> retorting upon their reproach as to the cutting off of his (<a onclick="return mV('Job',5,4);">Job 5:4</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Job',15,30);">15:30</a>). This accords with the Old Testament dispensation of legal retribution (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',20,5);">Exd 20:5</a>).
<p id="Job17_6"><b>6. He</b>&#8212;God. The poet reverentially suppresses the name of God when speaking of calamities inflicted.
<br><br><b>by-word</b>&#8212; (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',28,37);">Deu 28:37</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',69,11);">Psa 69:11</a>). My awful punishment makes my name execrated everywhere, as if I must have been superlatively bad to have earned it.
<br><br><b>aforetime...tabret</b>&#8212;as David was honored (<a onclick="return mV('1Sa',18,6);">1Sa 18:6</a>). Rather from a different <i>Hebrew</i> root, "I am treated to my face as an object of disgust," literally, "an object to be spit upon in the face" (<a onclick="return mV('Num',12,14);">Num 12:14</a>). So <i>Raca</i> means (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',5,22);">Mat 5:22</a>) [UMBREIT].
<p id="Job17_7"><b>7.</b> (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',6,7);">Psa 6:7</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',31,9);">31:9</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Deu',34,7);">Deu 34:7</a>).
<br><br><b>members</b>&#8212;literally, "figures"; all the individual members being peculiar <i>forms</i> of the body; opposed to "shadow," which looks like a figure without solidity.
<p id="Job17_8"><b>8. astonied</b>&#8212;at my unmerited sufferings.
<br><br><b>against the hypocrite</b>&#8212;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.
<p id="Job17_9"><b>9.</b> 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 (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',40,30,31);">Isa 40:30-31</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Phl',1,14);">Phl 1:14</a>).
<p id="Job17_10"><b>10. return</b>&#8212;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.
<p id="Job17_11"><b>11.</b> Only do not vainly speak of the restoration of health to me; for "my days are past."
<br><br><b>broken off</b>&#8212;as the threads of the web cut off from the loom (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',38,12);">Isa 38:12</a>).
<br><br><b>thoughts</b>&#8212;literally, "possessions," that is, all the feelings and fair hopes which my heart once nourished. These belong to the <i>heart,</i> as "purposes" to the <i>understanding;</i> the two together here describe the entire inner man.
<p id="Job17_12"><b>12. They</b>&#8212;namely, "my friends."
<br><br><b>change the night into day</b>&#8212;that is, would try to persuade me of the change of my misery into joy, which is impossible [UMBREIT] (<a onclick="return mV('Job',11,17);">Job 11:17</a>); (but) the light of prosperity (could it be enjoyed) would be short because of the darkness of adversity. Or better for "short," the <i>Hebrew</i> "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.
<p id="Job17_13"><b>13.</b> Rather, "if I wait for this grave (Sheol, or the unseen world) as my house, and make my bed in the darkness (<a onclick="return mV('Job',17,14);">Job 17:14</a>), and say to corruption," rather, "to the pit" or "grave," etc. (<a onclick="return mV('Job',17,15);">Job 17:15</a>). Where then is my hope? [UMBREIT]. The apodosis is at <a onclick="return mV('Job',17,15);">Job 17:15</a>.
<p id="Job17_14"><b>14. Thou art my father,</b> etc.&#8212;expressing most intimate connection (<a onclick="return mV('Pro',7,4);">Pro 7:4</a>). His diseased state made him closely akin to the grave and worm.
<p id="Job17_15"><b>15.</b> Who shall see it fulfilled? namely, the "hope" (<a onclick="return mV('Job',11,18);">Job 11:18</a>) which they held out to him of restoration.
<p id="Job17_16"><b>16. They</b>&#8212;namely, my hopes shall be buried with me.
<br><br><b>bars</b>&#8212; (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',38,10);">Isa 38:10</a>). Rather, the <i>wastes</i> or <i>solitudes</i> of the pit (sheol, the unseen world).
<br><br><b>rest together</b>&#8212;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.
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