Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days? Ver. 1. _Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty_] Heb. Why are not times hidden from the Almighty? _q.d._ Who could think any otherwise, that had not been at the sanctuary, Psalms 73:17, and ther... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 24:2 [Some] remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed [thereof]. Ver. 2. _Some remove the landmarks_] Here he instanceth in all sorts of wicked persons, with their _seculi laetitia, impunita nequitia; _ they go pointblank against God's commandments; they please not him, an... [ Continue Reading ]
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge. Ver. 3. _They drive away the ass of the fatherless_] The only ass of orphans, those helpless, shiftless creatures, so merciless are these _abigei,_ which is no small aggravation of their injustice. _see _ 2Sa 12:3 For... [ Continue Reading ]
They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together. Ver. 4. _They turn the needy out of the way_] Either to make room for themselves, as the only men. Stand back, say the Sodomites to Lot, Genesis 19:9. Stand further off, say those in Isaiah. See Pro 30:14 Amos 8:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, [as] wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness [yieldeth] food for them [and] for [their] children. Ver. 5. _Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work_] These barbarous and brutish oppressors, skilful to destroy,... [ Continue Reading ]
They reap [every one] his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked. Ver. 6. _They reap every one his corn in the field_] The poor oppressed are made by them to harvest their crops, and tread their vintages in the end of the year (_sero colligunt_), as the Hebrew importeth, witho... [ Continue Reading ]
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that [they have] no covering in the cold. Ver. 7. _They cause the naked to lodge without clothing_] viz. By denying and detaining from them what they have earned, wherewith they should provide them garments, which are so called, quasi gardments: becau... [ Continue Reading ]
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. Ver. 8. _They are wet with the showers of the mountains_] Wet they are, but not at all refreshed, as this word (here only found in the Bible) signifieth sometimes among the Rabbis. Cold comfort they find abr... [ Continue Reading ]
They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor. Ver. 9. _They pluck the fatherless from the breast_] What can be more to be pitied than a fatherless suckling? Who less to be molested or violenced than the mother doing that office to her babe? In the Parisian Massacre one o... [ Continue Reading ]
They cause [him] to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf [from] the hungry; Ver. 10. _They cause him to go naked without clothing_] Naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to their shame and danger, as Isaiah 20:4. So dealt the Popish bishops with the poor Protest... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 24:11 [Which] make oil within their walls, [and] tread [their] winepresses, and suffer thirst. Ver. 11. _Which make oil within their walls, &c._] _See Trapp on "_ Job 24:6 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Job 24:10 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly [to them]. Ver. 12. _Men groan from out of the city_] viz. Under the pressures of their oppressors. Thus did Jerusalem, that faithful city, when once become a harlot; it was full of judgment, righteousn... [ Continue Reading ]
They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. Ver. 13. _They are of those that rebel against the light_] Against the common light of the sun, say some, which they are ready to curse (as the Atlantes, a people of Ethiopia, are said to... [ Continue Reading ]
The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. Ver. 14. _The murderer rising with the light_] Sometimes, while it is yet darkish; for here Job showeth how those that do evil hate the light, and take the fittest opportunities for a dispatch of the deed... [ Continue Reading ]
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth [his] face. Ver. 15. _The eye also of the adulterer waiteth_] Observeth, expecteth, and longeth till it cometh. _Ut videas illum non peccare infirmitate sed malitin,_ saith Vatablus. This showeth tha... [ Continue Reading ]
In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light. Ver. 16. _In the dark they dig through the earth, &c._] Heb. He digs through houses; _i.e._ the adulterer doth, to come at his strumpet, with whom he had agreed upon a place of meeti... [ Continue Reading ]
For the morning [is] to them even as the shadow of death: if [one] know [them, they are in] the terrors of the shadow of death. Ver. 17. _For the morning is unto them as the shadow of death_] _i.e._ They are in deadly fear lest the light should bewray them, and expose them to condign punishment. Ho... [ Continue Reading ]
He [is] swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards. Ver. 18. _He is swift as the waters_] He stays not long in a place, but flees away swiftly (like the river Tigris, swift as an arrow out of a bow), to avoid punishment. Heb. He is light upo... [ Continue Reading ]
Drought and heat consume the snow waters: [so doth] the grave [those which] have sinned. Ver. 19. _Drought and heat consume the snow waters_] Here also brevity hath bred obscurity. Snow waters, as they are more subtile, so they sooner sink into the dry earth; so die the wicked, quickly and easily.... [ Continue Reading ]
The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree. Ver. 20. _The womb shall forget him_] Some read it, The merciful man forgetteth him; _sc._ because he himself was merciless. Or because he was a trouble to the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
He evil entreateth the barren [that] beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow. Ver. 21. _He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not_] Who had more need to be comforted than further afflicted. But _homo homini daemon._ Jacob and Elkanah loved and comforted their wives under this cross. The V... [ Continue Reading ]
He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no [man] is sure of life. Ver. 22. _He draweth also the mighty with his power_] _i.e._ He hath brought them by force under his girdle, and compelled them to do him homage and service. _ He riseth up_] In the fuluess of his might, as "a k... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 24:23 [Though] it be given him [to be] in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes [are] upon their ways. Ver. 23. _Though it be given him to be in safety_] Heb. It is given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth. His safety and prosperity was given him for a better purpose; but (as if God had... [ Continue Reading ]
They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all [other], and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn. Ver. 24. _They are exalted for a little while_] Or, they are exalted, but within a little while they are not. This former part of the verse n... [ Continue Reading ]
And if [it be] not [so] now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth? Ver. 25. _And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar?_] _Quis ementietur me?_ Who shall disprove or confute what I have affirmed? viz. That God doth many things, the depth whereof we cannot fathom, and tha... [ Continue Reading ]