Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 13

1. LO, mine Eye hath seen all this, mine Ear hath heard and understood it .

All this which either you or I have discoursed concerning the infinite Power and Wisdom of God, I know, both by seeing it, i. e. by my own Observation and Experience, and by hearing it from my Ancestors; so that I did not need your tedious and impertinent discourses concerning those matters.

3. Surely I would speak to the Almighty , and I desire to reason with God.

According to thy Wish, Ch. 11. 5. I had rather debate the matter with God than with you. I am not afraid of presenting my Person and Cause before him, who is a Witness of my Integrity, and would not deal so unmercifully with me as you do.

Marginal references: Chap. 23. 3.

4. But ye are forgers of Lies , ye are all Physicians of no value .

i. e. Authors of False Doctrine, to wit, that great afflictions are peculiar to Hypocrites and wicked Men.

Unfaithful and unskilful, prescribing bad Remedies, and misapplying good ones.

Marginal references: Chap. 6. 21. & 16. 2.

5. O that ye would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your Wisdom .

For then your Ignorance and Folly had been concealed, which is now manifest. Compare Prov. 17. 28.

6. Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my Lips .

i. e. Attend to it, and consider it more seriously than you have done.

i. e. To the arguments which I shall produce.

7. Will ye speak wickedly for God ? And talk deceitfully for him?

Will you utter falshoods upon pretence of pleasing God, or of maintaining Gods Honour or Justice? Doth he need such defences?

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters]p. 17. 5. [illegible: 1+ letters] 32. 21. [illegible: 1+ letters] 35. 4.

8. Will ye accept his Person ? Will ye contend for God ?

Not judging according to the right of the Cause, but the quality of the Person, as corrupt Judges do.

i. e. Wrangle and quarrel with me, and cavil at my Speeches, and pervert my meaning.

i. e. That you may gratifie him, or defend his Rights?

9. Is it good that he should search you out ? or as one mocketh another, do ye so mock him ?

Will it be to your Credit and Comfort?

i. e. Narrowly examine your Hearts and discourses, whether you have uttered Truth or Falshood; and whether your Speeches proceed from true Zeal for God, or from your own Prejudices and Passions, and from a desire to curry Favour with him.

To wit, by covering your uncharitableness and corrupt affections with pretences of Piet[illegible: 1+ letters], as if God could not discern your Artifices; or by pleading his Cause with weak and foolish Arguments, which is a kind of Mockery to him, and an Injury to his Cause; or by seeking to flatter him with false Praises, as if he did distribute the things of this world with exact Justice, prospering only the good, and severely afflicting none but wicked Men.

10. He will surely reprove you , if ye do secretly accept Persons.

i. e. Punish you; as this word is o[illegible: 1+ letters]t used, as hath been once and again observed.

Though it be concealed in your own Breasts, and no Eye see it; yea, though it be so close that your own Minds and Consciences, through ignorance, or inadvertency, or slothfulness, do not perceive it, yet he, who is greater than your Consciences, sees and knows it.

11. Shall not his Excellency make you afraid ? And his dread fall upon you?

His infinite Wisdom which sees your secret Falshoods, and his Justice and Power, which can and will punish you for it.

Of speaking rashly or falsly of his ways and Counsels.

12. Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your Bodies are like to Bodies of Clay.

Either 1. Actively, i. e. your Memorials, or your Discourses and Arguments by which you design to bring things to my remembrance. So he might possibly allude to that passage, Ch. 4. 7 Remember I pray thee, &c. That and all your other Memento's are like unto ashes, i. e. contemptible and unprofitable: Heb. are Parables, or Speeches of dust, or ashes. Or 2. Passively, all that which is most excellent and memorable in you; your Wealth, and Dignity, and Wit, and Reputation, or whatsoever it is for which you expect or desire to be remembered, it is all but poor despicable dust and ashes: And therefore you have just reason to abhor your selves, and to dread the Divine Majesty, as I now advised you.

Though they be not full of sores and boils as mine is, yet they are but dust, and to dust they shall return as well as mine. Heb. Your backs, which, being the strongest part of the Body, is put for the whole Body. Or, Your Eminences, or Excellencies, as this word most properly signifies, as Hebricians observe so it answers to their memo [illegible: 1+ letters]bles. All those things wherein you do, or think that you do excel others, are but like Eminencies, or Lumps, or Heaps of Clay, vain and useless things, if compared with the Excellencies of God. Or, Your heights, i. e. your losty Discourses are like Clay, i. e. without solidity and strength.

13. Hold your peace , let me alone that I may speak , and let come on me what will .

Do not now interrupt me in my Discourse; which peradventure he observed by their gestures some of them were now attempting.

That I may freely utter my whole mind.

For the event of my Discourse with God, wherewith you threaten me, I am willing to submit my self to him, to do with me as he pleaseth: For I know he will not judge so severely and partially of me, or my words, as you do, but will accept what is good, and pass by any circumstantial defects in my Person or Speech, as knowing that I speak from an upright Heart.

Marginal references: Heb. be silens from me.

14. Wherefore do I take my Flesh in my Teeth, and put my Life in mine hand?

According to this Translation the sense seems to be this, If you speak truth, and God punisheth none but wicked men, why doth he bring me (whom he Knows to be no Hypocrite, as you slaunder me) to that extremity of Pain and misery, that I am almost constrained to tear, and eat my own flesh (which is mentioned as the Character of men in great anguish, Isa. 9. 20. & 49. 26.) and am ready to lay violent hands upon my self? Is it so great a crime to complain in this case, or at least to enquire into the cause of this unwonted severity: But this sense seems not well to suit either with the foregoing or following Verses, but to come in abruptly. Others therefore render the words thus, Why should I take my flesh in my Teeth, &c. And so this may be either 1. A Reason of his ardent desire of Liberty of Speech, because he could hold his Tongue no longer, but must needs tear himself to pieces, if he had not some vent for his grief. So this agrees well both with v. 13. where he desired this freedom, and with v. 19. where the same sense is expressed in plainer words. Or 2. An Antidote against despair. I perceive O my Friends by your Discourses, that you intend to drive me to utter Despair, if I do not turn to God in another manner than yet I have done. Which if it were true, I should certainly tear my flesh, and violently take away my own Life: But I see no reason why I should give way to any such despair or desperate Actions? And this also hath a good dependance upon the foregoing words, Let come on me what will. But I have no reason to fear such Consequences as you suggest, nor to despair of a merciful Audience and Relief from God; and a good connexion with those which follow, v. 15. where he declares his Hope and Confidence in God. The Phrase of having ones Life in his hand, notes a condition extremely dangerous, and almost desperate, as Iudg. 12. 3. 1 Sam. 19. 5. & 28. 21. Psal. 119. 109.

15. Though he slay me , yet I will trust in him : but I will maintain mine own ways before him .

Though God should yet more and more encrease my torments, so that I could bear them no longer, but should perceive my self to be at the point of Death, and without all hopes of Recovery in this World.

Or, shall I not trust in him? Should I despair? No, I will not. I know he is a just, and a faithful, and merciful God, and he knows that mine Heart is upright before him, and that I am no Hypocrite.

Though I will trust in him, yet I will humbly expostulate the matter with him.

I will argue, or prove, or demonstrate my ways, i. e. I will make a full free Confession of the whole course of my Life, and I will boldly, though submissively, assert mine own Integrity, which he also will▪ I doubt not acknowledge. And what I have done amiss I will as freely confess; and make Supplication to my judge for the pardon of it.

Before his Tribunal: for I desire no other Judge but him.

Marginal references: Psa. 23. 4. Prov. 14. 32.; Heb. prove, or argue.

16. He also shall be, or is my Salvation : for an Hypocrite shall not come before him.

I rest assured that he will save me out of these miseries sooner or later, one way or other, if not with a temporal, yet with an eternal Salvation after Death▪ of which he speaks, Ch. 19. 25, &c.

Or, but, as this particle commonly signifies, for this Clause is put by way of opposition to the former, and the sense is▪ But if I were an Hypocrite as you alledge, I durst not present my self before him to plead my Cause with him, as now I desire to do, nor could I hope for any Salvation from, or with, him in Heaven.

17. Hear diligently my Speech , and my declaration with your Ears.

This he desired before, v. 6. and now repeateth, either because they manifested some neglect or dislike of his Speech, and some desire to interrupt him: Or, because he now comes more closely to his business, the foregoing Verses being mostly in way of Preface to it.

i. e. The words whereby I declare my Mind.

18. Behold now, I have ordered my Cause ; I know that I shall be justified .

To wit, within my self. I have seriously and sincerely considered the state of my case, and what can be said either for me, or against me, and am ready to plead my Cause.

i. e. Acquitted by God from that Hypocrisie and Wickedness wherewith you charge me, and declared a righteous and innocent person, humane Infirmities excepted.

Marginal references: Heb. judgment▪

19. Who is he that will plead with me ? For now if I hold my Tongue, I shall give up the Ghost .

Where is the man that will do it? Nay, Oh that God would do it: which here he implies, and presently expresseth.

My grief for Gods heavy Hand, and for your bitter Reproaches would break my Heart, if I should not give it vent.

20. Only do not Two things unto me : then will I not hide my self from thee .

Which Two he expresseth, v. 21.

Then shall I boldly present my self and Cause before thee.

21. Withdraw thine hand far from me : and let not thy dread make me afraid .

i. e. Suspend my Torments during the time of my pleading with thee, that my Mind may be at liberty.

Do not present thy self to me in terrible Majest, neither deal with me in rigorous Justice; but hear me meekly, as one man heareth another, and plead with me upon those gracious Terms, wherewith thou usest to deal with Mankind.

Marginal references: Ch. 9. 34, 35. & 33. 7.

22. Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me .

Then chuse thy own Method. Either do thou charge me with Hypocrisie, or more than common Guilt, and I will de[illegible: 1+ letters]end my self: Or I will argue with thee concerning thy extraordinary severity towards me; and do thou [illegible: 1+ letters]hew me the reasons of it. This proposal savoured of too great self-confidence, and of Irreverence towards God; for which, and such like Speeches, he is reproved by God, Ch. 38. 2, 3. & 40. 2.

23. How many are mine Iniquities and sins ? Make me to know my transgression and my Sin .

That I am a sinner I confess; but that I am guilty of so many or such heinous Crimes as my Friends suppose, I utterly deny; and if I be so, do thou, O Lord, discover it to my shame.

If peradventure my heart deceive me therein; for I am not conscious to my self of any enormous crime.

24. Wherefore hidest thou thy Face , and hold [illegible: 1+ letters]st me for thine Enemy .

i. e. Withdrawest thy favour and help which thou didst use to afford me; as this Phrase is commonly used, as Deut. 31. 17. Psal. 13. 1. & 102. 2. &c.

i. e. Dealest as harshly with me, as if I were thy professed Enemy.

Marginal references: Deut. 32. 20. Ruth. 1, 21. Ch. 16. 9. & 19. 11. & 33. 10.

25. Wilt thou break a Leaf driven to and fro? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble ?

Doth it become thy infinite and excellent Majesty to use all thy might to crush such a poor, impotent, frail Creature as I am, that can no more resist thy Power, than a Leaf, or a little loose and dry straw can resist the fury of the Wind or Fire.

Marginal references: Isa. 42. 3.

26. For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth .

i. e. Thou appointest or inflictest. A Metaphor from Princes or Judges, who antiently used to write their Sentences or Decrees, concerning Persons, or Causes, brought before them. See Psal. 149. 9. Ier. 22. 30. Ioh. 19. 22.

i. e. A terrible Sentence, or most grievous punishments.

Thou dost now at once bring upon me the punishment of all my sins, not excepting those of my Youth, which, because of the Folly and weakness of that Age, are usually excused or winked at, or, at least, but gently punished.

Marginal references: Psa. 25. 7.

27. Thou puttest my Feet also in the stocks , and lookest narrowly unto all my Paths ; thou settest a Print upon the Heels of my Feet .

Thou encompassest me with thy Judgments, that I may have no way or possibility to escape.

When thou hast me fast in Prison, thou makest a strict and diligent search into all the actions of my life, that thou m[illegible: 1+ letters]ist find matter to condemn me.

i. e. Thou followest me close at the Heels, either to observe my Actions, or to pursue me with thy Judgments, so that thou dost oft tread upon my Heels, and leave the prints of thy Footsteps upon them.

Marginal references: Chap [illegible: 1 word]. 11.; Heb. observest.; Heb. roots.

28. And he , as a rotten thing, consumeth as a Garment that is Moth-eaten.

Either 1. Man, or Iob, supposed to be Gods Adversary in this contest. So he speaks of himself in the third Person, as is usual in this and other sacred Books. So the Sense is, He, i. e. this poor frail Creature, this Carkass or Body of mine; which possibly he pointed a[illegible: 1+ letters] with his Finger, consumeth or pineth away, &c. So he mentions here the effect of Gods severe proceedings against him, to wit, his Consum[illegible: 1+ letters]tion, and utter Destruction, which was making haste towards him. Or, 2▪ God, of whom he hitherto spoke in the second Person, and now in the third Person, such changes of persons being very frequent in poetical Writings, such as this is. So he continueth the former Discourse, and as before he mentioned Gods severe Enquiry into his ways, and Sentence against him, so here he describes the Consequence and dreadful Execution of it upon him: He i. e. God, consumeth (for the Verb is Active) me as rottenness consumeth that in which it is, or as a rotten thing is consumed, and as a Moth which eateth a Garment.