Job reproveth his wife : CHRIST h CHRIST CHAPTER II....III....IV. He complaineth of life. Before house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are { 5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; Before eir. 1520 dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. let a cloud dwell upon it; let the 'blackness of the cir. 1520. 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and day terrify it. shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and 01 Pet. 5,6. PWorshipped, n 2 Sam. 18, 33. p Rom. 12, 12. D 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD q Eccl. 5,15. gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be r Jam. 1,17. the name of the LORD. * Mat. 20,* 15. 1 Isa. 24, 15. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. CHAPTER II. o Gen. S, &. pch. 21, 15 Mal. 3, 14. q Mat. 18, 15. 23. Mat. 16, s ch. 1, 11. t lleb. 12, 11. h 71 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils, from the sole of his foot unto his crown. 8 And he took him 'a potsherd to scrape himself X 10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What! shall we receive' good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his "lips. 11 I Now when Job's three friends heard of all u Ps. 59, 1. this evil that was come upon him, they came every Pr. 17, 17. one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the 'NaamathJer. 49, 7. ite: for they had made an appointment together to ? Gen. 36, come to mourn with him, and to comfort him. 9 Let the P stars of the twilight thereof be dark; Isa. 13,21. let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see o Jer. 9, 17. the dawning of the day: 10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's p 2 Kings 7, womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes. u 8 qJudg. 5, 11 Why died I not from the womb? why did 29. I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? 12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the 13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, 15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver : 16 Or as a 'hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. b c Isa. 48, 8. s ch. 33, 17. tch. 10, 18. u Eccl. 7, 7. 17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and John 7, 8. there the weary be at rest. 18 There the prisoners rest together; they not the voice of the oppressor. b Ps. 58, 8. hear c Isa. 57,20 d ch. 14, 19 The 'small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master. h e Ex. J, 6. 20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in (Ps. 49, 23. misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; 21 Which long for death, but it cometh not; 23 Why is light given to a man whose way is "hid, 24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. f Gen. 27. g 14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. S t 15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: 16 It stood still, but I could " not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes; there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, X 17 Shall mortal man be a more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker? d 18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels be clarged with folly: 19 How much less on them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? 20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever, without any regarding it. 21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go Luke 2, away? they die, even without wisdom. Job justifieth his complaint. 19 He shall deliver thee in 'six troubles; yea, in a seven there shall no evil touch thee. 20 Infamine he shall redeem thee from death; and in war from the power of the sword. c 21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. Before CHRIST cir. 1520. z Ps. 34, 19 a 1 Cor. 10, 13. b Ps. 34, 10. Hab. 3, 17. 22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: c Ps. 91, 1. neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the d Jam. 1.2. earth. 23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace e Psal. 8, 7 with thee. e 24 And thou shalt 'know that thy tabernacle shall feet. 8,5. be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. h g Ps. 128, 2. 25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, hist. 65, 20. like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. 27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good. CHAPTER VI. Job sheweth that his complaints are not causeless. BUT Job answered and said, iPs. 111, 2. k Pr. 9, 12. B20h that my grief were thoroughly weighed, a ch. 4, 2, 7. Oh a b and my calamity laid in the balances together! 3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. 4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. 5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or " loweth the ox over his fodder? 6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg? 7 The things that my soul" refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat. i 8 Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for; 9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! 10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. 11 What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my ufe? 12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? 13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me? 14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. 15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away; 16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: 17 What time they wax warm they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place. 18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish. 19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies Gen. 25, Sheba waited for them. t 20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed. 21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are " afraid. 14. Jer. 14, 3. 11 Ps. 38, 11 b Heh. 5, 12. a b Isa. 38, 5. et Cor. 15, 58. 8 30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things? CHAPTER VII. Job excuseth his desire of death. a ch. 14,14. S there not * an appointed time to man upon earth? d Ps. 39, 5. chap. 29, 2 e Deut. 23, 65. (Ps. 88, 4. g Isa. 14,11. c 4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of' tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. 5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of b ch. 17, 4 dust; my skin is broken, and become "loathsome. 6 My days are 'swifter than a weaver's shuttle, k Isa. 38,12. and are spent without hope. i Psal. 90, 6. 1 Ps. 105, 15. m Eccl. 1.4 5. n Pshi. 6, 5. o 2 Sam. 12, 23. p Eccl. 12, 5. 70 remember that my life is 'wind: mine eye 8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me more. 0 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither P. 39, 1, shall his place know him any more. 11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in r ch. 6, 12. the bitterness of my soul. s Lam. 3, 7. 12' Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou 'settest a Ps. 41, 3. watch over me? 13 When I say, 'My bed shall comfort me, my a Deut. 28, couch shall ease my complaint; 34. 14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and ter 8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and i Deut. 4,31. prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: 9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow :) 10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? 11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? 12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. m 1 Cor. 13, 12. I Heb. 11, 4. in Titus 1, 13 So are the paths of all that " forget God; and 16. the hypocrite's hope shall perish: n 14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. 15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not n ch. 11, 10. 17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and 13, seeth the place of stones. 8 18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. sch. 20, 22 19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of P. 113,7 the earth shall others grow. 20 Behold, God will" not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil-doers; 21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. 22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought. CHAPTER IX. Man's innocency is not to be condemned by afflictions. est me through viscoseth strangling, and death THEN Job answered and said: but how should 18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morn-pered? ing, and try him every moment? 19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? 20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou Preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? 21 And why dost thou not † pardo my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I John 1, 2 sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the mornmg, but I shall not be u Isa. 8, 10. X Isa. 6.5.13 y I s. 69, 7 a Ch. 1, 17. b Ps. 113, 2. c Rom. 5, 13. 1 John 3, 20. d 2 Chr. 9, Mial. 3, 13 3. 5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know e Nahum i not; which overturneth them in his anger; 6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble; 7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not. and sealeth up the stars; 8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea; P. 21, 1. £ P. 33, 9. h Ps. 9,4 9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, 1 Ps. 147, 4 and the chambers of the south; 16 If I had called, and he had answered me:} yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. 17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiGen. 22,1. plieth my wounds without cause. r 18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. 19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? 20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. 21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. 22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. 2 23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at Ezek. 21, 3. the trial of the innocent. 31. 26 They are passed away as the swift ships; as prey. c 1 Cor. 7, the eagle that hasteth to the d Lam. S, 19. e Psal. 119, 120. (1 Pet. 2,20. £ s. 26, 6. h verse 2. i Nuru. 23, 19. k1 John 2,1. 1 Ps. 90, 11. 27 If I say, I wil! forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself; 28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 29 If I be wicked, why then labour I ' in vain ? 30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; 31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. 32 For he is not a 'man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judg ment. k 33 Neither is there any days-man betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let m ch. 33, 6. not his fear terrify me; ver. 21, 31. A 1 Kings 19. 4. b Ps. 32, 3, 4, 5. c Prov. 17, 1 35m Then would I speak, and not fear him: but "it is not so with me. CHAPTER X. Job expostulateth with God about his afflictions. a MY soul is weary of my life: I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bbitterness of my soul. 2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew Rom. 8,3 me wherefore thou contendest with me. 15. Ps. 15, 8. 3 Is it good unto thee, that thou shouldest oppress, Ep 2, 10. that thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, Sam. 16, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? 7. kov. 1, 14. 4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? 18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt Lev. 26,5 take thy rest in safety. Psalm 4, 8. r Prov. 3, 24. 8 19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. 20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they Deut. 28, 17. shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. 16. Lev. 26, Eeth. 5, 13. ⚫ ch. 11, 12. CHAPTER XII. Job maintaineth himself against his friends. AND Job answered and said, 2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wis Prov. 211. dom shall die with you. 1 Cor. 4, 8. John 7,49. 3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such e2 Cor. 11, things as these? 41 am as one mocked of his neighbour, who 'call-} eth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. 5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. 6 The tabernacles of robbers 'prosper, and they{ Hab. 1,3,4 that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. & Prov &,6, Jer. 8, 7. Rom. 1, 20. S COL. 1, 17. Hleb. 1, 9. | Dan. 5, 23. 7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell{ thee: 8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 9 Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of? the LORD hath wrought this? 10 In whose 'hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. 11 Doth not the ear try words; and the mouth taste his meat? 12 With the 'ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. 13 With him is "wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. 14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be Mal 1,4" built again; he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. 15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they Acts 14, dry up; also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. 24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. 25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. CHAPTER XIII. Job reproveth his friends of partiality. a 1 Cor. 2, 10. y Gen. 5, 6. & 11, 12. z Rom. 1,21 2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am a 2 Cor. 11, not inferior unto you. 3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5 Oh that you would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will you speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9 Is it good that he should search you out? or, as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10 He will surely 'reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? 19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, 21 Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let 3 r Rom. 8,2P. s Rom. 8,33. Je t ch. 32, 17 20, s. u cb. 9, 34 I & 5,7 x P's. 32, 4 22 Then call thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and answer thou me. 23 How many are mine iniquities and sins! make me to know my transgression and my sin. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? y Ps. 26, 1, z Ps. 143 2. a Ps. 19, 12. b Isa. 8, 17. c Mat. 12, 25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and 20. wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? 26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. d ch. 20, 11 |