CHAP. XIX.
Job complains of his friends' cruelty, pathetically laments his sufferings, and implores their pity: he appeals to God, and expresses his faith and hope in a future resurrection.
Before Christ 1645.
Job 19:1. Then Job answered and said— Disgusted by the little regard paid by the three friends to his defence, and finding them still insisting on their general maxims, Job desires them calmly to consider his case; to reflect that his failings, whatever they were, had not been at all prejudicial to them; but if, on the strength of their general principle, they thought themselves warranted from his sufferings to infer his guilt, he desires them to take notice that this was God's particular infliction: Job 19:2-7 that he insisted on his integrity, and desired nothing but to bring his cause to an issue, which was as yet denied him: Job 19:8-20 that God's inflictions were indeed very grievous; and, to excite their compassion, he gives here a very moving description of them; but tells them, that that should be a reason why they should pity him, and not add to the load by their unkind suspicions and cruel treatment: Job 19:21-22 that he was so far from retracting his plea, that he was desirous it should remain for ever on record: Job 19:23-24. Heath. For he was assured that a day was coming, in which all his afflictions would be fully recompensed, and in which they would wish that they had treated him in a more friendly manner; though he questioned whether that would suffice to avert God's judgments from them.

Job 19:3. Ye are not ashamed— Are ye not ashamed to be so very obstinate against me? Heath.

Job 19:10. And mine hope hath he removed— He rooteth up my hope like a tree. Houbigant and Heath.

Job 19:12. His troops come together, &c.— The words here are military terms, relative to a siege. And raise up their way against me, Houbigant renders, and fortify their way against me.

Job 19:14. My kinsfolk have failed— Have departed. Houbigant. He means to say, that his friends had quite deserted him; had ceased from their office, according to the immediate meaning of the Hebrew word חדלו chadlu. See Schultens.

Job 19:16. He gave me no answer— And he answered me not, though I intreated, &c. Houbigant.

Job 19:17. Though I intreated for the children's sake— The word חנתי channothi, rendered intreated, may signify the place of a man's dwelling. The sense may be rendered, And my habitation to the children of my body. Houbigant translates the verse, My wife abhors even my breath; the children of my body fly far from my offensive smell: and he observes, that we are nowhere told that all the children of Job perished, but only such as were feasting in their elder brother's house.

Job 19:18. Yea, young children despised me— Even the very meanest of my family despised me; and if I rise up, they flout at me. See Schultens and Houbigant.

Job 19:19. Inward friends— Rather intimate friends.

Job 19:20. My bone cleaveth to my skin, &c.— My bones pierce through my skin and my flesh, and my teeth slip out from my gums. Heath and Le Clerc. Chappelow renders the clause, I am escaped with a torn skin, or, with my skin all over wrinkles, to denote his being quite emaciated. Schultens says, that to escape with the skin of the teeth, seems to be a proverbial expression for those who lie beaten and covered with wounds from head to foot; and their mouth being broken with blows, half dead, they are scarcely able to breathe.

Job 19:21. Have pity upon me! &c.— Nothing can be more pathetic than the repetition in this passage, as well as the immediate application to his friends: O ye my friends! "You, at least, with whom I have enjoyed so intimate and friendly a correspondence; you, who more especially should exert the tender office of consolation, do you have some pity upon me, since the hand of God hath so fearfully afflicted me!" Heath, after an ancient manuscript, reads, You are my friends. To be satisfied with his flesh, means, according to the eastern style, to feed upon his fame, or life, and, as it were, to glut themselves with his sufferings and afflictions. Bp. Lowth observes, that this passage, as well as that at the beginning of the 14th chapter, affords us a most beautiful specimen of the complete elegy. See his Praelections, p. 452. Octavo.