ed « ; they camethither, and were aſhamed 5. z7.e. The Troops and Companies. # They Comforted them- ſelves with the ExpeQation of Water there to quench their thirſt. 5 As havingdeceived themſelves and others with vain and falſe hopes. prifernw 21 || For c now ye are | nothing 4 ; ye ſee my caſting e are like down, and are afraid.e. to them. e He gives the reaſon why he charged them with Deceitfulneſs, Heb:70/t: and compared them to theſe deceitſul Brooks. 4 Or, as nothing,the note of {imilitude being oft underſtood, Heb. as or, 7,2. you are fo me as if you had not been, or as if you had never comets me ; for { have no benefit nor comfort from you and your Dilcourſe, but only an increaſe of my Miſery. e When you come near to me and perceive my great and manifold Calamities, you ſtand as ir were at adiſtance ; you are ſhy of me, and afraid for your ſelves, either leſt my Sores. or Breath ſhould infeCt you ; or leſt ſome fur-
0B,
When the Weather grows milder, and the Froit and Snow is diflolved. r In the hot Seaſon of the year,when Waters are moſt re-
of their Channel, flowing hither and thither, till they be quite con-
Sheba were both parts ofthe hot and dry Countrey of 4rabia,in which |
356 I7 * What time ra was m_ T they _—_ T 1s to - —_— out of _ —_— _—_— - 1s wg uſual in S$crip- 9.32 t r they are conſu Out OT their j fure the words of One that u aeſperate to be' but wind 0 ;/ e, ec ut off. when it is hot, Y T nlumed and vain. Do you take me for a deſperate and diſtra&ted "hays, 4
i knows not, or cares not what he ſaith, but only ſpeaks what comes ; firſt inhis Mind and Mouth? The W#:zd is oft uſed to expreſs vain words,as Chap. 15:2: Fer. 5. 13: and vain things, Jobs 7: 7. Prov, 11: 29: Some render the whole Verſe thus, Do ;ou in your | arguings think, ox ought you to think the diſcourſes of a dejefied, or de. : ſponding,or ſorely affiifted Man ( ſuch asI am ) to be but words and ; wind * i.e, vain and empty,as inaced the Diſcourſes of ſuch Perſons uſe to beeſteemed by ſuch as are in an higher and more proſperous condition, But you ſhould judge more impartially,and mere mer- cifully, Poſſibly the Verſe may be rendred thus Ds you think ro re. prove the ſpeeches of a deſperate, or dejefied, or miſerable Man (ſuch as I am, and you uſe meaccordingly ) with ( the Prepoſition being very frequently omitted and underſtood in the Hebrew Tongue ) words and with (for the Hebrew prefix,Lameg,oft ſignifies with, as hath been formerly proved ) wind. You think any words or Arguments will be ſtrong enough againſt one in my Circumſtances. So it agrees with the foregoing Verſe. 27 Yea j,yeoverwhelm* the fatherleſs #,and ye dig + Heb: » . Ye
a pit for your friend x, cauſe to fal t Your words arenot only vain and uſeleſs and uncemfortable to upon me, but alſo grievous and pernicious. Heb. Wuruſh or throw your. » ſelves upon him. For words 1n Hiphil are oft put recjprocally, as He. bricians know. You fall upon him with all your might, & ſay/allthar you can deviſe to charge and grieve him. A Metaphor from wild Beaits that fall upon their Prey to hold it faſt and devour it. You load him with Cenſures and Calumnies. # Or the deſolate, i. e. me ; who am deprived of all my dear Children and of all my Efſtare,for. iakenby my Friends, and by my heavenly Father ; which ſhould have procured me your Piry rather than your Cenſure, x Or, you feed or feaſt ( for fo this Hebrew word is oft uſed, as 2 Sam: 3: 75: . 2 Kings 6: 23: Job 4015; J) upon your friend, i, e. You inſult and tri= ; Umph over me, whom ſometimes you owned for your Friend. 28 Now therefore be content, look upon me, » for ' it 3s | evident unto you, & if T lie, | i Heb: be. # Bt pleaſed either 1. To look upon my Countenance,if itbetrays/9*.J0ur any Fear or Guilt,as if Iſpoke contrary to my own Ccnſcience, Or /***+ rather 2, To conſider me and my cauſe further and berter than you | have done, that you may give a more true and righteous judgment concerning ir. 2 You will plainly dicover it. A little further con. ſideration and diſcourſe will make it manifeſt, and I ſhal readily ac- knowledge it. 29 * Return a,T pray you, let it not beiniquity 6 ;* Chis
.
ther Plagues ſhould come upon me, wherein your ſelves for my ſake, or becauſe you are in my company, ſhould be involved : or, leſt I ſhould be burdenſome to you, and need and call for your cha- ritable Contribution toſupgort my ſelf, and the ſmall remainders
yea,return again, my righteouſneſs zs || in it c. | That is in a Turn from your former courſe of perverſe Judgment. lay aſide this matter Paſhon and Prejudice againſt me,let me beg your ſecond thoughts,
of my poor Family, or for your he'ping hand to afſiſt and ſave me from mine Enemies, who may poſſibly fall upon me in this place, as the Caldeans and the Sabeans did upon my Servants and Carte] elſewhere ; which is implied in the next Verſes. So far are you _ being true Friends and Comforts to me, as you wculd ſeem to be.
22 Did I fay f, Bring unto me g? or, give areward
for me h of your ſubſtance ? f Or, I: zt becauſe 7 ſaid, Is this,or what elſe is the reaſon why you
bares ; I beg not your Faveur,but your Juſtice; judge according to right, and do not conclude me to be wicked, becauſe you ſee me to be miterable, as you have fa'ſly and unjuſtly done. Or, there ſhall be miquity, to wit, in my words which I have ſpoken, and which I am further about to ſpeak: Which you will find upon the review. c 7. e, In this cauſe or matter between you and me; the Reletive without the Anrecedent,which frequent in the Hebrew Language. You will fnd the right to be on my fide.
and a ſericus review of my eaſe. b To wit,in your Thoughts or De-
+ Heb:
ars afraid of me,or alienated from me- g Give me ſomething for my Support or Relief. Did either my former Covetouſneſs or my pre- ſent Neceſſity make me troubleſome or chargeable to you > hEither to the Judge vefore whom I am brought and accuſed, that he may give a favourable Sentence in my behalf: Or to the Enemy who hath taken me Captive» Or give agift for me, 1.e, for my uſe or need. Did I ſend for you to come and viſit me for this end ! Nay, Did you not come of your own accord ? Why then are you thus unmerciful to me ! Methinks you might at Jeaſt have given me gocd and comfortable words, which is the eaſieſt and cheapeſt part ofa Friends work,when I deſire and expeted nothing elſe from you.
23 Or deliver me j from the enemies hand z or re-