19 Unto whom alone the earth was given/, and no ſtranger » paſſed among them ».
{ Either, 1+ By the ſpecial and gracious gift of God ; Whereas wicked men invaded their parts of the Earth, and took them away by force: Or, 2. By the choice and conſent of the People, who for their greatand known wiſdom and virtue conferred this power and truſt upon them: This he alledgeth partly to make their Teſtimony more conſiderable, becauſe thete were not obſcure, and mean, and fooliſh men,whoſe words are commonly deſpiſed, but the moſt wor- thy and famous men intheir places and ages and partly to contra- dict and confute what Job had ſaid, Chap: 9+ 24. That the earth was given into the hand of the wicked. By the earth he means either the dominion of the earth, To wit, of that part of the earth in or nigh which Job and his friends lived; Or rather, the poſſeſſion of the earth; i- e- of a great portion of worldly goods : Or particularly, the land, or that land (as the word properly lignifies) to wit, the land of Canaan,which was given by ſpecial gift unto Abraham (from whom it ſeems moſt probable that both Job and his Friends were deſcend- ed) and to Iſaac and to Jacob : Who though they met with ſome common and ordinary afflictions, yet enjoyed a great meaſure of comfort and wealth, and honour, and power in the World, as the Fruits of God's Bleſſing, and of his Covenant made with good Men, whilſt wicked men were expoſed to manifold. diftreſſes and griev- ous calamities- All which thoſe holy Patriarchs diligently obſerv- ed, and induſtriouſly imparted to their children, to encourage them to continue and proceed in the ways of true Piety» But how was the Earth or Land given to them alone, as is here ſaid ? Anſwer, Ei- ther 1. Becauſe Noah and his Sons (of whom ſome underſtand theſe words) had the ſole poſſeſſion and dominion of the Earth, Or 2. Becauſe Canaan was given to Abraham and to his Seed alone: And ſome of Abraham's Children had the dominion of, or an ample poſ- ſeſſion in thoſe parts where Job and his Friends lived, who alſo ſeem to be in the number of them. Or 3.Becauſe they only had it either by God's ſpecial and gracious Providence, or'by the choice and approbation of the People; whereas wicked men took it by Rapine and Violence, without asking leave either from God or Men. m i. e. The Enemy ; for ſuch are called Strangers both in Scripture, as Prev. 5. 10. Iſs. 1. 7. Ezek: 11. g. and 28. 10 andin other Authors. No perſon of 2 ſtrange Nation and Diſpoſition, or Religion. »n 1. Through their Land, as this phraſe is uſed, Numb; 20. 18. to wit, fo as to moleſt or diſturb, or ſpoil them as the Sabeans and Chalde- ans did thee, God watched over thoſe wiſe and holy Men ſo care- fully, that no Enemy {houid invade them ; and ſo he would have done over thee, if thou hadſt been ſuch an one.
20 The wicked man travelieth with pain o all þ:s days, and the number of his years is hidden p to the op-
preſſor 9. - 0 i, e> Lives a life of care, and fear, and grief, by reaſon of God's Wrath, and the Torments of his own mind, and his manifold and dreadful outward Calamities. p i, ee He knows not how ſhort the time ofhistyranny and life is,and therefore lives in continual fear of loling them. The number of a good Man's years are alſo hid from him as well as they are from the wicked men : But to thoſe this 1s a great torment and miſchief; whereas it isnot ſoto him. Or,and a few years (Heb. » number of years, put ty a common Hypallage, for years of number; as few years are calied, J:b. 16. 22+ becauſe they are ſoon numbred; as men of number,is put for a few men, Gen.34-30. Deut.4-27. and 3h. 6.) are laid, or treaſured up; ie. are allotted to him by God's ſecret Counſe]; for God cuts of ſuch men in the midſt of their days, Pſal, 55.23.whereas long life is promiſed,and commonly given to Righ- teous Men. 9 i.e. To the wicked man- but he names this one forr of them, the Oppreſſors, partly becauſe he ſuppoſed Jeb to be guilty of this ſia, Chap. 22. 6. partly in oppoſition to what Job had affirmed of the ſafety and happineſs of ſuch perſons, Chap. 12. 6. and partly, becauſe ſuch are moſt apt to expe& and promiſe to themſelves a | longer and happier life than otber men, becauſe of their ſingular preſervatives and advantages of life above other men. : 21 + Adreadful ſound 5s in his ears r: *in proſperity
the deſtroyer ſhalt come upon him <5.
r Even when he feels no evil,he is tormented with perpetual fears and expeQations of it from the ſenſe of his own guilt,and of God s all-ſceing eye and righteous judgment. See Lev. 26. 36. Deut- 28-65. 5 Or,ſhall invade and deſtroy him ſuddenly and unexpetedly: which IS a great aggravation of it.
22 He believeth not that he ſhall return out of dark-
neſs r, and he is waited for of the ſword «. | t i.e-When he falls into trouble,he deſpairs of God's mercy and of deliverance, by reaſon of his guilty Conſcience : Which he ſpeaks with particular refle&ion upon Jeb,who wou!d receive no comfort nor matter of hope- u i-e- Beſides the Calamity which 1s upon him, e is inconltant expeCation of further and greater miſcries; for zhe ſword is oft uſed for any grievous affliction ; as Luke 2» 35:
23 He * wandreth abroad for bread, /aying, Where
x His Poverty is ſo great, that he is forced to wander hither and ; thither to ſeek for Bread, and cannot find ir. A juſt puniſhment for |
tim that took away the Bread and Subſtatice of others by violence. (
T6
Ch
7 He 15 aſſured of it from his own guilty Conſcience; « i.e.-The time of his total and irrecoverable and everlaſting deſtruQion. « 1e- Ready to ſeize npon him, or take him by the hand or ſhou!- der like a Serjeant to arreſt him- The words may well be'rendred was prepared by his hand ; 1. e- by his works or ations: which being moſt commonly done with the hand, are oft called by that name
AS Exod. I4 31. Jndges 9. 16. Prov to: 4- and 12. 24, Sothe ſenſe is. OY . himſelf, _ oy his wicked- life he hath prepared
ored up Calamities and Deſtru&io
Rn ,- Ne I n os A — _ therefore
'24 Frouble and. anguiſh - hall make him afraid b ; they ſhall prevail againit him, as a King ready to the battel c. Ep | I y |