The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 173

every comer or hill life, antl hunted out all Isa. nix. 16; xxx. 14; xiv. 9; lxiv. 8; hie sine and shortcomings, to have been Jer. xviii. 6; Rom. ix. 21-23, ete.). And able to bring together ngainst him a total wilt thou bring me into du1t a.gain l After commeneura.tc, or oven approximately com- having fashioned me ont of clay into a. mensura.to, with the punishment wherewith human form, wilt thou undo thine own he hn.s visited him. work, crumble me into powder, and make Ver, 7.-Thou lmoweat that I am not me mere dust once more? wioked; rather, althow;h thou lmowe8t (see Ver. 10.-Hast thou not poured me out the Revised Version). Conscious of hie own as milk, and curdled me like cheese l " Didst integrity and faithfulness, Job feels that not thou," i.e., "form me RB an embryo in God too must know them; wherefore it the womb, gradually solidifying my sub- seems to him all the border that he should stance, and changing soft juices into a firm be made to suffer as if he were a "chief though tender mass ? " sinner." And there is nona that can deliver Ver. 11.-Thou hast clothed me with skin out or thine hand. and flesh. "To thee," that is, "I owe the delicate skin, which encloses my frame, a.nd "'Tie excellent to have a giant's strength; keeps ii compact; to thee I owe the flesh But tyrannous to use it like a giant." whereof my frame chiefly consists." And Job's le.at ground of appeal is, that he is hast fenced me with bones and sinews ; wholly at God's mercy, cRn look for no other rather, and hast woven me, or knit me to- deliverer, no olhor support or stay. Will gether (see the Revised Version, and comp. not God, then, have pity, and '' spare him a Pa. cxxxix. 13, where the same verb is used little, that he may recover his strength in the same sense). The idea is that the before he goes hence, and is no more seen " ? body altogether is woven and compacted of (see P~. xxxix. 15; and comp. below,. ver. skin, bone, flesh, sinews, etc., into a deli- 20). cate and elaborate garment (comp. 2 Cor. v. Vere. 8-12.-Here we have e.n expansion 2-4). Ver. 12.-Thou hast granted me life and of the plea in ver. 3, "Is it good unto thee fe.VOUl'. God, besides providing Job with a that thou shouldest despise the work of body so delicately and marvellously con- thine own hands?" Job appeals to God, structetl, had added the gift of " life " (Gen. not only e.s his Creator, but as, up to a ii. 7), aud also that of "favo11l'," or loving certain time, his Supporter and Sustainer. providen tia.l ea.re, whereby hie life was pre- served from infancy to manhood, and from Ver. 8.-Thine hands have made me and manhood to e. ripe age, in peace and pros- fashioned me together rolllld about (oomp. perity. Job has not forgotten his former Ps. cxxxix. 12-16, "My reins are thine ; state of temporal happineu ( eh. i. 2-5), nor thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. ceased to feel gratitude to God for it (comp. I will give thanks unto thee, for I am feRl'- oh. ii. 10). And thy visitation hath pre- fnlly and wonderfully made ; marvellous are served my spirit; or, thy J)TOll'idence-" thy thy works, and the.I my soul knoweth right continual care." well. My bones are not hid from thee, Ver. 13.-And these things hast thou hid though I be made secretly, and fushi,,ned in thine heart; rather, yet the,e things didst beneath in the earth. Thine eyes did see thou hide in thine heart; i.e. "Yet all the my substance, yet being imperfect; e.nd in while, notwithstanding thy protecting care thy book were all my members written, and gracious favour, thou wert hiding in which clay by day were fashioned, when as thy heart the intention to bring all these yet there was none of them"). Canon Cook evils upon me; thou couldst not but have observes with much truth, " The processes known what thou wert about to do, though of nature a.re always attributed in Scripture thou didst conceal thy intention, and allow to the immediate e.ction of God. '.rhe for- no eigu of it to escape thee." I know that mation of every indi vid uo.l stands, in the this is with thee; rather, I know thai this was language of the Holy Ghost, precisely on with thee; i.e. this intention to destroy my the same footing as the.t of the first me.n" happiness was "with thee "-present to thy (' Spee.ker'a Commentary,' vol. iv. p. 50). thought-even while thou wert Joe.ding me Yet thou dost destroy me; lilerolly, devour with favour. Job's statement cannot be ,ae (comp. eh. ix. 17, 22). gainsaid; but it involves no real charge Ver. 9.-Bemember, I beseeoh thee, that age.inst God, who assigns men prosperity thou he.at me.de me as the clay ; rnther, or suffering as is best for them at the time. that thou hast f ashiooed 1118 a, clay; i.e. Ver. 14.-If I sin, then thou markest me; "Thou he.at formed me, as e. potter lilshions rather, i/ I nnned, then thou didat observe a pot out of clay." This is scarcely e. re- me. Thou tookeet uote of all my Hins 11,11 I ference to Gen. iii. 19, but rather e.n early committed them, and laide11t them up in un of what beoame a stock metaphor (comp. thy !llemory, And thou wilt not aoqv.it JU JGB. •  178 THE BOOK OF JOB. [OH, X, 1-22,