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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 7:1-6

The weariness of sorrow. Expressing Itself— I. IN A DESIRE FOR THE CLOSE OF LIFE . ( Job 7:2 .) II. As A CONTINUOUS DISAPPOINTMENT . ( Job 7:3 .) III. As A CEASELESS RESTLESSNESS . ( Job 7:4 .) IV. AS A REVOLT FROM THE PAINFULNESS OF ITS CIRCUMSTANCES . ( Job 7:5 .) V. AS A CONDITION OF HOPELESSNESS . ( Job 7:6 .)—R.G. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 7:1-10

Job to God: 1. The soliloquy of sorrow. I. A PATHETIC REPRESENTATION OF HUMAN LIFE . In contrast to the fascinating picture sketched by Eliphaz ( Job 5:17-27 ), Job depicts human life in general, and his own sorrowful existence in particular, as: 1 . A term of hard service. "Is there not an appointed time [literally, 'a warfare, a term of hard service'] on the earth?' like that of a mercenary soldier hired out for military purposes to a foreign despot; and "are not his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 7:1-10

The weakness of man's appeal to the clemency of God. I. GENERAL VIEW OF MAN 'S MISERY AND HIS OWN . ( Job 7:1-5 .) Man is compared to a hireling with an appointed time of service, the end of which is wearily and wistfully looked for. The ideas suggested are As the slave longs for the lengthening shadows of evening, the hired labourer for pay-time, so the oppressed sufferer, toiling beneath a load of pain, longs for the welcome end of death. He "would 'twere bedtime, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 7:1-21

In this chapter Job first bewails his miserable fate, of which he expects no alleviation (verses 1-10); then claims an unlimited right of complaint (verse 11); and finally enters into direct expostulation with God—an expostulation which continues from verse 12 to the end of the chapter. At the close, he admits his sinfulness (verse 20), but asks impatiently why God does not pardon it instead of visiting it with such extreme vengeance (verse 21). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 7:2

As a servant (or, a slave ) panteth for the shadow; i.e. longs for the shades of evening to descend and bring the day to a close. The slavery of Job's time was probably not unlike that of captive races in Egypt, so graphically portrayed in the early chapters of Exodus. The captive, working from morning to night at exhausting labour, would long intensely for the night to arrive, when his toil would come to an end. The inference is not drawn, but clearly is—so Job may be excused if he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 7:3

So am I made to possess months of vanity . "Months of vanity" are "months of which he can make no use "—"months which are no good to him." It has been concluded from this theft some considerable time had elapsed since Job was stricken by his disease. But he is perhaps looking to the future as much as to the past, anticipating a long, lingering illness. Elephantiasis is a disease which often lasts for years . And wearisome nights are appointed to me . To one stretched on a bed of sickness,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 7:1

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? - Margin, or, warfare. The word used here צבא tsâbâ' means properly a host, an army, see the notes, Isaiah 1:9; then it means warfare, or the hard service of a soldier; notes, Isaiah 40:2. Here it means that man on the earth was enlisted, so to speak, for a certain time. He had a certain and definite hard service to perform, and which he must continue to discharge until he was relieved by death. It was a service of hazard, like the life of a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 7:2

As a servant earnestly desireth - Margin, gapeth after. The word here שׁאף shâ'aph means to breathe hard, to pant, to blow, and then to desire earnestly.The shadow - This may refer either to a shade in the intense heat of the day, or to the night. Nothing is more grateful in oriental countries, when the sun pours down intensely on burning sands, than the shadow of a tree, or the shade of a projecting rock. The editor of the Pictorial Bible on this verse remarks, “We think we can say, that next... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 7:3

So am I made to possess - Hebrew I am made to inherit. The meaning is, that such sad and melancholy seasons now were his only portion.Months of vanity - That is, months which were destitute of comfort; in other words, months of affliction. How long his trials had continued before this, we have no means of ascertaining. There is no reason, however, to suppose that his bodily sufferings came upon him all at once, or that they had not continued for a considerable period. It is quite probable that... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 7:1

Job 7:1. Is there not, &c. Job is here excusing what he cannot justify, his passionate longing for death. An appointed time for man upon earth Hebrews צבא , tzaba, a warfare; or, time of warfare. The Targum is, Chela, militia. The Vulgate, militia est vita hominis, The life of man is a warfare. The heathen had the same thoughts of life: ο δε βιος πολεμος , M. Anton. 50. 2. sec. 17. Comp. Job 14:14. All the days, tzebai, of my appointed time; militiæ meæ, of my warfare. But our... read more

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