Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 16:17-18
Job 16:17-18 . Not for any justice in my hands And all this is not come upon me for any injurious dealing, but for other reasons, known to God only; also my prayer is pure I do not cast off God’s fear and service, Job 15:4. I do still pray and worship God, and my prayer is accompanied with a sincere heart. O earth, cover not thou my blood The earth is said to cover that blood which lies undiscovered and unrevenged: of which see on Genesis 4:10-11; and Isaiah 26:21. But, says Job, if I... read more
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 16:21
Oh that one might plead for a man - A more correct rendering of this would be, “Oh that it might be for a man to contend with God;” that is, in a judicial controversy. It is the expression of an earnest desire to carry his cause at once before God, and to be permitted to argue it there. This desire Job had often expressed; see Job 13:3, note; Job 13:18-22, notes. On the grammatical construction of the passage, see Rosenmuller.As a man pleadeth for his neighbour - Hebrew “the son of man;” that... read more