Job 9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:25

Now my days are swifter than a post ,.... Or "than a runner" F1 מני־רץ "cursore", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.; in a race, in order to obtain the prize; or than one that rides post, or runs on foot to carry a message, such as were Cushi and Ahimaaz; and such are generally swift of foot, or ride on swift horses, who are so employed; and yet Job says his days are swifter, or passed away more swiftly thorn such; meaning either his days in general; or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:26

They are passed away as the swift ships ,.... Those that are lightest built, and run swiftest. Bar Tzemach thinks such vessels as are rowed with oars are meant, which may be called "ships of will or desire" F2 אניות אבה "navibus desiderii", Mercerus, Drusius, Schmidt; so Ben Gersom. , as the words may be rendered, because they may be rowed at pleasure, and be carried to any place where and when a man thinks fit; whereas those that are not depend upon the wind, and that must be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:27

If I say, I will forget my complaint ,.... The cause of it, the loss of his children, servants, substance, and health, and endeavour to think no more of these things, and cease complaining about them, and attempt to bury them in oblivion, and change his note: I will leave off my heaviness ; his melancholy thoughts, words, airs, and looks; or "forsake my face" F8 אעזבה פני "relinquam facies meas", Montanus, Bolducius, Schmidt. , put on another countenance, a more pleasent and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:28

I am afraid of all my sorrows ,.... That they would return upon him, and surround him, and overwhelm him, so that he should not be able to stand up against them, or under them; that they would increase and continue with him, and so he should never be released from them: I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent : a sudden apostrophe to God as near him; the meaning is not, that he was confident that God would not justify him but condemn him in a spiritual sense; Job did not despair of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:29

If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? If he was that wicked person, that hypocrite, Bildad and his other friends took him to be, it was in vain for him to make his supplications to God, as they advised him; so Gersom gives the sense of the words; since God hears not sinners, such as live in sin, regard iniquity in their hearts, and practise it in their lives, at least secretly, as it was suggested Job did; if he was such an one, it must be all lost labour to pray to God to show favour... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:30

If I wash myself with snow water ,.... As it came from heaven, or flowed from the mountains covered with snow, as Lebanon, see Jeremiah 18:14 ; or was kept in vessels for such use, as being judged the best for such a purpose; so it was used by the ancients F14 "Discubuimus, pueris aquam nivalem in manus infundentibus", Petronius in Satyr. , as being what whitens the skin, and strengthens the parts by contracting the pores, and hindering perspiration; it signifies, in a figurative... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:31

Yet shall thou plunge me in the ditch ,.... In the filthy ditch of sin, the pit wherein is no water, the horrible pit, the mire and clay, in which all unregenerate men are, and to which hypocrites return, as the swine to its wallowing in the mire; and in which impurity self-righteous persons are, and are sooner or later made to appear, notwithstanding all their outward righteousness, holiness, purity, and perfection they boast of; and though Job was neither of these, not an unregenerate man,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:32

For he is not a man, as I am ,.... For though the parts and members of an human body are sometimes ascribed to him, yet these are to be understood by an anthropopathy, speaking after the manner of men, there being something in him, which in a figurative sense answers to these; otherwise we are not to conceive of any corporeal shape in him, or that there is any likeness to which he is to be compared: he is a spirit infinite, immortal, immense, invisible, pure and holy, just and true, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:33

Neither is there any daysman betwixt us ,.... Or "one that reproves" F17 מוכיח "arguens", Montanus, Bolducius, Drusius; "redarguens", Vatablus, Mercerus. ; who upon hearing a cause reproves him that is found guilty, or is blameworthy, or has done injury to another; but there is no such person to be found, among angels or men, capable of this, supposing, as if Job should say, I should appear to be the injured person; or there is no "umpire" or "arbitrator" F18 "Arbiter", Junius... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 9:34

Let him take his rod away from me ,.... Not his government over him, of which the rod or sceptre is an ensign, Job did not want to be freed from that; but, his rod of affliction, or stroke, as the Targum, the stroke of his hand, which, though a fatherly chastisement, lay heavy upon him, and depressed his spirits; so that he could not, while it was on him, reason so freely about things as he thought he could if it was removed, and for which he here prays: and let not his fear terrify me ;... read more

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