Job 16:1-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 16:1-5

Both Job and his friends took the same way that disputants commonly take, which is to undervalue one another's sense, and wisdom, and management. The longer the saw of contention is drawn the hotter it grows; and the beginning of this sort of strife is as the letting forth of water; therefore leave it off before it be meddled with. Eliphaz had represented Job's discourses as idle, and unprofitable, and nothing to the purpose; and Job here gives his the same character. Those who are free in... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 16:6-16

Job's complaint is here as bitter as any where in all his discourses, and he is at a stand whether to smother it or to give it vent. Sometimes the one and sometimes the other is a relief to the afflicted, according as the temper or the circumstances are; but Job found help by neither, Job 16:6. 1. Sometimes giving vent to grief gives ease; but, ?Though I speak? (says Job), ?my grief is not assuaged, my spirit is never the lighter for the pouring out of my complaint; nay, what I speak is so... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 16:17-22

Job's condition was very deplorable; but had he nothing to support him, nothing to comfort him? Yes, and he here tells us what it was. I. He had the testimony of his conscience for him that he had walked uprightly, and had never allowed himself in any gross sin. None was ever more ready than he to acknowledge his sins of infirmity; but, upon search, he could not charge himself with any enormous crime, for which he should be made more miserable than other men, Job 16:17. 1. He had kept a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 16:1

Then Job answered and said. As soon as Eliphaz had done speaking, Job stood up, and made the following reply. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 16:2

I have heard many such things ,.... As those Eliphaz has been discoursing of, concerning the punishment of wicked men; many instances of this kind had been reported to him from his preceptors, and from his parents, and which they had had from theirs, as well as Eliphaz had from his; and he had heard these things, or such like, told "many times" from one to another, as Ben Gersom interprets it; or "frequently", as the Vulgate Latin version, yea, he had heard them his friends say many things... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 16:3

Shall vain words have an end ?.... Or "words of wind" F11 לדברי רוח "verbis venti", Beza, Bolducius, Mercerus, Schmidt, Michaelis. , vain empty words, great swelling words of vanity, mere bubbles that look big, and have nothing in them; here Job retorts what Eliphaz had insinuated concerning him and his words, Job 15:2 ; and he intimates such worthless discourses should have an end, and a speedy one, and not be carried on to any length, they not bearing it; and wishes they were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 16:4

I also could speak as ye do ,.... As big words, with as high a tone, with as stiff a neck, and as haughtily and loftily; or "ought I to speak as you do" F13 ככם אדברה "sicut vos loqui deberem?" Schmidt. ? that I ought not, nor would you think I ought, if you were in my case; or, being so, "would I speak as you do" F14 "Etiam ego ut vos loquerer?" Cocceius; so Broughton. ? no, I would not, my conscience would not suffer me: if your soul were in my soul's stead ; in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 16:5

But I would strengthen you with my mouth ,.... Comfort them with the words of his mouth; so God strengthens his people with strength in their souls, when he answers them with good and comfortable words; an angel strengthened Christ as man when in an agony, comforting him, suggesting comfortable things to him; so one saint may strengthen and comfort another when in distress, whether of soul or body; see Psalm 138:3 ; and thus Job had strengthened and comforted others, with his words in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 16:6

Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged ,.... Though he spoke to God in prayer, and entreated for some abatement of his sorrows, he got no relief; and though he spoke to himself in soliloquies, his sorrow was not repressed nor lessened; he could not administer comfort to himself in the present case, though he might to others in like circumstances, if his own were changed; and though I forbear speaking, hold my peace, and say nothing, what am I eased ? or "what goes from me" F20 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 16:7

But now he hath made me weary ,.... Or "it hath made me weary" F21 "Dolor meus", V. L. so Aben Ezra & Cocceius. , that is, "my grief", as it may be supplied from Job 16:6 ; or rather God, as appears from the next clause, and from the following verse, where he is manifestly addressed; who by afflicting him had made him weary of the world, and all things in it, even of his very life, Job 10:1 ; his afflictions were so heavy upon him, and pressed him so hard, that his life was a... read more

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