Job 14:13 - Exposition

Oh that thou wouldest hide me in the grave! literally, in Sheol , which here does not so much mean "the grave," as the place of departed spirits, described in Job 10:21 , Job 10:22 . Job desires to have God's protection in that" land of darkness," and to be "hidden" there by him until his wrath be past. It has been generally supposed that he means after his death; but Schultens thinks his desire was to descend to Sheol alive , and there remain, while his punishment continued, hidden from the eyes of men. That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past. Job assumes that, if he is being punished for his youthful sins ( Job 13:26 ), his punishment will not be for long—at any rate, not for ever; God's anger will at last be satisfied and cease. That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! How long he may have to suffer be does not greatly care. Only let it be "a set time"—a fixed, definite period—and at the end of it, let God "remember" him.