Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible · Job Kapitel 7

CHAP. VII.

Job goes on to pour out his lamentations in the most pathetic manner, and expostulates with God, praying to be speedily released from his miseries; or that God would grant him some little respite, till the time of their termination should come.

Before Christ 1645.

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Job 7:2. As a servant earnestly desireth, &c.— As a servant panteth for the shade; that is, wherein he may refresh and recruit himself when wearied with labours in the heat of the day. Schultens. Heath renders the next clause, And as the hireling earnestly longeth for his wages.

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Job 7:3. So am I made to possess— So am I made to inherit—and nights of misery are my portion: Heath; who, instead of I am full of tossings, in the next verse, reads, I am tired, or wearied out with tossings.

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Job 7:5. My flesh is clothed with worms, &c.— My flesh is clothed with worms, and with the filth of dust: my skin is broken and putrifies. Houbigant. Heath renders it, The worm covereth my flesh, and filthy mud my skin; suddenly it will turn even to putrefaction. See ch. Job 19:26.

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Job 7:6. And are spent without hope— תקוה באפס ויכלו vayiklu beaepes tikvah. Literally, And they are destroyed even to the extremity of hope. Heath renders it, And even the least glimmering of hope is at an end.

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Job 7:12. Am I a sea, or a whale, &c.— Houbigant renders it, Am I a sea or a whale, that thou raisest a tempest against me? an idea which very well suits with that storm of troubles wherewith Job was nearly overwhelmed.

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Job 7:15. So that my soul chooseth strangling, &c.— My soul therefore chooseth strangling; death rather than the recovery of my health. Heath. But Houbigant renders it thus: Yet thou preservest me from a violent end, and drivest death far from my bones: Job 7:16. Yet I shall not live always; cease therefore from me, since my days are vanity. See his note.

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Job 7:17. What is man, &c.?— What is mortal man, that thou shouldst contend with him, and that thou shouldst set thy heart against him? Schultens.

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Job 7:19. How long wilt thou not depart from me?— Literally, How long wilt thou not take thine eyes off me? This is a metaphor borrowed from combatants, who never take their eyes off from their antagonists. The figure is preserved in the next sentence, which represents a combatant seized by his adversary in such a manner as to prevent his swallowing his spittle, or fetching his breath. Till I swallow my spittle, is an Arabic proverb at present in use, signifying a very short time. See Schultens and Houbigant.

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