Job 17:5

17:1-9 Job reflects upon the harsh censures his friends had passed upon him, and, looking on himself as a dying man, he appeals to God. Our time is ending. It concerns us carefully to redeem the days of time, and to spend them in getting ready for eternity. We see the good use the righteous should make of Job's afflictions from God, from enemies, and from friends. Instead of being discouraged in the service of God, by the hard usage this faithful servant of God met with, they should be made bold to proceed and persevere therein. Those who keep their eye upon heaven as their end, will keep their feet in the paths of religion as their way, whatever difficulties and discouragements they may meet with.

(5) He that speaketh flattery to his friends. —The three words thus rendered are, from their very brevity, most obscure. Literally, they run: for a portion he will tell friends. But what is the meaning of this? Some render, “He denounceth his friends for a prey,” i.e., such is the conduct of Job’s friends towards Job. Others understand it, “He would say, friends should take their part,” i.e., any one who would undertake to be surety for me would naturally expect my friends to share the responsibility; but so far from this, the eyes of his sons would fail in looking for it; they would never see it.

Job 17:5 . He that speaketh flattery to his friends — “The Hebrew of this verse,” says Peters, “literally, runs thus: He shall reckon friends for a portion, or inheritance, and the eyes of his children shall fail; that is, with expectation. They may look their eyes out before they receive any benefit or assistance from these friends. The expression is proverbial, intimating how liable men are to be disappointed, who depend upon the constancy of human friendships. And nothing could be more apposite to Job’s purpose.” Heath renders the words,” Whoso becometh the accuser of his friends, the eyes of his children will fail; that is, not only he, but his sons after him may look till they be weary, before they get more.” Bishop Patrick’s paraphrase on this and the two preceding verses appears to be perfectly consistent with the context, and is certainly well deserving of the reader’s attention. Lay down now, &c. Job 17:3 . “Once more, therefore, I beseech thee, O God, to assure me that thou wilt judge my cause thyself; let somebody undertake for thee; who is it, that on thy behalf will engage to do me right? Job 17:4 . Not these friends of mine, for they comprehend nothing of the way of thy judgments: therefore thou shalt not confer this honour on them who talk so absurdly. Job 17:5 .

I must speak the truth of them, (though it displease them,) and not sooth them up in their errors: for he that flatters his friends, when he should reprove them, may look long enough before either he, or his children, find one that will deal sincerely with them.” We add also the following interpretation of this verse, proposed by Poole. “He that uttereth, or declareth his mind, or thoughts, with flattery, or to flatter, or deceive another, he shall be severely punished, not only in his person, but even in his children, whose eyes shall fail with vain expectations of relief, and deliverance out of those calamities which shall come upon them for this sin of their parents.”

5 . This verse is very obscure. In some way or other it must carry on Job’s severe reflection on the conduct of his friends ( Job 17:4 ), and express it in a stronger way. The word rendered in A.V. flattery usually means a portion or share, that which falls to one on a division of land, booty, and the like, or that which is one’s possession. This must be the meaning here. The sense may be, They give over (their) fellow for a prey, While the eyes of his children fail. The expression seems to be of the nature of a proverb, which illustrates the cruel treatment to which men are subjected—they are given over, lit. assigned or declared , as a prey or possession to others (to whom, as debtors and the like, they are sold), while no pity is had for their perishing children. The language is general, though the conduct of Job’s friends towards him furnishes an illustration of the truth. The word “fellow” is plur., “fellows” or friends, the plur. being used to express the general idea; the sing., referring to each individual, appears in his children. Job regards his own treatment as an instance of similar ruthlessness, and his friends and those around him as shewing a similar cruelty. The passage expresses a sentiment similar to that in ch. Job 6:27 . Others render, he that betrayeth (or, denounceth) friends for a prey, may the eyes of his children fail , or, the eyes of his children shall fail .

Verse 5. - He that speaketh flattery to his friends ; rather, he that denounceth his friends for a prey. Job means to accuse his "comforters" of so acting. By their persistent belief in his grievous wickedness they give him up, as it were, for a prey to calamity, which they pronounce him to have deserved on account of his secret sins. Even the eyes of his children shall fail . Whoever so acts shall be punished, not only in his own person, but also in the persons of his descendants (comp. Exodus 20:5 ). Job 17:5

5. The Hebrew for "flattery" is "smoothness"; then it came to mean a prey divided by lot, because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (De 18:8), "a portion" (Ge 14:24). Therefore translate, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey (which the conduct of my friends implies that they would do), even the eyes," &c. [Noyes] (Job 11:20). Job says this as to the sinner's children, retorting upon their reproach as to the cutting off of his (Job 5:4; 15:30). This accords with the Old Testament dispensation of legal retribution (Ex 20:5).

Hereby Job chargeth them, either, 1. With flattering him with vain hopes, and promises of the return of his former prosperity, when he knew that his case was desperate. Or, 2. With flattering and befriending God, and giving a partial sentence out of respect to him; for which he reproved and condemned them before, Job 13:7-9 , where see the notes. Some render the words thus, He that uttereth or declareth his mind or thoughts (as this word signifies, Psalm 139:2,17 ) with flattery , or to flatter or deceive another. The eyes of his children shall fail; he shall be severely punished, not only in his person, but even in his children, whose eyes shall fail with vain expectations of relief and deliverance out of those calamities which shall come upon them for this sin of their parents.

He that speaketh flattery to his friends - Noyes renders this, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey, the eyes of his children shall fail." So Wemyss, "He who delivers up his friends to plunder." Dr. Good, "He that rebuketh his friends with mildness, even the eyes of his children shall be accomplished." The Septuagint, "He announces evil for his portion; his eyes fail over his sons." The Vulgate, "He promises spoil to his companions, and the eyes of his sons fail." The word rendered "flattery" (חלק chêleq) properly means "that which is smooth, smoothness" (from חלק châlaq to be smooth); and thence it denotes "a lot" or "portion," because "a smooth stone" was anciently used to cast lots in dividing spoils; Deuteronomy 18:8 . Here it is synonymous with plunder or spoil; and the idea is, that he who betrayeth his friends to the spoil or to the spoiler, the eyes of his children shall fail. The meaning in this connection is, that the friends of Job had acted as one would who should announce the residence of his neighbors to robbers, that they might come and plunder them. Instead of defending him, they had acted the part of a traitor. Schultens says that this verse is "a Gordian knot;" and most commentators regard it as such; but the above seems to give a clear and consistent meaning. It is evidently a proverb, and is designed to bear on the professed friends of Job, and to show that they had acted a fraudulent part toward him.

In Job 17:4 , he had said that God had hid their heart from understanding, and that wisdom had failed them. He "here" says that in addition to a want of wisdom, they were like a man who should betray his neighbors to robbers. Even the eyes of his children shall fail - He shall be punished. To do this is a crime, and great calamity shall come upon him, represented by the failure of the eyes of his children. Calamity is not unfrequently expressed by the loss of the eyes; see Proverbs 30:17.