Job 19:10

19:8-22 How doleful are Job's complaints! What is the fire of hell but the wrath of God! Seared consciences will feel it hereafter, but do not fear it now: enlightened consciences fear it now, but shall not feel it hereafter. It is a very common mistake to think that those whom God afflicts he treats as his enemies. Every creature is that to us which God makes it to be; yet this does not excuse Job's relations and friends. How uncertain is the friendship of men! but if God be our Friend, he will not fail us in time of need. What little reason we have to indulge the body, which, after all our care, is consumed by diseases it has in itself. Job recommends himself to the compassion of his friends, and justly blames their harshness. It is very distressing to one who loves God, to be bereaved at once of outward comfort and of inward consolation; yet if this, and more, come upon a believer, it does not weaken the proof of his being a child of God and heir of glory.

To be "troubled on every side" is much, as the apostles were, 2 Corinthians 4:8 ; but to be destroyed on every side, and all around, is more, and denotes utter destruction; it may have respect to the rein of his substance and family, which were all demolished at once; his oxen and asses, which were on one side, his camels on other, his sheep on another, and his children on another, and all destroyed in one day, and perhaps in a few hours; and also to his body, which God had made, and had fashioned together round about; but now he had suffered it to be smitten with ulcers from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet; and this earthly tabernacle of his was demolishing on every side, and just falling down; for the allusion is either to the demolition of a building, or to the rooting up of a tree, and so continued in the next clause; comparing himself to a tree, that is dug about on all sides, and its roots laid bare, and these and all their fibres cut off, so that it is utterly destroyed from growing any more, but becomes dead; and this Job thought to be his case: and I am gone; or am a dead man, just going out of the world, the way of all flesh; and because of the certainty of it, and of its being very quickly, in a few minutes, as it were, he speaks of it as if it already was: wherefore it follows, and my hope he hath removed like a tree; not like a tree that is cut down to its roots, which remain in the ground, and may sprout out again, Job 14:7; nor like a tree that is

Job 19:10 . He hath destroyed me on every side — In all respects, my person, and family, and estate. And I am gone — I am a lost and dead man. My hope hath he removed — All my hopes of the present life, but not of the life to come; like a tree — Which, being once plucked up by the roots, never grows again. Hope in this life is a perishing thing. But the hope of good men, when it is cut off from this world, is but removed like a tree, transplanted from this nursery to the garden of God.

10 . He hath destroyed ] Rather, he breaketh me down ; the figure of a building. In the second clause the image is that of a great tree torn up by the roots, whose fall is pitiful. The words, and I am gone , refer to his inevitable death from his disease, which he regards as already virtually come, as is expressed in the next clause—his hope (of life or recovery) is removed like a tree.

Verse 10. - He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone ; or, broken me down. Job compares himself to a city, the walls of which are attacked on every side and broken down. His ruin is complete - he perishes. And mine hope hath he removed like a tree ; rather, torn up like a tree. Job's "hope" was, no doubt, to lead a tranquil and a godly life, surrounded by his relatives and friends, in favour with God and man, till old age came, and he descended, like a ripe shock of corn ( Job 5:26 ), to the grave. This hope had been "torn up by the roots" when his calamities fell upon him. Job 19:10

10. destroyed … on every side—"Shaken all round, so that I fall in the dust"; image from a tree uprooted by violent shaking from every side [Umbreit]. The last clause accords with this (Jer 1:10) mine hope—as to this life (in opposition to Zophar, Job 11:18); not as to the world to come (Job 19:25; Job 14:15). removed—uprooted.

On every side, i.e. in all respects, and to all intents and purposes; my person, and family, and estate. I am gone, i.e. I am a lost and dead man. Going is oft put for dying , as Genesis 15:2 Psalm 39:13 . Mine hope, i.e. all my hopes of the present life, as he oft expresseth it; but not of the life to come, as appears from Job 13:15,16 19:25 , &c. Like a tree; which being once plucked up by the roots, never groweth again.

He hath destroyed me on every side - He has left me nothing. The word which is used here is that which is commonly applied to which is used here is that which is commonly applied to destroying cities, towns, and houses. "Rosenmuller." And I am gone - That is, I am near death. I cannot recover myself. And mine hope hath he removed like a tree - A tree, which is plucked up by the roots, and which does not grow again. That is, his hopes of life and happiness, of an honored old age, and of a continuance of his prosperity, had been wholly destroyed. This does not refer to his "religious" hope - as the word hope is often used now - but to his desire of future comfort and prosperity in this life. It does not appear but that his religious hope, arising from confidence in God, remainned unaffected.

7 Behold I cry violence, and I am not heard; I cry for help, and there is no justice. 8 My way He hath fenced round, that I cannot pass over, And He hath set darkness on my paths. 9 He hath stripped me of mine honour, And taken away the crown from my head. 10 He destroyed me on every side, then Iperished, And lifted out as a tree my hope. 11 He kindled His wrath against me, And He regarded me as one of His foes. He cries aloud חמס (that which is called out regarded as accusa. or as an interjection, vid., on Habakkuk 1:2), i.e., that illegal force is exercised over him. He finds, however, neither with God nor among men any response of sympathy and help; he cries for help (which שׁוּע, perhaps connected with ישׁע, Arab. s‛t, from ישׁע, Arab. ws‛, seems to signify), without justice, i.e., the right of an impartial hearing and verdict, being attainable by him. He is like a prisoner who is confined to a narrow space (comp. Job 3:23; Job 13:27) and has no way out, since darkness is laid upon him wherever he may go. One is here reminded of Lamentations 3:7-9; and, in fact, this speech generally stands in no accidental mutual relation to the lamentations of Jeremiah. The "crown of my head" has also its parallel in Lamentations 5:16; that which was Job's greatest ornament and most costly jewel is meant. According to Job 29:14, צדק and משׁפט were his robe and diadem.