Job 3:22

3:20-26 Job was like a man who had lost his way, and had no prospect of escape, or hope of better times. But surely he was in an ill frame for death when so unwilling to live. Let it be our constant care to get ready for another world, and then leave it to God to order our removal thither as he thinks fit. Grace teaches us in the midst of life's greatest comforts, to be willing to die, and in the midst of its greatest crosses, to be willing to live. Job's way was hid; he knew not wherefore God contended with him. The afflicted and tempted Christian knows something of this heaviness; when he has been looking too much at the things that are seen, some chastisement of his heavenly Father will give him a taste of this disgust of life, and a glance at these dark regions of despair. Nor is there any help until God shall restore to him the joys of his salvation. Blessed be God, the earth is full of his goodness, though full of man's wickedness. This life may be made tolerable if we attend to our duty. We look for eternal mercy, if willing to receive Christ as our Saviour.

Which rejoice exceedingly,.... Or, "which joy till they do skip again", as Mr. Broughton renders it, and to the same purport others (d); are so elated as to skip and dance for joy: and are glad when they can find the grave; which is to be understood either of those who dig in the earth for hid treasure, such as is laid there by men; when they strike and hit upon a grave where they expect to find a booty; it being usual in former times to put much riches into the sepulchres of great personages, as Sanctius on the place observes; so Hyrcanus, opening the sepulchre of David, found in it three thousand talents of silver, as Josephus (e) relates: or rather this is said of the miserable and bitter in soul, who long for death, and seek after it; who, when they perceive any symptoms of its near approach, are exceedingly pleased, and rejoice at it, as when they observe the decays of nature, or any disorder and disease upon them which threaten with death; for this cannot be meant of the dead carrying to the grave, who are insensible of it, and of their being put into it. (d) "qu laetantur ad choream usque", Schultens, "quasi ad tripudium", Michaelis. (e) Antiqu. l. 13. c. 8. sect. 4. Ed. Hudson.

Job 3:22 . Which rejoice exceedingly, when they can find the grave — To be thus impatient of life, for the sake of the trouble we meet with, is not only unnatural in itself, but ungrateful to the Giver of life, and shows a sinful indulgence of our own passion. Let it be our great and constant care to get ready for another world: and then let us leave it to God to order the circumstances of our removal thither.

Verse 22. - Which rejoice exceedingly ; literally, to exultation or "to dancing;" i.e. so that they almost dance with joy. And are glad, when they can find the grave . Job speaks as if he knew of such cases; and, no doubt, the fact of suicide proves that among men there are some who prefer to die rather than live. But suicides are seldom altogether in possession of their senses. Of sane men it may be doubted whether one in a thousand, however miserable, really wishes to die, or is "glad when he can find the grave." In such thoughts as those to which Job here gives expression there is something morbid and unreal. Job 3:22

Which rejoice exceedingly - Hebrew "Who rejoice upon joy or exultation" (אל־גיל 'el-gı̂yl), that is, with exceedingly great joy. When they can find the grave - What an expression! How strikingly does it express the intense desire to die, and the depth of a man's sorrow, when it becomes a matter of exultation for him to be permitted to lie down in the corruption and decay of the tomb! A somewhat similiar sentiment occurs in Euripides, as quoted by Cicero, Tusc. Quaest. Lib. 1, cap. 48: Nam nos decebat, doman Lugere, ubi esset aliquis in lucem editus, Humanae vitae varia reputantes mala; At qui labores morte finisset graves Hunc omni amicos laude et Lactitia exsequi.

20 Why is light given to the wretched, And life to the sorrowful in soul? 21 Who wait for death, and he comes not, Who dig after him more than for treasure, 22 Who rejoice with exceeding joy, Who are enraptured, when they can find the grave? 23 To the man whose way is hidden, And whom Eloah hath hedged round? The descriptive partt. Job 3:21, Job 3:22, are continued in predicative clauses, which are virtually relative clauses; Job 3:21 has the fut. consec., since the sufferers are regarded as now at least dead; Job 3:22 the simple fut., since their longing for the grave is placed before the eye (on this transition from the part. to the verb. fin., vid., Ges. 134, rem. (2). Schlottm. and Hahn wrongly translate: who would dig (instead of do dig) for him more than for treasure. אלי־גיל (with poetical אלי instead of אל) might signify, accompanied by rejoicing, i.e., the cry and gesture of joy. The translation usque ad exultationem, is however, more appropriate here as well as in Hosea 9:1. With Job 3:23 Job refers to himself: he is the man whose way of suffering is mysterious and prospectless, and whom God has penned in on all sides (a fig. like Job 19:8; comp. Lamentations 3:5). סכך, sepire, above, Job 1:10, to hedge round for protection, here: forcibly straiten.

toward heaven —They threw ashes violently upwards, that they might fall on their heads and cover them—the deepest mourning (Joshua 7:6; Acts 22:23). 13. seven days … nights —They did not remain in the same posture and without food, &c., all this time, but for most of this period daily and nightly. Sitting on the earth marked mourning (Lamentations 2:10). Seven days was the usual length of it (Genesis 50:10; 1 Samuel 31:13). This silence may have been due to a rising suspicion of evil in Job; but chiefly because it is only ordinary griefs that find vent in language; extraordinary griefs are too great for utterance. ## CHAPTER 3 THE POEM OR DEBATE ITSELF (Job 3:2-42:6). FIRST SERIES IN IT (Job 3:1-14:22). JOB FIRST (Job 3:1-26). Job 3:1-19. J OB C URSES THE D AY OF H IS B IRTH AND W ISHES FOR D EATH. 1. opened his mouth —The Orientals speak seldom, and then sententiously; hence this formula expressing deliberation and gravity (Psalms 78:2). He formally began. cursed his day —the strict Hebrew word for "cursing:" not the same as in Job 1:5. Job cursed his birthday, but not his God. 2. spake — Hebrew, "answered," that is, not to any actual question that preceded, but to the question virtually involved in the case. His outburst is singularly wild and bold (Jeremiah 20:14). To desire to die so as to be free from sin is a mark of grace; to desire to die so as to escape troubles is a mark of corruption. He was ill-fitted to die who was so unwilling to live.

Rom. vi. 23; v. 12; Matt. xii. 36. Isa. lv. 7; Rom. viii. 1; Isa. i. 16, 18. James v. 16; Luke xvii. 3, 4; Josh. vii. 19; Psa. li. throughout. 2 Cor. ii. 8; [Amer. ed. Gal. vi. 1, 2]. James v. 16; Luke xvii. 3, 4; Josh. vii. 19; Psa. li. throughout. 2 Cor. ii. 8; [Amer. ed. Gal. vi. 1, 2]. Micah vi. 8; Rom. xii. 2; Heb. xiii. 21. Matt. xv. 9; Isa. xxix. 13; 1 Pet. i. 18; Rom. x. 2; John xvi. Micah vi. 8; Rom. xii. 2; Heb. xiii. 21. Matt. xv. 9; Isa. xxix. 13; 1 Pet. i. 18; Rom. x. 2; John xvi. 1 Pet. ii. 12; Phil. i. 11; John xv. 8. Eph. ii. 10. Rom. vi. 22. 1 Pet. ii. 12; Phil. i. 11; John xv. 8. Eph. ii. 10. Rom. vi. 22. [Amer. ed. omits as.] Luke xvii. 10; Neh. xiii. 22; Job ix. 2, 3; Gal. v. 17. Luke xvii. 10; Neh. xiii. 22; Job ix. 2, 3; Gal. v. 17. Luke xvii. 10. Isa. lxiv. 6; Gal. v. 17; Rom. vii. 15, 18; Psa. cxliii. 2; cxxx. 3. Luke xvii. 10. Isa. lxiv. 6; Gal. v. 17; Rom. vii. 15, 18; Psa. cxliii. 2; cxxx. 3. Eph. i. 6; 1 Pet. ii. 5; Exod. xxviii. 38; Gen. iv. 4 with Heb. Job ix. 20; Psa. cxliii. 2. Eph. i. 6; 1 Pet. ii. 5; Exod. xxviii. 38; Gen. iv. 4 with Heb. Job ix. 20; Psa. cxliii. 2. Gen. iv. 3-5 with Heb. xi. 4, 6. Hag. ii. 14; Titus i. 15; Amos v. 21, 22; Hos. i. 4; Rom. ix. Psa. xiv. 4; xxxvi. 3; Job xxi. 14, 15; Matt. xxv. 41-45; xxiii. Gen. iv. 3-5 with Heb. xi. 4, 6. Hag. ii. 14; Titus i. 15; Amos v. 21, 22; Hos. i. 4; Rom. ix. Psa. xiv. 4; xxxvi. 3; Job xxi. 14, 15; Matt. xxv. 41-45; xxiii. end; John xvii. 11, 24; Luke xxii. 32; Heb. vii. 25.