Old Testament Commentary - Job 19

by Don R. Hender

Though I cannot claim the perfect and righteous level of Job, I have lived very much the same experiences that he has. I've been where he has been. I have felt as he has felt. I've experienced much of what he has experienced. And even yet my own lot is not ended but does continue on. Of course my life is not over and perhaps mine will not be resolved as Job's was so eventually resolved though he had to live to 140 years for it to come to a satisfactory end.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

                  CHAPTER 19
Job tells of the ills that have befallen him, and then testifies: I know that my Redeemer liveth—He prophesies of his own resurrection and that in his flesh he shall see God.

1 THEN Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.

4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.

7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard^a: I cry aloud, but there is no ^ajudgment.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. 7^a I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard This is the lot of all who have been wronged whether by the arm of man or by man in the name of God. The cry goes out that 'a wrong' has occured, but there is none to hear or listen. Even God does seem to turn a deft ear, at least for the duration, as he allows such wrongs to occur and to be endured by those who are hurt by them. This is the course of this earth, its imperfections, its trial, its freedom of agency for any number to perform the wrong in the first place against another and for those, even in authority and position of responsibility to hear and act, to chose to ignore or let slide, allow, and even condone in the face of what is 'politically correct' or what is of most convienent unto themselves and what they can cause their own conscience to allow and not to act upon. After all, what is it to them? And in all this there is no judgment as all is tolerated and pushed aside and left for the Lord alone to act upon rather than any to take a stand thereon or even to lend a hand in the course thereof. 7^a HEB justice

10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed^a like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my ^atabernacle. 10^a mine hope hath he removed In some such cases of 'wrong' the whole 'hope' or 'design' of a person's life is destoryed, even to the point that all that seems to be left is that life after death and the resurrection. Much of what gave spirit to earthly mortal living is gone. 12^a HEB tent

13 He hath put my brethren far from me^a, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have ^aforgotten me.
15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. 13^a hath put my brethren far from me Unfortunately even such as family, friends, the brethern of the church, all thoses who ought to be of comfort and aid are removed from you in the course of the wrong, and none step forward to help but to accuse, abuse and decry against you. It is then that you find that the arm of flesh is weak for what ought to have been is not, and they find it easier to shun and snuff and to condemn you rather than do what they ought to do in being your fellow, help and aid. They enforce their own will and lack of understanding upon you as they prefer to see it from what suits themselves to consider the case and occassion to be. And you are left to find out that there is no really true friends. And even God has left you unto your self in the earth's testing of it without any comfort or assistance to be given. 14^a Ps. 31:11-12

16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
17 My ^abreath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
19 All my ^ainward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me. 17^a OR spirit
19^a OR intimate

20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my ^afriends; for the ^bhand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with ^amy flesh? 21^a TG Friendship
     ^b Job 1:11
22^a IE the state of my body,
       or suffering

23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

25 For I ^aknow that my ^bredeemer liveth, and that **^che shall ^dstand at the latter day upon the earth^a**:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this ^abody, yet in my ^bflesh shall I ^csee God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. **25^a he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth Here is a testimony of Job that the Lord God as Jesus Christ will come to earth, his Second Coming, and stand to judge. And Job understands that the redeember will live upon the earth as he will need be resurrected and Job further understands that he himself will be resurrected in the flesh to see it. 25^a TG Loyalty; TG Testimony
     ^b TG Jesus Christ, Foreordained
       TG Jesus Christ, Redeemer
     ^c TG Jesus Christ, Second Coming
     ^d TG Jesus Christ, Resurrection
26^a** TG Mortality
     ^b TG Flesh and Blood
       TG Immortality; TG Resurrection
     ^c 1 John 3:2

28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 19 Job tells of the ills that have befallen him, and then testifies: I know that my Redeemer liveth—He prophesies of his own resurrection and that in his flesh he shall see God.
1 THEN Job answered and said, 2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? 3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself. 5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach: 6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard^a: I cry aloud, but there is no ^ajudgment. 8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. 9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.	7^a I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard This is the lot of all who have been wronged whether by the arm of man or by man in the name of God. The cry goes out that 'a wrong' has occured, but there is none to hear or listen. Even God does seem to turn a deft ear, at least for the duration, as he allows such wrongs to occur and to be endured by those who are hurt by them. This is the course of this earth, its imperfections, its trial, its freedom of agency for any number to perform the wrong in the first place against another and for those, even in authority and position of responsibility to hear and act, to chose to ignore or let slide, allow, and even condone in the face of what is 'politically correct' or what is of most convienent unto themselves and what they can cause their own conscience to allow and not to act upon. After all, what is it to them? And in all this there is no judgment as all is tolerated and pushed aside and left for the Lord alone to act upon rather than any to take a stand thereon or even to lend a hand in the course thereof.	7^a HEB justice
10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed^a like a tree. 11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies. 12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my ^atabernacle.	10^a mine hope hath he removed In some such cases of 'wrong' the whole 'hope' or 'design' of a person's life is destoryed, even to the point that all that seems to be left is that life after death and the resurrection. Much of what gave spirit to earthly mortal living is gone.	12^a HEB tent
13 He hath put my brethren far from me^a, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. 14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have ^aforgotten me. 15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.	13^a hath put my brethren far from me Unfortunately even such as family, friends, the brethern of the church, all thoses who ought to be of comfort and aid are removed from you in the course of the wrong, and none step forward to help but to accuse, abuse and decry against you. It is then that you find that the arm of flesh is weak for what ought to have been is not, and they find it easier to shun and snuff and to condemn you rather than do what they ought to do in being your fellow, help and aid. They enforce their own will and lack of understanding upon you as they prefer to see it from what suits themselves to consider the case and occassion to be. And you are left to find out that there is no really true friends. And even God has left you unto your self in the earth's testing of it without any comfort or assistance to be given.	14^a Ps. 31:11-12
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. 17 My ^abreath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body. 18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. 19 All my ^ainward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.		17^a OR spirit 19^a OR intimate
20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. 21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my ^afriends; for the ^bhand of God hath touched me. 22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with ^amy flesh?		21^a TG Friendship ^b Job 1:11 22^a IE the state of my body, or suffering
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! 24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
25 For I ^aknow that my ^bredeemer liveth, and that *^che shall ^dstand at the latter day* upon the earth^a*: 26 And though* after my skin worms destroy this ^abody, yet in my ^bflesh shall I ^csee God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.	*25^a he shall stand at the latter day* upon the earth** Here is a testimony of Job that the Lord God as Jesus Christ will come to earth, his Second Coming, and stand to judge. And Job understands that the redeember will live upon the earth as he will need be resurrected and Job further understands that he himself will be resurrected in the flesh to see it.	25^a TG Loyalty; TG Testimony ^b TG Jesus Christ, Foreordained TG Jesus Christ, Redeemer ^c TG Jesus Christ, Second Coming ^d TG Jesus Christ, Resurrection 26^a TG Mortality ^b TG Flesh and Blood TG Immortality; TG Resurrection ^c 1 John 3:2
28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? 29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.