Bible Commentaries
Job 19

Verses 1-29

JOB - CHAPTER 19

JOB’S REPLY TO BILDAD

Verses 1-29:

Verses 1-3 is Job’s rebuttal to Bildad and his two false friend’s attacks against his life and character. He asks just how long they will hang around to attack his integrity, vexing his soul, and break him in pieces, hardening their souls against him, Job 18:2; Job Verse3 asserts that they did not hesitate to harden themselves against him, without shame, showing no compassion. They stunned him ten times (the number of heathens in rebellion against God), Genesis 27:36; Genesis 31:7.

Verse 4 recounts Job’s concession that he has erred, done wrong, but also allows that he will bear the consequence in his own conscience, Romans 14:11-12. He, however, denies guilt of any wickedness of which he is conscious, Ezekiel 18:4.

Verses 5, 6 continue Job’s appeal that if his fake friends, would magnify themselves (make themselves to appear great) against him proudly, as saints against an obstinate sinner, and plead against him his reproach, Obadiah 1:12; Ezekiel 35:13; Psalms 38:16. They should know that it was the living God who had overthrown him and compassed him with his net, Micah 7:8; La 1:13. They could not make themselves heroes by hiding behind the half-truth that God chastens the wicked for their sins, while ignoring the corollary, that he also tests men by afflictions for his glory, John 9:2-3; John 11:4; 1 Peter 4:12-16. Job was encompassed in the will of God’s net, not that of Bildad’s for retribution, Job 2:6-10.

Verses 7, 8 relate Job’s feeling that he had cried, out of being violently or wrongfully accused, but has not been heard, even cried aloud, but no judgment had fallen on his false accusers, a thing that was a part of Satan’s testing, for God’s glory, Job 2:6-10. Job declared that the Lord had fenced up his way, that he could not pass from it, having set darkness in his path, Job 3:23; Psalms 88:8; La 3:7, 8; Hosea 2:6.

Verse 9 witnesses that the Lord had stripped him of his glory or dignity and removed the crown of royal or ruling dignity from his head. This indicates that he had, before his affliction, been an Arab emir, highly respected, with all but royal dignity, that was now departed, La 5:16; Proverbs 4:9; Psalms 89:39; Psalms 89:44. Job was now like a deposed king, bowed with humiliation, confessing it, to be lifted up, Luke 18:14.

Verse 10, 11 declare that the Lord had destroyed him on every side, like a tree uprooted in a storm, shaken on every side, removing his hope of this life, like an uprooted tree, Jeremiah 1:10; Job 11:18; His hope in the after life was not gone, v. 19; Job 14:15. the tree cut down may have hope of sprouting again, but not the uprooted one. Job complains that the Lord had kindled his wrath against him, accounting him as if he were an enemy, Deuteronomy 32:22; Psalms 89:46; Psalms 90:7; Job 13:24; La 2:5.

Verse 12 adds that his troops, (calamities and afflictions) that came against him, Isaiah 40:3; As also set forth, Job 16:11; Psalms 34:19; Isaiah 10:5-6; Isaiah 51:23. His tabernacle or residence had been encircled and overrun by his plaque of afflictions.

Verse 13 continues that it was the Lord who had put his brethren, his kinsmen, far from him. Even his acquaintances had become estranged from him, turned away in disgust. This language prefigured the desertion of Jesus Christ by his own brethren and friends, Job 16:10; Psalms 38:11; Luke 23:49. See also Psalms 31:11; Matthew 26:56; 2 Timothy 4:16.

Verse 14 declares that even his kinsfolk had forgotten him, let him down. And his former familiar friends had forgotten him, failed to come to his aid, as described, Psalms 18:11; Proverbs 18:24; Micah 7:5-6; Matthew 10:21.

Verse 15 further discloses that Job’s household members, or sojourners in his house, and maids yet alive, considered him as a stranger and alien in their sight; He was forlorn and lonely. Though not forsaken of the Lord, Hebrews 13:5.

Verse 16 adds that he had called his servant, born in his own household, belonging to his family, and he gave him no answer. He disobeyed and dishonored him. Though he entreated him with his mouth, nodded to him, no longer for obedience but for him to show compassion; but he did not help him, Job 1:15-16; Proverbs 30:21-22.

Verse 17 states his odorous breath caused his wife to turn away. His body and breath both stank, as he entreated for his brothers and grandchildren’s sake, Psalms 69:8. He again foreshadows Jesus Christ, John 7:5.

Verses 18, 19 add that young children (the wicked) despised Job and rose up and spoke against him. All his inward friends, his inner circle or closest friends, had come to abhor and turn against him; though they had once been his intimate confidants, Psalms 25:14.

Verse 20 states that Job was so emaciated that his bones came up against his skin and clave to it through the flesh, so that the bone might be seen through the skin, Psalms 102:5; La 4:8. He was saved by the "skin of his teeth," with speech to curse God, Satan hoped, Psalms 22:17; Job 1:11; Job 2:5-6; Job 2:9-10.

Verses 21, 22 area direct appeal of Job to Bildad the Shuhite and his colleagues in accusing Job of concealed wickedness and hypocrisy. He asks that they have pity or compassion on him because the hand of God had touched him heavily. He desired to be spared of any further speeches of cruelty. That God afflicts men is no just ground for men to afflict, torment, or abuse them too, Zechariah 1:15; He asks if they are not satisfied with his flesh. Must they gnaw on or chew on him as polluting worms, maggots did, he asks! Such also prefigured abuse our Lord should endure, Psalms 69:26; Psalms 27:2; Galatians 5:15.

Verses 23, 24 laments Job’s longing for his words, his testimony, to be written, recorded, engraved, or preserved in a book, for future generations. He desired to be vindicated, recognized, remembered as innocent of the false charges of his friends. He yearned to have his words, not merely written on a scroll or slate, that might be destroyed, but engraved by an iron hammer that pounded lead characters into a rock, to be preserved, imperishably, even forever, even as the word of God, Psalms 119:89; Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:23-25.

Verse 25 relates Job’s emphatic faith, hope, and assurance that his Goel, Redeemer, Vindicator, or Advocate was alive, living on and on, and that he should stand, stand up, or arise out of the earth, and stand upon it at the last (latter day), Genesis 22:5. In this redeemer he would himself be redeemed by his kinsman redeemer, as his near kinsman, out of the dust of death into a glorified body of his own, Romans 8:11; Job 16:19; Numbers 35:27; John 5:21; John 5:26; 1 Corinthians 15:23-24; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Peter 1:11-12; Hebrews 2:14; Ruth 4:3-5; Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:14.

KINSMAN-REDEMPTION BY (HEB GOEL)

Job’s "Goel," Kinsman-Redeemer, was Jesus Christ. He is preshadowed in the ancient law of kinsman redemption in four ways as follows:

1) Kinsman Redemption related to: a) persons and things to be inherited by kinsmen of the deceased, the near of kin, as set forth Leviticus 25:25; Leviticus 25:48; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 1:14.

2) The Redeemer must be a near kinsman, as certified Leviticus 25:48-49; Ruth 3:12-13; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:14-15.

3) The Redeemer had to have the price required for redemption, as set forth Ruth 4:4-6; Jeremiah 50:34; John 10:18; John 10:18.

4) The Redemption transaction was completed by the (Goel’s) paying the just demand in full, Leviticus 25:27; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Galatians 3:13; See also Exodus 14:30; Romans 3:24.

Verse 26 adds that Job believed that even though skin-worms, maggots, destroyed his body, brought it to the dust in death, yet he would see God in his flesh, even in his own body, be totally vindicated against charges by his friends that he was a wicked, unregenerated hypocrite. His faith and hope are certified in the scriptures repeatedly, Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:21; 1 Corinthians 15:35; 1 Corinthians 15:38; 1 Corinthians 15:44; 1 Corinthians 15:52-53; 1 John 3:1-3.

Verse 27 adds further that Job knew (comprehended) that he would live again to see his kinsman-redeemer, face to face, and look upon Him who had redeemed him, vindicated him from all his former calamities. The term "and not another" means "and not a stranger," shall see Him, nor would He be a stranger to Job. This hope was steadfast even as he pined away under suffering, Psalms 84:2; Psalms 119:8; Numbers 25:17; Matthew 2:2.

Verse 28 foretells what they will say (as pretended friends), when the hour of his vindication and vindicator does come, Hebrews 10:36-37; Each of them will say at the judgment hour, "why did I do it?" For the wrong was in me. Yes, men often judge others, without the facts or on a basis of partial facts that lead to erroneous conclusions. His detractors knew just enough truth to make them vicious critics, not compassionate friends of one in sorrow. Note while 1) afflictions may be because of personal sins, or inherent from wicked relatives, Exodus 20:4-5. They may also 2) be testings from the Lord to His glory, John 9:23; John 11:4; 1 Peter 4:12-16.

Verse 29 recounts Job’s warning his friends of the consequence of their lying attacks against him, his character, and his integrity. There is a sword, an instrument of judgment for wrong, and God may even send it upon you fellows; If you do not turn away from your slanderous assaults on me, Job warned Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar; of such he was not ignorant, and against such they were not immune; The wrath of God, later expressed against Job’s detractors, is but a foretaste of future judgment of wrong and vindication of the righteous, Job 42:7; Psalms 7:10-13; Isaiah 25:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10.