Bible Commentaries
Job 19

Verse 3

19:3 These {a} ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed [that] ye make yourselves strange to me.

(a) That is, many times, as in Nehemiah 4:12.

Verse 4

19:4 And be it indeed [that] I have erred, mine error {b} remaineth with myself.

(b) That is, I myself will be punished for it, or you have not yet consulted it.

Verse 6

19:6 Know now that God hath {c} overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.

(c) He breaks out again into his passions and declares still that his affliction comes from God though he is not able to feel the cause in himself.

Verse 8

19:8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot {d} pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

(d) Meaning, out of his afflictions.

Verse 9

19:9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the {e} crown [from] my head.

(e) Meaning, his children, and whatever was dear to him in this world.

Verse 10

19:10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like {f} a tree.

(f) Which is plucked up, and has no more hope to grow.

Verse 12

19:12 His {g} troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.

(g) His manifold afflictions.

Verse 15

19:15 {h} They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

(h) My household servants by all these losses Job shows that touching the flesh he had great opportunity to be moved.

Verse 17

19:17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s [sake] of mine {i} own body.

(i) Which were hers and mine.

Verse 20

19:20 My bone {k} cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.

(k) Besides these great losses and most cruel unkindness, he was touched in his own person as follows.

Verse 21

19:21 Have pity upon me, have {m} pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

(m) Seeing I have these just causes to complain, condemn me not as a hypocrite, especially you who should comfort me.

Verse 22

19:22 Why do ye persecute me as {n} God, and are not satisfied with my {o} flesh?

(n) Is it not enough that God punishes me, unless you by reproaching increase my sorrow?

(o) To see my body punished, unless you trouble my mind?

Verse 24

19:24 That they were graven with {p} an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

(p) He protests that despite his sore passions his religion is perfect and that he in not a blasphemer as they judged him.

Verse 25

19:25 For I know [that] my {q} redeemer liveth, and [that] he shall stand at the latter [day] upon the earth:

(q) I do not so justify myself before the world, but I know that I will come before the great judge who will be my deliverer and Saviour.

Verse 26

19:26 And [though] after my skin [worms] destroy this [body], yet {r} in my flesh shall I see God:

(r) In this Job declares plainly that he had a full hope, that both the soul and body would enjoy the presence of God in the last resurrection.

Verse 28

19:28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the {s} matter is found in me?

(s) Though his friends thought that he was only persecuted by God for his sins, yet he declares that there was a deeper consideration that is, the trial of his faith and patience, and so to be an example for others.

Verse 29

19:29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath [bringeth] the {t} punishments of the sword, that ye may know [there is] a judgment.

(t) God will be avenged of this harsh judgment by which you condemned me.