Job 16
16:4 a Job might have wanted to shake his head in mockery or in horror (2 Kgs 19:21 b; Pss 22:7 c; 109:25 d; Isa 37:22 e; Jer 18:16 f; Lam 2:15 g; Matt 27:39 h).16:7 i Job’s family here means his extended household, including his servants (1:15-19 j).
Summary for Job 16:9-10: 16:9-10 k jeer and laugh at me: Job was the subject of mockery (cp. Ps 35:21 l; Isa 57:4 m; Lam 2:16 n; 3:46 o).
• To slap the cheek was less an act of violence (Ps 3:7 p; Mic 5:1 q) than an insult (1 Kgs 22:24 r; Isa 50:6 s; Lam 3:30 t; Matt 26:67 u).
16:12 v took me by the neck: This might refer to a wild animal with its prey (see 16:9 w), but it is more likely a military image that signaled defeat (Gen 49:8 x; Ps 18:40 y).
16:13 z pierce me: Literally pierce my kidneys.
• my blood: Literally my gall. The picture is of wounds to vital organs.
16:14 aa Again and again he smashes against me: Job pictures himself as a fortress that God is besieging. Job saw God as a warrior (cp. Exod 15:3 ab; Ps 24:8 ac) who did not defend him or offer him salvation (Jer 20:11 ad; Zeph 3:17 ae) but attacked him as though he were dangerous (Job 6:12 af; see Isa 42:13 ag).
16:15 ah Since Job insisted on his innocence, his wearing burlap (literally I sewed on burlap) was a sign of mourning, not penitence. Perhaps it was attached to indicate that he would never remove it because he could never be consoled (Gen 37:34-35 ai).
• My pride lies in the dust (literally I have buried my horn in the dust): A horn symbolized dignity and power (1 Sam 2:1 aj; Pss 75:4-5 ak; 89:17 al, 24 am; 92:10 an; 112:9 ao; 148:14 ap); cutting it off inflicted degrading humiliation (Ps 75:10 aq; Jer 48:25 ar; Zech 1:12 as).
16:17 at done no wrong (or done no violence; Hebrew lo’-khamas): If violence is the meaning, Job was possibly denying that he was a formidable warrior who should be attacked (16:12-14 au; see also Isa 59:6 av; Jon 3:8 aw).
• Contrary to Eliphaz’s charge (Job 15:4-5 ax) and Bildad’s assumption (8:6 ay), Job’s prayer was pure because he was innocent (Gen 20:5 az; Isa 59:3 ba).
Summary for Job 16:18-22: 16:18-22 bb Job expected his suffering to prove fatal (7:7 bc, 21 bd; 10:20-22 be); he pleaded with God to reveal his innocence even if he died first. 16:18 bf Job’s blood would cry out that he had been innocent and that he had suffered undeservedly (cp. Gen 4:10-11 bg; Isa 26:21 bh; Ezek 24:7-8 bi).
Summary for Job 16:19-21: 16:19-21 bj my witness is in heaven: Job wished for a benevolent third party who would mediate between him and God (see 9:32-35 bk). Job wanted an advocate from heaven (16:19 bl; cp. Zech 3:1 bm) who would eventually stand on the earth (Job 19:25 bn; cp. 1 Sam 24:15 bo; John 14:16 bp, 26 bq; 15:26 br; 16:7 bs; 1 Jn 2:1 bt).
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