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ויזרה וגו - תשכון באהלו מבליל

Word Fear is added in another Character: but this is too arbitrary, when it can be avoided. The Correction here wanted may be made without the leaft Alteration of the Text, excepting the Divifion of the Words, thus CONFUSION SHALL DWELL IN HIS TABERNACLE, AND BRIMSTONE &c. The Root of is to confound. It does not indeed occur in that precife Form: but that is no material Objection, as numberless απαξ λεγόμενα anayoμeva are found in this Book. By this Interpretation we also get rid of that Incongruity, his Houfe which is none of his.

V. 17.

CHAP. XIX.

though I intreated for the Children's Sake of mine own Body.nm] Rather AND I INTREATED THE CHILDREN OF MINE OWN BODY.

לבני בטני

[גם עולים מאסו בי

V. 18. Yea, young Children defpifed me ; — '1_10ND D’buy Da] ought here I think to be rendered BUT, or YET.

V. 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand

ואחרון על .at the latter Day upon the Earth ואני ידעתי גאלי חי [ עפר יקום :

py] Rather- FOR I KNOW that MY DELIVERER LIVETH, AND SHALL STAND UP FOR me HEREAFTER ABOVE THE DUST. As I think it will appear that there is no Allufion to Chrift, or the Refurrection of the Body, in this Paffage, it seems better to fubftitute a Word instead of Redeemer, which may not mislead our Ideas. For the fame Reason I would avoid ufing the Expreffion of the latter Day, and either render it adverbially, or make Time the Subftantive, as, in after Time. The Verb Dp frequently fignifies to stand up for, or fide with a Perfon. See Exod. II. 17. Pf. CIV. 16. yy above the Duft fignifies on this Side the Grave, as in or under the Duft does after Death.

V. 26. And though after my Skin Worms deftroy this Body, yet in

[ואחר עורי נקפו זאת - ומבשרי אחזה אלוה: .my Fleb Jball I Jee God

The Words, though, Worms, Body, are arbitrary, and not found in the Text, which may literally be rendered thus --- AND AFTER THAT THEY HAVE TORN THIS MY SKIN, EVEN FROM MY FLESH, I SHALL SEE GOD. The Subject to the Verb Dp is his Friends, of whom he had just said, v. 22. that they were not fatisfied with his Flesh. V. 27. Whom I shall fee for myself, and mine Eyes fhall behold, and

Rather, WHOM I [ אשר אני אחזה לי - ועיני ראו ולא זר: .not another

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SHALL

[כלו כליתי בחקי:

care

SHALL SEE, AND MY EYES SHALL BEHOLD, ON MY SIDE, AND NOT A STRANGER, or ENEMY. The is ufed exactly in this Senfe Pf. CXXIV.1. nne nın 's — If it had not been the Lord who was ON OUR SIDE. The Verb, from whence is derived, fignifies to be alienated or estranged from; and is by a Negation exegetical of on my Side, as if it had been rendered in Latin, amicum, non alienum. though my Reins be confumed within me. Thefe Words I think fhould be read thus, and carried to the Beginning of the next Verfe, where they may be thus translated, WHEN I SHALL HAVE FULFILLED, or, SHALL BE COMPLETE IN, ALL THAT IS APPOINTED FOR ME. The Verb n hath this Signification, and is accordingly here rendered by the LXX σUTETEλEgy. P is rendered the Thing appointed for me, Ch. XXIII. 14. and comes from PP, to prefcribe or affign a Man his Lot or Tafk. See Exod. V. 14. where pn on fignifies performed the Tafk affigned you.

V.28. But ye fhould fay, Why perfecute we him, seeing the Root of the

[כי תאמרו מה נרדף לו - ושרש דבר נמצא בי: ?Matter is found in me

The LXX and other Verfions feem to have read in him, and fo the Senfe evidently requires. The rendering should be, SHALL YE NOT (or SURELY YE SHALL) SAY, WHY HAVE WE PERSECUTED HIM? HATH ANY GROUND OF THE CHARGE BEEN FOUND IN HIM? That is, he is not found guilty of any Thing laid to his Charge. 7 fignifies the Matter that was alledged. The Sentiment feems to be the fame with Wifd. V. 1, 2. &c.

V. 29. Be ye afraid of the Sword; for Wrath bringeth the Punishments of the Sword, that ye may know there is a Judgment.

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I ftrongly [מפני חרב

- למען תדעון שדין : - כי חמה עונות חרב

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fufpect that instead of for yourselves, the Word was originally 155, the illative particle therefore; and the LXX favours the Suppofition by reading here de xay. The Senfe is indeed the fame according to the present Text, but the Connexion is more ftrongly marked by the Particle, which draws the Inference. The Verfe then may be rendered thus; FEAR YE THEREFORE THE VISITATION OF THE SWORD; FOR WRATH BRINGETH RUIN UPON INIQUITOUS PROCEEDINGS, TO THE INTENT THAT YE MAY LEARN WHAT IS JUST. 5 fignifics from before, and may properly be rendered the Approach or Vilitation; to act perverfely; and the fecond properly fignifies to defolate or lay Wafte.

in

fignifies Iniquities, from my this Verfe is a Verb, which The LXX here tranflates,

Θυμος

Θύμος επ' ανόμοις επελεύσεται. The concluding Sentiment brings to mind a fimilar one, Ifai. XXVI. 9. when thy Judgments are in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteoufness.

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By taking the whole Paffage together from Ver. 23. we fhall fee a very confiftent Senfe fairly, and without the least Violence, deduced from it, on the Notion of Job's expecting a temporal Deliverance only. In the midst of his Exclamations on his own Mifery and the Cruelty of his Friends, a Ray of Light and Hope feems to be juft breaking in upon him from the Confideration of the Divine Juftice and Goodness, which makes him cry out-Ver. 23, 24. "Oh that my Words, which "I now utter in Juftification of myself, were recorded, so as to remain "uneffaced till the Event fhall verify them! V. 25. For I know that "I have yet a Deliverer left, who will hereafter efpoufe my Cause, " even on this Side the Grave; V. 26. and that after these Men fhall "have exercised their Cruelty upon me, which I compare to flaying me alive, I shall at length fee God; V. 27. whom I fhall fee, and my Eyes fhall behold, declaring himself in my Favour, and no longer alienated from me, as he feems at prefent. Then when I fhall "have accomplished my Fate, V. 28. fhall ye not begin to fay among yourfelves, Why have we perfecuted him in fuch a Manner? Hath "not the Event proved him guiltless of the Crimes alledged against "him? Beware therefore of drawing down God's Judgments upon you, "for his Vengeance will feverely vifit all unrighteous Doings, fo as to "teach you to deal more candidly with your Neighbour for the time "to come." As for the Interpretation which converts the Paffage into a Prophecy of the Refurrection of the Body, befides that it implies a Degree of Light ill correfponding with the Times in which either Job is fuppofed to have lived, or this Book to have been written; it requires fuch Interpolation of new Words, and forced Conftruction of those found in the Text, that I am fully perfuaded, with the Allowance of such Liberties, an ingenious Conjecturer may make almost Text in Scripture depofe in Favour of this or of any other Doctrine. The best Commentators have therefore justly exploded it. 'Nor let it be imagined that we are undermining the Foundations of our Faith, by withdrawing a Support that does not belong to it. It remains firmly fixed on the Bafis of Truth, which cannot be moved, and wants no Affiftance from Falfhood and Error. But neither are we in any wife allowed to handle the Word of God deceitfully, from an Apprehenfion of the ill Ufe which unftable or wicked Men may make of a right Interpretation of it, at the Hazard of their own Salvation.

any

CHAP.

CHA P. XX.

V. 10. His Children shall seek to please the poor,

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Here the marginal Lection, viz. THE POOR SHALL OPPRESS HIS CHILDREN, seems more agreeable to the Context.

V. 11. His Bones are full of the Sin of his Youth,

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[ עלומו

Rather-HIS BONES ARE FULL OF SECRET Sin. So is by rendered Pf. XC. 8.

V. 17. He shall not fee the Rivers, the Floods,— ba ani Sx]

or --

Rather HE SHALL NOT SEE THE STREAMS OF THE RIVERS: IN THE STREAMS RIVERS [and BROOKS OF HONEY AND BUTTER.]

V. 20. Surely he shall not feel Quietness in his Belly: wys dis ty 1] is no where ufed as a Subftantive; and, allowing it were, the Sense of it does not feem very fuitable to this Place. But if we confider this Word as compounded of the Relatif and the Pronoun

in the Dative Cafe; the Meaning will then be — SURELY HE SHALL NOT FEEL IN HIS BODY that WHICH belonged To HIM. The two next Hemistics, and V. 23. add great Weight to this Interpretation. See a long Note on the above combined Particles in the Parallel Prophecies of Jacob and Mofes, Gen. XLIX. 19.

[לצפוניו

V. 26. All Darkness shall be hid in his fecret Places; 1120 un ba Rather-A TOTAL DARKNESS fhall be RESERVED FOR HIS TREASURES: that is, "he shall for ever be as much deprived of "them, as if they were ftill buried in the Bowels of the Earth. See V. 21.

Rather perhaps [ נגרות ביום אפו :

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V. 28. - and his Goods fhall flow away in the Day of his Wrath. and there shall be DRAININGS IN THE DAY OF HIS WRATH; viz. of his Family, (including Relations, Domestics, and Slaves;) as may be inferred from the Context: for it is faid before, that he had loft the Reft of his Goods. See V. 21.

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for 8, I pray you, and of the Conjunction, truly, indeed; in this Is, I PRAY YOU, INDEED &c?

Senfe

414

V. 11. They fend forth their little ones like a Flock: 183ɔ inbw, Dy] Rather-THEY INCREASE (or BREED) THEIR LITTLE ONES LIKE SHEEP.

[ עויליהם

יבלו בטוב ימיהם

V. 13. They spend their Days in Wealth;—ba] Marg. or, in Mirth. If by Wealth in this Place be meant HAPPINESS, it ought to be fo rendered. For in the other Places, where Job uses the Word, it has that Sense. Ch. VII. 7. XXX. 26.

is an עטין [ עטיניו מלאו חלב-V. 24. His Breaks are full of Milk

απαξ λεγόμενον, the Signification of which cannot be determined from the kindred Dialects. The LXX render the Word by тa syrata aută, and the Vulgate, to the fame Effect, by vifcera ejus. The Syriac and Arabic have another Senfe, viz. and HIS SIDES. Either of these Senfes would better fuit with the Context, particularly if we render n FAT. As to the Senfe of Breafts, it is not countenanced by any Authority, and can scarcely be justified by Fact: and the marginal Lection, his Milk-Pails, has only the Targum to fupport it. V. 29. and do ye not know their Tokens? :15)n *s onn] Rather, I think -THEIR MONUMENTS. Coccejus makes the Word to fignify here a Sepulchre. These it is well known were placed by the Way Side. Thus Lycidas the Shepherd fays to his fellow Traveller

Mæris:

Hinc adeo media eft nobis via; namque fepulchrum
Incipit apparere Bianoris. Virg. Ecl. IX. 59.

V. 30.

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[ ואתתם לא

they fhall be brought forth to the Day of Wrath. S The Context, both before and after this Sentence, runs in the Singular, and fo this would, if we feparate the final from bar, and join it to, at the Beginning of the next Verse; where it will be very fuitable.

V. 33.

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and every Man fhall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

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ולפניו אין מספר :

[ ואחריו כל אדם ימשוך

Rather AND EVERY MAN SHALL GO AFTER HIM, AS they have gone WITHOUT NUMBER BEFORE HIM. The Verb D, to draw, is never I believe used intranfitively, except in the Senfe of ap

proaching,

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