Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 10:17
Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war [are] against me.
17. thou renewest ] wouldst renew. Similarly, and increase. All the verbs in these verses ( Job 10:14-17) are to be translated from the point of view of God’s intention cherished beforehand with regard to Job. This intention has, of course, been carried out, and has been fulfilled in Job’s present condition, and this condition supplies the colours in which the intention is painted. God’s “witnesses” are His plagues and afflictions, as the margin explains, which testified to Job’s guilt, cf. ch. Job 16:8.
changes and war are against me ] Or, changes and a host with me. The words are either an exclamation, in which the preceding statements of Job 10:17 are summed up; or are in apposition to “indignation,” being a description of how this indignation shews itself. The expression “changes and a host” means most naturally, an ever-changing, or, renewed host, the figure being that of an attacking army which makes continually fresh and renewed assaults. This army is composed of his afflictions sent against him by God, ch. Job 6:4, Job 16:14, Job 19:12. Others regard the “changes” as the successive new attacks, and the “host” as the abiding old army of afflictions, which seems artificial and puerile. The word “change” occurs ch. Job 14:14 in the sense of release, and the word “host” in the general meaning of warfare, ch. Job 7:1, Job 14:14. If these meanings were adopted here the sense would be: releases and warfare with me, i. e. brief intervals and then terrible conflict. Job, however, usually represents his afflictions as without intermission.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thou renewest thy witnesses against me – Margin, that is, plagues. The Hebrew is, thy witnesses – edeyka. So the Vulgate. The Septuagint is, renewing against me my examination, ten ecetasin mou. Rabbi Levi supposes that the plague of the leprosy is intended. But the true meaning seems to be, that God sent upon him calamities which were regarded by his friends as proofs or witnesses that he was wicked, the public and solemn attestation of God, as they supposed, to the truth that he was eminently a bad man. New proofs of this kind were constantly occurring in his augmenting and protracted sorrows, and he could not answer the arguments which were brought from them by his friends.
Changes and war are against me – Or rather, are with me, my. There were with him such reverses of condition as laid the foundation for the argument which they had urged with so much pertinacity and force that he was punished by God. The word rendered changes ( chalyphah) means properly changes, or exchanges, and is applied to garments, 2Ki 5:5, 2Ki 5:22-23. It may be used also of soldiers keeping watch until they are relieved by a succeeding guard; see the note at Job 14:14. Here it is not improbably employed in the sense of a succession of attacks made on him. One succeeds another, as if platoon after platoon, to use the modern terms, or phalanx after phalanx, should come up against him. As soon as one had discharged its arrows, another succeeded in its place; or as soon as one became ex hausted, it was followed by a fresh recruit. All this Job could not endure. The succession wearied him, and he could not bear it. Dr. Good supposes that the word refers to the skirmishes by which a battle is usually introduced, in which two armies attempt to gall each other before they are engaged. But the true idea, as it seems to me, is, that afflictions succeeded each other as soldiers on a watch, or in a battle, relieve each other. When one set is exhausted on duty, it is succeeded by another. Or, when in battle one company has discharged its weapons, or is exhausted, it is succeeded by those who are brought fresh into the field. The word rendered war ( tsaba’) properly means an army or a host; see the note at Job 7:1. Here it means that a whole host had rushed upon him. Not only had he been galled by the succession, the relief-guard of calamities, the attacks which had followed each other from an advanced guard, or from scouts sent out to skirmish, but the whole army was upon him. A whole host of calamities came rushing upon him alone, and he could not endure them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. Thou renewest thy witnesses] In this speech of Job he is ever referring to trials in courts of judicature, and almost all his terms are forensic. Thou bringest witnesses in continual succession to confound and convict me.
Changes and war] I am as if attacked by successive troops; one company being wearied, another succeeds to the attack, so that I am harassed by continual warfare.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thy witnesses, i.e. thy judgments, which are the witnesses and evidences, both of my sins, and of thy wrath. Thy indignation, i.e. my miseries, the effects of thine anger. These words are added to explain what he meant by renewing witnesses.
Changes and war; or, changes and an army; which may be a figure called hendiadis, for the changes of an army, i.e. many miseries succeeding one another, like companies of the soldiers of an army in battle; or changes may note the various kinds, and an army the great numbers, of his afflictions.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. witnessesHis accumulatedtrials were like a succession of witnesses brought up in proof of hisguilt, to wear out the accused.
changes and warrather,”(thou settest in array) against me host after host”(literally, “changes and a host,” that is, a succession ofhosts); namely, his afflictions, and then reproach upon reproach fromhis friends.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thou renewest thy witnesses against me,…. Not the devils, as some, nor Job’s friends, as others; but rather afflictions, which were daily renewed, and frequently repeated, new troubles coming continually one upon another; which were brought as fresh witnesses against him, which made the suit tiresome to him, the trial to last the longer, which he wished was at end, that the decisive sentence might be pronounced and executed, and he be dispatched at once; but instead of that the affair was protracted by bringing in one witness after another, or one affliction upon the back of another, which were brought as witnesses “before him” a, as some render it; either to accuse him, and convince of sin, or as proofs of God’s indignation against him, as in the next clause; or they were witnesses against him with the profane world, and even with his friends, who from hence concluded he must have been, and was, a wicked man, that had so many and such great afflictions laid upon him, and these continued and repeated; of which they judged these were full and sufficient proofs and testimonies. Schultens renders it, “thy incursions”, and interprets it of instruments of hunting, as nets and the like, to which afflictions may be compared:
and increasest thine indignation upon me; the tokens of it, by increasing afflictions, and the sense of it in his mind; for from his afflictions, and the increase of them, he judged of the indignation of God upon him, or “against him” b, and the increase of it; as these were daily renewed, and were greater and greater, so was the sense he had of the wrath and displeasure of God against him; see Job 6:4;
changes and war [are] against me; or “with me”, or “upon me” c; by changes are meant the various afflictive providences which attended him, which were repeated, or succeeded one another in their turns; great changes he had undergone in his estate and substance, from the greatest man in the east now become the poorest; in his family, his servants and children being destroyed; in his body, being covered with boils; and in his mind, being filled with a sense of God’s displeasure, and under the hidings of his face: and “war” was against him on every side, not only the law in his members was warring against the law of his mind, his corruptions working powerfully under his afflictions; and he was conflicting with Satan, and his principalities and powers; but even his friends were at war with him, yea, God himself, in his opinion, counted and treated him as an enemy. Job was in a warfare state, and his afflictions came upon him like troops, and charged him one after another; or his afflictions were like an “army” d as the word may be rendered, many and numerous; and these were either repeated, or new ones succeeded others; different afflictions in their turns came upon him, and particularly an army of worms were continually running to and fro upon him; see Job 7:5; the word is rendered an “appointed time”, Job 7:1; and so some take it here, and may signify that all the changes and vicissitudes in life he passed through, the various afflictions that came upon him, were at the set and appointed time, as well as there was an appointed time for him on earth, until his last change came.
a “coram me”, Pagninus, Montanus, Beza, Mercerus, Schmidt, Schultens. b “adversus me”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Schultens so Vatablus. c “mecum”, Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius, Morcerus, Schmidt; “apud me”, Beza, Piscator, Cocceius. d “militia”, Montanus, Bolducius; “exercitus”, Beza, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Schmidt, Schultens.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) Thou renewest thy witnesses against me.Some understand this of the sores on Jobs person, which his friends regarded as witnessesproofs of his guilt; but it seems more probable that the figure is forensic: Thou still bringest fresh witnesses against me, and multipliest thine anger against me, so that relays of them, even a host, are against me; for they come upon me host after hostthese witnesses of Thine anger, the ministers of Thy vengeance. The sublimity of this indictment against God is only equalled by the sense of terrific awe with which one reads it. The language is Jobs, and so far has the sanction of Holy Writ; but we may surely learn therefrom the condescension as well as the loving-kindness of the Most High.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Thy witnesses The verbal form of the word in the Arabic also signifies attack, which may have led to the marginal reading, “plagues.” Job here means “afflictions,” “sorrows,” tokens of divine displeasure. Contemplated aright they are, for the good man, witnesses of heavenly love.
Changes and war Literally, Exchanges and an army. He means the re-enforcements of an army host succeeding host. The singular form of the word ( exchanges) reappears in Job 14:14, for the relief of a sentry. As sentries are relieved in an army, so one host succeeds another against me. In Job 19:12, he compares himself to a fortress which God besieges.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 10:17. Thou renewest thy witness Accusations. Heath. Literally, says he, thy evidences; but, being a judicial term, it signifies indictments, charges: the phrase is somewhat analogous to the term in the English law, thou revivest thy bill. The word rendered changes is a military term, importing the leading on fresh troops to the attack to relieve those who were fatigued. Heath renders this latter clause, Thou devisest an army of new torments to inflict me.
REFLECTIONS.1st, Though in general Job acknowledged himself a sinner, and unable to stand the severity of God’s judgment; yet, when he considered his own integrity in general, and the uncommon weight of his afflictions, he seemed to feel an argument for impatient complaint, and charges God foolishly.
1. He repeats his passionate wish for death; My soul is weary of my life, burdened with afflictions, and longing to be rid of them in the grave. I will leave my complaint upon myself; I must complain, though I lay the blame on myself; such anguish cannot be suppressed, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. Note; To be weary of life before God sends a discharge, is to be unfaithful to the post that he hath given us to maintain.
2. He resolves to inquire of God the cause of his sufferings, I will say unto God, Do not condemn me, or account me wicked, deal with him as if he really was such as his friends suggested, and who, while his troubles continued, would be confirmed in their suspicions. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me; he was not conscious of having wilfully offended, and therefore fain would know the design that God proposed in the heaviness and continuance of his calamities. Note; (1.) It becomes us in suffering times to inquire into their cause, that we may answer their end. Though we may know nothing of ourselves, particularly to condemn us, he that judgeth us is the Lord, who sees what we overlook, and whose ways and thoughts are as much above ours as the heaven is higher than the earth. (2.) When we suffer the rod of correction, we need especially pray to be saved from the condemnation of sin. Every other burden is supportable; that intolerable.
3. He presumes to expostulate with God on his case. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldst oppress? can it be agreeable to thy perfections to take pleasure in tormenting me? that thou shouldst despise the work of thine hands, and be indifferent to my sorrows, though thy creature by nature, by grace thy servant too? and shine upon the counsel of the wicked, prosper their devices against the righteous, or, by the continuance of his afflictions, seem to approve the hard censures of the world and his friends. Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? Looking farther than outward appearances, they condemn me; wilt thou do like them, who seest the secrets of the heart, and knowest my innocence? Are thy days as the days of man, whose life is short, his purposes mutable, and his researches after truth, through the imperfection of his faculties, tedious? that thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? continuing his anguish, as if to draw from him a confession of his guilt, as from a person under the torture; which seemed to Job severe and needless, persuaded of God’s all-seeing eye and unerring wisdom, and assured of his own uprightness before him. Thou knowest that I am not wicked, chargeable with open or allowed iniquity, nor hypocritical in my professions; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. No power could rescue him from God’s hand, and therefore, he need not be bound with these cords of affliction, as if to prevent his escape. Note; (1.) It is difficult under extraordinary troubles to be silent, and not impeach, by murmuring, God’s goodness or his righteousness. (2.) The sense of God’s omniscience should ever fill our minds with reverence and godly fear before him. Who will not dread the sin which darkness promises to cover when God’s eye is there? (3.) Resistance against God is vain; to struggle against his corrections is but to torment our own souls.
2nd, Having called himself the work of God’s hands, he here enlarges on that consideration; begs God to remember his own past favours and his frailty, as a reason against the severity of those sufferings which threatened to destroy him. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about, yet thou dost destroy me, for under these troubles I must quickly sink. Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay, thou art my potter, I am moulded at thy will, brittle as the clay; remember it, for I cannot stand under such strokes of correction, but must be broken to pieces. And wilt thou bring me into dust again? delight to make and unmake me, give me a momentary existence, only to bring me to a miserable end? especially after being so fearfully and wonderfully made. Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and fenced me with bones and sinews, carried on the formation of my body till I breathed vital air: thou hast granted me life, and with it numberless mercies, and favour, thy gifts of nature, and the better portion of thy grace: and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit, kept me long amid the dangers that surround me, and supported and preserved the life thou didst bestow; and these things hast thou hid in thine heart: amidst all thy apparent mercies lay concealed the miseries which I endure. I know that this is with thee, thou alone canst assign the reasons of thy conduct, which to me appears strange and mysterious. Note; (1.) The curious structure and formation of the human body should lead us to an admiration of the hand that made it. (2.) All our mercies of nature, providence, and grace, are derived from God, and he should be acknowledged by us in all with thankfulness, and a grateful return made to him in bounden love and service. (3.) Though sometimes we cannot reconcile God’s former dealings or his promises with our present afflictive dispensation, he will appear at last righteous in his word, and just in all his works.
3rdly, The more Job went on to complain, the warmer his words grew.
1. He reflects upon the severity of God’s inquiry, and the rigour of his sentence. If he took one false step, it was marked as if God’s eye was over him for evil. Full of confusion through his anguish, he scarcely knew what or how to speak, and therefore begs God to look upon his affliction in mercy before it quite overwhelmed him; for, instead of abating, the waters of trouble swelled daily higher: he was hunted with afflictions, as the fierce lion pursues his prey; and these so repeated and strange, that he was an astonishment to others, and a wonder to himself. Every day fresh calamities, as new evidences, arose to testify his guilt, and the increasing indignation against him; his changes were only from evil to worse; and war from heaven, earth, and hell, seemed to assault him. Note; (1.) If God be strict to mark what is amiss, who may abide it? (2.) Woe to the impenitent! whether prosperity or adversity attend them here, misery, intolerable as eternal, must be their portion hereafter. (3.) If a child of God seem sunk in uncommon calamities, let him not despair; though the dispensation is grievous, it is for the trial of his faith. (4.) Reflections upon God, as being hard and severe, are very sinful.
2. He renews his impatient desire of death, but begs that God would give him some short respite from his afflictions before he dropped into the grave. He expostulates with God, why he so unkindly drew him into a world so miserable;wishes as before, chap. Job 3:11 to have died from the womb, that no eye might have seen his misery, and that he might have departed as one that had never been. He urges the shortness of his days, as a plea for some moments’ comfort before death should close his eyes in darkness, and lay him in the grave, whence there could be no return to earth again; where no succession of days and years cheered the melancholy scene, no distinction of age, sex, or station appeared, no beam of light ever pierced the dreadful gloom, but shadows of death, dark and dismal, were perpetually extended over it. Note; (1.) Every moment’s respite and ease that we enjoy here should be regarded as a mercy from God. (2.) The shorter our days are, the more need have we to improve them. (3.) The grave affords to sense a very melancholy prospect; but to the righteous there ariseth up light in the darkness; and faith can look through the thick cloud, and behold those glories beyond, in prospect of which we can say, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Job 10:17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war [are] against me.
Ver. 17. Thou renewest thy witnesses against me ] These fresh witnesses were devils, say some; Job’s friends, say others; his dolorous sufferings rather, saith Austin; those open witnesses of some secret wickedness in Job, as the world would esteem them. See Job 16:8 Rth 1:21 . Thus the Jews censured our Saviour, Isa 53:3-4 ; the barbarians Paul, Act 28:4 ; and those in the Gospel them that perished by the fall of the tower of Siloam. And how many precious men as well as Job have been cast upon this evidence for traitors and rebels against the highest majesty? Junius thinks that when Job uttered the words of this text he felt some new pains growing upon him and increasing.
Thou increasest thine indignation upon me
Changes and war (or armies) are upon me, or against me] Variety of troubles come trooping aud treading, as it were, on the heels of one another: fluctus fluctum trudit, there is a continual succession of my sorrows, fresh forces sent against me, &c. We see, then, that Job complained not without cause, though he kept not always within compass, as appeareth by that which followeth.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
changes and war = successions, yea hostile successions. Figure of speech Hendiadys (App-6) = one thing: i.e. a constant succession.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
witnesses: that is, plagues, Job 16:8, Rth 1:21
changes: I am as if attacked by successive troops; if one company be wearied, another succeeds to the attack. Psa 55:19, Jer 48:11, Zep 1:12
war: Job 16:11-16, Job 19:6-11
Reciprocal: Exo 11:1 – Yet will Job 16:9 – teareth me Psa 42:7 – Deep calleth Psa 73:14 – For all Isa 38:13 – as a lion
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 10:17. Thou renewest thy witnesses Thy judgments, which are the evidences both of my sins and of thy wrath; and increasest thine indignation That is, my miseries, the effects of thine indignation. Changes and war Or, changes and an army, that is, many miseries succeeding one another, like companies of soldiers successively coming on to the attack in a battle. Or, changes may signify the various kinds, and an army the great number of his afflictions.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10:17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; {r} changes and war [are] against me.
(r) That is, diversity of diseases and in great abundance; showing that God has infinite means to punish man.