Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 17:2

[Are there] not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

2. Are there not mockers with me ] lit. mockery. The interrogative form is possible, but more likely the verse is a strong asseveration, uttered in a tone of indignant impatience. The connexion indicates that the reference is to the illusory hopes and promises of restoration in this life which the friends held out to Job. He complains that he is beset with such mockeries. This seems also the meaning of the “provocation” on which his eye has to dwell, though in this their offensive exhortations to repentance may also be included. This provocation of theirs his friends were always inflicting upon him, troublesome comforters as they were (Job 16:2). The true state of things Job knows very well ( Job 17:1 ; Job 17:10-16); their delusive hopes are not things he can hope for; and he turns in impatience from them with a greater importunity unto God, and appeals to Him for that which may yet be attained, and which above all things he longs for ( Job 17:3).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? – Margin lodge. This is the meaning of the Hebrew word used here – talan. It properly denotes to pass the night or to lodge in a place, as distinguished from a permanent residence. The idea here seems to be, that his eye rested on their provocations. It remained fixed on them. It was not a mere glance, a passing notice, but was such a view as resulted from a careful observation. It was not such a view as a traveler would obtain by passing hastily by, but it was such as one would obtain who had encamped for a time, and had an opportunity of looking around him with care, and seeing things as they were. Thus explained, there is much poetic beauty in the passage. The Vulgate, however, renders it, I have not sinned, and mine eye remains in bitterness. The Septuagint, I supplicate in distress – kamnon – yet what have I done? Strangers came, and stole my substance: who is the man? The simple meaning is, that Job had a calm view of their wickedness, and that he could not be deceived.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 2. Are there not mockers with me?] This has been variously translated. The VULGATE: “I have not sinned, and yet my eye dwells upon afflictions.” SEPTUAGINT: “I conjure you, labouring under afflictions, what evil have I done? Yet strangers have robbed me of my substance.” Mr. GOOD: “But are not revilers before me? Alas, mine eye penetrateth their rebukes.” CALMET thinks the Hebrew might be translated thus: “If I have not been united in friendship with the wicked, why are my eyes in bitterness?” COVERDALE translates both verses thus: My breth fayleth, my dayes are shortened, I am harde at deathes dore. I have disceaved no man, yet must myne eye continue in hevynesse. Mr. HEATH “Were it not so, I have sarcasms enow in store; and I could spend the whole night unmoved at their aggravations.” The general meaning is sufficiently plain, and the reader has got translations enough.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Do not my friends, instead of comforting, mock and abuse me, as if I had made use of religion only as a cloak to my wickedness? Heb. If there be not mockers with me, understand, let God do so or so to me. It is a form of an oath, which is defectively expressed, after the manner of the Hebrews. Assuredly I am in the midst of cruel mockers, which is a sore aggravation of my affliction. Thus he returns to what he had said Job 16:20, and intimates the necessity and justice of his following appeal, which otherwise might be thought too bold.

Mine eye; either,

1. The eyes of my body. Do they not continue to provoke me to my face? Or rather,

2. The eye of my mind. Their provoking scoffs and reproaches do not only molest me in the day-time, when they are with me, but lodge with me in the night, and are continually in my thoughts, and break my sleep, and disturb me in dreams. And therefore if I be a little disordered, I may be excused.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

2. UMBREIT,more emphatically, “had I only not to endure mockery, inthe midst of their contentions I (mine eye) would remainquiet.”

eye continueHebrew,“tarry all night”; a figure taken from sleep at night, toexpress undisturbed rest; opposed to (Job16:20), when the eye of Job is represented as pouring out tearsto God without rest.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

[Are there] not mockers with me?…. Meaning not irreligious persons, such as make a mock at sin, a jest of religion, a laugh at good men, sneer at the doctrines and ordinances of God, and scoff at things future, as the coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and a future judgment; with whom it is very uncomfortable to be, as well as with any sort of profane men, and such there were no doubt in Job’s time; but he seems to design his friends, by whom be thought himself mocked, and who were, as he imagined, scorners of him,

Job 12:4; and therefore for this reason entreats his case might be heard, and his cause pleaded:

and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? or “lodge all night” q; his sense is, that they were continually provoking him with their words, their scoffs and jeers, their censures and calumnies, and the weak reasons and arguments they made use of to support their charges and suspicions; these dwelt upon his mind not only in the daytime but in the night, so that he could not get a wink of sleep for them; their words were so teasing and distressing, and they acted such a cruel part to him, and stuck so close to him, and hung upon his thoughts, that he could not get clear of them in the night season; but his mind ran upon them, which kept him waking, that he could not close his eyelids for thinking of them.

q “pernoctat”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Schmidt, Michaelis, Schultens.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(2) Mine eye continue in their provocation?It sees, and can see nothing else; has nothing else to look upon : a bitter reproach against his friends.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

2. Mockers Surely mockers are with me, and on their quarrelling mine eye dwells. Notwithstanding the grave is all that remains for Job, (Job 17:1,) his quasi friends mock him with promissory illusions of long life, and embitter his existence with janglings night and day so that his eye can rest on nothing else.

Continue Hebrew, Pass the night.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments