Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 22:16
Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
16. out of time ] i. e. before their time, prematurely, by the judgment of God for their sin. Comp. Job 15:32.
whose foundation was overthrown ] lit. whose foundation was poured away and became a flood that on which they stood became a flood in which they sank. The reference is probably to the Deluge, though others, e.g. Ewald, think of the Cities of the Plain.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Which were cut down – Who were suddenly destroyed by a flood. On the word used here ( qamat) see the notes at Job 16:8. It occurs only in that place and this. Its primary notion is that of drawing together or contracting – as the feet of a lamb or calf are drawn together and tied preparatory to being killed; and the meaning here is, probably, who were huddled together by the waters, or who were driven in heaps by the deluge, so rapidly and suddenly did it come upon them.
Out of time – Hebrew And there was no time; that is, it was done in a moment, or suddenly. No time was given them; no delay was granted. The floods rushed over them, and nothing could stay them.
Whose foundation was overflown – Margin, or, a flood was poured upon their foundation. That is, all on which they relied was swept away. The word foundation refers to that on which their happiness and security rested, as a house rests on its foundation, and when that is swept away the house falls.
With a flood – Hebrew ( nahar) river. The word is commonly applied to a river; and in the Scriptures, by way of eminence, to the Euphrates; see Isa 7:20, note; Isa 8:7, note. It may be used, however, to denote a river which is swollen, and then a flood – and it is several times rendered flood in the Scriptures; Job 14:11; Jon 2:3 (where it means the sea); Jos 24:2-3, Jos 24:14-15; Psa 66:6; Job 28:11; Psa 24:2; Psa 93:3; Son 8:7. Prof. Lee supposes that the allusion here is to some overflowing of the Euphrates, but the reference seems to be decidedly to the deluge in the time of Noah. The language is such as would be used in referring to that, and the fact is just such an one as would be pertinent to the argument of Eliphaz. The fact was undoubtedly well known to all, so that a bare allusion to it would be enough.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. Whose foundation was overflown with a flood] The unrighteous in the days of Noah, who appear to have had an abundance of all temporal good, (Job 22:18,) and who surpassed the deeds of all the former wicked, said in effect to God, Depart from us. And when Noah preached unto them the terrors of the Lord, and the necessity of repentance, they rejected his preaching with, What can the Almighty do for us? Let him do his worst; we care not for him, Job 22:17.
For lamo, to THEM, the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic have evidently read lanu, to US. This reading quotes their own saying; the former reading narrates it in the third person. The meaning, however, is the same.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Out of time, i.e. before their time; who died a violent and untimely death.
Whose foundation was overflown with a flood; who, together with their foundation, to wit, the earth, and all their supports and enjoyments in it, were destroyed by the general deluge; which doubtless was very well known to them, because they lived not long after it; and which was most proper for this argument. Or,
whose foundation, i.e. all their power, and riches, and policy, upon which they build all their hopes and happiness, was like a flood poured forth; which made a great show and noise for a time, but speedily vanished and came to nothing.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. cut downrather,”fettered,” as in Job16:8; that is, arrested by death.
out of timeprematurely,suddenly (Job 15:32; Ecc 7:17);literally, “whose foundation was poured out (so as to become) astream or flood.” The solid earth passed from beneath their feetinto a flood (Ge 7:11).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Which were cut down out of time,…. Sent out of time into eternity, time being no more with men, and they no longer in time, when death seizes upon them; or “before time” a, before the common term of life, which, according to the course of nature, and human probability, they might have arrived unto: as this is spoken of the men of the old world that lived before the flood, when the lives of men were very long, it is highly probable there, were many that were destroyed by the general deluge, who, had it not for that, might have lived many hundreds of years, according to the usual course: or “without time” b, without any delay suddenly, at once, at an unawares; for, though they had notice of the flood, they did not regard it, but lived careless and secure; and it came upon them without any further warning, and swept them away, when they were “cut down”, as trees by the axe laid to the root of them, to which wicked, men in great power and flourishing circumstances are sometimes compared, Ps 37:35; or like grass by the scythe, which it is not able to resist, and to which all men are like for their numbers and weaknesses, and who are cut down by death as easily as the grass is by the mower, see Ps 37:1. Some render it “wrinkled” c, as in Job 16:8; as bodies when dead are, and especially such as are drowned, and have been long floating in the water, as those that perished by the flood were, for to such the words have respect, as appears by what follows:
whose foundation was overflown with a flood; either of water, or of fire and brimstone, as Jarchi observes; the former is most likely to be meant; for by the flood, or universal deluge, all that was thought firm and permanent, and might be called a foundation, was overflown and carried away, as houses, goods, furniture, wealth, and riches, and everything that men had a dependence upon for the support and comfort of life; yea, the earth itself, on which they dwelt, and was reckoned “terra firma”, this being founded upon, and over the waters; or, as the Apostle Peter describes it, “it standing out of the water and in the water”, 2Pe 3:5; or “their foundation [was] a flood poured out” d; what they thought were solid, and firm, and durable, and built their hopes of happiness upon, were like a flood of water, poured, dissipated, and scattered, and which disappeared and came to nothing: and such is every foundation that a man builds his hope, especially of eternal happiness, upon, short of Christ, the only sure foundation laid in Zion, his person, grace, blood, and righteousness; everything else, let it seem ever so firm, is as sand, yea, as water, as a flood of water that spreads itself, and quickly comes to nothing.
a “ante tempus suum”, V. L. Mercerus; “ante tempus”, Cocceius, Schultens. b “Sine mora”, Cocceius; “in momento”, Codurcus. c “corrugati sunt”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Bolducius, Cocceius. d “fundamentum eorum ut flumen diffluxit”, Tigurine version “fluvius effusus fundamentum eorum”, Codurcus, Beza; to the same sense Drusius, Mercerus, Cocceius, Schultens.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) Which were cut down out of time.Or, which were snatched away before their time. It is generally supposed that there is an allusion here to the history of the Flood; if so, the reference is of course very important in its bearing on the age of that record, since the Book of Job can hardly fail to be very old itself.
Whose foundation was overflown with a flood.Or, upon whose foundation a stream was poured out; or, whose foundation became as a flowing stream; or, whose foundation is like a flowing stream: that is, their principles are infectious, and bear all before them.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
b. The wrath of God, intensified by such scepticism, visits the world, overthrowing the boastful wicked, and calling forth the triumphal songs of the righteous, Job 22:16-20.
16. Cut down out of time, etc. Literally, who were snatched away before the time prematurely. Their foundation was poured away as a stream. Snatched away Kamat is used only here and Job 16:8. See note.
With a flood As a stream. Their foundation became fluid, an undoubted reference to the deluge. Compare Mat 7:27.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 22:16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Ver. 16. Which were cut down out of time ] Or, Which grew full of wrinkles (as those that have long lain in the water are apt to do), and not time; that is, before that time of life that they had promised themselves on earth; or before they had fulfilled the days of their forefathers, who, though wicked above measure many of them, yet the flood could not come till Methuselah (the last alive of the ten patriarchs) were laid up. God cuts off some notoriously wicked sometimes, Intempeata morte abrepti (Jun.), when in the course of nature they might have lived longer, that they may do no more hurt, as the gardener destroyeth young henbane, and the countryman young vermins.
Whose foundation was overflown with a flood
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
cut down: Job 15:32, Psa 55:23, Psa 102:24, Ecc 7:17
whose foundation was overflown with a flood: Heb. a flood was poured upon their foundation, Gen 7:11, Gen 7:17-24, Mat 24:37-39, 1Pe 3:19, 1Pe 3:20, 2Pe 2:5
Reciprocal: Gen 6:17 – bring Gen 7:4 – destroy Gen 7:10 – waters Gen 7:18 – waters prevailed Job 27:20 – Terrors Job 30:14 – as a wide Job 36:14 – They die Psa 90:5 – Thou Pro 10:27 – the years Isa 28:17 – and the waters
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
22:16 Which were {l} cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
(l) He proves God’s providence by the punishment of the wicked, whom he takes away before they can bring their wicked purposes to pass.