Job expostulates with his friends on their unkind treatment; and declares, that if they were in the like distress he would behave to them in a different manner. He sets forth the greatness of his sufferings, but still maintains his integrity.
Before Christ 1645.
Job 16:1. Then Job answered and said— Job, above measure grieved that his friends should treat him in this cruel manner, expostulates very tenderly with them on the subject. He tells them, that he should, in the like circumstances, have behaved to them in a very different way: Job 16:2-6; That he, as well as every one about him, was in the utmost astonishment to find a man whom he imagined to be his friend accuse him falsely, and give him worse treatment than even his greatest enemies would have done. But that he plainly saw that God was pleased to add this to the rest of his calamities; that he should not only be deprived of the comfort and assistance which he might have expected from his friends, but that he should be used by them in the most relentless way: Job 16:7-14 That he had voluntarily taken upon him all the marks of humility used by the guilty, though he was really innocent of their charges; that God above knew his innocence, though his friends so slanderously traduced him: Job 16:15-22 that he was sensible he was nigh his dissolution: chap. Job 17:1-3 that he made no doubt, that whenever the cause came to a decision the event would prove favourable to him. In the mean time, they would do well to consider what effect this their treatment of him must have on mankind; and how great a discouragement it must be to the lovers of virtue and holiness, to see a man whose character was yet unstained, on bare suspicion, dealt with so cruelly by persons pretending to virtue and goodness: Job 16:4-9. Would they but give themselves time to reflect, they must see that he could have no motive to hypocrisy, since all his schemes and hopes, with regard to life, were at an end; and, as he expected nothing but death, with what view could he play the hypocrite? Job 16:10 to the end. Heath.