He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
Ver. 10. He hath destroyed me on every side] Heb. He hath demolished me, he hath pulled me down piece meal, as an old house is taken down part by part. See Lev 14:45 Judges 8:17. God had made and fashioned Job's body together round about, Job 10:8, and now he destroyeth it round about. The body of a man is a wonderful fabric, wherein the bones are the timber work, the head the upper lodging, the eyes as windows, the eyelids as casements, the brows as pent houses, the ears as watch towers, the mouth as a door to take in that which shall uphold the building, and keep it in repair; the stomach as a kitchen to dress that which is conveyed into it; the guts and baser parts as sinks belonging to the house, &c. All these were decaying apace in Job as he thought.
And I am gone] That is, I am as good as gone already; every day I yield somewhat unto death, I am free among the dead, free of that company.
And my hope hath he removed like a tree] He hath not left me so much as hope (which is the last comfort of the afflicted) of ever recovering here my health, wealth, and former enjoyments; but hath left me as a tree that is plucked up by the roots, and so can never grow again. A saint may be at that pass here in regard to his outward estate, that there may be to him neither hope for the better nor place for worse (Melch. Adam). This was Cranmer's case.