Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
Ver. 14. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us] Lest any should think, saith Merlin here, that Job speaks of such wicked as used a moderation in sinning, and (as the historian said of the emperor) rather lacked vice than were virtuous. Magis extra vitia, quam cum virtutibus (Tacit.). He describeth their great impiety by a rhetorical imitation, expressing the language of their heart, which is most base and blasphemous. For first they speak of God as if he were some lowly prized scoundrel; Apage, be packing; thus they reject his acquaintance, and would be rid of his company. Porro reieciunt Deum quotquot verbum eius contemnunt, saith Brentius here; now they reject God who slight his word and cast his commands behind them, Psalms 50:17. Hence it follows by way of explanation,
For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways] Lo, they profess themselves to be of the number of those, qui ut liberius peccent, libenter ignorant, who are wilfully ignorant, and like not to retain God in their knowledge, Romans 1:28; or, if they profess to know him, yet "in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and to every good work reprobate," Titus 1:16. Wicked men cannot abide God; such is their evil heart of unbelief, Hebrews 3:12, they get as far from him as they can, with Cain, and not only desire him to depart out of their coasts, with those swinish Gergesites, but churlishly say unto him, as here, Avaunt! room for us. They will neither have God in their heads, Psalms 10:4, nor hearts, Psalms 14:1, nor words, Psalms 12:4, nor works, Titus 1:16. See this exemplified in those perverse Jews, lying children, children that would not hear the law of the Lord; which said to the seers, See not, - Get ye out of the way, turn aside out of the path; i.e. out of this tract of truth in dealing so plainly, and reproving us so roundly. Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease before us, let us henceforth hear no more of him, Isaiah 30:10,11. Now for such miscreants as these, who can say it is otherwise than righteous that God should regest one day upon them, Depart from me, ye wicked? (He loves to retaliate.) And that they who now say unto him, We desire not the knowledge of thy ways, shall hear from him, "I tell you, I know you not," Luke 13:27 .