Job 18 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Ye — Thou, O Job; of whom he speaks here, as also Job 18:3, in the plural number, as was a common idiotism of the Eastern language, to speak thus of one person, especially where he was one of eminency. Mark — Consider the matter better.

Beasts — Ignorant, and stupid men, Job 17:4, Job 17:10.

He — Job. Thou art thy own tormentor. Forsaken — Shall God give over the government of the earth for thy sake, to prevent thy complaints and clamours? Shall the counsels of God, which are more immoveable than rocks, and the whole course of his providence be altered to comply with thy humours?

Steps — His strong steps, by a vulgar Hebraism: his attempts and actions; such of them as seem to be contrived with greatest strength of understanding, and carried on with greatest resolution. Straitened — Shall be hindered and entangled. He shall be cast into difficulties and perplexities, so that he shall not be able to proceed, and to accomplish his enterprizes.

Feet — By his own designs and actions.

First — born — A terrible kind of death. The first — born was the chief of his brethren, and therefore this title is given to things eminent in their kind.

Confidence — All the matter of his confidence, his riches, and children. Terrors — To death, which even Aristotle called, The most terrible of all terribles. And this it will do, either because it will expose him to his enemies, who will kill him; or because the sense of his disappointments, and losses, and dangers, will break his heart.

It — Destruction, expressed Job 18:12, shall fix its abode with him. Because — Because it is none of his own, being got from others by deceit or violence. Brimstone — It shall be utterly destroyed, as it were, by fire and brimstone. He seems to allude both to the destruction of Sodom, which happened not long before these times, and to the judgment which befel Job, Job 1:16.

Darkness — From a prosperous life to disgrace and misery, and to the grave, the land of darkness.

Astonied — At the day of his destruction. They shall be amazed at the suddenness, and dreadfulness of it. Before — Before the persons last mentioned. Those who lived in the time and place where this judgment was inflicted.

The place — The condition.