Wherefore do the wicked live
Which question is put either to God himself, as not knowing ow to
account for it, or to reconcile it to his divine perfections;
that he, a holy, just, and righteous Being, should suffer such
wretches to live upon his earth, who had been, and still were,
continually sinning against him, transgressing his law, and
trampling under foot his power and authority; when he, a man that
feared the Lord, as God himself had borne witness of him,
laboured under such heavy affliction, that he seemed rather to
die than live: or else it is put to his friends, to whom he
appeals for the truth of it, as Zophar had to him, about the
short time of the prosperity of the wicked, ( Job 10:4 Job 10:5 ) ; and desires
them to try how they could make such undeniable facts comport
with their own principles, that wicked men are always and only
afflicted to any great degree, and not holy and good men; but if
so, it is asked, why do they "live", even live at all? why is not
their breath stopped at once, that breathe out nothing but sin
and wickedness? or why are they "lively?" as Mr. Broughton
renders the word; that is, brisk, cheerful, and jocund, live
merrily, having an abundance of this world's good things; call
upon themselves to eat, drink, and be merry, and indulge
themselves in all the gratifications of sensual pleasures and
delights; live at ease, in peace and outward comfort, and are not
in trouble as other men, having nothing to disturb, disquiet, and
distress them; nay, not only live comfortably, but live long:
while a righteous man perishes or dies in his righteousness, the
wicked man prolongs his life in his wickedness, ( Ecclesiastes
7:15 ) , as it follows:
become old;
live to a considerable old age, as Ishmael did, to whom he may
have respect, as well as to some others within his knowledge; or
are "durable" F14, not only in age, as the sinner is
supposed to die, and sometimes does die an hundred years old, or
more, but in wealth and riches, in outward prosperity; for though
spiritual riches are only durable riches, in opposition to
temporal ones, yet these sometimes endure with a wicked man, and
he endures with them as long as he lives, as may be seen in the
instances of wicked rich men in ( Luke
12:16-20 ) ( Luke 16:19 Luke 16:22 ) ; with
which agrees what follows:
yea, are mighty in power?
are in great authority among men, being kings, princes, civil
magistrates, see ( Psalms 37:35
) ; are advanced to great dignity and honour, as the twelve
princes that sprung from Ishmael, and the race of kings and dukes
that came from Esau. Mr. Broughton renders it, "be mighty in
riches", greatly increase in them; and so the Targum, possess
substance or riches.