As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow
Either the shadow of some great rock, tree, or hedge, or any
shady place to shelter him from the heat of the sun in the middle
of the day, which in those eastern countries is hot and
scorching; and very burdensome and fatiguing it is for servants
and labourers to work in fields and vineyards, or in keeping
herds and flocks in such countries, and at such a time of the
day; to which the allusion is in ( Song of
Solomon 1:7 ) ( Isaiah 25:4 ) (
32:2 ) (
Matthew
20:12 ) . Wherefore they "gape" for, or "pant" after some
shady place for refreshment, as the word F14 used
signifies; or for the shadow of the evening, or the sun setting,
when the longest shadow is cast, ( Jeremiah 6:4
) ; and when the work of a servant is ended, and he retires to
his house for refreshment and rest: and since now such a shadow
in either sense is desirable, and not unlawful to wish for, Job
suggests it ought not to be charged as a crime in him, that he
should importunately desire to be in the shadow of death, or in
the grave, where the weary are at rest; or to have the night come
on him, when he should cease from all his toil and labour,
sorrows and pains:
and as an hireling looketh for [the reward of] his
work;
or "for his work" F15; either for new work, what was set
him being done, or rather for the finishing of it, that he might
have rest from it; or for the reward, the hire due to him upon
its being done; so Job intimates he desired death with the same
view, that he might cease from his works, which should follow
him, and when he should have the reward of the inheritance, not
in a way of debt, but of grace: nor indeed is it sinful to look
or have respect unto the recompence of reward, in order to engage
to go through service more cheerfully, or to endure sufferings
more patiently, see ( Hebrews
11:26 ) ; for though the hireling is an emblem of a
self-righteous person, that works for life, and expects it as the
reward of his work, and of false teachers and bad shepherds, that
take the care of the flock for filthy lucre's sake, see (
Luke 15:19 ) (
John 10:12 ) ;
yet hiring is sometimes used, in a good sense, of good men, that
are hired and allured by gracious promises and divine
encouragements to labour in the Lord's vineyard, and may expect
their reward; see ( Matthew 20:1
Matthew
20:2 Matthew 20:8
) .