Job 7:18

18 Thou visitest him early, and suddenly thou provest him. (And then thou punishest him early in the morning, and suddenly thou triest him.)

Job 7:18 Meaning and Commentary

Job 7:18

And [that] thou shouldest visit him every morning
That is, "daily", continually, as Aben Ezra interprets it; either in a way of love, grace, and mercy; so God has visited men, by raising up and sending his Son to be a Redeemer of them; the Son of God has visited them, as the dayspring from on high, by his incarnation and appearance in this world; see ( Luke 1:68 Luke 1:78 ) ; and the Lord visits them, by calling them by his grace, see ( Acts 15:14 ) ; by communing and conversing with them in a free and friendly manner; by helping right early, and by renewing his mercies to them every morning, all which is matter of admiration: or else the word may be taken in a different sense, as it sometimes is, either for punishing man for sin, as in ( Exodus 20:5 ) ( Jeremiah 5:9 ) ; or for chastising the Lord's people, which is a visiting them, though in a fatherly way, and in love, and which is often and frequently done, even every morning, see ( Psalms 89:32 Psalms 89:33 ) ( 73:14 ) ; and so the sense agrees with the former, though by some given with this difference thus, "what is man, that thou shouldest magnify him?" or make him great both in things temporal and spiritual, as he had made Job in the time of his prosperity, which he may have respect unto; having been the greatest man in all the east, with respect to both characters, whereby it was plain he had interest in the love and affections of the heart of God; and "yet, notwithstanding, nevertheless, thou visitest him" F20, with afflictions and chastisements continually; which may seem strange, and look like a contradiction, that thou shouldest:

[and] try him every moment?
by afflictive providences; in this way the Lord often tries the faith and patience, the fear and love, the hope and humility of his people, and all other graces, whereby they appear and shine the brighter, which was Job's case, see ( Job 23:10 ) ; and which he doubtless had in view in all he had said, and more particularly expostulates about in the following verses.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (wndqptw) "et tamen, nihilominus visitas eum", Michaelis.

Job 7:18 In-Context

16 I despaired, (and) now I shall no more live; Lord, spare thou me, for my days be nought.
17 What is a man, for thou magnifiest him? either what settest thou thine heart toward him? (What is a man, that thou magnifiest him? or why settest thou thy heart toward him?)
18 Thou visitest him early, and suddenly thou provest him. (And then thou punishest him early in the morning, and suddenly thou triest him.)
19 How long sparest thou not me, neither sufferest me, that I swallow my spittle? (How long sparest thou me not, nor allowest me to swallow my own spittle?)
20 I have sinned; O! thou keeper of men, what shall I do to thee? Why hast thou set me contrary to thee, and I am made grievous to myself? (I have sinned; O! thou keeper of men, but what have I done to thee? Why hast thou put me contrary to thee, so that I am even made a burden to thee?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.