Job 16:12-17 | JFB | STEP | 12. I was at ease-- in past times ( ). by my neck-- as an animal does its prey (so ). shaken-- violently; in contrast to his former "ease" ( ). Set me up (again). mark-- ( ; ). God lets me always recover strength, so as to torment me ceaselessly.

‏ Job 16:12-17

12. I was at ease--in past times (Job 1:1-3).

by my neck--as an animal does its prey (so Job 10:16).

shaken--violently; in contrast to his former "ease" (Psa 102:10). Set me up (again).

mark--(Job 7:20; La 3:12). God lets me always recover strength, so as to torment me ceaselessly.

13. his archers--The image of Job 16:12 is continued. God, in making me His "mark," is accompanied by the three friends, whose words wound like sharp arrows.

gall--put for a vital part; so the liver (La 2:11).

14. The image is from storming a fortress by making breaches in the walls (2Ki 14:13).

a giant--a mighty warrior.

15. sewed--denoting the tight fit of the mourning garment; it was a sack with armholes closely sewed to the body.

horn--image from horned cattle, which when excited tear the earth with their horns. The horn was the emblem of power (1Ki 22:11). Here, it is

in the dust--which as applied to Job denotes his humiliation from former greatness. To throw one's self in the dust was a sign of mourning; this idea is here joined with that of excited despair, depicted by the fury of a horned beast. The Druses of Lebanon still wear horns as an ornament.

16. foul--rather, "is red," that is, flushed and heated [Umbreit and Noyes].

shadow of death--that is, darkening through many tears (La 5:17). Job here refers to Zophar's implied charge (Job 11:14). Nearly the same words occur as to Jesus Christ (Is 53:9). So Job 16:10 above answers to the description of Jesus Christ (Psa 22:13; Is 50:6, and Job 16:4 to Psa 22:7). He alone realized what Job aspired after, namely, outward righteousness of acts and inward purity of devotion. Jesus Christ as the representative man is typified in some degree in every servant of God in the Old Testament.