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“The graves are ready for me”, verse one continues the closing of Chapter Sixteen. Verse two continues with Job's complaint of the affliction by those who mock or condemn him. The chapter break being a much later addition, Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen should be seen as part of one unit, Job's reply.
“Surely mockers are with me, And my eye gazes on their provocation” (17:2, NASB). Broken in spirit (verse one), and now the subject of mockery and disdain, Job feels compelled to turn his gaze by the direction of the world's derision: inward to himself. This is the suggested medicine of today's science: self-analysis, self-discovery, self-help. It is the exact opposite of God's medicine, prescribed in chapter thirty-eight.
The next three verses are difficult, especially in the King James Version. Verse 3, in the NIV Bible, says, “Give me, O God, the pledge you demand. Who else will put up security for me?” The latter derives from an idiom, ‘to strike the hand’ comparable to ‘shake on it’. Job asks, “Who is he that will strike himself into my hand?” (NET Bible, footnote to verse 17:3) or ‘who will vouch for me’. A benefactor will give a promise of the assurance of backing which is sealed with some form of hand shake. Since Job's relatives have abandoned him and even his close friends will not vouch for him, he is asking God to be his ‘kinsman redeemer’ (Welch, lecture eight).
In the tradition of the day, when a person is in dire difficulty they can turn to a kinsman, usually the closest relative, who may redeem them from debt or the poverty of widowhood, as in the case of Ruth who turns to Boaz (Ruth 3:12-13), or Abraham who rescues Lot from Chedorlaomer (Gen. 14:14-16). Abraham also argues on behalf of Sodom, the home of Lot, before God (Gen. 18:23-33). This tradition of redemption will be codified in Mosaic law (Exod. 21:8; Lev. 25:23-34, 25:48-54; Deut. 25:5-10).
Job suggests that his friends have deserted him because God “has closed their minds to understanding” (17:4, NIV). Assuming that his friend's have deserted Job by the influence of God, it would seem logical to assume that Job would have some mercy towards his friends. Job cannot help but add the suggestion: “you will not let them triumph” (17:4, NIV). He is doggedly determined to be justified before his friends. Bitterly, Job continues, “If a man denounces his friends for reward, the eyes of his children will fail” (17:5, NIV; see the discussion in Barnes, note to 17:5). I am not aware of any way in which his friends denunciations of Job would benefit them financially. I see no reason to conclude that his friends have been disingenuous in this respect. Bitterness towards his friends is causing Job to listen to “the accuser”, and therefore make unkind and unwarranted accusations himself.
When Job's self-centeredness is completely broken he will forgive and bless his friends before God (42:9). While God does not require Job to pray for his friends, God knows he will (42:8). This is the clear contrast between Job before he is refined and Job after he has emerged from the crucible.
‘Seeing my affliction’, reasons Job, ‘the upright will be more diligent and the righteous will not waver’ (17:8-9). I suppose Job finds some solace in the thought that his misfortunes might cause others to more diligently seek righteousness. Turning to his friends, Job accuses, “I cannot find one wise man among you” (17:10). Instead of standing in fear of God, instead of placing the life in order, they are seeking to excuse Job's tragedy. There is no excuse to be found. Yet they persist in gnawing and scraping to find some way that this is Job's particular problem and none of their own.
We are now at the heart of the matter. Job is conflicted between his honor before men and God and the still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) which urges him to let it go. It is this conflict which God addresses through the allegory of the two beasts in chapters 40 and 41. Loosing all his wealth and possessions did not rock his boat. Loosing his ten children hurt, but Job accepts it calmly (1:21). He even accepts the loss of his health with grace (2:10). But from the moment his friends attack Job's integrity (4:5), Job is thrown into contentious turmoil. “He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret” (17:6). A tabret is a small ceremonial drum used in praise and worship or public celebration, much like a tamborine. The Hebrew word ‘tôpheth’ means ‘hitting’ and is used to imply ‘contempt’ (Strong, H8611). According to Barnes, “This is an unhappy translation... The Hebrew word tôpheth–or ‘Tophet,’ is the name which is often given in the Scriptures to the valley of Hinnom–the place where children were sacrificed to Moloch” (Barnes, note to 17:6). It could mean, ‘I am accused of causing the death of my own children.’ It can also mean ‘to spit’ (Vicchio 2020, loc. 4397). Thus the second part of verse six should be interpreted: “And I am one at whom men spit” (17:6, NASB). All these translations are true to the narrative. Which complies best to the original intent is up for debate. I prefer the King James in this instance because it draws out Job's inner struggle. He wants his former glory. In a continuation of this theme, Job will close his dialogues with the notion of taking the written record of his deeds and binding them to his head as a crown (31:36). Job understands that his current low esteem is God's hand (17:4), but he is upset and is not ready to give his friends mercy: “therefore shalt thou not exalt them” (17:4).
Job is deeply discouraged. All of his beliefs, his values, his creeds have been crushed or are in bad need of rethinking. But Job hasn't enough information yet to do that. He has to go to God in supplication. Instead he is going, based on his creed, in contention and is hitting a blank wall. God has a great a great gift for Job, but Job wants to recover the one he lost. Chambers puts the point on it: “‘Discouragement is disenchanted egotism’ (Mazzini), that is, the heart knocked out of self-love” (Chambers 1990, 89).
Job very much wants to return to his former state, where he was exalted for his wisdom and for his benevolence. God is driving him away from all of that. “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me” (Jer. 9:23-24). We will see that Job is still looking backwards to his former glory right up through chapter twenty-nine.
Finally Job crumbles into very eloquent depression. “My purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart” (17:11). 'Thoughts' here is 'môrâsh' in Hebrew, meaning "a possession; figuratively delight" (Strong, H4180). We might say his hopes are dashed, or as Barnes, “the dear possessions of his heart” (Barnes, note to 17:11) have turned to darkness (17:12). God is trying to give Job hope, while Satan is trying to tear down his hope. Currently, Satan appears to be winning: “If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister” (17:13-14), says Job, “Where is now my hope?” (17:15). Far from bringing comfort, Bildad jumps in to add further insult to injury.
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