Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Whose foundation was overflown with a flood - The unrighteous in the days of Noah, who appear to have had an abundance of all temporal good, ( Job 22:18;), and who surpassed the deeds of all the former wicked, said in effect to God, Depart from us. And when Noah preached unto them the terrors of the Lord, and the necessity of repentance, they rejected his preaching with, What can the Almighty do for us? Let him do his worst; we care not for him, Job 22:17. For למו lamo, to Them, the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic have evidently read לנו lanu, to Us. This reading quotes their own saying; the former reading narrates it in the third person. The meaning, however, is the same.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Which were cut down - Who were suddenly destroyed by a flood. On the word used here (קמט qâmaṭ ) see the notes at Job 16:8. It occurs only in that place and this. Its primary notion is that of drawing together or contracting - as the feet of a lamb or calf are drawn together and tied preparatory to being killed; and the meaning here is, probably, “who were huddled together by the waters,” or who were driven in heaps by the deluge, so rapidly and suddenly did it come upon them.

Out of time - Hebrew “And there was no time;” that is, it was done in a moment, or suddenly. No time was given them; no delay was granted. The floods rushed over them, and nothing could stay them.

Whose foundation was overflown - Margin, or, “a flood was poured upon their foundation.” That is, all on which they relied was swept away. The word “foundation” refers to that on which their happiness and security rested, as a house rests on its foundation, and when that is swept away the house falls.

With a flood - Hebrew (נהר nâhâr ) “river.” The word is commonly applied to a river; and in the Scriptures, by way of eminence, to the Euphrates; see Isaiah 7:20, note; Isaiah 8:7, note. It may be used, however, to denote a river which is swollen, and then a flood - and it is several times rendered “flood” in the Scriptures; Job 14:11; Jonah 2:3 (where it means the sea); Joshua 24:2-3, Joshua 24:14-15; Psalm 66:6; Job 28:11; Psalm 24:2; Psalm 93:3; Song of Song of Solomon 8:7 . Prof. Lee supposes that the allusion here is to some overflowing of the Euphrates, but the reference seems to be decidedly to the deluge in the time of Noah. The “language” is such as would be used in referring to that, and the fact is just such an one as would be pertinent to the argument of Eliphaz. The fact was undoubtedly well known to all, so that a bare allusion to it would be enough.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Which were cut down out of time,.... Sent out of time into eternity, time being no more with men, and they no longer in time, when death seizes upon them; or "before time"^F1ולא עת "ante tempus suum", V. L. Mercerus; "ante tempus", Cocceius, Schultens. , before the common term of life, which, according to the course of nature, and human probability, they might have arrived unto: as this is spoken of the men of the old world that lived before the flood, when the lives of men were very long, it is highly probable there, were many that were destroyed by the general deluge, who, had it not for that, might have lived many hundreds of years, according to the usual course: or "without time"^F2"Sine mora", Cocceius; "in momento", Codurcus. , without any delay suddenly, at once, at an unawares; for, though they had notice of the flood, they did not regard it, but lived careless and secure; and it came upon them without any further warning, and swept them away, when they were "cut down", as trees by the axe laid to the root of them, to which wicked, men in great power and flourishing circumstances are sometimes compared, Psalm 37:35; or like grass by the scythe, which it is not able to resist, and to which all men are like for their numbers and weaknesses, and who are cut down by death as easily as the grass is by the mower, see Psalm 37:1. Some render it "wrinkled"^F3קמטו "corrugati sunt", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Bolducius, Cocceius. , as in Job 16:8; as bodies when dead are, and especially such as are drowned, and have been long floating in the water, as those that perished by the flood were, for to such the words have respect, as appears by what follows:

whose foundation was overflown with a flood; either of water, or of fire and brimstone, as Jarchi observes; the former is most likely to be meant; for by the flood, or universal deluge, all that was thought firm and permanent, and might be called a foundation, was overflown and carried away, as houses, goods, furniture, wealth, and riches, and everything that men had a dependence upon for the support and comfort of life; yea, the earth itself, on which they dwelt, and was reckoned "terra firma", this being founded upon, and over the waters; or, as the Apostle Peter describes it, "it standing out of the water and in the water", 2 Peter 3:5; or "their foundation was a flood poured out"^F4נהר יוצק יסידם "fundamentum eorum ut flumen diffluxit", Tigurine version; "fluvius effusus fundamentum eorum", Codurcus, Beza; to the same sense Drusius, Mercerus, Cocceius, Schultens. ; what they thought were solid, and firm, and durable, and built their hopes of happiness upon, were like a flood of water, poured, dissipated, and scattered, and which disappeared and came to nothing: and such is every foundation that a man builds his hope, especially of eternal happiness, upon, short of Christ, the only sure foundation laid in Zion, his person, grace, blood, and righteousness; everything else, let it seem ever so firm, is as sand, yea, as water, as a flood of water that spreads itself, and quickly comes to nothing.

Geneva Study Bible

(l) He proves God's providence by the punishment of the wicked, whom he takes away before they can bring their wicked purposes to pass.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

cut down — rather, “fettered,” as in Job 16:8; that is, arrested by death.

out of time — prematurely, suddenly (Job 15:32; Ecclesiastes 7:17); literally, “whose foundation was poured out (so as to become) a stream or flood.” The solid earth passed from beneath their feet into a flood (Genesis 7:11).

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

Out of — Before their time.

A flood — Who, together with their foundation, the earth and all their supports and enjoyments in it, were destroyed by the general deluge.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Job 22:16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

Ver. 16. Which were cut down out of time] Or, Which grew full of wrinkles (as those that have long lain in the water are apt to do), and not time; that is, before that time of life that they had promised themselves on earth; or before they had fulfilled the days of their forefathers, who, though wicked above measure many of them, yet the flood could not come till Methuselah (the last alive of the ten patriarchs) were laid up. God cuts off some notoriously wicked sometimes, Intempeata morte abrepti (Jun.), when in the course of nature they might have lived longer, that they may do no more hurt, as the gardener destroyeth young henbane, and the countryman young vermins.

Whose foundation was overflown with a flood] Heb. A river was poured upon their foundation. This some understand of that river of brimstone and fire poured from heaven upon Sodom and her sisters; but better take it of those in Noah’s days, whose foundation (that is, the earth, that foundation of mankind; or their wealth and prosperity, whereon they thought themselves firmly founded, or their lives, &c.), were overflown with a flood; which came rushing in upon them with mighty force, and drowned the universe. And here the Hebrews make to be the middle of this book of Job, wherein they reckon in all one thousand and seventy verses.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Out of time, i.e. before their time; who died a violent and untimely death.

Whose foundation was overflown with a flood; who, together with their foundation, to wit, the earth, and all their supports and enjoyments in it, were destroyed by the general deluge; which doubtless was very well known to them, because they lived not long after it; and which was most proper for this argument. Or,

whose foundation, i.e. all their power, and riches, and policy, upon which they build all their hopes and happiness, was like a flood poured forth; which made a great show and noise for a time, but speedily vanished and came to nothing.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

b. The wrath of God, intensified by such scepticism, visits the world, overthrowing the boastful wicked, and calling forth the triumphal songs of the righteous, Job 22:16-20.

16.Cut down out of time, etc. — Literally, who were snatched away before the time — prematurely. Their foundation was poured away as a stream. Snatched away — Kamat is used only here and Job 16:8. See note.

With a flood — As a stream. Their foundation became fluid, an undoubted reference to the deluge. Compare Matthew 7:27.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Flood. Hebrew, "river," (Septuagint; Calmet) or "flood." (Protestants) This does not certainly allude to the deluge, though Job could not be unacquainted with an event (Haydock) which appears in the writings of the most ancient pagan authors. (Grotius, Relig.)

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

Cut down - rather, 'fettered,' as in Job 16:8; Job 1:1-22 :e., arrested by death.

Out of time - prematurely, suddenly (Job 15:32; Ecclesiastes 7:17); literally, whose foundation was poured out (so as to become) a stream, or flood. The solid earth passed from beneath their feet into a flood (Genesis 7:11, "The fountains of the great deep were broken up").

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Which were cut down out of time.—Or, which were snatched away before their time. It is generally supposed that there is an allusion here to the history of the Flood; if so, the reference is of course very important in its bearing on the age of that record, since the Book of Job can hardly fail to be very old itself.

Whose foundation was overflown with a flood.—Or, upon whose foundation a stream was poured out; or, whose foundation became as a flowing stream; or, whose foundation is like a flowing stream: that is, their principles are infectious, and bear all before them.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

cut down

15:32; Psalms 55:23; 102:24; Ecclesiastes 7:17

whose foundation was overflown with a flood

Heb. a flood was poured upon their foundation.

Genesis 7:11,17-24; Matthew 24:37-39; 1 Peter 3:19,20; 2 Peter 2:5