\\INTRODUCTION TO JOB 19\\

This chapter contains Job's reply to Bildad's second speech, in which
he complains of the ill usage of his friends, of their continuing to
vex him, and to beat, and bruise, and break him in pieces with their
hard words, and to reproach him, and carry it strange to him,
\\#Job 19:1-3\\; which he thought was very cruel, since, if he was
mistaken, the mistake lay with himself, \\#Job 19:4\\; and if they were
determined to go on at this rate, he would have them observe, that his
afflictions were of God, and therefore should take care to what they
imputed them, since he could not get the reasons of them, or his cause
to be heard, though he vehemently and importunately sought it,
\\#Job 19:5-7\\; and then gives an enumeration of the several particulars
of his distress, all which he ascribes to God, \\#Job 19:8-12\\; and he
enlarges upon that part of his unhappy case, respecting the alienation
of his nearest relations, most intimate acquaintance and friends, from
him, and their contempt of him, and the like treatment he met with from
his servants, and even young children, \\#Job 19:13-19\\; all which, with
other troubles, had such an effect upon him as to reduce him to a mere
skeleton, and which he mentions to move the pity of these his friends,
now conversing with him, \\#Job 19:20-22\\; and yet after all, and in the
midst of it, and which was his great support under his trials, he
expresses his strong faith in his living Redeemer, who should appear on
the earth in the latter day, and be his Saviour, and in the
resurrection of the dead through him, which he believed he should share
in, and in all the happiness consequent on it; and he wishes this
confession of his faith might be written and engraven, and be preserved
on a rock for ever for the good of posterity, \\#Job 19:23-27\\; and
closes the chapter with an expostulation with his friends, dissuading
them from persecuting him any longer, since there was no reason for it
in himself, and it might be attended with bad consequences to them,
\\#Job 19:28,29\\.