Job 14:20

“Thou prevailest for ever against him, etc.] God is a more than a match for man, in anything, in everything; there is no contending with him, or standing against him, he is stronger than he, and always prevails; there is no withstanding any disease, and the force of it, when he sends it; it is a messenger and servant of his, it goes at his command, and does what he bids it do; and all the art and power of man cannot resist it, or hinder what God would have done by it; and so death itself is irresistible; what is stronger than death? it is a king that reigns with a despotic power; it reigns irresistibly, victoriously, and triumphantly; it prevails over all men, in all ages, and will do to the…”

“prevailest--dost overpower by superior strength. passeth--dieth. changest countenance--the change in the visage at death. Differently (Dan 5:9).”

“Thou prevailest forever against him - Thou dost always show that thou art stronger than he is. He never shows that he is able to contend with God. And he passeth - He cannot stand before thee, but is vanquished, and passes off the stage of being. Thou changest his countenance - Possibly the allusion is to the change produced by death. The countenance that glowed with health and was flushed with beauty and hope - blooming as the rose - is made pale as the lily under the hand of God. What an affecting exhibition of the power of God! And sendest him away - This language seems to be that of expectation that man would still live though he was sent away; but all his hopes on earth were blasted,…”

“Prevailest - When once thou takest away this life, it is gone forever. Sendest - To his long home. Job 14:21”

“prevailest: Ecc 8:8 changest: Job 14:14, Job 2:12; Lam 4:8 Job 14:21”

“20 Thou siezest him for ever, then he passeth away; Thou changest his countenance and castest him forth. 21 If his sons come to honour, he knoweth it not; Or to want, he observeth them not. 22 Only on his own account his flesh suffereth pain, And on his own account is his soul conscious of grief. The old expositors thought that תּתקפהוּ must be explained by תתקף נמנו (Thou provest thyself stronger than he, according to Ges. 121, 4), because תּקף is intrans.; but it is also transitive in the sense of seizing forcibly and grasping, Job 15:24; Ecc 4:12, as Talm. תּקף (otherwise commonly אתקף as החזיק), Arab. taqifa, comprehendere. The many sufferings which God inflicts on him in the course of…”