Job 16:12

“I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder, etc.] He was in easy and affluent circumstances, abounding with the good things of this life, lay in his nest, as his expression is, (<182918>Job 29:18); quietly and peaceably, where he expected he should have died; and he was easy in his mind, had peace of conscience, being a good man that feared God, and trusted in his living Redeemer, enjoying the presence of God, the light of his countenance, and the discoveries of his love, (see <183902>Job 39:2-5); but now he was broken to pieces, he was stripped of his worldly substance; his family was broken up, and not a child left him; his body broken, and full of ruptures through boils and ulcers; and…”

“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; Lam 3:12). God lets me always recover strength, so as to torment me ceaselessly.”

“I was at ease - I was in a state of happiness and security. The word used here (שׁלו shâlêv) means sometimes to be “at ease” in an improper sense; that is, to be in a state of “carnal security,” or living unconcerned in sin (Ezekiel 23:42; compare Proverbs 1:32); but here it is used in the sense of comfort. He had everything desirable around him. But he hath broken me asunder - He has crushed me. He hath also taken, me by my neck - Perhaps as an animal does his prey. We have all seen dogs seize upon their prey in this manner. And set me up for his mark - Changing the figure, and saying that God had directed his arrows against him; so Jeremiah, Lamentations 3:12 : He hath bent his bow, And…”

“Shaken - As a mighty man doth with some stripling, when he wrestleth with him. Mark - That he may shoot all his arrows in me. Job 16:13”

“16:12 took me by the neck: This might refer to a wild animal with its prey (see 16:9), but it is more likely a military image that signaled defeat (Gen 49:8; Ps 18:40).”

“at ease: Job 1:2, Job 1:3, Job 3:26, Job 29:3, Job 29:18, Job 29:19 broken me: Job 4:10; Psa 44:19; Lam 3:4; Mat 21:44 by my neck: Job 15:26; Rom 16:4 shaken: Lam 3:11; Eze 29:7 set me up: Job 7:12, Job 7:20; Lam 3:12 Job 16:13”

“12 I was at ease, but He hath broken me in pieces; And He hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces, And set me up for a mark for himself. 13 His arrows whistled about me; He pierced my reins without sparing; He poured out my gall upon the ground. 14 He brake through me breach upon breach, He ran upon me like a mighty warrior. He was prosperous and contented, when all at once God began to be enraged against him; the intensive form פּרפּר (Arab. farfara) signifies to break up entirely, crush, crumble in pieces (Hithpo. to become fragile, Isa 24:19); the corresponding intensive form פּצפּץ (from פּצץ, Arab. fḍḍ, cogn. נפץ), to beat in pieces (Polel of a hammer, Jer 23:29), to dash to…”