Job 17:7

“Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, etc.] Through excessive weeping, and the abundance of tears he shed, so that he had almost lost his eyesight, or however it was greatly weakened and impaired by that means, which is often the case, (see <190607>Psalm 6:7 31:9); and all my members [are] as a shadow; his flesh was consumed off his bones, there were nothing left scarcely but skin and bone; he was a mere anatomy, and as thin as a lath, as we commonly say of a man that is quite worn away, as it were; is a walking shadow, has scarce any substance in him, but is the mere shadow of a man; the Targum interprets it of his form, splendour, and countenance, which were like a shadow; some…”

“(Psa 6:7; Psa 31:9; Deu 34:7). members--literally, "figures"; all the individual members being peculiar forms of the body; opposed to "shadow," which looks like a figure without solidity.”

“Mine eye is dim by reason of sorrow - Schultens supposes that this refers to his external appearance in general, as being worn down, exhausted, “defaced” by his many troubles; but it seems rather to mean that his eyes failed on account of weeping. And all my members are as a shadow - “I am a mere skeleton, I am exhausted and emaciated by my sufferings.” It is common to speak of persons who are emaciated by sickness or famine as mere shadows. Thus, Livy (L. 21:40) says, Effigies, imo, “umbrce hominum;” fame, frigore, illuvie, squalore enecti, contusi, debilitati inter saxa rupesque. So Aeschylus calls Oedipus - Οἰδίπου σκιαν Oidipou skian - the shadow of Oedipus. return to 'Top of Page'”

“As a shadow - I am grown so poor and thin, that I am not to be called a man, but the shadow of a man. Job 17:8”

“Mine eye: Job 16:16; Psa 6:7, Psa 31:9, Psa 31:10; Lam 5:17 members: or, thoughts, Job 17:11 shadow: Psa 109:23; Ecc 6:12 Job 17:8”