Job 23:17

“Because I was not cut off before the darkness, etc.] That is, it was amazing to him, and troubled him when he thought of it, that he was not cut off by death, before the darkness of afflictions, or this dark dispensation came upon him; as sometimes righteous ones are taken from the evil to come, as Methuselah was before the flood, (<010527>Genesis 5:27); and Job wonders this was not his case, or at least he wishes it had been; for so Aben Ezra seems to understand and read the words, “why was I not cut off?” etc. as if it was a wish, and expressive of his desire, that this had been done; which was what he had expostulated with God about at first, in the third chapter, and death was what he…”

“Because I was not taken away by death from the evil to come (literally, "from before the face of the darkness," Isa 57:1). Alluding to the words of Eliphaz (Job 22:11), "darkness," that is, calamity. cut off--rather, in the Arabic sense, brought to the land of silence; my sad complaint hushed in death [UMBREIT]. "Darkness" in the second clause, not the same Hebrew word as in the first, "cloud," "obscurity." Instead of "covering the cloud (of evil) from my face," He "covers" me with it (Job 22:11). Next: Job Chapter 24”

“Because I was not cut off before the darkness - Before these calamities came upon me. Because I was not taken away in the midst of prosperity, and while I was enjoying his smiles and the proofs of his love. His trouble is, that he was spared to pass through these trials, and to be treated as if he were one of the worst of men. This is what now perplexes him, and what he cannot understand. He does not know why God had reserved him to treat him as if he were the chief of sinners. Neither hath he covered the darkness from my face - The word “neither” is supplied here by our translators, but not improperly. The difficulty with Job was, that God had not “hidden” this darkness and calamity so that…”

“Because - God did not cut me off by death. Before - These miseries came upon me. Covered - By hiding me in the grave. Next: Job Chapter 24”

“cut off: Job 6:9; Kg2 22:20; Isa 57:1 the darkness from: Job 15:22, Job 18:6, Job 18:18, Job 19:8, Job 22:11 Next: Job Chapter 24”