Job 29:17

“And I brake the jaws of the wicked, etc.] Their jaw teeth, or grinders, alluding to beasts of prey, who have such teeth, very large; the meaning may be, that Job confuted the arguments which wicked men made use of in their own defence, and against the poor, exposed the weakness of them, and made them ineffectual to answer their purposes; disabled tyrants and cruel oppressors from doing any further hurt and damage to the fatherless and helpless; was an instrument in the hand of God of breaking the power, and weakening the hands of such persons, and hindering them from doing the mischief they otherwise would; (see <203014>Proverbs 30:14 <190307> Psalm 3:7 58:6); and plucked the spoil out of…”

“Image from combating with wild beasts (Job 4:11; Psa 3:7). So compassionate was Job to the oppressed, so terrible to the oppressor! jaws--Job broke his power, so that he could do no more hurt, and tore from him the spoil, which he had torn from others.”

“And I brake the jaws of the wicked - Margin, “jaw-teeth, or, grinders.” The Hebrew word מתלעה methalle‛âh, the same, with the letters transposed, as מתלעות, is from לתע, to “bite” - and means “the biters,” the grinders, the teeth. It is not used to denote the jaw. The image here is taken from wild beasts, with whom Job compares the wicked, and says that he rescued the helpless from their grasp, as he would a lamb from a lion or wolf. And plucked - Margin, “cast.” The margin is a literal translation, but the idea is, that he violently seized the spoil or prey which the wicked had taken, and by force tore it from him. return to 'Top of Page'”

“I brake: Psa 3:7, Psa 58:8; Pro 30:14 jaws: Heb. jaw teeth, or grinders and plucked: Heb. and cast, Sa1 17:35; Psa 124:3, Psa 124:6 Job 29:18”