Thou hast found life.] Some take life here for food. As if the Prophet had said; This thy labour hath been as acceptable to thee, as if thou hadst gotten thy living, in labouring with thine hands. Others take life of the hands for delight or great voluptuousness: and these two expositions come to one reckoning. But there is yet a little more difficulty, namely, whether he speaks here in good earnest, or by way of scorn. For if there be no figure used here, then the sense will be thus: Thou wert not sorrow, because fortune seemed for a time to favour thee. Whilst the affairs of unbelievers succeed well, then they flatter themselves more and more in their infidelity. As the common proverb is, Prosperity blinds men. But this falls out then especially, when having forsaken God, they follow their own ways and deliberations. For then they despise the Lord. It may also be read by way of scorn, as if he should say, Whence is it, I pray thee, that thou breakest not off thy course, nor repentest? why doest thou not acknowledge thy folly? Is it because thou hast life in thine hands, and because all things fall out according to thy desire? This reading pleaseth me best: though I reject not the other. Truly it appears sufficiently by the histories that this people had small cause to glory in their good successes. For the league which they first made with the Egyptians, next with the Assyrians, and lastly with the Babylonians was pernicious and deadly unto them. So as they felt by experience how unadvised they were to call such companions into their rescue. The Prophet then had good reason to object against them that they had found life by their hand. He sets out the sottishness of the Jews therefore, in regard they wittingly plunged themselves into ruin, and obstinately pursued their own perdition; whereas at least they ought (even by the example of fools) to have become wise after they had tasted the whip.
Thou hast found life.] Some take life here for foode. As if the Prophet had said; This thy labour hath been as acceptable to thee, as if thou hadst gotten thy liuing, in labouring with thine hands. Others take life of the hands for delite or great voluptuousnesse: and these two expositions come to one reckoning. But there is yet a little more difficultie, namely, whether he speakes here in good earnest, or by way of scorne. For if there be no figure vsed here, then the sense will be thus: Thou wert not sorrow, because fortune seemed for a time to fauour thee. Whilest the affaires of vnbeleeuers succeed well, thē they flatter themselues more and more in their infidelitie. As the common prouerb is, Prosperitie blinds men. But this falles out then especiallie, when hauing forsaken God, they follow their owne waies and deliberations. For then they despise the Lord. It may also be read by way of scorne, as if he should say, Whence is it, I pray thee, that thou breakest not off thy course, nor repentest? why doest thou not acknowledge thy follie? Is it because thou hast life in thine hands, and because all things fall out according to thy desire? This reading pleaseth me best: though I reiect not the other. Truelie it appeares sufficientlie by the histories that this people had small cause to glorie in their good successes. For the league which they first made with the Egyptians, next with the Assyrians, and lastly with the Babylonians was pernicious and deadly vnto them. So as they felt by experience how vnaduised they were to call such companions into their rescue. The Prophet then had good reason to obiect against them that they had found life by their hand. He sets out the sottishnesse of the Iewes therefore, in regard they wittinglie plunged themselues into ruine, and obstinately pursued their owne perdition; whereas at least they ought (euen by the example of fooles) to haue become wise after they had tasted the whip.
