14:7-15 Though a tree is cut down, yet, in a moist situation, shoots come forth, and grow up as a newly planted tree. But when man is cut off by death, he is for ever removed from his place in this world. The life of man may fitly be compared to the waters of a land flood, which spread far, but soon dry up. All Job's expressions here show his belief in the great doctrine of the resurrection. Job's friends proving miserable comforters, he pleases himself with the expectation of a change. If our sins are forgiven, and our hearts renewed to holiness, heaven will be the rest of our souls, while our bodies are hidden in the grave from the malice of our enemies, feeling no more pain from our corruptions, or our corrections.For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,.... That is, if it be cut down to the root, and only the stump of the root is left in the ground, as the tree in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel 4:15, yet the owner of it may entertain a hope that it is not utterly destroyed, but will bud out again; or "change" (s) its state and condition, and become flourishing again: or "renew" (t) itself; and its strength, and put out new shoots and branches; either it will rise up into a new body, as the laurel, as Pliny (u) relates, or produce new sprouts as the willow, alder tree, and others; for this is not true of every tree, though it may be of many; for it is (w) reported of the cypress tree, when cut down, it never sprouts out any more, unless in one place, in Aenaria; but since this is the case of some, it is sufficient to Job's purpose:

and that the tender branch thereof will not cease; from shooting out; or "its suckers will not cease" (x); which may be observed frequently to grow out of the roots of trees, even of those that are cut down, such as above mentioned.

(s) "mutabit se", Drusius; "conditionem suam", Piscator. (t) "Renovat se", Schmidt. (u) Nat. Hist. apud Pinedam in loc. (w) Servius in Virgil. Aeneid. l. 3. p. 681. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 33. (x) "sugensque ejus surculus", Schultens.