Verse 17
17. Gates of death Used figuratively, or according to the usage of that age. The Assyrian legend of the descent of Ishtar into hades, “the house men enter but cannot depart from,” speaks of seven gates. On the Egyptian sarcophagus of Oimenepthah, each department of the regions of the dead is divided from the next by a tall door, turning upon pivots, and guarded, as in the annexed engraving, by a serpent. The British Museum contains a stone door brought from Syria, which turned upon pivots like this door. Comp. 1 Chronicles 22:3; 1 Kings 7:50. As in Job 26:5-6, (which see,) mention of the secrets of the great deep is linked with the under world of the dead, which lay near by, according to the popular view. Man’s science knows as little of the world of the dead now as then.
Hast thou seen And yet Job has talked of death and its desirableness as if well acquainted with its extended domain; (Job 3:13-19; Job 10:21-22; Job 14:12-13; Job 17:13-16, etc.;) but not even the gates of death has Job ever seen.
Shadow of death See note, Job 3:5.
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