They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hastens to the prey.
All Commentaries on Job 9:26 Go To Job 9
Didymus the Blind
AD 398
The swift runner does not appear to touch the ground; he appears as though he has wings. [Job says], “ ‘My life is swifter than a runner.’ I look at what is above. ‘I do not run aimlessly.’ I do not touch the ground.” Because they want to reach the finish line, the righteous keep on running, even when they run into obstacles. For example, when they encounter a distressful situation they continue to run. Even David ran, for he said, “I have run without unrighteousness, always running straight ahead.” And, “I ran the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding.” Job also hints at this twofold interpretation: First, “judges,” whose faces are completely covered, is a reference to the people’s leaders who run away in fear of the righteous because they saw no successful outcome of the [righteous person’s] race. [Their faces are covered] because they are unworthy [to be judges or leaders.] Secondly, however, consider whether Job may not also be speaking about the righteous as well. They fled from the [corrupt] judges according to the passage “but run away, do not stay in one place.” And they [the judges] did not perceive the poignancy of virtue [anymore]. And so they stopped running. Maybe it is also appropriate to compare this with the passage, “I have not known an evil person, seeing that he turns away from me.”
