Job 10:14-22

14 If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished.
15 If I am guilty—woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in[a] my affliction.
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me.
17 You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave.
18 “Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me.
19 If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!
20 Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy
21 before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and utter darkness,
22 to the land of deepest night, of utter darkness and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”

Job 10:14-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 10

Job here declares the greatness of his afflictions, which made him weary of his life, and could not help complaining; entreats the Lord not to condemn him but show him the reason of his thus dealing with him, Job 10:1,2; and expostulates with him about it, and suggests as if it was severe, and not easily reconciled to his perfections, when he knew he was not a wicked man, Job 10:3-7; he puts him in mind of his formation and preservation of him, and after all destroyed him, Job 10:8-12; and represents his case as very distressed; whether he was wicked or righteous it mattered not, his afflictions were increasing upon him, Job 10:13-17; and all this he observes, in order to justify his eager desire after death, which he renews, Job 10:18,19; and entreats, since his days he had to live were but few, that God would give him some respite before he went into another state, which he describes, Job 10:20-22.

Cross References 22

  • 1. Job 13:27
  • 2. S Exodus 34:7; S Job 7:21
  • 3. S ver 7
  • 4. S Job 9:13; Isaiah 3:11
  • 5. S Job 9:15
  • 6. Psalms 25:16
  • 7. S 1 Samuel 17:34; Psalms 7:2; Isaiah 38:13; Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 25:38; Lamentations 3:10; Hosea 5:14; Hosea 13:7
  • 8. Job 5:9; Isaiah 28:21; Isaiah 29:14; Isaiah 65:7
  • 9. 1 Kings 21:10; Job 16:8
  • 10. Ruth 1:21
  • 11. S Job 5:7
  • 12. S Job 3:8; S Psalms 22:9; Job 3:11
  • 13. Job 3:26; Ecclesiastes 4:2; Ecclesiastes 7:1
  • 14. S Job 3:3; Jeremiah 15:10
  • 15. Job 14:1; Ecclesiastes 6:12
  • 16. S Job 7:7; Job 7:19
  • 17. S Job 7:16
  • 18. S Job 9:25
  • 19. S 2 Samuel 12:23; S Job 3:13; Job 16:22; Psalms 39:13; Ecclesiastes 12:5
  • 20. S Job 3:5; Psalms 23:4; Psalms 88:12
  • 21. S Job 3:5
  • 22. S 1 Samuel 2:9; S Job 3:13

Footnotes 1

Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.