Job 19:17-27

17 My breath is offensive to my wife; I am loathsome to my own family.

18 Even the little boys scorn me; when I appear, they ridicule me.

19 All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me.

20 I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.^[a]

21 “Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

22 Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll,

24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on^[b] lead, or engraved in rock forever!

25 I know that my redeemer^[c] lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.^[d]

26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet^[e] in^[f] my flesh I will see God;

27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Job 19:17-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 19

This chapter contains Job's reply to Bildad's second speech, in which he complains of the ill usage of his friends, of their continuing to vex him, and to beat, and bruise, and break him in pieces with their hard words, and to reproach him, and carry it strange to him, Job 19:1-3; which he thought was very cruel, since, if he was mistaken, the mistake lay with himself, Job 19:4; and if they were determined to go on at this rate, he would have them observe, that his afflictions were of God, and therefore should take care to what they imputed them, since he could not get the reasons of them, or his cause to be heard, though he vehemently and importunately sought it, Job 19:5-7; and then gives an enumeration of the several particulars of his distress, all which he ascribes to God, Job 19:8-12; and he enlarges upon that part of his unhappy case, respecting the alienation of his nearest relations, most intimate acquaintance and friends, from him, and their contempt of him, and the like treatment he met with from his servants, and even young children, Job 19:13-19; all which, with other troubles, had such an effect upon him as to reduce him to a mere skeleton, and which he mentions to move the pity of these his friends, now conversing with him, Job 19:20-22; and yet after all, and in the midst of it, and which was his great support under his trials, he expresses his strong faith in his living Redeemer, who should appear on the earth in the latter day, and be his Saviour, and in the resurrection of the dead through him, which he believed he should share in, and in all the happiness consequent on it; and he wishes this confession of his faith might be written and engraven, and be preserved on a rock for ever for the good of posterity, Job 19:23-27; and closes the chapter with an expostulation with his friends, dissuading them from persecuting him any longer, since there was no reason for it in himself, and it might be attended with bad consequences to them, Job 19:28,29.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 38:5
• 2. S 2 Kings 2:23
• 3. S Job 16:10
• 4. S ver 14; S Job 6:14; Psalms 55:12-13
• 5. Job 30:10; Psalms 38:11
• 6. S ver 13; John 13:18
• 7. S Job 2:5; Job 33:21; Psalms 102:5
• 8. S Job 6:14
• 9. S Judges 2:15; S Job 4:5; S Job 10:3; Lamentations 3:1
• 10. S Job 13:25; Job 16:11
• 11. ver 6
• 12. S 2 Chronicles 28:9; Psalms 14:4; Psalms 27:2; Psalms 69:26; Proverbs 30:14; Isaiah 53:4
• 13. S Exodus 17:14; S Psalms 40:7; S Isaiah 8:1; Isaiah 30:8
• 14. Jeremiah 17:1
• 15. S Job 16:18
• 16. S Exodus 6:6; S Leviticus 25:25; Psalms 68:5; Psalms 78:35; Proverbs 23:11; Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 44:6,24; Isaiah 47:4; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 49:26; Isaiah 54:5; Isaiah 59:20; Isaiah 60:16; Jeremiah 50:34
• 17. S 1 Samuel 14:39; Job 16:19
• 18. S Numbers 12:8; Psalms 17:15; S Matthew 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2
• 19. Luke 2:30
• 20. Psalms 42:1; Psalms 63:1; Psalms 84:2; Psalms 73:26

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "only by my gums"
• [b]. Or "and"
• [c]. Or "vindicator"
• [d]. Or "on my grave"
• [e]. Or "And after I awake," / "though this body has been destroyed," / "then"
• [f]. Or "destroyed," / "apart from"