Job 30:20

20 "I shout for help, God, and get nothing, no answer! I stand to face you in protest, and you give me a blank stare!

Job 30:20 Meaning and Commentary

Job 30:20

I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me
Which added greatly to his affliction, that though he cried to the Lord for help and deliverance, yet he turned a deaf ear to him; and though he heard him, as undoubtedly he did, he did not answer him immediately; at least not in the way in which he desired and expected he would: crying is expressive of prayer, and supposes distress, and denotes vehemence of spirit:

I stand up;
in prayer, standing being a prayer gesture, as many observe from ( Jeremiah 15:1 ) ; (See Gill on Matthew 6:5); or he persisted in it, he continued praying, was incessant in it, and yet could obtain no answer; or this signifies silence, as some F6 interpret it; he cried, and then ceased, waiting for an answer; but whether he prayed, or whether he was silent, it was the same thing:

and thou regardest me [not];
the word "not" is not in this clause, but is repeated from the preceding, as it is by Ben Gersom and others; but some read it without it, and give the sense either thus, thou considerest me whether it is fit to receive my prayer or not, so Sephorno; or to renew my strokes, to add new afflictions to me, as Jarchi and Bar Tzemach; or thou lookest upon me as one pleased with the sight of me in such a miserable condition, so far from helping me; wherefore it follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Jarchi, Ben Gersom, and Bar Tzemach.

Job 30:20 In-Context

18 I am tied hand and foot, my neck in a noose. I twist and turn.
19 Thrown facedown in the muck, I'm a muddy mess, inside and out. What Did I Do to Deserve This?
20 "I shout for help, God, and get nothing, no answer! I stand to face you in protest, and you give me a blank stare!
21 You've turned into my tormenter - you slap me around, knock me about.
22 You raised me up so I was riding high and then dropped me, and I crashed.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.