Job 30:13-23

13 "They 1break up my path, They profit from my destruction; No one restrains them.
14 "As through a wide breach they come, Amid the tempest they roll on.
15 "2Terrors are turned against me; They pursue my honor as the wind, And my prosperity has passed away 3like a cloud.
16 "And now 4my soul is poured out within me; Days of affliction have seized me.
17 "At night it pierces 5my bones within * me, And my gnawing pains take no rest.
18 "By a great force my garment is 6distorted; It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
19 "He has cast me into the 7mire, And I have become like dust and ashes.
20 "I 8cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me.
21 "You have become cruel to me; With the might of Your hand You 9persecute me.
22 "You 10lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride; And You dissolve me in a storm.
23 "For I know that You 11will bring me to death And to the 12house of meeting for all living.

Job 30:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 30

Job in this chapter sets forth his then unhappy state and condition, in contrast with his former state of prosperity described in the preceding chapter: things had taken a strange turn, and were just the reverse of what they were before; he that was before in such high esteem and credit with all sorts of men, young and old, high and low, rich and poor, now is had in derision by the meanest and basest of men, whose characters are described, Job 30:1-8; and the instances of their contempt of him by words and gestures are given, Job 30:9-14; he who enjoyed so much ease of mind, and health of body, is now filled with distresses of soul, and bodily diseases, Job 30:15-19; and he who enjoyed so much of the presence of God, and communion with him, and of his love and favour, was now disregarded, and, as he thought, cruelly used by him, who not only had destroyed his substance, but was about to bring him to the grave, Job 30:20-24; all which came upon him, though he had a sympathizing heart with the poor, and them that were in trouble, and when he expected better things, Job 30:25-28; and he close the chapter, lamenting his sad and sorrowful circumstances, Job 30:29-31.

Cross References 12

  • 1. Isaiah 3:12
  • 2. Job 3:25; Job 31:23; Psalms 55:3-5
  • 3. Job 7:9; Hosea 13:3
  • 4. 1 Samuel 1:15; Job 3:24; Psalms 22:14; Psalms 42:4; Isaiah 53:12
  • 5. Job 30:30
  • 6. Job 2:7
  • 7. Psalms 69:2, 14
  • 8. Job 19:7
  • 9. Job 10:3; Job 16:9, 14; Job 19:6, 22
  • 10. Job 9:17; Job 27:21
  • 11. Job 9:22; Job 10:8
  • 12. Job 3:19; Ecclesiastes 12:5

Footnotes 7

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