Job 30:20-30

20 "I 1cry 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 2persecute me.
22 "You 3lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride; And You dissolve me in a storm.
23 "For I know that You 4will bring me to death And to the 5house of meeting for all living.
24 "Yet does not one in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand, Or in his disaster therefore 6cry out for help?
25 "Have I not 7wept for the one whose life is hard? Was not my soul grieved for 8the needy?
26 "When I 9expected good, then evil came; When I waited for light, 10then darkness came.
27 "I am seething 11within and cannot relax; Days of affliction confront me.
28 "I go about 12mourning without comfort; I stand up in the assembly and 13cry out for help.
29 "I have become a brother to 14jackals And a companion of ostriches *.
30 "My 15skin turns black on me, And my 16bones burn with fever.

Job 30:20-30 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 16

  • 1. Job 19:7
  • 2. Job 10:3; Job 16:9, 14; Job 19:6, 22
  • 3. Job 9:17; Job 27:21
  • 4. Job 9:22; Job 10:8
  • 5. Job 3:19; Ecclesiastes 12:5
  • 6. Job 19:7
  • 7. Psalms 35:13, 14; Romans 12:15
  • 8. Job 24:4
  • 9. Job 3:25, 26; Jeremiah 8:15
  • 10. Job 19:8
  • 11. Lamentations 2:11
  • 12. Job 30:31; Psalms 38:6; Psalms 42:9; Psalms 43:2
  • 13. Job 19:7
  • 14. Psalms 44:19; Micah 1:8
  • 15. Job 2:7
  • 16. Psalms 102:3

Footnotes 6

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