Job 7:16-21

16 "I 1waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, 2for my days are but a breath.
17 "3What is man that You magnify him, And that You are concerned * about him,
18 That 4You examine him every morning And try him every moment?
19 "5Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20 "6Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O 7watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?
21 "Why then 8do You not pardon my transgression And take away my iniquity? For now I will 9lie down in the dust; And You will seek me, 10but I will not be."

Job 7:16-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 7

In this chapter Job goes on to defend himself in an address to God; as that he had reason to complain of his extraordinary afflictions, and wish for death; by observing the common case of mankind, which he illustrates by that of an hireling, Job 7:1; and justifies his eager desire of death by the servant and hireling; the one earnestly desiring the shadow, and the other the reward of his work, Job 7:2; by representing his present state as exceeding deplorable, even worse than that of the servant and hireling, since they had rest at night, when he had none, and were free from pain, whereas he was not, Job 7:3-5; by taking notice of the swiftness and shortness of his days, in which he had no hope of enjoying any good, Job 7:6,7; and so thought his case hard; and the rather, since after death he could enjoy no temporal good: and therefore to be deprived of it while living gave him just reason of complaint, Job 7:8-11; and then he expostulates with God for setting such a strict watch upon him; giving him no ease night nor day, but terrifying him with dreams and visions, which made life disagreeable to him, and death more eligible than that, Job 7:12-16; and represents man as unworthy of the divine regard, and below his notice to bestow favours on him, or to chastise him for doing amiss, Job 7:17,18; and admitting that he himself had sinned, yet he should forgive his iniquity, and not bear so hard upon him, and follow him with one affliction after another without intermission, and make him the butt of his arrows; but should spare him and let him alone, or however take him out of the world, Job 7:19-21.

Cross References 10

  • 1. Job 6:9; Job 9:21; Job 10:1
  • 2. Job 7:7
  • 3. Job 22:2; Psalms 8:4; Psalms 144:3; Hebrews 2:6
  • 4. Job 14:3
  • 5. Job 9:18; Job 10:20; Job 14:6
  • 6. Job 35:3, 6
  • 7. Psalms 36:6
  • 8. Job 9:28; Job 10:14
  • 9. Job 10:9
  • 10. Job 7:8

Footnotes 3

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