Job 10:12-22

12 You gave me life and faithful love, and Your care has guarded my life.
13 Yet You concealed these [thoughts] in Your heart; I know that this was Your hidden plan:[a]
14 if I sin, You would notice,[b] and would not acquit me of my wrongdoing.[c]
15 If I am wicked, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am filled with shame and aware of my affliction.[d]
16 If I am proud, You hunt me like a lion and again display Your miraculous power against me.[e]
17 You produce new witnesses[f] against me and multiply Your anger toward me.[g] Hardships assault me, wave after wave.[h]
18 Why did You bring me out of the womb? I should have died and never been seen.[i]
19 I wish[j] I had never existed but had been carried from the womb to the grave.[k]
20 Are my days not few? Stop [it]![l] Leave me alone, so that I can smile a little
21 before I go to a land of darkness and gloom, never to return.
22 [It is] a land of blackness like the deepest darkness, gloomy and chaotic, where even the light is like[m] the darkness.

Job 10:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 10

Job here declares the greatness of his afflictions, which made him weary of his life, and could not help complaining; entreats the Lord not to condemn him but show him the reason of his thus dealing with him, Job 10:1,2; and expostulates with him about it, and suggests as if it was severe, and not easily reconciled to his perfections, when he knew he was not a wicked man, Job 10:3-7; he puts him in mind of his formation and preservation of him, and after all destroyed him, Job 10:8-12; and represents his case as very distressed; whether he was wicked or righteous it mattered not, his afflictions were increasing upon him, Job 10:13-17; and all this he observes, in order to justify his eager desire after death, which he renews, Job 10:18,19; and entreats, since his days he had to live were but few, that God would give him some respite before he went into another state, which he describes, Job 10:20-22.

Footnotes 13

  • [a]. Lit was with You
  • [b]. Lit notice me
  • [c]. Jb 7:21; 13:27; Ex 34:7
  • [d]. Jb 9:15,18; 30:27; Ps 25:18
  • [e]. Jb 31:23; Ps 7:2; Lm 3:10-11
  • [f]. Or You bring fresh troops
  • [g]. Jb 16:8-9,14; 19:6
  • [h]. Lit Changes and a host are with me
  • [i]. Jb 3:11-12; Jr 15:10
  • [j]. Lit As if
  • [k]. Jb 3:11,13,16
  • [l]. Alt Hb tradition reads Will He not leave my few days alone?
  • [m]. Lit chaotic, and shines as
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