Job 30:7-17

7 Among the bushes they 1bray; under 2the nettles they huddle together.
8 A senseless, a nameless brood, they have been whipped out of the land.
9 "And now I have become their 3song; I am 4a byword to them.
10 They 5abhor me; they keep aloof from me; they do not hesitate to 6spit at the sight of me.
11 Because God has loosed my cord and humbled me, they have cast off restraint[a] in my presence.
12 On my 7right hand the rabble rise; they push away my feet; they 8cast up against me their ways of destruction.
13 They break up my path; they promote my 9calamity; they need no one to help them.
14 As through a wide 10breach they come; amid the crash they roll on.
15 11Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like 12a cloud.
16 "And now my soul is 13poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 14The night 15racks my bones, and the pain that 16gnaws me takes no rest.

Job 30:7-17 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

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.