Job 23:16

16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me;

Job 23:16 Meaning and Commentary

Job 23:16

For God maketh my heart soft
Not tender as Josiah's was, ( 2 Kings 22:19 ) , or as the heart of every penitent is, when God makes it humble and contrite by his spirit and grace, or takes away the stony heart, and gives an heart of flesh; though Job had such an heart, and God made it so; but he means a weak, feeble, fearful heart, pressed and broken with afflictions, that could not endure and bear up under the mighty hand of God; but became as water, and melted like wax in the midst of him, and was ready to faint, and sink, and die away:

and the Almighty troubleth me;
by afflicting him; afflictions cause trouble, and these are of God; or he "astonishes" F1, amazes me, throws me into the utmost consternation, the reason of which follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (ynlyhbh) "me attonitum reddidit", Vatablus; "consternavit me", Drusius, Mercerus, Cocceius, Michaelis; "externavit me", Schultens.

Job 23:16 In-Context

14 For He performeth the thing that is appointed for me; and many such things are with Him
15 Therefore am I troubled at His presence; when I consider, I am afraid of Him.
16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me;
17 because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath He covered the darkness from my face.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.