Job 17:7

7 And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.

Job 17:7 Meaning and Commentary

Job 17:7

Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow
Through excessive weeping, and the abundance of tears he shed, so that he had almost lost his eyesight, or however it was greatly weakened and impaired by that means, which is often the case, see ( Psalms 6:7 ) ( 31:9 ) ;

and all my members [are] as a shadow;
his flesh was consumed off his bones, there were nothing left scarcely but skin and bone; he was a mere anatomy, and as thin as a lath, as we commonly say of a man that is quite worn away, as it were; is a walking shadow, has scarce any substance in him, but is the mere shadow of a man; the Targum interprets it of his form, splendour, and countenance, which were like a shadow; some interpret it "my thoughts" F20, and understand it of the formations of his mind, and not of his body, which were shadows, empty, fleeting, and having no consistence in them through that sorrow that possessed him.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (yruy) "cogitationes meae", Pagninus, Bolducius, Codurcus, so Ben Gersom.

Job 17:7 In-Context

5 For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
6 And he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.
7 And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.
8 Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.
9 And the righteous layeth hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And -- dumb are they all.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.