Job 30:20-26

Listen to Job 30:20-26
20 I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer; when I stand up, You merely look at me.
21 You have ruthlessly turned on me; You oppose me with Your strong hand.
22 You snatch me up into the wind and drive me before it; You toss me about [a] in the storm.
23 Yes, I know that You will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.
24 Yet no one stretches out his hand against a ruined man when he cries for help in his distress.
25 Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has my soul not grieved for the needy?
26 But when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, darkness fell.

Job 30:20-26 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.

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Footnotes 1

  • [a] Or You dissolve me
The Berean Bible and Majority Bible texts are officially placed into the public domain