Job 30:18

18 In his great power God becomes like clothing to me[a] ; he binds me like the neck of my garment.

Job 30:18 in Other Translations

KJV
18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
ESV
18 With great force my garment is disfigured; it binds me about like the collar of my tunic.
NLT
18 With a strong hand, God grabs my shirt. He grips me by the collar of my coat.
MSG
18 I am tied hand and foot, my neck in a noose. I twist and turn.
CSB
18 My clothing is distorted with great force; He chokes me by the neck of my garment.

Job 30:18 Meaning and Commentary

Job 30:18

By the great force [of my disease] is my garment changed
Either the colour of it, through the purulent matter from his ulcers running down upon it, or penetrating through it; or by reason of it he was obliged to shift himself, and to have a change of raiment very frequently; or the supplement, "of my disease", may be left out, and the sense be, with great force, through main strength, and with much difficulty, his garment was changed, was got off from him, sticking so close to him, and another put on:

it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat;
his disease encompassed him about on all sides as the collar or edge of his coat encompassed his neck, and cleaved as close, and was as tight unto him as that, and threatened him perhaps with a suffocation or strangling; see ( Job 7:15 ) ; the allusion is to garments used in the eastern countries, which were only open at top and bottom; at the top there was a hole to put the head through when put on, and a binding about it, and a button to it, or some such thing, which kept it tight about the neck; see ( Exodus 28:32 ) .

Job 30:18 In-Context

16 “And now my life ebbs away; days of suffering grip me.
17 Night pierces my bones; my gnawing pains never rest.
18 In his great power God becomes like clothing to me ; he binds me like the neck of my garment.
19 He throws me into the mud, and I am reduced to dust and ashes.
20 “I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me.

Cross References 1

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew; Septuagint "power he grasps my clothing"
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