Job 9:18

18 He will not suffer me to take my breath but has filled me with bitterness.

Job 9:18 Meaning and Commentary

Job 9:18

He will not suffer me to take my breath
Which some think refers to Job's disease, which was either an asthma, or a quinsy in his throat, which occasioned great difficulty in breathing: I should rather think the allusion is to the hot burning winds in those countries before mentioned, which sometimes blew so strongly as almost to take away a man's breath; so the above traveller ^F21 reports, that between Suez and Cairo (in Egypt) they had for a day's time and more so hot a wind, that they were forced to turn their backs to it, to take a little breath. The design of Job is to show, that his afflictions were continued, and were without any intervals; they were repeated so fast, and came so thick upon him, one after another, that he had no breathing time; the import of the phrase is the same with that in ( Job 7:19 ) ;

but filleth me with bitterness;
to the full, to satiety, to loathing, as a man may be with a bitter potion, with wormwood drink, and water of gall, with bitter afflictions comparable to such, whereby Job's life was embittered to him, see ( Jeremiah 9:15 ) ( Lamentations 3:15 Lamentations 3:19 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Travels. par. 1. B. 2. c. 34. p. 177.

Job 9:18 In-Context

16 Who if I were to invoke him, and he answered me; yet I would not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17 For he has broken me with a tempest and has multiplied my wounds without cause.

18 He will not suffer me to take my breath but has filled me with bitterness.

19 If we were to speak of his strength, he is certainly strong; and if of his judgment, who shall cause us to meet?

20 If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, he shall prove me perverse.