Job 10:1-11

1 I am tired of living. Listen to my bitter complaint.
2 Don't condemn me, God. Tell me! What is the charge against me?
3 Is it right for you to be so cruel? To despise what you yourself have made? And then to smile on the schemes of wicked people?
4 Do you see things as we do?
5 Is your life as short as ours?
6 Then why do you track down all my sins and hunt down every fault I have?
7 You know that I am not guilty, 1 that no one can save me from you.
8 Your hands formed and shaped me, and now those same hands destroy me.
9 Remember that you made me from clay; are you going to crush me back to dust?
10 You gave my father strength to beget me; 2 you made me grow in my mother's womb.
11 You formed my body with bones and sinews and covered the bones with muscles and skin.

Job 10:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 10

Job here declares the greatness of his afflictions, which made him weary of his life, and could not help complaining; entreats the Lord not to condemn him but show him the reason of his thus dealing with him, Job 10:1,2; and expostulates with him about it, and suggests as if it was severe, and not easily reconciled to his perfections, when he knew he was not a wicked man, Job 10:3-7; he puts him in mind of his formation and preservation of him, and after all destroyed him, Job 10:8-12; and represents his case as very distressed; whether he was wicked or righteous it mattered not, his afflictions were increasing upon him, Job 10:13-17; and all this he observes, in order to justify his eager desire after death, which he renews, Job 10:18,19; and entreats, since his days he had to live were but few, that God would give him some respite before he went into another state, which he describes, Job 10:20-22.

Cross References 2

  • 1. +210.7Wisdom 16.15.
  • 2. +210.10Wisdom 7.1, 2.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. [Some ancient translations] and now; [Hebrew] together.
  • [b]. [One ancient translation] from clay; [Hebrew] like clay.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.