Job 10:17-22

17 You produce new witnesses[a] against me and multiply Your anger toward me.[b] Hardships assault me, wave after wave.[c]
18 Why did You bring me out of the womb? I should have died and never been seen.[d]
19 I wish[e] I had never existed but had been carried from the womb to the grave.[f]
20 Are my days not few? Stop [it]![g] Leave me alone, so that I can smile a little
21 before I go to a land of darkness and gloom, never to return.
22 [It is] a land of blackness like the deepest darkness, gloomy and chaotic, where even the light is like[h] the darkness.

Job 10:17-22 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.

Footnotes 8

  • [a]. Or You bring fresh troops
  • [b]. Jb 16:8-9,14; 19:6
  • [c]. Lit Changes and a host are with me
  • [d]. Jb 3:11-12; Jr 15:10
  • [e]. Lit As if
  • [f]. Jb 3:11,13,16
  • [g]. Alt Hb tradition reads Will He not leave my few days alone?
  • [h]. Lit chaotic, and shines as
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