Job 30:10-20

10 They hold me abominable, and they flee far from me, and dread not to spit on my face (and do not fear to spit in my face).

11 For God hath opened his arrow case, and he hath tormented me, and he hath put a bridle into my mouth.

12 At the right side of the east my wretchednesses have risen up at once; they turned upside-down my feet, and they oppressed me with their paths as with floods. (On my right side they attack me in a mob; they set my feet running, and they raise against me the ways of their destruction.)

13 They destroyed my ways; they setted treason to me, and they had the mastery; and there was none that helped me (and there was no one who helped me).

14 They felled in upon me as by a broken wall, and by (a) gate opened (and by an opened gate), and (they) were stretched forth to my wretchednesses.

15 I am driven into nought; he took away my desire as [the] wind, and mine help passed away as a cloud. (I am driven down into nothing; these torments have swept away my hope like the wind, and my help hath passed away like a cloud.)

16 But now my soul fadeth in myself, and [the] days of torment hold me steadfastly. (But now my life fadeth in myself, and the days of torment strongly hold me.)

17 In [the] night my bone is pierced with sorrows; and they, that eat me (who eat me), sleep not.

18 In the multitude of those my cloth is wasted (In the multitude of them my cloak is destroyed), and they have girded me (about) as with the collar of a coat.

19 I am comparisoned to clay, and I am made like to a dead spark and ashes.

20 I shall cry to thee, and thou shalt not hear me; I stand, and thou beholdest not me. (I cry to thee, but thou hearest me not/but thou answerest me not; I stand up, but thou seest me not.)

Job 30:10-20 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.