Job 30:1-8

1 "But now they 1laugh at me, men who are 2younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
2 What could I gain from the strength of their hands, 3men whose 4vigor is gone?
3 Through want and hard hunger they 5gnaw 6the dry ground by night in 7waste and desolation;
4 they pick saltwort and the leaves of bushes, and the roots of the broom tree for their food.[a]
5 8They are driven out from human company; they shout after them as after a thief.
6 In the gullies of the torrents they must dwell, in holes of the earth and of 9the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they 10bray; under 11the nettles they huddle together.
8 A senseless, a nameless brood, they have been whipped out of the land.

Job 30:1-8 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.

Cross References 11

  • 1. See Job 12:4
  • 2. Job 32:6; [Job 32:4]
  • 3. For ver. 2-8, see Job 24:4-8
  • 4. [Job 5:26]
  • 5. [ver. 17]
  • 6. Jeremiah 2:6
  • 7. Job 38:27; Zephaniah 1:15
  • 8. [1 Samuel 26:19]
  • 9. 1 Samuel 13:6; Jeremiah 4:29
  • 10. Job 6:5
  • 11. Proverbs 24:31; Zephaniah 2:9

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.