1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
3 For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
5 They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)
6 To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.
12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.
15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.
18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.
28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.
29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.
1 But now they that are younger H6810 H3117 than I have me in derision, H7832 whose fathers H1 I would have disdained H3988 to have set H7896 with the dogs H3611 of my flock. H6629
2 Yea, whereto H4100 might the strength H3581 of their hands H3027 profit me, in whom old age H3624 was perished? H6
3 For want H2639 and famine H3720 they were solitary; H1565 fleeing H6207 into the wilderness H6723 in former time H570 desolate H7722 and waste. H4875
4 Who cut up H6998 mallows H4408 by the bushes, H7880 and juniper H7574 roots H8328 for their meat. H3899
5 They were driven forth H1644 from among H1460 men, (they cried H7321 after them as after a thief;) H1590
6 To dwell H7931 in the clifts H6178 of the valleys, H5158 in caves H2356 of the earth, H6083 and in the rocks. H3710
7 Among the bushes H7880 they brayed; H5101 under the nettles H2738 they were gathered together. H5596
8 They were children H1121 of fools, H5036 yea, children H1121 of base men: H8034 they were viler H5217 than the earth. H776
9 And now am I their song, H5058 yea, I am their byword. H4405
10 They abhor H8581 me, they flee far H7368 from me, and spare H2820 not to spit H7536 in my face. H6440
11 Because he hath loosed H6605 my cord, H3499 and afflicted H6031 me, they have also let loose H7971 the bridle H7448 before H6440 me.
12 Upon my right H3225 hand rise H6965 the youth; H6526 they push away H7971 my feet, H7272 and they raise up H5549 against me the ways H734 of their destruction. H343
13 They mar H5420 my path, H5410 they set forward H3276 my calamity, H1942 H1962 they have no helper. H5826
14 They came H857 upon me as a wide H7342 breaking H6556 in of waters: in H8478 the desolation H7722 they rolled H1556 themselves upon me.
15 Terrors H1091 are turned H2015 upon me: they pursue H7291 my soul H5082 as the wind: H7307 and my welfare H3444 passeth away H5674 as a cloud. H5645
16 And now my soul H5315 is poured out H8210 upon me; the days H3117 of affliction H6040 have taken hold H270 upon me.
17 My bones H6106 are pierced H5365 in me in the night season: H3915 and my sinews H6207 take no rest. H7901
18 By the great H7230 force H3581 of my disease is my garment H3830 changed: H2664 it bindeth me about H247 as the collar H6310 of my coat. H3801
19 He hath cast H3384 me into the mire, H2563 and I am become like H4911 dust H6083 and ashes. H665
20 I cry H7768 unto thee, and thou dost not hear H6030 me: I stand up, H5975 and thou regardest H995 me not.
21 Thou art become H2015 cruel H393 to me: with thy strong H6108 hand H3027 thou opposest H7852 thyself against me.
22 Thou liftest me up H5375 to the wind; H7307 thou causest me to ride H7392 upon it, and dissolvest H4127 my substance. H8454 H7738
23 For I know H3045 that thou wilt bring H7725 me to death, H4194 and to the house H1004 appointed H4150 for all living. H2416
24 Howbeit he will not stretch out H7971 his hand H3027 to the grave, H1164 though they cry H7769 in his destruction. H6365
25 Did not I weep H1058 for him that was in trouble? H7186 H3117 was not my soul H5315 grieved H5701 for the poor? H34
26 When I looked H6960 for good, H2896 then evil H7451 came H935 unto me: and when I waited H3176 for light, H216 there came H935 darkness. H652
27 My bowels H4578 boiled, H7570 and rested H1826 not: the days H3117 of affliction H6040 prevented H6923 me.
28 I went H1980 mourning H6937 without the sun: H2535 I stood up, H6965 and I cried H7768 in the congregation. H6951
29 I am a brother H251 to dragons, H8577 and a companion H7453 to owls. H1323 H3284
30 My skin H5785 is black H7835 upon me, and my bones H6106 are burned H2787 with heat. H2721
31 My harp H3658 also is turned to mourning, H60 and my organ H5748 into the voice H6963 of them that weep. H1058
1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, Whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
2 Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? Men in whom ripe age is perished.
3 They are gaunt with want and famine; They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.
4 They pluck salt-wort by the bushes; And the roots of the broom are their food.
5 They are driven forth from the midst `of men'; They cry after them as after a thief;
6 So that they dwell in frightful valleys, In holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they bray; Under the nettles they are gathered together.
8 `They are' children of fools, yea, children of base men; They were scourged out of the land.
9 And now I am become their song, Yea, I am a byword unto them.
10 They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, And spare not to spit in my face.
11 For he hath loosed his cord, and afflicted me; And they have cast off the bridle before me.
12 Upon my right hand rise the rabble; They thrust aside my feet, And they cast up against me their ways of destruction.
13 They mar my path, They set forward my calamity, `Even' men that have no helper.
14 As through a wide breach they come: In the midst of the ruin they roll themselves `upon me'.
15 Terrors are turned upon me; They chase mine honor as the wind; And my welfare is passed away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out within me; Days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17 In the night season my bones are pierced in me, And the `pains' that gnaw me take no rest.
18 By `God's' great force is my garment disfigured; It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, And I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not answer me: I stand up, and thou gazest at me.
21 Thou art turned to be cruel to me; With the might of thy hand thou persecutest me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind, thou causest me to ride `upon it'; And thou dissolvest me in the storm.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living.
24 Howbeit doth not one stretch out the hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?
26 When I looked for good, then evil came; And when I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 My heart is troubled, and resteth not; Days of affliction are come upon me.
28 I go mourning without the sun: I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
29 I am a brother to jackals, And a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin is black, `and falleth' from me, And my bones are burned with heat.
31 Therefore is my harp `turned' to mourning, And my pipe into the voice of them that weep.
1 And now, laughed at me, Have the younger in days than I, Whose fathers I have loathed to set With the dogs of my flock.
2 Also -- the power of their hands, why `is it' to me? On them hath old age perished.
3 With want and with famine gloomy, Those fleeing to a dry place, Formerly a desolation and waste,
4 Those cropping mallows near a shrub, And broom-roots `is' their food.
5 From the midst they are cast out, (They shout against them as a thief),
6 In a frightful place of valleys to dwell, Holes of earth and clefts.
7 Among shrubs they do groan, Under nettles they are gathered together.
8 Sons of folly -- even sons without name, They have been smitten from the land.
9 And now, their song I have been, And I am to them for a byword.
10 They have abominated me, They have kept far from me, And from before me have not spared to spit.
11 Because His cord He loosed and afflicteth me, And the bridle from before me, They have cast away.
12 On the right hand doth a brood arise, My feet they have cast away, And they raise up against me, Their paths of calamity.
13 They have broken down my path, By my calamity they profit, `He hath no helper.'
14 As a wide breach they come, Under the desolation have rolled themselves.
15 He hath turned against me terrors, It pursueth as the wind mine abundance, And as a thick cloud, Hath my safety passed away.
16 And now, in me my soul poureth itself out, Seize me do days of affliction.
17 At night my bone hath been pierced in me, And mine eyelids do not lie down.
18 By the abundance of power, Is my clothing changed, As the mouth of my coat it doth gird me.
19 Casting me into mire, And I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto Thee, And Thou dost not answer me, I have stood, and Thou dost consider me.
21 Thou art turned to be fierce to me, With the strength of Thy hand, Thou oppresest me.
22 Thou dost lift me up, On the wind Thou dost cause me to ride, And Thou meltest -- Thou levellest me.
23 For I have known To death Thou dost bring me back, And `to' the house appointed for all living.
24 Surely not against the heap Doth He send forth the hand, Though in its ruin they have safety.
25 Did not I weep for him whose day is hard? Grieved hath my soul for the needy.
26 When good I expected, then cometh evil, And I wait for light, and darkness cometh.
27 My bowels have boiled, and have not ceased, Gone before me have days of affliction.
28 Mourning I have gone without the sun, I have risen, in an assembly I cry.
29 A brother I have been to dragons, And a companion to daughters of the ostrich.
30 My skin hath been black upon me, And my bone hath burned from heat,
31 And my harp doth become mourning, And my organ the sound of weeping.
1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
2 Yea, whereto [should] the strength of their hands [profit] me, [men] in whom vigour hath perished?
3 Withered up through want and hunger, they flee into waste places long since desolate and desert:
4 They gather the salt-wort among the bushes, and the roots of the broom for their food.
5 They are driven forth from among [men] -- they cry after them as after a thief --
6 To dwell in gloomy gorges, in caves of the earth and the rocks:
7 They bray among the bushes; under the brambles they are gathered together:
8 Sons of fools, and sons of nameless sires, they are driven out of the land.
9 And now I am their song, yea, I am their byword.
10 They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, yea, they spare not to spit in my face.
11 For he hath loosed my cord and afflicted me; so they cast off the bridle before me.
12 At [my] right hand rise the young brood; they push away my feet, and raise up against me their pernicious ways;
13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, without any to help them;
14 They come in as through a wide breach: amid the confusion they roll themselves onward.
15 Terrors are turned against me; they pursue mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away like a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out in me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17 The night pierceth through my bones [and detacheth them] from me, and my gnawing pains take no rest:
18 By their great force they have become my raiment; they bind me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou answerest me not; I stand up, and thou lookest at me.
21 Thou art changed to a cruel one to me; with the strength of thy hand thou pursuest me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to be borne away, and dissolvest my substance.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and into the house of assemblage for all living.
24 Indeed, no prayer [availeth] when he stretcheth out [his] hand: though they cry when he destroyeth.
25 Did not I weep for him whose days were hard? was not my soul grieved for the needy?
26 For I expected good, and there came evil; and I waited for light, but there came darkness.
27 My bowels well up, and rest not; days of affliction have confronted me.
28 I go about blackened, but not by the sun; I stand up, I cry in the congregation.
29 I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion of ostriches.
30 My skin is become black [and falleth] off me, and my bones are parched with heat.
31 My harp also is [turned] to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of weepers.
1 "But now those who are younger than I, have me in derision, Whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs.
2 Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, Men in whom ripe age has perished?
3 They are gaunt from lack and famine. They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.
4 They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom are their food.
5 They are driven forth from the midst of men; They cry after them as after a thief;
6 So that they dwell in frightful valleys, And in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they bray; And under the nettles they are gathered together.
8 They are children of fools, yes, children of base men. They were flogged out of the land.
9 "Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them.
10 They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, And don't hesitate to spit in my face.
11 For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me; And they have thrown off restraint before me.
12 On my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet, They cast up against me their ways of destruction.
13 They mar my path, They set forward my calamity, Without anyone's help.
14 As through a wide breach they come, In the midst of the ruin they roll themselves in.
15 Terrors are turned on me. They chase my honor as the wind. My welfare has passed away as a cloud.
16 "Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold on me.
17 In the night season my bones are pierced in me, And the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
18 By great force is my garment disfigured. It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.
21 You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.
22 You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm.
23 For I know that you will bring me to death, To the house appointed for all living.
24 "However doesn't one stretch out a hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
25 Didn't I weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn't my soul grieved for the needy?
26 When I looked for good, then evil came; When I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 My heart is troubled, and doesn't rest. Days of affliction have come on me.
28 I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
29 I am a brother to jackals, And a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin grows black and peels from me. My bones are burned with heat.
31 Therefore is my harp turned to mourning, And my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
1 But now those who are younger than I make sport of me; those whose fathers I would not have put with the dogs of my flocks.
2 Of what use is the strength of their hands to me? all force is gone from them.
3 They are wasted for need of food, biting the dry earth; their only hope of life is in the waste land.
4 They are pulling off the salt leaves from the brushwood, and making a meal of roots.
5 They are sent out from among their townsmen, men are crying after them as thieves
6 They have to get a resting-place in the hollows of the valleys, in holes of the earth and rocks.
7 They make noises like asses among the brushwood; they get together under the thorns.
8 They are sons of shame, and of men without a name, who have been forced out of the land.
9 And now I have become their song, and I am a word of shame to them.
10 I am disgusting to them; they keep away from me, and put marks of shame on me.
11 For he has made loose the cord of my bow, and put me to shame; he has sent down my flag to the earth before me.
12 The lines of his men of war put themselves in order, and make high their ways of destruction against me:
13 They have made waste my roads, with a view to my destruction; his bowmen come round about me;
14 As through a wide broken place in the wall they come on, I am overturned by the shock of their attack.
15 Fears have come on me; my hope is gone like the wind, and my well-being like a cloud.
16 But now my soul is turned to water in me, days of trouble overtake me:
17 The flesh is gone from my bones, and they give me no rest; there is no end to my pains.
18 With great force he takes a grip of my clothing, pulling me by the neck of my coat.
19 Truly God has made me low, even to the earth, and I have become like dust.
20 You give no answer to my cry, and take no note of my prayer.
21 You have become cruel to me; the strength of your hand is hard on me.
22 Lifting me up, you make me go on the wings of the wind; I am broken up by the storm.
23 For I am certain that you will send me back to death, and to the meeting-place ordered for all living.
24 Has not my hand been stretched out in help to the poor? have I not been a saviour to him in his trouble?
25 Have I not been weeping for the crushed? and was not my soul sad for him who was in need?
26 For I was looking for good, and evil came; I was waiting for light, and it became dark.
27 My feelings are strongly moved, and give me no rest; days of trouble have overtaken me.
28 I go about in dark clothing, uncomforted; I get up in the public place, crying out for help.
29 I have become a brother to the jackals, and go about in the company of ostriches.
30 My skin is black and dropping off me; and my bones are burning with the heat of my disease.
31 And my music has been turned to sorrow, and the sound of my pipe into the noise of weeping.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 30
Commentary on Job 30 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 30
It is a melancholy "But now' which this chapter begins with. Adversity is here described as much to the life as prosperity was in the foregoing chapter, and the height of that did but increase the depth of this. God sets the one over-against the other, and so did Job, that his afflictions might appear the more grievous, and consequently his case the more pitiable.
Job 30:1-14
Here Job makes a very large and sad complaint of the great disgrace he had fallen into, from the height of honour and reputation, which was exceedingly grievous and cutting to such an ingenuous spirit as Job's was. Two things he insists upon as greatly aggravating his affliction:-
Job 30:15-31
In this second part of Job's complaint, which is very bitter, and has a great many sorrowful accents in it, we may observe a great deal that he complains of and some little that he comforts himself with.