Job Chapter 7

From The Open Bible Project

7:1 "Isn't a man forced to labor on earth? Aren't his days like the days of a hired hand?

• (a) Has not a hired servant some rest and ease? Then in this my continual torment I am worse than a hireling.

7:2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,

7:3 so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

• (b) My sorrow has continued from month to month, and I have looked for hope in vain.

7:4 When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I arise, and the night be gone?' I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.

7:5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.

• (c) This signifies that his disease was rare and most horrible.

7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

• (d) Thus he speaks in respect for the brevity of man’s life, which passes without hope of returning: in consideration of which he desires God to have compassion on him.

7:7 Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.

7:8 The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.

7:9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to [3] Sheol [See Job Footnotes 3] shall come up no more.

• (e) If you behold me in your anger I will not be able to stand in your presence.
• (f) Shall no more enjoy this mortal life.

7:10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

7:11 "Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

• (g) Seeing I can by no other means comfort myself I will declare my grief in words, and thus he speaks as one overcome with grief of mind.

7:12 Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?

• (h) Am I not a poor wretch? Why do you need to lay so much pain on me?

7:13 When I say, 'My bed shall comfort me. My couch shall ease my complaint;'

7:14 then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:

• (i) So that I can have no rest, night or day.

7:15 so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.

• (k) He speaks as one overcome with sorrow, and not of judgment, or of the examination of his faith.

7:16 I loathe my life. I don't want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

• (l) Seeing my term of life is so short, let me have some rest and ease.

7:17 What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,

• (m) Seeing that man of himself is so vile, why do you give him that honour to contend against him? Job uses all kinds of persuasion with God, that he might stay his hand.

7:18 that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

7:19 How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

7:20 If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?

• (n) After all temptations faith steps forth and leads Job to repentance: yet it was not in such perfection that he could bridle himself from reasoning with God, because he still tried his faith.

7:21 Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be."

• (o) That is, I will be dead.