Bible Commentaries
Job 10

Verses 1-22

JOB - CHAPTER 10

JOB’S REPLY TO BILDAD CONTINUED

Verses 1-22:

Verse 1 continues Job’s complaint about his afflictions. He vows that his soul is weary of living if the circumstances that have befallen him. He adds that he will let loose, make known, not bottle up, his bitterness of soul. He was not bitter against God, but against the afflictions of life that had worn him down, Job 7:11; Job 30:16; Psalms 42:4-5.

Verse 2 recounts Job’s call upon God to condemn him, or further assign to him the kind of suffering he had been enduring, without at least showing him the reason for his sufferings, Romans 5:3; Romans 8:28-29.

Verse 3 Is a rhetorical inquiry of Job to the Lord. It is not good that God should despise, depress, or take lightly the work of his hands while shining upon the wicked, is It? That God should oppress, the work of His own hands and prosper the wicked was to Job unthinkable, v. 8; Psalms 138:8.

Verses 4.6 Inquire if God has "eyes of flesh," as feeble as man? Does God look upon Job with uncharitable eyes and mistaken judgment of the heart, as Eliphaz and Bildad have? He wonders aloud, 1 Samuel 16:7; Luke 16:15. "Are your days as short, limited in years as mortal men?" They are not, are they? Job appeals, as if the Lord were seeking to extract a confession of guilt from him that he did not feel he had committed. Job seems to think that these so-called friends, who inquired of him, searching for sin and iniquity, were from the Lord, not understanding, while he suffered.

Verse 7 states that Job affirmed that "God knew he was not wicked," and that he knew that there was no one able to deliver any man out of the hand of the Lord, for blessing or for judgment, as God in sovereignty willed it to be, Psalms 139:1-2; Daniel 5:19.

Verse 8 affirms that Job acknowledged the Lord had made and fashioned him in every part of his body and soul of life. Yet the Lord was now destroying him, bringing him to great suffering and pain, as a masterpiece of his own handiwork, Psalms 119:73. To understand it, Job was perplexed; It was perhaps much like Joseph in the pit in Israel, cast there by his own brethren of the flesh, and as cast in prison from Potiphars’ house. Yet God was in it all, to receive glory, Genesis 45:7-8; Genesis 50:20-21.

Verses 9, 10 constitute an appeal .from Job for the Lord to remember that he had made or formed him as the clay, as the Divine, Sovereign potter, to make and do of and with him as he wills, but surely He had not made Job just to see him perish, had He? Genesis 2:7; Genesis 3:19; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:6. Then he adds that the Lord had "poured him out like lactic-milk, melted him, and curdled him like cheese," had He not? Psalms 139:14. Job was theologian enough to know that all that came to him was by the direct or permissive will of God, Job 2:6; La 3:22; Acts 17:28.

Verse 11 witnesses that it was the Lord who fenced or stablized Job with bones and sinews, then clothed him outwardly, daily, with skin and flesh; As man is fearfully and wonderfully made and daily sustained, Psalms 8:4-6; Psalms 139:14.

Verses 12, 13 continue Job’s testimony that he knew God had granted him life and favor and the visitation or sustaining presence of God’s spirit, had preserved him in health and in afflictions. Note that though he was bitter with suffering he was not bitter toward God, through whose mercies he yet lived; He further stated that what had come to befall him was with God, with God’s permission, Job 2:6. All this was within the counsel and purpose and will of God, even though like Joseph and the children of Israel, who often suffered in innocence, as also did our Lord, Job accepted it and was the better for it, Psalms 139:16; Acts 15:18; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Romans 8:28.

Verse 14 recounts Job’s concession that if he sinned God marked or took note of it, and would not acquit him of the consequence of his sins, or justify him in his sins, whether his sins be those he did without forethought, that is impulsively or those he wickedly did with intent of purpose, James 4:17; 1 John 1:8-9; Galatians 6:7-8.

Verse 15 adds that if Job sinned wickedly woe surely was due him. Yet, if he were righteous, in the sense that he erred without desire or purpose of doing wrong, he would not lift up his head in absolute innocence, knowing the Lord could not condone or endorse sin of any kind, James 4:17; Psalms 3:3; See also Job 9:29; Job 27:7; Psalms 9:17; Isaiah 3:11; Isaiah 6:5; Malachi 3:18; Romans 2:8-9; Job 9:12; Isaiah 64:5-6; Luke 17:10.

Verse 16 continues Job’s lament that he is "full of confusion," and asks the Lord to look upon his increasing affliction (with compassion). He appeals for mercy, Exodus 3:7; Psalms 25:18; La 1:20; 5:1. Job added that the Lord hunted him, like a fierce or vicious lion, to stalk and devour its prey. The Lord showed himself marvelous upon Job, permitting Satan to test him in this beastly way, Job 2:6; 1 Peter 5:8; Isaiah 31:4; Isaiah 38:13; La 3:10.

Verse 17 states that the Lord renewed His witnesses or plaques of affliction against Job as Job complained that such wore him out. It was as if an accused criminal had witness after witness appear in court to prove ones guilt as trials and plagues increased upon him, Ruth 1:21; Malachi 3:5. Changes and a war of wave after wave of reproach came from his friends, Job 6:4; Job 19:12.

Verses 18,19 recount Job’s lament that he had not died, given up the spirit from birth and no eye had ever beheld him. He added that he should have been better off, with his loss of all, had he been carried as a still born birth from the womb to the grave, Job 3:11-17. His was a human emotion in deathly depression, 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Verses 20, 21 add that since Job was given over to this at the hand of Satan, he asked that he might be left alone, given room to breathe, during the few days of life, left to him, Job 2:6; Job 7:16; Job 9:34; Job 13:21; Psalms 39:13. After this he affirmed that he would go to the land of darkness and shadow of death from which he would not return to natural life, Psalms 88:12; Psalms 23:4.

Verse 22 describes death and the grave of v. 19 as a coming shadow of unorganized darkness. It was in contrast with light, order, and hope of the resurrection and after life, Job 14:14-15; Job 19:25; See also Revelation 21:23; Revelation 22:5; 2 Timothy 1:10.