Old Testament Commentary - Job 30

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 30 Job is derided by the children of vile and base men—In his afflicted state Job cries to the Lord—He says that he wept for those in trouble.
1 BUT now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained^a 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.	1^a whose fathers I would have disdained To some Job might seem here to be a bit uppity, looking down his nose at others. But one must consider who Job was, as he was a righteous man. Those that a truly righteous person would have disdained who be they who would be rude, mean, use foul language, drink, have various levels of gross behavior, uncivilized, uncouth and so on and so forth. They would be the type to mock and disdain a person like Job just as much if not more than that which Job would have found to be intolerable to have about himself.
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 clifts 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 ^asong, yea, I am their byword.		9^a Ps. 69:12
10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face. 11 Because ^ahe 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.		11^a OR God
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 ^ahear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not. 21 Thou art become ^acruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.		20^a HEB answer 21^a TG Cruelty
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 ^agood, 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.		26^a Jer. 8:15
29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to ^aowls. 30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat. 31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my ^aorgan into the voice of them that weep.		29^a HEB ostriches 31^a HEB pipe, flute