Job Chapter 10

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry 22 Verses

What is Job 10 about?

The suffering of a righteous man and the profound questions it raises about God's justice, sovereignty, and human understanding. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.
3Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, That thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, And shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
4Hast thou eyes of flesh? Or seest thou as man seeth?
5Are thy days as the days of man, Or thy years as man`s days,
6That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, And searchest after my sin,
7Although thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?
8Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me Together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
9Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; And wilt thou bring me into dust again?
10Hast thou not poured me out as milk, And curdled me like cheese?
11Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews.
12Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness; And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
13Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart; I know that this is with thee:
14If I sin, then thou markest me, And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
15If I be wicked, woe unto me; And if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head; Being filled with ignominy, And looking upon mine affliction.
16And if [my head] exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion; And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.
17Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, And increasest thine indignation upon me: Changes and warfare are with me.
18Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me.
19I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
21Before I go whence I shall not return, [Even] to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
22The land dark as midnight, [The land] of the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as midnight.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“My soul is weary of my life, etc.] And yet nothing of a temporal blessing is more desirable than life; every man, generally speaking, is desirous of life, and of a long life too; soul and body are near and intimate companions, and are usually loath to part; but Job was weary of his life, willing to part with it, and longed to be rid of it; he “loathed” it, and so it may be here rendered f418, he would not live always, (<180715>Job 7:15,16); his “soul” was uneasy to dwell any longer in the earthly tabernacle of his body, it being so full of pains and sores; for this weariness was not through the guilt of sin…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“JOB'S REPLY TO BILDAD CONTINUED. (Job 10:1-22) leave my complaint upon myself--rather, "I will give loose to my complaint" (Job 7:11).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“My soul is weary of my life - compare the note at Job 7:16. The margin here is, Or,” cut off while I live.” The meaning in the margin is in accordance with the interpretation of Schultens. The Chaldee also renders it in a similar way: אתגזרת נפשי - my soul is cut off. But the more correct interpretation is that in our common version; and the sense is, that his soul, that is, that he himself was disgusted with life. It was a weary burden, and he wished to die. I will leave my complaint upon myself - Noyes, “I will give myself up to complaint.” Dr. Good, “I will let loose from myself my dark thoughts.” The literal…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“Shall I - Shall I give over complaining? Job 10:2”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 8
“10:8-11 A succession of images describes God’s role in creating Job. • You formed me with your hands . . . made me from dust: This was how a potter made a vessel (Isa 45:9; Jer 18:1-12). Although the potter has incontestable sovereignty over the clay (Isa 45:9; Jer 18:5-12; Rom 9:20-25), Job was questioning God. • back to dust: This common motif in Job represents the temporary nature of life (Job 4:19; 7:9-10, 21; 14:1-2, 10; see Gen 3:19). • You guided my conception and formed me in the womb: The Hebrew terminology (literally You poured me out like milk and curdled me like cheese) evokes graphic images of a…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“My soul: Job 3:20-23, Job 6:8, Job 6:9, Job 5:15, Job 5:16, Job 5:20, Job 9:21, Job 14:13; Num 11:15; Kg1 19:4; Jon 4:3, Jon 4:8 is weary of my life: or, cut off while I live I will leave: Job 7:11, Job 19:4, Job 21:2-4 I will speak: Job 10:15, Job 10:16, Job 6:2-4, Job 6:26, Job 7:11, Job 16:6-16; Psa 32:3-5; Isa 38:15, Isa 38:17 Job 10:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“1 My soul is full of disgust with my life, Therefore I will freely utter my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say to Eloah: Condemn me not; Let me know wherefore Thou contendest with me! His self-consciousness makes him desire that the possibility of answering for himself might be granted him; and since he is weary of life, and has renounced all claim for its continuance, he will at least give his complaints free course, and pray the Author of his sufferings that He would not permit him to die the death of the wicked, contrary to the testimony of his own conscience. נקטה is equivalent…”
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