Surely he[a] has now exhausted me.
You have devastated my entire family.
You have shriveled me up[b]—it has become a witness;
my frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face.
His anger tears at me, and he harasses(A) me.
He gnashes his teeth at me.
My enemy pierces me with his eyes.
10 They open their mouths against me
and strike my cheeks with contempt;(B)
they join themselves together against me.
11 God hands me over to the unjust;[c]
he throws me to the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but he shattered me;
he seized me by the scruff of the neck
and smashed me to pieces.
He set me up as his target;(C)
13 his archers[d] surround me.
He pierces my kidneys without mercy
and pours my bile on the ground.
14 He breaks through my defenses again and again;[e]
he charges at me like a warrior.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 16:7 Or it
  2. 16:8 Or have seized me; Hb obscure
  3. 16:11 LXX, Vg; MT reads to a boy
  4. 16:13 Or arrows
  5. 16:14 Lit through me, breach on breach

Job Claims of God’s Mistreatment

“God[a] has certainly worn me out;
    you devastated my entire world.[b]
You’ve arrested me, making me testify against myself!
    My leanness rises up to attack me, accusing[c] me to my face.
His anger tears me in his persistent resentment against me;
    he gnashes his teeth at me.
        My adversary glares[d] at me.
10 People gaped at me with mouths wide open;
    they slap me in their scorn
        and gather together against me.
11 God has delivered me over to the ungodly,
    throwing me into the control of the wicked.

12 “He tore me apart when I was at ease;
    grabbing me by my neck, he shook me to pieces—
        then he really made me his target.
13 His archers surround me,
    slashing open my kidneys without pity;
        he pours out my gall on the ground.
14 Attack follows attack as he breaks through my defenses!
    He runs over me like a mighty warrior.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 16:7 Lit. He
  2. Job 16:7 Lit. community
  3. Job 16:8 Lit. testifying
  4. Job 16:9 Lit. sharpens his eyes