Human Life Is Short and Full of Trouble
Study note
Job speaks about the human condition. People are born from a woman, live only a few days, and those days are full of trouble. We come up like a flower and are cut down. We pass like a shadow. Job asks God why he would bring such a fragile creature into judgment. Since a person's days are already determined, Job asks God to look away and let people have some rest.
1 'Anyone born from a woman only gets a handful of days, and every one of them is packed with trouble.' Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 'We pop up like wildflowers and then wilt right away. We vanish like shadows that are here one second and gone the next.' He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 'Do you truly keep such a close watch on someone so weak and fragile? Are you truly going to drag me into court before you?' And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4 'Can anybody pull something clean out of something dirty? Never.' Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 'You have already determined how long a person will live. You have set the number of their months ahead of time. You have drawn a line they cannot cross.' Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 'So stop watching them so closely and give them some space. Let them at least get through their day in peace, the way a hired worker does.' Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
A Tree Has More Hope Than a Man
Study note
Job uses a powerful comparison. There is hope for a tree: even when it is cut down, it can sprout again at the scent of water. But when a human being dies, they are gone. They lie down and do not rise again. Job then asks one of the Bible's greatest questions: 'If a man dies, shall he live again?' He says he would be willing to wait through all his hard days if change would come. He imagines God calling to him and Job answering.
7 'A tree at least has something to hope for. If you chop it down, it can still grow back. New branches keep coming.' For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 'Even if its roots are old and buried deep in the ground, and its stump looks completely dead,' Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 'just a little bit of water will make it bud again and send out shoots like a new plant.' Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 'But when a person dies, all their strength drains away. Once a human takes their last breath, where do they go?' But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11 'Water evaporates from the sea. A river shrinks until it is completely dry.' As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12 'In the same way, a person lies down and never gets back up. As long as the sky is above us, they will not wake up. Nothing will shake them out of their sleep.' So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 'I wish you would hide me away in the grave! I wish you would tuck me out of sight until your anger cools down! Set a time on the calendar and then remember to come back for me!' O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 'If a person dies, will they ever live again? I would wait through every hard day of my service if I knew my relief was coming.' If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15 'You would call my name, and I would answer. You would be longing to see the person your own hands created.' Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
16 'But the way things are now, you count every step I take. You never stop watching for my sins.' For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
17 'My wrongs are sealed up in a bag like evidence. You keep a careful record of every guilty thing.' My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
God Wears Down Human Hope
Study note
Job's brief hope fades. Mountains crumble, rocks are moved, and water wears away stone. In the same way, God destroys the hope of people. He overpowers them, changes their appearance, and sends them away. Their children may become important or may suffer, but the dead person knows nothing about it. They only feel their own pain and mourn for themselves.
18 'But just as a mountain slowly crumbles and breaks apart, and a rock gets pushed from where it sat,' And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
19 'Water wears down stone over time. Floods wash away the soil. In the same way, you destroy every hope a person has.' The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 'You defeat them once and for all, and they are finished. You change the look on their face and send them on their way.' Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 'After they are gone, their children might become important, but they will never know it. Their children might end up in trouble, but they will never find out.' His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
22 'All they feel is the ache of their own body. All they know is their own sadness.' But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.