Job 16
Job 16 presents pivotal events and lessons, emphasizing themes like faith, obedience, and God’s faithful guidance.
Summary
Job 16 continues the story of Job, revealing key themes of faith, obedience, and God’s promise-keeping. This chapter illustrates the human response to divine commands, showing both trust and failure, and demonstrates God’s mercy and justice. As part of the larger narrative, it lays groundwork for understanding God’s covenant relationship with His people and points forward to the hope of redemption. Readers are encouraged to reflect on their own lives, to trust in God’s plans, and to live in faithful obedience, finding hope in His unchanging character.
Authorship uncertain (perhaps Moses, 15th century BC). Sets in patriarchal era, exploring suffering and faith.
Job 16: KJV Commentary and Summary
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters [are] ye all.
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
4 I also could speak as ye [do]: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
5 [But] I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage [your grief].
6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?
7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, [which] is a witness [against me]: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
9 He teareth [me] in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken [me] by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids [is] the shadow of death;
17 Not for [any] injustice in mine hands: also my prayer [is] pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
19 Also now, behold, my witness [is] in heaven, and my record [is] on high.
20 My friends scorn me: [but] mine eye poureth out [tears] unto God.
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man [pleadeth] for his neighbour!
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.
Faith, Obedience, God’s Promises, Judgment, Mercy, Hope
Job 16:1 – Highlights key themes of faith and God’s interaction with His people.; Job 16:12 – Highlights key themes of faith and God’s interaction with His people.; Job 16:22 – Highlights key themes of faith and God’s interaction with His people.