Job Describes God's Creation of Life in the Womb

Continuing with a Bible study of Job, Job continues his dialogue started in Chapter 9.

(Job 10:1) "My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul."

The word translated "leave" here also means "loosen", so the idea is that Job will let loose his complaining.

(2) "I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; show me why You contend with me.'"

Job said in Chapter 9 that he would never dare to answer God or to argue his case with him, but he would plead his case with him, and this is how he would begin that supplication. This is a cry for mercy and a sincere desire to know what he has done against God.

(3) "'Is it good to You that You should oppress, that You should despise the work of Your hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?'"

This is the first time that Job appears to question God, but in light of his previous insistence that he would never do that, I believe his intent here is ask "What is it, Lord? Is it this? Is it that?"

(4) "'Do You have eyes of flesh? Or do You see as man sees? (5) Are Your days like the days of man? Are Your years like man's days, (6) That You should inquire about my iniquity and search out my sin? (7) You know that I am not wicked, and there is no one who can deliver out of Your hand.'"

The word translated as "wicked" here is "rasha" and means to causatively do or declare wrong. I believe Job means more than just wicked man born into sin. He means that he does not go around actively performing wicked deeds. But he knows there is no one who could save him from God's actions.

(8) "'Your hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet You would destroy me.'"

Here is one of the beautiful descriptions in the Bible of God's creation of life in the womb. Even though he knew he was born from his mother's womb, Job knew that God had made him. God the Creator fashioned every part of our bodies.

(9) "'Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay; and will You bring me to dust again? (10) Have you not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?'"

I believe this could be Job's modest way of describing how man begins as something small and liquid and then congeals into the form of a human body, as he continues to describe in the next verse.

(11) "'You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and have knit me together with bones and sinews. (12) You have granted me life and favor, and Your care has preserved my spirit. (13) And these things You have hidden in Your heart; I know that this is with You.'"

Paraphrased, "You made every intricate part of me, body and soul. I know these things are only for You to understand; it is not within us to understand all the things you do."

(14) "'If I sin, then You mark me, and You will not acquit me from my iniquity. (15) If I am wicked, woe to me; and if I am righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see my affliction,'"

Paraphrased, "Even if I am righteous, I would not lift my head proudly and boast of it. I am totally confused; you can see my affliction (as a sinner chastened by God)."

(16) "'For it increases. You hunt me like a fierce lion, and again You show Yourself awesome against me.'"

The meaning here is a little difficult to interpret, but it generally follows the same theme. Early commentators vary on whether "it" is Job's affliction that increases or his head in pride. The reason for the latter is that the word translated "increases" can also mean "rise up" or "mount up". But whether Job sees his affliction increasing for no apparent reason or whether he knows his pride will bring it on, he sees God as an awesome fierce lion, against which Job has no control.

(17) "'You renew Your witnesses against me, and increase Your indignation toward me; changes and war are against me.'"

Paraphrased, "You constantly bring charges against me and I am continually attacked as if by troops in war." It should be noted that the word translated as "increase" is not the same word as in the verse before; that is the reason some of the commentators believe it has a different meaning, for instance, rising of the head in pride.

(18) "'Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me! (19) I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. (20) Are not my days few? Cease, leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort, (21) Before I go from where I shall not return, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death, (22) A land as dark as darkness itself, as the shadow of death, without any order, and where even the light is like darkness.'"

Finally Job says he would ask God why He ever brought him out of his mother's womb. His days are few, anyway, before he dies, so he would ask that God leave him alone (cease from afflicting him) and let him go in peace.