Job — Chapter 7

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1Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

2As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

3So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

4When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

6My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

7O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

8The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

10He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

13When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;

14Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

15So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

16I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

18And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

19How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

20I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

1Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?

2As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:

3So am I made to possess months of misery, And wearisome nights are appointed to me.

4When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; My skin closeth up, and breaketh out afresh.

6My days are swifter than a weaver`s shuttle, And are spent without hope.

7Oh remember that my life is a breath: Mine eye shall no more see good.

8The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more; Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be.

9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, So he that goeth down to Sheol shall come up no more.

10He shall return no more to his house, Neither shall his place know him any more.

11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?

13When I say, My bed shall comfort me, My couch shall ease my complaint;

14Then thou scarest me with dreams, And terrifiest me through visions:

15So that my soul chooseth strangling, And death rather than [these] my bones.

16I loathe [my life]; I would not live alway: Let me alone; for my days are vanity.

17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him,

18And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, And try him every moment?

19How long wilt thou not look away from me, Nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

20If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?

21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou wilt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.

1“Does not humanity have hard service on earth? Are not their days also like the days of a hired man?

2Like a servant longing for the evening shadow, and like a hired man looking for his wages,

3thus I have been made to inherit months of futility, and nights of sorrow have been appointed to me.

4If I lie down, I say, ‘When will I arise?’ And the night stretches on, and I toss and turn restlessly until the day dawns.

5My body is clothed with worms and dirty scabs; my skin is broken and festering.

6My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope.

7Remember that my life is but a breath, that my eyes will never again see happiness.

8The eye of him who sees me now will see me no more; your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.

9As a cloud is dispersed and then disappears, so the one who goes down to the grave does not come up again.

10He returns no more to his house, nor does his place of residence know him anymore.

11“Therefore, I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12Am I the sea, or the creature of the deep, that you must put me under guard?

13If I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,’

14then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

15so that I would prefer strangling and death more than life.

16I loathe it; I do not want to live forever; leave me alone, for my days are a vapor!

17“What is mankind that you make so much of them, and that you pay attention to them?

18And that you visit them every morning, and try them every moment?

19Will you never look away from me, will you not let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle?

20If I have sinned—what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you set me as your target? Have I become a burden to you?

21And why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, and you will seek me diligently, but I will be gone.”

1“Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?

2As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,

3so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

4When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.

5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.

6My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

7Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.

8The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.

9As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more.

10He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

11“Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?

13When I say, ‘My bed shall comfort me. My couch shall ease my complaint;’

14then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:

15so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.

16I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

17What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,

18that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

19How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

20If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?

21Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be.”

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Reflection

Summary

Job's first reply continued — laments the brevity and misery of human life, then turns to address God directly, asking why God watches him so closely and will not leave him alone.

Authorship & Background

Author: Unknown. Candidates include Job himself, Moses, Solomon, or an anonymous sage. Likely the oldest book in the Bible by setting (patriarchal era, approximately 2000-1800 BC), though the date of composition is debated. The book addresses the problem of innocent suffering and God's sovereignty. Key themes: Why do the righteous suffer? Is God just? Can faith survive without answers? The inadequacy of simplistic theology ('you suffer because you sinned'). God's sovereignty transcends human understanding. True worship says 'Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him' (13:15).
Historical Context: Chapter 7 continues Job's reply to Eliphaz but shifts addressees: Job turns from speaking about his friends to speaking directly to God. This is significant — Job's complaint becomes prayer. He is not running from God but toward Him, even if his approach is anguished and raw. The chapter contains one of Job's most striking inversions: he takes Psalm 8's celebration of God's attention to man ("What is man, that thou art mindful of him?") and turns it into a complaint ("What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him?" — v.17). In Psalm 8, God's attention is a gift; in Job 7, it feels like surveillance. Job begs God to look away, leave him alone, and let him die in peace. The chapter ends with a haunting challenge: if I've sinned, why don't you just forgive me before I'm dead and gone?
The Brevity and Misery of Life (vv.1-6): Job compares human life to hard military service or hired labor — days of drudgery waiting for the shadow (end of workday) and wages (rest). His nights are "wearisome" — tossing until dawn. His flesh is covered with worms and dirt; his skin hardens and breaks open. His days fly by "swifter than a weaver's shuttle" — and end "without hope" (v.6). The combination of unbearable slowness (sleepless nights) and terrifying speed (life passing) captures the paradox of suffering: each moment is eternal, yet life itself is fleeting.
Job's Direct Address to God (vv.7-21): "O remember that my life is wind" (v.7) — Job turns to address God directly. His argument: I will soon be dead, so what is the point of this? Like a cloud that vanishes, "he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more" (v.9). Therefore Job will not restrain his complaint (v.11). He asks: "Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?" (v.12) — Am I so dangerous that God must guard me constantly? Even in sleep, God sends terrifying dreams (vv.13-14). Job would prefer death — "strangling" — over continued existence (v.15).
The Inverted Psalm 8 (vv.17-19): "What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him?" In Psalm 8, this is wonder and gratitude — God pays attention to insignificant humans! In Job 7, it is protest — why won't God leave him alone? "Visit him every morning, and try him every moment?" (v.18). God's ceaseless attention, which should be grace, feels like oppression. Job begs: "How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?" (v.19) — just give me a moment's peace.
The Final Challenge (vv.20-21): "I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men?" (v.20). This is not genuine confession but rhetorical challenge: even IF I sinned, what harm does it do to God? Why has God "set me as a mark" — a target? Why not simply forgive and move on? "For now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be" (v.21) — soon I'll be dead, and then it will be too late. You'll look for me and I'll be gone.

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes that Job's inversion of Psalm 8 is theologically brilliant and devastatingly honest. The same truth — God watches over man — is experienced completely differently depending on whether one is in blessing or suffering. When life is good, God's attention is grace; when life is agony, God's attention feels like a relentless spotlight with no escape. Guzik also notes that Job's "I have sinned" (v.20) is not genuine confession but bitter irony: "Fine, say I have sinned — so what? What does my sin do to YOU?"
  • Charles Spurgeon: "Job spoke to God as a man in pain speaks — without polished phrases, without careful theology, without regard for how it would sound to pious ears. And God did not condemn him for it. Better a thousand honest complaints flung toward heaven than one smooth prayer that hides a rebellious heart. Job's words were wild, but they were directed AT God, not AWAY from God. That makes all the difference."

Videos

The Bible Project — Job Overview

Reflection

  • 1. You can bring your rawest complaints to God (v.11). Job resolves NOT to restrain his mouth. This is not rebellion — it is trust. You only complain to someone you believe can help. Job's anguished words are still directed toward God, not away from Him. Honest prayer is better than polite silence.
  • 2. God's attention can feel like oppression in suffering (v.17). The same theology — God watches over you — comforts in prosperity and terrifies in pain. If God's care currently feels more like surveillance, know that this is a phase, not a permanent reality. The truth hasn't changed; your experience of it has.
  • 3. Life is brief — act with urgency (vv.6-7). "My life is wind." Every person you encounter is a cloud that will soon vanish. Treat relationships with urgency. Show kindness now. Say what needs to be said now. The weaver's shuttle waits for no one.
  • 4. Sleepless suffering is known to God (vv.3-4). "Wearisome nights are appointed to me." If you lie awake in pain — physical or emotional — know that the God who never sleeps sees every restless hour. Your insomnia is not invisible. He counts your tossings (Psalm 56:8).
  • 5. The desire for death is not the same as sin (v.15). Job would prefer death, but he does not take his own life. He wants God to end it, not to end it himself. There is a vast difference between weariness with life and rebellion against God. If you feel this weariness, talk to God — and talk to someone else: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.