Job 16 10

Job 16:10 kjv

They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

Job 16:10 nkjv

They gape at me with their mouth, They strike me reproachfully on the cheek, They gather together against me.

Job 16:10 niv

People open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn and unite together against me.

Job 16:10 esv

Men have gaped at me with their mouth; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me.

Job 16:10 nlt

People jeer and laugh at me.
They slap my cheek in contempt.
A mob gathers against me.

Job 16 verses

Job 16 10 Meaning

Job 16:10 expresses Job’s profound anguish and feeling of utter abandonment and contempt from his friends. He perceives them as actively and unitedly participating in his suffering by openly mocking him, humiliating him through scornful acts or words directed at his dignity, and banding together to press their accusations against him. This verse highlights Job's isolation and the crushing weight of betrayal by those who should have offered comfort.

Job 16 10 Context

Job 16:10 is part of Job’s fourth speech, delivered in response to Eliphaz’s second speech (Job 15). Job's suffering has intensified, and his friends, instead of comforting him, have repeatedly accused him of sin as the cause of his misery. In this speech, Job vividly expresses his feeling of being relentlessly attacked, not only by God, whom he perceives as his adversary (Job 16:9), but also by his so-called friends. He laments their failure as comforters, accusing them of being "miserable comforters" (Job 16:2). This verse specifically describes their perceived physical and verbal aggression, a clear indictment of their lack of empathy and their cruel judgments. The verse underscores Job's sense of being a pariah, unjustly maligned and socially alienated, contrasting sharply with the ancient Near Eastern expectation of community support during affliction. His lament here functions as a polemic against the simplistic retribution theology that blinds his friends to his true state and drives their harsh words.

Job 16 10 Word analysis

• They gape at me:
  • Original Word: פָּעֲר֥וּ (pāʿarū), from the root פָּעַר (paʿar), meaning "to open wide," "to gape."
  • Significance: This implies not merely looking but opening the mouth in a hostile, scornful, or even predatory manner. It suggests mockery, derision, and perhaps even a ravenous desire to consume or destroy him with their words. It's a public display of contempt.
• with their mouth:
  • Original Word: פִּיהֶ֑ם (pīhem), "their mouth," a common word.
  • Significance: Reinforces that the act of "gaping" is done specifically with their mouths, emphasizing the vocal or verbal nature of the scorn, making it deeply personal and public. It suggests sharp, cutting words, shouts, or even silence accompanied by an expression of shock or revulsion.
• they strike my cheeks:
  • Original Word: בִּלְּע֣וּנִי עַל־לְחָ֑יִי (billĕʿûnî ʿal-ləḥāyî). The verb בִּלְּעוּנִי (bilʿuni) comes from בָּלַע (balaʿ), which means "to swallow," "to engulf," "to devour," or metaphorically, "to destroy" or "annihilate." "לְחָיִ (ləḥāyî)" means "my cheek."
  • Significance: This phrase is intensely metaphorical and powerful. While some translations render "strike" or "smite" (reflecting an interpretation of the action), the literal meaning "swallow upon my cheek" conveys utter humiliation and destructive scorn. It's an act of contempt so profound it feels like his honor, dignity, and peace are being devoured or consumed publically. In ancient cultures, acts against the cheek (spitting, striking, plucking the beard) were the ultimate acts of shaming and degradation (e.g., Isa 50:6; Mic 5:1; Lam 3:30; Matt 26:67). Job feels his very essence and public standing are being "swallowed" or consumed by their disdain.
• with reproach:
  • Original Word: בְּחֶרְפָּ֑ה (bəḥerfāh), from חֶרְפָּה (ḥerpāh), meaning "reproach," "shame," "disgrace," "insult."
  • Significance: This adverbial phrase clearly states the nature and intent of their actions. Their gaping mouths and symbolic striking are not accidental but purposeful acts of bringing shame and dishonor upon Job. This emphasizes the cruelty and deliberateness of his friends’ words and behavior.
• they gather themselves together against me:
  • Original Word: יַחַד יִתְמַלָּֽאוּ (yaḥad yitmalāʾū). יַחַד (yaḥad) means "together," "as one." יִתְמַלָּֽאוּ (yitmalāʾū) is from the root מָלֵא (māleʾ), meaning "to fill" or "to be full." In the Hitpa'el stem, it can imply a reflexive action: "to fill themselves up," "to be filled with." Some scholars propose this could mean "they swell up" (with rage/malice) or "they assemble themselves (with malicious intent)."
  • Significance: This signifies a united front of hostility. It's not just one friend, but the group conspiring or collectively acting against him. "They fill themselves against me" can imply that they are saturated with malice or are becoming a collective, oppressive force, fully embodying their scorn and turning their full attention to his torment. It speaks to Job's feeling of being ganged up on.

Job 16 10 Bonus section

The strong parallel between Job’s experiences and prophetic descriptions of Christ's suffering (especially Psa 22 and Isa 50) lends this verse a Messianic typology. Christ endured being mocked with open mouths, spat upon, struck on the cheek, and faced the unified accusations of many. Job's words in this verse, therefore, are not just a personal lament but resonate with a deeper theme of the righteous sufferer who is misunderstood, betrayed, and physically/verbally abused by those who should know better or offer help. The term for "swallow" (בלע) used for the cheek action is significant because it is very strong, portraying not just a physical assault but an act of complete effacement or spiritual annihilation of the person's honor and being. It conveys Job's feeling of being utterly consumed by their contempt.

Job 16 10 Commentary

Job 16:10 articulates Job’s bitter lament over the treatment he receives from his friends, whom he paradoxically labels "miserable comforters." This verse paints a vivid picture of verbal and symbolic violence, where his supposed allies openly mock and deride him, humiliating him to his very face. The imagery of "gaping mouths" conveys a horrifying spectacle of public contempt and a predatory intent, while the notion of "swallowing on the cheek with reproach" suggests an utterly destructive shaming, as if his dignity is being consumed. Their combined hostility, captured by "they gather themselves together against me," underscores Job’s profound isolation and the crushing weight of collective betrayal. This suffering, self-perceived as coming from both God and his friends, highlights the depth of his anguish and challenges the conventional understanding of righteous suffering, powerfully foreshadowing the rejection and humiliation experienced by Christ.