Job 16 14

Job 16:14 kjv

He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

Job 16:14 nkjv

He breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior.

Job 16:14 niv

Again and again he bursts upon me; he rushes at me like a warrior.

Job 16:14 esv

He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior.

Job 16:14 nlt

Again and again he smashes against me,
charging at me like a warrior.

Job 16 verses

Job 16 14 Meaning

Job 16:14 conveys Job's profound agony and his perception of God's relentless assault upon him. He expresses that God repeatedly inflicts devastating blows, like breaking through a fortified wall with one breach after another, relentlessly pursuing him as a powerful and unstoppable warrior in battle. It encapsulates his feeling of being completely overwhelmed, defenseless, and under constant divine attack.

Job 16 14 Context

Job 16:14 is part of Job’s third and longest monologue (chapters 12-14, 16-17, 19), spoken in response to Eliphaz’s second speech. In this chapter, Job articulates his deep despair and overwhelming sense of abandonment. He laments the incessant mockery from his friends and, more significantly, the perception that God Himself has turned into his adversary. Job sees himself as a broken man, relentlessly attacked by God, with no refuge or relief. This verse specifically contributes to his extended portrayal of God not as a loving caretaker, but as an unrelenting foe. Historically, such intense lament was not uncommon in ancient Near Eastern literature, though directly accusing God with such vivid hostile imagery was bold, demonstrating Job's profound anguish and honest struggle within a faith framework that could not account for his undeserved suffering under traditional retribution theology.

Job 16 14 Word analysis

• He breaks me (יפרצני, yiph'reṣēnî):

  • This is from the Hebrew verb פָּרַץ (parats), meaning "to break through," "to burst forth," "to tear down," or "to breach."
  • The imperfect tense implies continuous or repeated action.
  • The suffix "-ni" (me) indicates Job is the direct object, experiencing the violent breaking.
  • It depicts a forceful, destructive action, as if breaking through a wall or a barrier, implying Job’s structure of life and well-being is being shattered.

• with breach upon breach (פֶּרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פֶּרֶץ, pereṣ ʿal-pəney-pereṣ):

  • פֶּרֶץ (pereṣ): Noun form of the verb, meaning "a breach," "a break," or "a ruin." It can refer to a hole torn in a wall or a calamity.
  • עַל־פְּנֵי־פֶּרֶץ (ʿal-pəney-pereṣ): Literally "upon the face of breach." This idiomatic expression intensifies the action, signifying a relentless, successive, or cumulative series of destructive blows.
  • It paints a picture of being attacked so relentlessly that one collapse after another occurs, allowing no time for recovery or defense.

• He runs (ירֻץ, yārūṣ):

  • From the Hebrew verb רוּץ (ruts), meaning "to run."
  • Again, the imperfect tense indicates ongoing or habitual action.
  • This verb conveys swiftness, immediacy, and a sense of aggressive pursuit, not a hesitant or reluctant approach. It emphasizes the immediacy and intent of the perceived attack.

• upon me (עלי, ʿālāy):

  • The preposition 'al ("upon," "against") combined with the first-person singular suffix, emphasizes the direct and personal nature of the perceived assault.

• like a warrior (כַּגִּבּוֹר, kaggibbōr):

  • כַּגִּבּוֹר (kaggibbōr): Composed of the comparative prefix 'ka' (like, as) and the noun גִּבּוֹר (gibbor), meaning "mighty man," "hero," "champion," or "warrior."
  • This metaphor characterizes the attacker (implicitly God) as a powerful, formidable, and relentless military combatant, ready for battle and intent on destroying.
  • It evokes an image of an unstoppable enemy.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "He breaks me with breach upon breach": This phrase highlights the profound, relentless, and successive nature of Job’s suffering. It is not just one calamity but repeated devastations that follow one after another, akin to a fortress wall being repeatedly shattered until it utterly crumbles. This expresses an experience of cumulative trauma.
  • "He runs upon me like a warrior": This vivid simile personalizes and intensifies Job's feeling of being directly assaulted. God is depicted not as a benevolent protector but as an aggressive, powerful enemy charging swiftly and without mercy, bent on overwhelming destruction. This inverted imagery conveys Job's deepest sense of alienation and feeling directly opposed by divine might.

Job 16 14 Bonus section

The fierce military metaphors used by Job in this verse (and throughout chapter 16) stand in stark contrast to the conventional understanding of God as a benevolent or just sovereign, particularly challenging the simplified retribution theology held by his friends. Job's choice of language reveals the intensity of his emotional and spiritual battle. He portrays God's actions with verbs typically associated with human warfare, underscoring his complete disorientation and feelings of personal victimhood. This unsparing portrayal of God reflects Job's complete honesty in prayer and lament, a foundational aspect of biblical wrestling with divine providence in suffering, showcasing that faithful individuals can express their deepest despair and even accuse God without necessarily losing their faith entirely. His anguish allows for a dialogue between human suffering and divine mystery that transcends simplistic theological explanations.

Job 16 14 Commentary

Job 16:14 profoundly captures Job's raw and unfiltered lament, depicting God not as a comforter but as his chief assailant. Job sees his life and well-being systematically demolished, one crisis immediately followed by another, as if an expert warrior were continuously breaching a city wall until nothing remained. The image of God "running upon him like a warrior" emphasizes the perceived directness, speed, and overwhelming power of these divine attacks. This verse reveals the extreme psychological and spiritual distress Job endures, grappling with a divine relationship turned hostile in his experience, a perception deeply unsettling yet honest to the sufferer's perspective when confronting inexplicable agony.