Job 16 15

Job 16:15 kjv

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

Job 16:15 nkjv

"I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust.

Job 16:15 niv

"I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and buried my brow in the dust.

Job 16:15 esv

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin and have laid my strength in the dust.

Job 16:15 nlt

I wear burlap to show my grief.
My pride lies in the dust.

Job 16 verses

Job 16 15 Meaning

Job 16:15 expresses Job's profound anguish, humiliation, and desolation. It illustrates his deeply personal experience of suffering, which has reduced him to a state of extreme abasement and the loss of all dignity. He portrays his sorrow and loss as permanent and integrated into his very being, emphasizing a complete degradation from a position of honor to one of ultimate lowliness.

Job 16 15 Context

Job 16 is part of Job’s third speech in response to his friends. At this point, the debate has become increasingly bitter, with Job's friends insisting his suffering is due to hidden sin, and Job vehemently maintaining his innocence while expressing profound distress and despair. He feels alienated not only from his friends and community but also from God Himself, whom he perceives as his assailant. Verse 15 is a raw expression of his outward and inward state of desolation, directly refuting the idea that he is prospering or secretly rebellious, as his friends might imply. He illustrates his complete and utter loss, contrasting sharply with his former honor and prosperity, symbolizing his state as one irrevocably marred by calamity.

Job 16 15 Word analysis

• I have sewed: The Hebrew verb is tāp̱ar (תָּפַר), meaning "to sew, stitch." It suggests an intentional and deep action, not merely wearing something casually. Job implies that sackcloth has become a permanent, almost intrinsic part of his being, as if it's integrated into his flesh, indicating an inescapable and pervasive grief. This is not temporary sorrow, but a state of being.
• sackcloth: Hebrew śaq (שַׂק). A rough, coarse fabric, typically made from dark goat's hair, worn directly against the skin. Biblically, it is a primary symbol of intense mourning, deep sorrow, repentance, distress, and humiliation. Its rough texture caused physical discomfort, further signifying abasement.
• upon my skin: Hebrew ʿal-ʿôrî (עַל־עוֹרִ֧י). This emphasizes the intimate, painful, and constant nature of Job's grief. It's not just a garment worn over other clothes; it's a raw, immediate affliction directly affecting his flesh, signifying total discomfort and identifying with the physical manifestations of suffering.
• and defiled: The Hebrew verb is ḥālal (חָלַל), which means "to profane, defile, pollute, make common, wound." This term conveys desecration, stripping something of its sacredness or honor. It suggests an active process of being dishonored or degraded, highlighting a loss of purity, dignity, and integrity.
• my horn: Hebrew qarnî (קַרְנִ֝י). "Horn" (qeren) is a powerful biblical metaphor for strength, power, dignity, honor, and exaltation (derived from the strong, high horns of powerful animals like oxen or rams). For Job, it represents his former prosperity, social standing, integrity, and vitality.
• in the dust: Hebrew ba-ʿāp̱ār (בֶּעָפָֽר). Dust is a biblical symbol of lowliness, humiliation, death, and mortality (as in "dust to dust"). To "defile one's horn in the dust" means to have one's strength, honor, and dignity completely trampled, dragged through the dirt, and reduced to the lowest possible state of disgrace and ruin.

Words-group analysis:

• "I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin": This phrase paints a vivid picture of deep, physical, and inescapable sorrow. The act of "sewing" signifies a self-imposed, deliberate embrace of anguish or a profound state from which there is no escape. It is not merely putting on a garment, but integrating grief and humiliation into one's very being. It reflects an inward spiritual and emotional reality that manifests externally, becoming part of Job’s identity in suffering.
• "and defiled my horn in the dust": This imagery signifies a complete and utter loss of all strength, dignity, honor, and vitality. Job feels completely degraded, stripped of all that made him strong or respectable. The horn, symbolizing high status and power, being dragged in the dust, the lowest place, illustrates a public and absolute humiliation. This represents not just personal loss, but also public abasement, implying that his former reputation and respect have been utterly ruined.

Job 16 15 Bonus section

The language employed in Job 16:15 is deeply personal and visceral. The image of sackcloth being "sewn upon my skin" goes beyond a temporary garment; it suggests an internal scarring or integration of sorrow, becoming part of Job's physical suffering, similar to how his boils covered his skin. This intensifies the portrayal of his agony. Furthermore, Job's perception that his horn has been "defiled" is particularly potent in a culture where honor was paramount. It implies not just loss, but an active besmirching of his reputation, leaving him not merely humble but truly shamed. This state is a direct counter-argument to his friends, who might see his suffering as a just affliction, while Job experiences it as an undeserved, complete ravaging of his identity.

Job 16 15 Commentary

Job 16:15 vividly articulates Job’s despair and sense of utter humiliation. The "sewn sackcloth" is more than a display of mourning; it portrays his anguish as a pervasive, unyielding reality embedded within his very physical being, not merely an external covering. This highlights a self-identification with sorrow so deep it feels inescapable. The imagery of his "horn defiled in the dust" underscores the complete collapse of his dignity, strength, and former honored status. This powerful metaphor expresses a profound sense of public disgrace and personal degradation, where all his inherent worth and honor have been trampled and sullied, reduced to the lowest conceivable state. This verse reflects the depths of Job’s perceived abandonment by God and man, stripped of all his prior glory.