Job 16 9

Job 16:9 kjv

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

Job 16:9 nkjv

He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.

Job 16:9 niv

God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me; my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.

Job 16:9 esv

He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.

Job 16:9 nlt

God hates me and angrily tears me apart.
He snaps his teeth at me
and pierces me with his eyes.

Job 16 verses

Job 16 9 Meaning

Job 16:9 portrays Job's profound anguish and despair, as he perceives God not merely as a distant observer of his suffering but as his direct and active adversary. In this verse, Job describes God as one who violently tears him apart in anger, holds him in contempt, gnashes His teeth at him, and maintains a hostile, sharpened gaze. This depicts God as a merciless, predatory enemy, relentlessly persecuting Job.

Job 16 9 Context

Job 16:9 is spoken by Job in his third dialogue, specifically responding to Eliphaz's second speech. By this point, Job has been profoundly afflicted, enduring immense physical suffering, loss of family and possessions, and the psychological torment of his friends' relentless accusations. He is desperate and increasingly direct in his accusations against God, believing God is unjustly punishing him despite his integrity. In chapter 16, Job pours out his lament, feeling completely abandoned and utterly persecuted by God. He describes himself as being torn apart and mocked by both God and man, highlighting his intense pain and confusion over why a just God would inflict such agony upon him, whom he believes to be innocent. This verse underscores the depth of Job's conviction that God Himself is his cruelest foe, relentlessly hostile and seeking his destruction, a sharp polemic against the simplistic retribution theology offered by his friends, who would only attribute such suffering to sin.

Job 16 9 Word analysis

• He (هُוּא - hû): Refers to God, implicitly. Job understands God to be the direct agent of his suffering, despite His omnipresence making it unnecessary to state "God" explicitly after previous discussions. This personal targeting adds to Job's profound sense of betrayal.
• has torn (טָרַף - ṭârap̱): A strong Hebrew verb meaning "to tear," "rend," "devour," or "seize as prey." It conjures an image of a wild animal violently dismembering its victim. Job feels completely overwhelmed and fragmented by divine violence, suggesting utter destruction rather than mere pain.
• me (אֹתִי - 'ôṯîy): Emphasizes the intensely personal and direct nature of the perceived attack. Job sees himself, not just his circumstances, as the target of God's wrath.
• in His wrath (בְּאַפּוֹ - bᵉ'ap̱pô): The Hebrew word אַף ('aph) literally means "nose" or "nostril," often used metaphorically for "anger" or "wrath" because the nostrils flare when angry. Job attributes specific, personal fury to God as the motivation for his torment.
• and hated (וַיִּשְׂטְמֵנִי - wayyiṣṭəmêniy): From the Hebrew root שָׂטַם (sâṭam), meaning "to be hostile," "bear a grudge against," or "hate." This is a severe accusation. Job feels not just punished but despised, personally disliked, and persecuted by the Almighty. This active hatred is a core part of his distress.
• He gnashes (וַיַּחֲרֹק - wayyacharoq): From חָרַק (châraq), meaning "to gnash," "grind," often referring to teeth. It's an expression of extreme rage, malice, and often frustrated fury. This anthropomorphic imagery presents God as an enraged, visceral enemy.
• His teeth at me (שִׁנָּיו עָלָי - šinnāw 'ālāy): Reinforces the image of God as a beastly, malicious aggressor. This gesture is typically associated with the wicked or demonic entities expressing furious malevolence towards the righteous (Psl 35:16). Job shockingly reverses this image, attributing it to God.
• My adversary (צָרִי - ṣâriy): From צָר (ṣâr), meaning "adversary," "foe," "enemy," or "oppressor." This directly labels God as Job's personal enemy, a stark theological assertion stemming from profound suffering and perceived divine antagonism.
• sharpens His eyes against me (יִלְטוֹשׁ עֵינָיו לִי - yiltôš 'êynāw lîy): לָטַשׁ (lâṭash) means "to sharpen" or "whet" (a blade). To "sharpen eyes" implies a gaze fixed with intense, malicious, or predatory intent, like a weapon being prepared for attack. It suggests calculated and unrelenting hostility, a cold and unwavering focus on his destruction.
• He has torn me in His wrath and hated me: This phrase captures Job's conviction that God's actions are driven by intense anger and a deeply personal animosity, reducing Job to fragmented ruin. It's a lament of absolute, destructive animosity from the divine.
• He gnashes His teeth at me; My adversary sharpens His eyes against me: This second part deepens the image of divine malevolence. The gnashing of teeth expresses visceral rage, while the sharpening of eyes suggests a deliberate, cold, predatory stare, a calculating resolve to bring about Job's demise. The term "My adversary" cements God's perceived role as his foe.

Job 16 9 Bonus section

• Anthropopathism: Job's descriptions of God using human emotions (wrath, hate) and actions (tearing, gnashing teeth, sharpening eyes) are anthropopathic. This is not necessarily an objective theological statement about God's intrinsic nature, but a powerful expression of Job's experience of God's actions toward him, framed within his profound suffering.
• Boldness in Lament: Job's laments are incredibly bold, even blasphemous from a traditional standpoint, yet they are part of a conversation with God found acceptable within the biblical narrative. This highlights that sincere, albeit agonizing, wrestling with God in pain is not forbidden and can be a pathway to deeper truth, as revealed in the book's conclusion.
• Challenging Retribution Theology: This verse stands in stark contrast to the common wisdom theology of Job's friends, who insist that suffering is always proportional to sin. Job's accusation of divine malice demonstrates the inadequacy of their simplistic formula in explaining the suffering of the righteous.
• The Problem of "Hidden" God: Job's lament touches on the universal human experience of feeling that God is absent or hostile in times of extreme suffering. While God is not truly Job's adversary, Job perceives Him to be so, making this a deep reflection on the mystery of divine providence.

Job 16 9 Commentary

Job 16:9 represents the rawest outpouring of Job's agony, where he directly confronts God, not as a source of comfort or justice, but as his active tormentor. Stripped of everything, Job interprets his unmerited suffering as direct divine assault motivated by intense anger and personal hatred. The vivid, anthropopathic imagery of tearing, gnashing teeth, and sharpening eyes underscores Job's visceral experience of being targeted by a powerful, malevolent deity. This isn't just an intellectual theological problem; it's a terrifying, personal confrontation with a God he once knew as just. It reflects the desperate struggle of a righteous person trying to reconcile his experience with his theology, daring to vocalize the horrifying conclusion that, from his vantage point, God Himself has become his ultimate adversary. Job's words, though shocking, are an authentic expression of profound lament, highlighting the depth of his suffering and his determination to seek understanding even in his despair.