Job 30 17

Job 30:17 kjv

My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.

Job 30:17 nkjv

My bones are pierced in me at night, And my gnawing pains take no rest.

Job 30:17 niv

Night pierces my bones; my gnawing pains never rest.

Job 30:17 esv

The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.

Job 30:17 nlt

At night my bones are filled with pain,
which gnaws at me relentlessly.

Job 30 verses

Job 30 17 Meaning

Job 30:17 describes Job's intense and unceasing physical agony. Even during the night, when rest is expected, his bones are subjected to a profound, piercing pain that feels as if it is actively gouging him from within. This torment is relentless, symbolized by his "gnawing pains" or "sinews" that "never rest," underscoring the absolute absence of relief from his profound and pervasive suffering.

Job 30 17 Context

Job chapter 30 forms a crucial part of Job's final discourse, dramatically contrasting his former life of dignity and prosperity (Chapter 29) with his present, abysmal state. After vehemently asserting his righteousness and challenging his friends' simplistic retributive theology, Job shifts to describing the profound humiliation and suffering he now endures. He recounts being mocked and abused even by those he previously disdained (vv. 1-15). From verse 16 onwards, the lament focuses intensely on his personal and physical anguish, directly attributing his torment to God's hand (vv. 19-23). Verse 17 precisely captures the essence of this physical agony: an internal, unceasing pain that denies him the basic human need for rest, epitomizing his complete and devastating abandonment by God in his perceived view and by society.

Job 30 17 Word analysis

• "By night" (לַיְלָה - laylāh): The term "night" amplifies the misery. Ordinarily a time for respite and recuperation, night for Job brings an escalation, not cessation, of his suffering. This inversion of the natural order of rest highlights the unrelenting and inescapable nature of his torment, invading the very hours meant for solace and healing.
• "my bones" (עַצְמַי - ’atzmay): "Bones" are the deepest structural elements of the human body, frequently symbolizing the very core, strength, or foundation of one's being (e.g., Ps 6:2). Pain here signifies an affliction that permeates to the fundamental essence of his physical existence, not superficial discomfort, undermining his entire self.
• "are pierced" (נִקַּר - niqqar): Derived from the root נָקַר (naqar), meaning "to bore," "to pierce," or "to gouge out." In the Nif'al (passive) voice, it indicates that Job's bones are being pierced, not that he is actively piercing them. This verb choice vividly portrays an invasive, violent action, highlighting Job's utter helplessness as an external force (which he perceives as God) inflicts this deep, excruciating pain upon him.
• "and ache within me" / "My gnawing pains never rest" (וְעֹרְקַי לֹא יִשְׁכָּבֽוּ - wə’oreqay lō’ yiškāvû):
  • וְעֹרְקַי (wə’oreqay): This literally translates to "and my sinews/veins/nerves." These are the vital bodily structures responsible for carrying sensation and life force. While some translations render this interpretively as "my gnawing pains," the literal meaning emphasizes the deep, continuous involvement of these foundational bodily systems in his agony.
  • לֹא יִשְׁכָּבֽוּ (lō’ yiškāvû): From שָׁכַב (shakav), "to lie down," "to sleep," "to rest." The phrase translates as "they do not rest" or "they do not sleep." This directly signifies the relentless nature of the suffering. It illustrates that every fiber of his being, specifically the parts that should experience relaxation or healing, is instead consumed by a restless, perpetual state of pain, robbing him of the most basic human need for repose.

Words-group Analysis

• "By night my bones are pierced": This powerful opening emphasizes that Job's suffering is not confined to the waking hours. The "night," a time when individuals anticipate rest and relief, becomes a period of heightened and intense physical invasion. The penetration into his "bones" indicates that the pain is deeply rooted and fundamentally attacks his core physical structure, leaving no part untouched.
• "and my gnawing pains never rest" / "and my sinews do not sleep": This continuation underscores the perpetual and pervasive nature of his agony. Whether interpreted as the pain itself being restless, or the physiological channels (sinews/veins) within him throbbing unceasingly, the message is the same: there is no cessation, no break, and no alleviation of his suffering. It personifies the pain, making it an active tormentor that denies him any moment of tranquility or repair, especially in the context of denied sleep.

Job 30 17 Bonus section

• The raw honesty of Job's physical descriptions, including this verse, aligns with the theological purpose of the book: to explore the mystery of suffering and righteous individuals. It provides a human lament that God acknowledges and addresses, even without revealing the precise "why."
• The contrast between Job's former societal eminence and his current physical degradation emphasizes the depth of his fall, illustrating that external circumstances mirror internal anguish.
• The denial of sleep ("never rest") is a well-known ancient torture technique, making Job's physical experience here even more poignant. This adds to the feeling that he is not just suffering from an illness but actively being afflicted.
• The choice of the verb niqqar ("pierced," "gouged") has a brutal, almost surgical implication, indicating a violent and destructive process affecting the integrity of his physical body.

Job 30 17 Commentary

Job 30:17 is a stark confession of relentless physical agony that pervades Job's existence, granting no relief even in the silence of night. The imagery of bones being "pierced" signifies a deep, invasive suffering that reaches the very essence of his physical being, undermining his constitution. The accompanying phrase, whether translated as "gnawing pains" or literally "my sinews," that "never rest" (or "do not sleep"), conveys the ceaseless, pervasive nature of his torment. It speaks to a torture so complete that even the fundamental human need for recuperative rest, particularly sleep at night, is denied. This verse encapsulates Job's profound despair and feeling of abandonment, illustrating how inexplicable suffering can strip away not only comfort but also hope for even a momentary reprieve, fueling his spiritual contention with what he perceives as a divine adversary.