Job 30 22

Job 30:22 kjv

Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.

Job 30:22 nkjv

You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it; You spoil my success.

Job 30:22 niv

You snatch me up and drive me before the wind; you toss me about in the storm.

Job 30:22 esv

You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it, and you toss me about in the roar of the storm.

Job 30:22 nlt

You throw me into the whirlwind
and destroy me in the storm.

Job 30 verses

Job 30 22 Meaning

Job 30:22 portrays Job's profound sense of abandonment and devastating treatment by God. He perceives God as actively participating in his undoing, using the destructive power of the wind to lift him up only to hurl him uncontrollably and utterly dissolve his being. It's a vivid expression of cosmic humiliation and existential unraveling, where God, instead of upholding, is seen as the direct agent of his demise and disintegration.

Job 30 22 Context

Job 30 is part of Job’s final soliloquy, a deep lament where he contrasts his former respected position and prosperous life (chapter 29) with his present abysmal suffering, social scorn, and physical torment. In chapter 30, Job details the contempt shown by those much younger and inferior to him, highlighting his physical decay and emotional anguish. Verse 22 specifically blames God for this torment. It follows Job's description of his body wasting away, his skin turning black, and his bones burning. He directly attributes his downfall to the Almighty, accusing God of active malice and violent disruption of his being. The historical context reflects a time when calamities were often seen as direct divine punishment for sin, a prevailing belief that Job directly challenges throughout the book.

Job 30 22 Word analysis

• Thou liftest me up (תִּשָּׂאֵנִי - tishsha'eni): From the Hebrew root נָשָׂא (nasa') meaning to lift, carry, bear. Here, it’s not for exaltation but for hostile displacement. The imagery evokes being picked up, perhaps effortlessly, by an overwhelmingly powerful entity, implying helplessness.
• to the wind (לָרוּחַ - laruakh): From ruakh, meaning wind, spirit, or breath. The definite article 'the' makes it specific, not just "any wind." This emphasizes a direct force, often associated with divine power (Ps 104:3), but here utilized as a destructive vehicle against Job. It suggests being tossed, unstable, and without direction or control over his trajectory.
• thou causest me to ride upon it (וַתַּרְכִּיבֵנִי - vattarkiveini): From the root רָכַב (rakav), to ride or mount. The causative Hiphil stem indicates God makes him ride. This is not a majestic or willing ride; it is a forced, terrifying, uncontrolled experience on the tumultuous wind, symbolizing Job's lack of agency in his suffering, being carried against his will by divine might towards destruction.
• and dissolvest (וַתֶּמֶס - vattemes): From the root מָסַס (masas), meaning to melt, dissolve, waste away. This powerful verb indicates a complete breakdown, an unraveling from a solid state into something formless. It signifies the destruction of his coherence and stability, both physical and metaphorical.
• my substance (תּוּשִׁיָּה - tushiyyah): This term is nuanced, deriving from a root suggesting "to be efficient," "wisdom," "essence," or "well-being." Here, it signifies Job’s solid being, his life force, his very practical existence, wisdom, or prosperity. It encapsulates everything that defined his stability and former standing. Its dissolution implies complete annihilation of his being and life as he knew it.

• Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it: This phrase employs personification, ascribing active, hostile intent to God through a powerful natural element, the wind. It paints a picture of being seized and helplessly borne away, losing all control, symbolizing being subject to forces far beyond his grasp and driven towards an unwanted end. It's an anti-ascension, being "lifted" not to glory, but to devastation.
• and dissolvest my substance: This describes the profound effect of the previous actions. The active dissolving (rather than simply melting) speaks to a forceful, deliberate act by God to unravel Job's very essence. "Substance" extends beyond mere possessions to his physical being, moral integrity, intellectual clarity, and overall sense of self and purpose. Its dissolution is utter despair, leaving nothing behind.

Job 30 22 Bonus section

The imagery in Job 30:22 resonates with ancient Near Eastern storm god motifs, but twisted. Instead of a god riding a storm to conquer enemies or bring life-giving rain, here, God rides the storm to destroy the supplicant. This turns traditional divine imagery on its head, reflecting Job's radical theological conclusions in his suffering. The Hebrew term tushiyyah (substance) implies more than material possessions; it suggests the internal wisdom, stability, and effectiveness of a person, all of which Job feels God has obliterated. The complete erosion of Job's very "being" emphasizes the cosmic and existential nature of his suffering, extending beyond mere physical pain or loss of wealth.

Job 30 22 Commentary

Job 30:22 stands as a searing indictment from Job towards God, whom he perceives as his relentless tormentor. Far from being a source of comfort or deliverance, God, in Job's anguish, directly manipulates the forces of creation (wind, often a symbol of God's power) not to sustain but to violently hurl and disintegrate him. This verse reveals the depth of Job's despair, viewing himself as utterly exposed and dismantled by the very One who created him. It's a testament to the honesty of lament in scripture, portraying a direct and unvarnished accusation against divine action when life utterly collapses. It signifies Job's internal and external stability being undone by God’s powerful, albeit seemingly cruel, hand, leaving him with nothing substantial, no solid ground beneath him.