Job 30:30 kjv
My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
Job 30:30 nkjv
My skin grows black and falls from me; My bones burn with fever.
Job 30:30 niv
My skin grows black and peels; my body burns with fever.
Job 30:30 esv
My skin turns black and falls from me, and my bones burn with heat.
Job 30:30 nlt
My skin has turned dark,
and my bones burn with fever.
Job 30 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 22:14 | My strength is dried up... all my bones are out of joint. | Physical weakening and structural pain. |
| Psa 32:3 | When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring. | Internal distress causing physical decay. |
| Psa 38:5, 7 | My wounds stink and are corrupt... my loins are filled with a loathsome disease. | Visible skin decay and disease. |
| Psa 38:8 | I am feeble and sore broken; I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. | Profound weakness and emotional distress. |
| Psa 42:10 | As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me. | Deep, penetrating pain and emotional assault. |
| Pdsa 102:3 | My bones are burned as a hearth. | Intense internal fever and consumption. |
| Psa 102:5 | By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. | Extreme emaciation from suffering. |
| Psa 109:24 | My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness. | Weakness and loss of substance. |
| Lam 1:13 | From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them. | Divine affliction causing internal burning. |
| Lam 3:4 | My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. | General physical breakdown and aging. |
| Lam 4:8 | Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones. | Extreme emaciation and darkening of skin due to famine. |
| Lam 5:10 | Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine. | Skin darkening due to severe conditions. |
| Prov 17:22 | A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. | Emotional state impacts physical health (drying). |
| Prov 14:30 | ...envy the rottenness of the bones. | Negative emotions causing internal decay. |
| Jer 20:9 | ...his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones. | Intense internal spiritual conviction/passion. |
| 2 Chr 16:12 | Asa... was diseased in his feet... his disease was exceeding great. | Severe physical illness (bones mentioned contextually). |
| Isa 38:13 | As a lion, so he broke all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. | Devastating pain and a sense of imminent death (Hezekiah). |
| Job 2:7-8 | So went Satan forth... and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. | Job's physical boils, context for his skin. |
| Job 7:5 | My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken. | Described decay and broken skin. |
| Job 19:20 | My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. | Extreme thinness and survival by a thread. |
| Job 33:19-21 | He is chastened also with pain upon his bed... his bones that were not seen stick out... | Described wasting sickness and visible bones. |
| Isa 53:4-5 | Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken. | Christ's bearing of human suffering/infirmity. |
| Matt 8:17 | That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities. | Christ's taking on human sickness and disease. |
| Rom 8:22 | For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. | Shared experience of suffering and decay in creation. |
Job 30 verses
Job 30 30 Meaning
Job 30:30 expresses Job's profound and excruciating physical suffering. He describes his outer appearance as his skin turning "black" and his inner being, represented by his "bones," being "burned with heat." This vivid imagery conveys total physical collapse, deep-seated illness, and intense fever, suggesting desiccation and internal consumption by a relentless disease. It portrays a body that is actively wasting away from within, reflecting the comprehensive nature of his affliction and despair.
Job 30 30 Context
Job chapter 30 serves as the culmination of Job’s lament over his present, miserable condition, starkly contrasting it with the respect, honor, and blessing he enjoyed in Job chapter 29. In Job 30, he describes his radical decline: from being revered by all, he is now despised by the lowest of society, the subject of scorn and ridicule. His physical suffering, as expressed in verse 30, is a major component of this downfall, manifesting as intense, inescapable pain and decay. Historically and culturally, in the ancient Near East, health and prosperity were often linked to divine favor, while illness and suffering were perceived as divine judgment. Job's words challenge this conventional understanding, as he, a righteous man, experiences extreme affliction without apparent cause. This verse highlights the deep mystery of suffering for the righteous.
Job 30 30 Word analysis
- My skin (עֹר - ‘ôr): The Hebrew term refers to the outermost covering of the body. Here, it signifies the visible, external aspect of Job's physical being. Its condition reflects not merely a surface affliction but a comprehensive internal deterioration, indicating loss of vitality and integrity.
- is black (שָׁחַר - shāḥar): This word implies more than just dirt or darkness. It suggests scorching, intense discoloration, desiccation, or being burnt. It vividly depicts the effects of extreme fever, sun exposure (due to being outcast), or perhaps even the manifestations of severe skin diseases. The blackness is a sign of deep distress and perhaps approaching death.
- upon me (`ālay): A simple preposition, emphasizing the direct, personal, and overwhelming nature of the affliction that has taken hold of Job's entire being. It's not external dirt, but his own skin is transformed by disease.
- and my bones (עֶצֶם - ‘eṭsem): Beyond mere skeletal structure, "bones" in Hebrew thought often symbolize the innermost core, strength, substance, and very essence of a person. It is the seat of vital energy and internal vigor. Job's suffering penetrates to the foundational elements of his existence.
- are burned (חָרָה - ḥārāh): This verb literally means to be hot, scorched, or to burn. It denotes an intense, consuming heat. Applied to bones, it speaks of agonizing internal fever that is dehydrating, debilitating, and wasting away his bodily strength from within. This isn't external fire but an internal inferno.
- with heat (מֵחֹרֶב - mēḥōrev): Derived from a root signifying dryness or desolation. This explicitly identifies the source of the burning in his bones as intense, desiccating heat, likely a raging fever. It underscores the severity and the consuming nature of his internal suffering, drawing away all moisture and strength.
Words-group analysis
- "My skin is black upon me": This phrase paints a gruesome picture of Job's external decay. It suggests extreme dehydration, a consequence of fever, severe disease, or perhaps constant exposure to harsh elements. The blackness could imply a leathery texture, deep tanning, or gangrenous spots, signifying severe illness and a departure from a healthy, living complexion. It communicates an outer appearance that matches the inner torment.
- "and my bones are burned with heat": This extends the description of suffering to Job's deepest physical structures. It’s an evocative image of constant, agonizing internal fever and pain that feels as though his very essence is being consumed. This "burning" refers not to actual combustion, but to the feeling of an unquenchable, internal fire, signifying extreme emaciation, weakness, and the slow disintegration of his strength and life.
Job 30 30 Bonus section
The sensory language employed by Job is extremely visceral, allowing the listener to grasp the full horror of his condition. The contrast between his once vibrant life (Job 29) and his current state (Job 30:30) underscores the devastating impact of his affliction. This graphic depiction of suffering challenges simplistic views of divine justice, emphasizing that righteous individuals can endure profound, inexplicable pain. It serves as a potent testament to human fragility and the often mysterious ways in which suffering permeates life, even at the deepest physiological level.
Job 30 30 Commentary
Job 30:30 powerfully conveys the full extent of Job's physical desolation. His body, once strong and healthy, has become a testament to utter brokenness. The image of "black skin" portrays an external horror, a visible manifestation of decay, perhaps from the disease's effects, or extreme dehydration and sun exposure due to his outcast state. The "bones burned with heat" communicates an even deeper agony, suggesting a consuming internal fever that saps all strength, vitality, and even moisture from his very core. This is not merely surface-level pain but an assault that penetrates to the very foundation of his being, leaving him weak, emaciated, and consumed by relentless torment. The verse illustrates Job's profound and multi-faceted suffering, both visible to the eye and excruciatingly felt within. It underscores the complete ruin of his health, driving home the reality of his unmerited and severe affliction.