Job 30:7 kjv
Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
Job 30:7 nkjv
Among the bushes they brayed, Under the nettles they nestled.
Job 30:7 niv
They brayed among the bushes and huddled in the undergrowth.
Job 30:7 esv
Among the bushes they bray; under the nettles they huddle together.
Job 30:7 nlt
They sound like animals howling among the bushes,
huddled together beneath the nettles.
Job 30 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 22:6 | But I am a worm and no man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. | Scorn and despised by others. |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… | Humiliation of the Suffering Servant. |
| Lam 3:14 | I have become the laughingstock of all peoples… | Jeremiah's lament of being mocked. |
| Lam 3:19 | Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! | Remembrance of bitter suffering and exile. |
| Psa 69:10-12 | When I wept and humbled my soul… I became a byword for them… | Humiliation and being made an object of scorn. |
| Matt 8:20 | Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. | Lacking a proper dwelling, destitution. |
| Heb 11:38 | Wandering in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | Believers suffering as outcasts, homeless. |
| Job 6:5 | Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass… | Braying as a sign of distress or hunger. |
| Job 24:5-8 | Behold, like wild donkeys in the desert… they must make do without clothing, and have no cover in the cold. | Poor and destitute foraging in wilderness. |
| Prov 24:31 | And behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; nettles had covered its face, and its stone wall was broken down. | Neglect leading to desolation. |
| Hos 9:6 | …nettles shall possess their precious things; thorns shall be in their tents. | Desolation and destruction as divine judgment. |
| Job 29:1 | And Job again took up his discourse and said… | Previous state of Job's glory. |
| Job 29:21-25 | Men listened to me and waited… I sat as chief, and I lived like a king in the army. | Contrast to Job's former high status. |
| Phil 2:8 | And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | The ultimate act of self-humiliation. |
| Rom 12:16 | Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. | Call for humility and associating with the humble. |
| 1 Cor 4:10-13 | We are fools for Christ's sake… homeless, and go ill-clad and hungry… | Apostolic suffering, being reviled and outcast. |
| 2 Cor 11:27 | …in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. | Description of deep suffering and hardship. |
| Ps 79:4 | We have become a taunt and derision to our neighbors. | Being mocked and scorned by others. |
| Isa 32:13 | For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine, will grow thorns and briers. | Land desolation and judgment. |
| Job 5:2-3 | For vexation slays the fool, and jealousy kills the simple… | Suffering as a consequence (Job's friends' view). |
| Ps 49:12 | Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. | Comparison of humans to perishing animals. |
| Jer 9:11 | I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins… | Desolation as a sign of divine judgment. |
Job 30 verses
Job 30 7 Meaning
Job 30:7 vividly portrays the extreme degradation of the individuals Job now faces, whom he considers the lowest of society. He describes them as living in the wilderness, like wild animals, uttering guttural sounds ("braying") among sparse, thorny vegetation ("bushes," "nettles"), and seeking minimal shelter by "huddling together" in these harsh environments. The verse underscores the complete reversal of Job's fortune by emphasizing the abject status of those who now mock him, highlighting the depth of his humiliation.
Job 30 7 Context
Job Chapter 30 is a powerful lament by Job, following his detailed recounting of his former honor and prosperity in Chapter 29. In Chapter 30, Job dramatically contrasts his previous life with his current state of utter degradation and suffering. He vividly describes the despicable individuals who now mock and torment him. These are not merely people of low status, but the absolute dregs of society – individuals so marginalized they were not considered fit for productive work or even companionship with a shepherd's dogs. Verse 7 specifically serves to deepen this imagery of contempt, depicting these persecutors living like wild, primitive animals in the most desolate and inhospitable wilderness, making noises like donkeys and huddling together for protection amongst thorny bushes and nettles. This stark portrayal magnifies Job's personal humiliation, as he, a man of great reverence and authority, is now an object of scorn even for those whom society utterly rejects.
Job 30 7 Word analysis
- Among: (Hebrew: bên) A common preposition meaning "between" or "among." It situates the subjects directly within the specified environment, emphasizing their presence and habituation there.
- the bushes: (Hebrew: śîḥîm, plural of śîaḥ) Refers to wild, uncultivated shrubs or thorny scrubland, often indicating desolation or barrenness. This suggests a habitat unfit for human habitation, underscoring their degraded state.
- they brayed: (Hebrew: yinhāqû, from nāhaq) This verb specifically describes the loud, harsh cry of a donkey or wild ass (cf. Job 6:5). Here, it metaphorically highlights the crude, uncultured, and animalistic nature of these individuals, possibly signifying their hunger, distress, or raw, inarticulate form of communication.
- under: (Hebrew: taḥat) A preposition meaning "under" or "beneath," indicating their position in relation to the vegetation, suggesting shelter or concealment.
- the nettles: (Hebrew: ḥārûl) A type of prickly plant, bramble, or thorn, frequently associated with neglect, desolation, and unproductive land in biblical literature (e.g., Prov 24:31). Its presence reinforces the harsh, inhospitable, and painful nature of their environment.
- they huddled together: (Hebrew: y’kunnāšû, from kānaš) Meaning "to gather," "to collect," or "to crouch." This verb conveys the act of individuals gathering closely, perhaps for warmth, protection, or mutual solace in their miserable condition. It suggests vulnerability, fear, and a desperate communal survival, like animals seeking shelter from elements or predators.
Words-Group analysis:
- Among the bushes they brayed: This phrase paints a scene of wild, uncontrolled existence. "Bushes" signify the wilderness and unproductive land, implying an existence far from civilization. "Braying" is a raw, animalistic sound, stripped of human language or refinement, reflecting their brutalized and primal way of life. It implies both desperation and an inherent wildness.
- Under the nettles they huddled together: This group of words further emphasizes their destitution and vulnerability. "Nettles" symbolize discomfort, harshness, and an environment that is thorny and unwelcoming. "Huddled together" conveys a posture of defensiveness, weakness, and perhaps shared misery, like animals seeking minimal cover from the elements or from threats in their desolate surroundings. It signifies their total lack of comfort, safety, or dignity.
Job 30 7 Bonus section
This verse functions as a literary device to intensify the portrayal of Job's fall. By detailing the shocking identity of his mockers, Job conveys that his suffering is not just physical or material but profoundly social and spiritual. The individuals described represent the inverse of everything Job embodied – civility, order, prosperity, and reverence. The description also taps into ancient Near Eastern cultural anxieties about societal outcasts and the wilderness as a place of danger and degradation, making Job's comparison particularly scathing.
Job 30 7 Commentary
Job 30:7 is a profound depiction of the lowest depths of human existence, serving as a bitter foil to Job's once lofty status. It highlights his descent by showing that even these utterly marginalized people—forced to live like wild beasts, emitting raw animal cries and sheltering amongst thorny weeds—now hold him in contempt. This hyperbole underscores Job's immense personal agony, portraying his suffering not merely as a loss of wealth or health, but as a total collapse of social standing, leaving him despised by those previously beneath all consideration. The imagery stresses their complete social exclusion, primal living conditions, and the harsh realities of those cast out from the bounds of ancient society, contrasting sharply with the ordered and revered life Job previously led.