Job 6:9 kjv
Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
Job 6:9 nkjv
That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
Job 6:9 niv
that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
Job 6:9 esv
that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!
Job 6:9 nlt
I wish he would crush me.
I wish he would reach out his hand and kill me.
Job 6 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 3:20-21 | "Why is light given... to those whose soul is bitter... who long for death..." | Job's prior lament for an end to his life. |
| Job 7:15 | "So that I would choose strangling and death rather than my sufferings." | Job prefers death over suffering. |
| 1 Sam 2:6 | "The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up." | God's absolute power over life and death. |
| Deut 32:39 | "I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal..." | God's sovereign control over life. |
| Psa 68:20 | "Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong escapes from death." | God has power to deliver or appoint death. |
| Psa 115:3 | "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases." | God's absolute sovereignty and will. |
| Isa 45:7 | "I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity..." | God's comprehensive control over all events. |
| Lam 3:37-38 | "Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?" | God's ultimate decree for all things. |
| Jonah 4:3, 8 | "Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me..." | Prophet Jonah also desired death. |
| Rev 9:6 | "In those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them." | Extreme future suffering, longing for death. |
| Psa 103:14 | "For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." | God's awareness of human frailty. |
| Psa 34:18 | "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." | God's care for those who are broken. |
| Isa 53:10 | "Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief..." | God's redemptive "crushing" of the Servant. |
| Rom 11:36 | "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever." | All existence originates and depends on God. |
| Eph 1:11 | "...according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will," | God's purposeful sovereignty in all events. |
| Jam 1:2-3 | "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." | Suffering as a trial, for perseverance. |
| 1 Pet 1:6-7 | "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith..." | Trials refining faith's genuineness. |
| Phil 1:21-23 | "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain... My desire is to depart and be with Christ..." | Paul's desire for death, but for glorification. |
| Job 19:26 | "And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God," | Job's enduring hope amidst his suffering. |
| 2 Cor 4:8-9 | "We are afflicted in every way... persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;" | Endurance in suffering, not utter destruction. |
| 2 Cor 5:8 | "Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord." | Christian longing for eternity. |
| Hab 3:16 | "...my spirit trembled within me. Rottenness entered into my bones..." | Describes intense physical distress. |
Job 6 verses
Job 6 9 Meaning
Job 6:9 expresses Job's profound despair and fervent wish for God to bring his life to a definitive end. Overwhelmed by unbearable suffering, he appeals to God to mercifully "crush" him and "cut him off" swiftly, seeking death as a release from his intense affliction. It signifies a desire for God's sovereign power to be exercised, not in deliverance, but in ending his existence.
Job 6 9 Context
Job 6:9 is part of Job’s desperate lament, specifically his direct reply to Eliphaz's insensitive counsel in chapters 4-5. Job, still suffering immensely, expresses a desire for God to quickly end his life, seeing death as the only true release from his indescribable pain. The preceding verses emphasize Job's physical and mental anguish, comparing his suffering to an insipid food and recognizing that such a desire for death is not trivial. He challenges his friends' easy pronouncements on sin and suffering, insisting on his righteousness and directing his cries to God, however dark they may be. This prayer, while appearing hopeless, ironically confirms his continued reliance on God’s sovereign power even for death. Historically, people experiencing extreme suffering would sometimes vocalize such despair, yet Job’s consistent appeal to God for agency in his demise sets his lament apart from outright self-destruction, maintaining a theological connection to his Maker.
Job 6 9 Word analysis
- Even that it would please God: The Hebrew verb 'יאׁל (ya'al)' means "to consent," "to agree," or "to be pleased." Job is appealing to God’s will, implicitly acknowledging His supreme authority. It's not a demand but a desperate request that aligns with divine pleasure, indicating Job still understands God as sovereign even over his own existence. He wishes for God to will his demise.
- to crush me: The Hebrew word is יְדַכֵּא (y'dakke), derived from the root דכא (daka). This verb means "to crush," "to break in pieces," "to bruise," or "to oppress." The form used (Hithpael imperfect) suggests a total, definitive breaking, an internal as well as external demolition. Job is not asking for a gentle end, but a violent, conclusive one that obliterates his current state of suffering, signifying his absolute extremity. This word choice underscores the depth of his physical and emotional agony.
- that he would loose his hand: The Hebrew יַתִּיר יָדוֹ (yattir yado) combines the verb נתר (natar), meaning "to loosen," "to release," or "to untie," with "his hand." The imagery suggests God currently holding or restraining Himself, or perhaps sustaining Job's life. Job implores God to "release" His hand in an active sense, not merely to withdraw it and allow him to die, but to actively employ His power to end his life. It can be interpreted as 'unleash His hand [of destruction] upon me,' emphasizing God's direct agency in bringing about death.
- and cut me off: The Hebrew וִיקַטְּעֵנִי (viqat'e'eni) comes from the root קטע (qata), meaning "to cut off," "to amputate," or "to hew down." It implies a swift, decisive, and irreversible severing. Just as a branch is lopped off a tree, Job wishes to be cut from the tree of life, brought to a sudden end. This emphasizes the finality he seeks, removing any prolonged agony or lingering suffering.
- "Even that it would please God to crush me": This phrase captures the paradoxical nature of Job's faith. Even in his deepest despair, facing an unimaginable end, Job's desire for death is still directed as a petition to God. He recognizes God's absolute sovereignty and ultimate power to end life, aligning his own extreme wish with what he hopes might be God's "pleasure" – suggesting a theological surrender even in lament. This shows Job's piety, as he doesn't contemplate taking his own life but implores God for release.
- "that he would loose his hand, and cut me off!": This grouping emphasizes God's direct and active involvement in bringing about Job's desired end. "Loose His hand" speaks to God’s capacity for powerful action, whether releasing the grip of preservation or unleashing destructive force. "Cut me off" signifies the immediate and decisive outcome. Together, these phrases depict Job's longing for God's swift and unsparing act of divine termination, free from further torment. The imagery is forceful and uncompromising, reflecting the unyielding nature of Job’s pain.
Job 6 9 Bonus section
- Job's prayer for death is unique in that he directly petitions God for it, rather than contemplating self-destruction or turning away from God. This contrasts with historical and biblical figures who may have considered taking their own lives (e.g., Ahithophel, Judas), demonstrating Job's unwavering, though agonizing, trust in God's ultimate control.
- The use of "crush" and "cut off" reflects the completeness of Job's desire. He doesn't just want to die naturally, but wishes for a swift, forceful, and absolute end to his suffering, implying a profound breaking from his current physical and emotional state. This isn't a wish for sleep but for obliteration of pain through an ending of life.
- Scholars highlight that Job, even in this dark plea, is performing an act of worship. He recognizes that only God has the power to bring life to an end, demonstrating a persistent, albeit broken, acknowledgement of God's dominion over all creation and all fates.
Job 6 9 Commentary
Job 6:9 encapsulates the agony of a man pushed beyond human endurance, who finds relief only in the prospect of divine termination. Job's plea is a lament born not of atheistic despair or suicidal intent, but a desperate cry to the God he still believes in, albeit from the depths of his affliction. His request to be "crushed" and "cut off" by God highlights his belief in God's ultimate sovereignty over life and death. He views death, orchestrated by God, as the ultimate mercy in a life where all other comfort has vanished. This verse is not an endorsement of longing for death under normal circumstances, but rather a profound insight into the human spirit's limits when subjected to severe, inexplicable suffering. It also underscores that even in the darkest hours, true faith turns to God, even if the prayer itself seems radical and expresses utter weariness. It reveals the integrity of Job's devotion; even his desperate desire for an end still relies on God's active will.