Job 7 14

Job 7:14 kjv

Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

Job 7:14 nkjv

Then You scare me with dreams And terrify me with visions,

Job 7:14 niv

even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

Job 7:14 esv

then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

Job 7:14 nlt

but then you shatter me with dreams
and terrify me with visions.

Job 7 verses

Job 7 14 Meaning

Job 7:14 articulates Job's deep psychological torment, where even sleep offers no escape from his suffering. He perceives God as actively worsening his distress by sending frightening dreams and terrifying visions, thereby denying him peace and rest, and amplifying his anguish. This suggests that Job's suffering is not just physical but profoundly impacts his mind and spirit, turning even normal pathways of sleep and potential divine communication into sources of dread.

Job 7 14 Context

Job 7:14 is part of Job’s desperate lament (Job 6-7) to his friends and indirectly to God, following their initial comforting but unhelpful responses. In Chapter 7, Job continues to express the overwhelming and unceasing nature of his suffering, both physical and psychological. He likens his life to that of a slave or a hired worker yearning for rest at day's end, but finds no such respite. He vividly describes his agonizing nights (Job 7:3-4) and decaying body (Job 7:5-6). Within this plea for release and lament over his perceived persecution, Job feels that God, rather than being a source of comfort, is actively pursuing and tormenting him. Verse 14 specifically targets the invasion of his mental peace, implying that even unconsciousness offers no escape, as his sleep is filled with divine terror. This intensifies his plea for death in the following verses (Job 7:15-16), seeing it as the only possible escape from such comprehensive suffering.

Job 7 14 Word analysis

• Then you (וְחִתַּתַּנִי - wě·ḥit·tat·ta·nî): The initial "and" or "then" links this suffering to his earlier descriptions of anguish. "You" directly addresses God, making God the active agent of his terror.
• scare me (חִתַּתַּנִי - ḥit·tat·ta·nî, from root חָתַת - chathat): This verb means "to be shattered," "to be terrified," "to be dismayed." It implies a deep internal collapse, a loss of inner strength and peace. The Hithpael stem intensifies the fear, suggesting it’s deeply experienced or causing profound inner agitation. The use of "me" as the object highlights the personal, pervasive impact of this fear on Job.
• with dreams (בַּחֲלֹמוֹת - ba·ḥă·lō·mōwt, from חָלם - chalom): Dreams. In the Bible, dreams are often a medium for divine communication (positive or negative revelation). However, for Job, these "dreams" are instruments of fear and oppression, devoid of comfort or hopeful message. This subverts the usual biblical understanding of dreams as potentially revealing divine will or truth in a meaningful way.
• and terrify me (וַתְּבַעֲתַנִי - wat·tə·ḇa·‘ă·ṯa·nî, from בָּעַת - ba'at): This verb means "to startle," "to alarm," "to throw into sudden fright." It suggests a more intense, sudden, and agitating terror than chathat. It indicates that even when seemingly at rest, Job's mind is violently disturbed.
• with visions (בְּחֶזְיֹנוֹת - bə·ḥez·yō·nōwt, from חֶזְיוֹן - chizon): Visions. Similar to dreams, biblical visions are typically divine manifestations or insights. For prophets, visions are often a call to service or a revelation of God's plans. Here, for Job, these spiritual encounters are corrupted, becoming tools of God's oppression and mental torture, depriving him of any solace or understanding.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Then You scare me with dreams": Job points to God as the direct cause of his nightly terror, which takes the form of unsettling dreams. It’s not just external circumstances but divine intervention in his subconscious mind.
• "and terrify me with visions": This second phrase parallels the first, emphasizing and intensifying the spiritual and psychological assault. "Visions" can suggest something more direct or lucid than a dream, implying that even clearer states of revelation (or pre-waking thoughts) are turned against him, inflicting profound terror.
• The parallelism dreams...visions and scare...terrify amplifies the totality of Job's psychological distress. His nights, which should offer peace, become a continuation of his daytime anguish. This highlights the all-encompassing nature of God's perceived attack on him.
• The structure of the verse with two direct verbal assaults on "me" (Job), followed by the specific means (dreams/visions), clearly attributes the torment directly to God. It indicates Job's profound sense of divine persecution, even penetrating the sanctity of his unconscious mind.

Job 7 14 Bonus section

The concept of nightmares and frightening visions being divine interventions or messages was present in various ancient cultures. However, Job's complaint is striking because he explicitly attributes this torment directly to Yahweh, the one true God, not to a malevolent demon or an inferior deity, as might be found in pagan traditions. This is a profound and unsettling aspect of his lament – a righteous man wrestling with the incomprehensible actions of a righteous God. This verse underscores the pervasive nature of suffering in Job’s experience, extending beyond the conscious and into the realm of the subconscious, making it impossible for him to find even temporary reprieve. It also reflects Job's increasing boldness in accusing God, pushing the boundaries of ancient theological discourse about divine justice and suffering.

Job 7 14 Commentary

Job 7:14 serves as a chilling depiction of absolute desolation, illustrating how Job’s suffering transcends the physical realm and infiltrates his very thoughts and dreams. It reveals a critical aspect of his agony: the deprivation of any refuge, even the solace of sleep. While dreams and visions are typically perceived as avenues for divine communication, revelation, or even comfort in the Bible, Job experiences them as instruments of terror wielded by God himself. This profoundly disturbing reversal intensifies his feeling of being relentlessly pursued and attacked by the Almighty. His perception underscores a God who does not provide rest but rather amplifies torment through psychological warfare. The verse is a testament to the depths of Job’s despair, where the ultimate enemy is no longer disease or poverty, but the perceived active antagonism of the Creator. It highlights the spiritual and mental assault on Job, making his ordeal a comprehensive stripping away of all comfort and peace, rendering even his inner world a place of terror.