Job 7:15 kjv
So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
Job 7:15 nkjv
So that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than my body.
Job 7:15 niv
so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine.
Job 7:15 esv
so that I would choose strangling and death rather than my bones.
Job 7:15 nlt
I would rather be strangled ?
rather die than suffer like this.
Job 7 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 19:4 | ...he requested for himself that he might die... | Elijah's similar despair wishing for death |
| Jonah 4:3 | Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. | Jonah's desperate prayer to die |
| Jer 20:14 | Cursed be the day wherein I was born... | Jeremiah's lament and wish he was never born |
| Ps 88:3 | For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. | A Psalmist expressing overwhelming distress |
| Lam 3:19 | Remembering my affliction and my misery... my soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. | Lament over extreme personal suffering |
| Ps 22:15 | My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. | Foreboding of death due to suffering |
| Ps 116:15 | Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. | Counterpoint: God's view of saintly death |
| Deut 32:39 | See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal... | God's absolute sovereignty over life/death |
| 1 Sam 2:6 | The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. | God's power over life and death reaffirmed |
| Ps 139:16 | Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned... | God's foreknowledge and creation of life |
| Job 3:20-21 | Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; Which long for death, but it cometh not... | Job's earlier longing for death's release |
| Eccl 9:4 | For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope... a living dog is better than a dead lion. | Contrasting value of life, even difficult life |
| Ps 42:11 | Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God... | Self-exhortation to hope amidst despair |
| Job 13:15 | Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him... | Job's concurrent, complex faith amidst despair |
| Heb 4:15 | For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities... | Christ's empathy for human suffering |
| Phil 1:21-23 | For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain... having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ... | Paul's desire for death, but for divine purpose |
| 2 Cor 12:7-10 | ...there was given to me a thorn in the flesh... when I am weak, then am I strong. | Finding strength in weakness and suffering |
| Rev 21:4 | And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain... | Future hope: the ultimate cessation of suffering |
| Isa 25:8 | He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces... | Prophecy of victory over death |
| 1 Cor 15:54 | So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. | New Covenant victory over death through Christ |
Job 7 verses
Job 7 15 Meaning
Job 7:15 expresses Job's profound despair and overwhelming suffering, reaching a point where death, even by the most violent or ignominious means like strangulation, is preferable to continuing his tormented existence. His "soul," representing his innermost being, prefers this ultimate escape from his pain, choosing non-existence over a life of agonizing affliction.
Job 7 15 Context
Job chapter 7 is a poignant and raw expression of Job's deep anguish and misery. It follows his first response to Eliphaz (chapters 4-5), where Eliphaz implied Job's suffering was a result of his sin. In Job 7, Job rejects this notion, directly challenging God himself with a bitter lament. He details the torment of his nights and days (vv. 1-6), the fleeting nature of life (vv. 7-10), and ultimately directs his complaint towards God (vv. 11-21). Verse 15 encapsulates his profound longing for an immediate end to his torment, highlighting the desperation born from physical pain, social isolation, and perceived divine abandonment. The historical context reflects a societal understanding where great suffering was often linked to divine judgment for specific sin, a concept Job steadfastly refutes, setting up a key theological tension within the book. His willingness to choose death by such a distressing method as strangulation emphasizes the extent of his torment and indirectly challenges the simplistic 'retribution theology' of his friends.
Job 7 15 Word analysis
- So: Indicates the consequence or result of the preceding context—Job's overwhelming affliction and inability to find relief. It connects his intense suffering to his desire for death.
- that: Connects the prior statements of despair to the ensuing choice, indicating the degree or extent of his preference.
- my soul: (Heb. נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh). This term goes beyond merely "my life" or "my person." Nephesh often denotes the entire inner being, the seat of emotions, will, and the very life principle. Job's core essence, his innermost self, makes this agonizing choice, indicating total and consuming despair. It implies a will utterly broken by suffering.
- chooseth: (Heb. בָּחַר, bakhar). To select, prefer, elect. This word suggests an active decision, albeit one born out of extreme duress. It is not merely a passive desire, but a stated preference for an immediate and definitive escape from unbearable pain. It highlights his autonomy in a situation where he feels utterly stripped of control and dignity.
- strangling: (Heb. מַחֲנָק, makhanak). Refers to strangulation, choking, or a constricted breath. This is a very specific and violent form of death, often associated with desperate and undignified ends. Its inclusion underscores the depth of Job's despair; he prefers even this torturous, possibly self-inflicted, demise over prolonging his suffering. It contrasts with a "natural" or peaceful death, amplifying the extremity of his desire.
- and: Connects "strangling" with "death," emphasizing that he desires not just a specific means of cessation, but the finality of it.
- death: (Heb. מָוֶת, mavet). The cessation of life, the ultimate end. In this context, it is perceived as the ultimate release from suffering.
- rather than: Establishes a clear preference, an exchange. The active choice being made.
- my life: (Heb. חַיָּי, chayyai). My living, my existence. This is what Job wants to exchange for death. It refers to his current, painful existence, not just life in a general sense.
Words-group analysis:
- "my soul chooseth strangling, and death": This phrase powerfully conveys the utter devastation of Job's spirit. His very soul actively prefers an agonizing, perhaps even self-willed, end to his torment. It speaks to a level of existential anguish where life itself has become a curse. This active preference for such a gruesome death highlights the unbearable quality of his daily existence.
- "death rather than my life": This clear juxtaposition underlines Job's deep misery. Life, which is typically cherished, is rejected as a greater evil than death. It's a statement of profound anti-affirmation of his present existence, highlighting that for Job, life's continued agony is worse than the finality and harshness of death.
Job 7 15 Bonus section
The desperate cry of Job in this verse has resonance with the human condition of acute suffering when there appears no visible end or rational explanation. It serves as a reminder that biblical characters, even righteous ones, faced immense struggles and questioned God, demonstrating that faith is not the absence of doubt or despair but often a struggle through it. Job's choice of "strangling" is highly significant, reflecting the internal torment (feeling choked by affliction, Psalm 69:1-2) made external, a preferred means to an immediate end. This intensity underscores that for the afflicted, physical pain can often mirror or even eclipse the fear of death itself.
Job 7 15 Commentary
Job 7:15 captures the apex of human suffering expressed as a radical choice for non-existence. It is not merely a wish for death but an active preference for its most gruesome form, strangulation, over the agony of continued life. Job's "soul" or entire being is so utterly crushed by his physical and spiritual torment that death is viewed as the only escape. This raw cry highlights the severe trial of faith when life offers no comfort and even God seems distant or adversarial. It stands as a testament to the brutal honesty permitted in lament within Scripture, portraying the intensity of Job's personal struggle against suffering that has no apparent explanation or end. While despairing, Job still retains an implicit desire for justice, paradoxically expressed through his lament.