Job 9 18

Job 9:18 kjv

He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

Job 9:18 nkjv

He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills me with bitterness.

Job 9:18 niv

He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.

Job 9:18 esv

he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

Job 9:18 nlt

He will not let me catch my breath,
but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.

Job 9 verses

Job 9 18 Meaning

Job chapter 9 verse 18 conveys Job's profound despair and perception of God's overwhelming hand upon him. He feels utterly oppressed, deprived of any moment of peace or recovery, as if God Himself denies him the very breath of life and saturates his being with bitter suffering. It describes an inescapable and ceaseless affliction, directly attributed by Job to God's incomprehensible power and will.

Job 9 18 Context

Job chapter 9 is Job's direct response to Zophar's dogmatic insistence that Job's suffering must be due to hidden sin and that God is just in His dealings. In this chapter, Job articulates his deep understanding of God's incomparable power and wisdom, acknowledging that no human can contend with Him or justify himself before Him. However, this acknowledgment is tinged with dread, as Job perceives God's might not as a source of comfort but as an unstoppable, overwhelming force that acts inscrutably. Verse 18 is part of Job's lament where he vividly describes his complete helplessness and utter oppression under this all-powerful God. He sees himself as a crushed worm, unable to even catch his breath, symbolizing his utter exhaustion, despair, and the complete lack of respite from his divine tormentor. Historically and culturally, Job's friends adhered to a strict retribution theology, where righteousness led to blessing and sin to suffering. Job, experiencing immense undeserved suffering, fundamentally challenges this simplified view, experiencing God as both powerful and deeply mysterious in His ways, especially His infliction of suffering.

Job 9 18 Word analysis

• He will not suffer me: This phrase directly attributes the action to God. The Hebrew verb for 'suffer' (יַשִּׁיב, yashiv) is from the root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to return," in the Hiphil (causative) stem. So, "He does not cause me to return" or "He does not allow me to recover." This indicates divine agency in withholding relief.

• me to take my breath: The Hebrew word is רוּחִי (ruchi), "my breath" or "my spirit." Ruach (רוּחַ) encompasses physical breath, vital energy, and one's inner spirit or composure. To be denied 'return of breath' means a lack of physical rest, a constant state of suffocation, and no emotional or spiritual recovery. It signifies unending oppression.

• but fills me: The Hebrew כִּי (ki) functions here as "but" or "indeed." The verb "fills" (יַשְׂבִּיעֵנִי, yasbieni) comes from שָׂבַע (sava'), meaning "to be full" or "satisfied," also in the Hiphil (causative) stem. This implies that God intentionally brings about this state of fullness. Used here, it carries an ironic or forceful connotation, suggesting a saturation or overwhelming until no more can be taken.

• with bitterness: The Hebrew מַמְרֹרִים (mamrorim) means "bitter things" or "bitterness." It is from the root מָרַר (marar), "to be bitter." The plural form intensifies the meaning, suggesting a pervasive and comprehensive bitterness, multiple bitter experiences, or being filled with all forms of sorrow, anguish, and pain.

• "He will not suffer me to take my breath": This phrase captures Job's sense of incessant divine oppression. He feels God is actively preventing him from gaining any reprieve, moment of rest, or regaining composure. It points to a constant state of overwhelming distress, as if being suffocated by the hand of God Himself.

• "but fills me with bitterness": This second part emphasizes the internal, existential nature of Job's suffering. It's not merely external affliction but a deep, pervasive emotional and spiritual saturation with pain and sorrow, directly attributed to God. This feeling of being filled indicates an overwhelming totality of despair, leaving no room for anything else.

Job 9 18 Bonus section

The intense language of Job 9:18, like much of Job's speeches, utilizes hyperbole to convey the depth of his suffering. This is a common feature in lament literature throughout the Bible (e.g., in the Psalms or Lamentations). While Job describes God as his antagonist, this human perspective is later nuanced by God's own direct speech in Job chapters 38-41, revealing a divine perspective that transcends human comprehension and judgment. Job's statements in chapter 9, including verse 18, represent his attempt to grapple with the mystery of evil and suffering without the full divine revelation of God's purpose, which comes later. His "bitterness" here is not primarily resentment towards God, but the internal state of misery from God's perceived actions. It is a deeply personal and theological struggle for meaning amidst unfathomable pain.

Job 9 18 Commentary

Job 9:18 is a raw, agonizing cry from a man who perceives God not as a benevolent helper in his suffering, but as an unrelenting tormentor. In this verse, Job is not speaking hypothetically; he expresses his personal, immediate experience of being utterly crushed. The theological implication is profound: Job sees God as the direct agent of his distress, withholding relief and actively saturating him with bitterness. This challenges the simplistic cause-and-effect theology of his friends, portraying God's actions as mysterious, even oppressive, from a human perspective. Job's words highlight the human struggle to reconcile intense suffering with an all-powerful, supposedly just God. It is a powerful lament that captures the feeling of total loss of control, hope, and rest under the heavy hand of God, leaving Job submerged in overwhelming despair. It illustrates that intense suffering can lead one to perceive God in frightening, unfathomable ways, especially when traditional theological frameworks fail to explain the personal reality of unmerited pain.