Job 10:1

KJV

¶ My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

KJV (with Strong's)

My soul {H5315} is weary {H5354} of my life {H2416}; I will leave {H5800} my complaint {H7879} upon myself; I will speak {H1696} in the bitterness {H4751} of my soul {H5315}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"I am just worn out. "By my life [I swear], I will never abandon my complaint; I will speak out in my soul's bitterness.

Berean Standard Bible

“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.

American Standard Version

My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 10:1 encapsulates the raw, unvarnished anguish of a man pushed to the brink of existential despair. Having endured unimaginable loss and suffering, Job declares a profound weariness with life itself, signaling a deep, soul-level exhaustion that transcends mere physical pain. This verse marks a pivotal moment where Job resolves to unleash his grievances without reservation, driven by the intense and corrosive bitterness that has permeated his very being, as he prepares to confront God directly.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 10:1 opens Job's direct address to God, immediately following his response to Bildad's second speech in [Job 8](/job/8 "Job 8 - Bildad's Second Speech") and preceding Zophar's first speech in [Job 11](/job/11 "Job 11 - Zophar's First Speech"). This verse is part of the first cycle of dialogues (Job 4-14), where Job is increasingly frustrated by his friends' simplistic explanations of suffering based on the retribution principle. Having been accused of hidden sin and offered no comfort, Job turns from his human companions to present his "case" directly to God. This marks a significant shift from lamenting his birth in [Job 3](/job/3 "Job 3 - Job's Lament") to directly engaging the divine, demanding an explanation for his inexplicable suffering.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, suffering was often understood through the lens of the retribution principle: righteousness brought blessing, and sin brought curses. Job's friends operate firmly within this framework, assuming his immense suffering must be a direct consequence of some hidden transgression. Job, however, maintains his innocence, challenging this conventional wisdom. His lament in [Job 10:1](/job/10-1 "Job 10:1 - Job's Weariness and Complaint") resonates with the broader ANE tradition of lament psalms and wisdom literature, where individuals could voice their grievances and pleas for justice to their deities. However, Job's directness and the depth of his challenge to God's justice are unusually bold, reflecting a profound crisis of faith within the accepted theological paradigms of his time.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully introduces several core themes of the Book of Job. It highlights **overwhelming despair and weariness**, as Job expresses a desire for an end to his suffering, indicative of deep spiritual and emotional depletion. It underscores the theme of **unrestrained lament**, as Job decides to give full vent to his grievances, embracing the biblical tradition of honest, even confrontational, prayer before God, as seen in many psalms like [Psalm 6:6](/psalms/6-6 "Weary with groaning"). The "bitterness of my soul" points to the pervasive theme of **inexplicable suffering and injustice**, where Job grapples with a profound sense of wrong and a desperate need for divine understanding and vindication, setting the stage for his direct questions to God throughout [Job 10](/job/10 "Job 10 - Job's Plea to God").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Weary (Hebrew, _qatsats'_):** The root קָצַץ (_qatsats_) literally means "to cut off," "to loathe," or "to abhor." In this context, it conveys a profound sense of being utterly disgusted, fed up, and alienated from life itself. It speaks to an existential fatigue, a desire for cessation, rather than mere physical tiredness.
* **Complaint (Hebrew, _siykhi'_):** The word שִׂיחִי (_siykhi_) refers to a meditation, musing, or deep reflection, often with a nuance of complaint or bitter rumination. Coupled with "I will leave upon myself" (אֶעֶזְבָה עָלַי, _e'ezvah 'alay_), it signifies Job's deliberate decision to "let loose" or "give free rein" to his inner thoughts and feelings, to pour out his heart without restraint or self-censorship, regardless of how audacious it might sound.
* **Bitterness (Hebrew, _merer'_):** The term מֶרֶר (_merer_) is a strong word, often used for gall or poison, signifying not merely sadness but a deep, corrosive, and pervasive anguish. It implies a sense of injustice, resentment, and a profound, acrid sorrow that has permeated Job's very being, driving his desperate need to speak.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"My soul is weary of my life":** This clause expresses Job's utter exhaustion and despair, not just physically but at the deepest level of his being. His soul, the seat of his emotions, will, and intellect, is so overwhelmed by suffering that it has become disgusted with the very existence of life. This is a cry for an end to his torment, a profound desire for non-existence.
* **"I will leave my complaint upon myself":** This signifies Job's resolute decision to unburden himself entirely. He is determined to give full vent to his grievances, to pour out his innermost thoughts and feelings without holding back. It indicates a deliberate act of self-expression, a commitment to articulate his pain and questions directly, taking full ownership of his words.
* **"I will speak in the bitterness of my soul":** This final clause reveals the intense emotional fuel behind Job's resolve. His speech is not born of calm reflection but from a deep, acrid, and pervasive bitterness. This "bitterness" is a powerful, almost toxic, blend of sorrow, resentment, and a sense of profound injustice that compels him to speak out, even if his words are harsh or accusatory towards God.

#### Literary Devices
Job 10:1 is a powerful example of **Lament**, a common biblical genre where an individual expresses deep sorrow, grief, and often protest to God. The verse employs **Hyperbole** in "My soul is weary of my life," an exaggerated statement to convey the extreme depth of Job's despair, indicating a desire for death rather than continued suffering. The phrase "bitterness of my soul" uses **Metaphor**, drawing on a physical taste sensation to vividly describe an intense, corrosive internal emotional state. The structure of the verse, moving from an internal state ("weary") to a determined action ("I will leave") driven by an intense emotion ("bitterness"), creates a sense of escalating resolve and emotional intensity, characteristic of a passionate outburst.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 10:1 stands as a profound testament to the biblical tradition of honest lament and the radical freedom granted to believers to express their deepest anguish, confusion, and even anger directly to God. It challenges any notion that faith requires suppressing negative emotions or maintaining a facade of contentment in the face of overwhelming suffering. Theologically, it affirms God's capacity to receive and engage with raw human emotion, demonstrating that genuine relationship with the divine includes wrestling with difficult questions and expressing profound pain. Job's willingness to "leave his complaint upon himself" and speak from "bitterness" underscores the integrity of his faith, not its absence; he is not abandoning God, but rather desperately seeking an explanation and vindication from Him. This verse sets the stage for a critical theological exploration of suffering, divine justice, and the nature of human-divine dialogue.

* [Psalm 142:2](/psalms/142-2 "Pouring out complaint to the Lord")
* [Lamentations 3:19-20](/lamentations/3-19 "Remembering affliction and bitterness")
* [Psalm 73:21](/psalms/73-21 "Bitter heart and pierced conscience")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 10:1 offers a profound validation of the human experience of despair and the biblical permission to express raw, unfiltered emotions to God. In a world that often pressures individuals to "be strong" or "have faith" by suppressing their pain, Job models radical honesty. His example teaches us that God is big enough to handle our complaints, our bitterness, and our weariness. There is no need to censor our pain or despair when we bring it before Him; indeed, it is in this vulnerable honesty that true healing and deeper understanding can begin. This verse encourages empathy and compassion for those who are struggling, reminding us that prolonged suffering can lead to profound existential weariness. It challenges us to create spaces, both personally and communally, where authentic lament is not only permitted but encouraged, fostering a faith that is real, resilient, and deeply rooted in the full spectrum of human experience.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's raw honesty challenge our own approach to prayer during times of intense suffering or confusion?**
* **In what ways might we be tempted to censor our true feelings before God, and why is it important not to do so?**
* **How can Job's experience help us to better empathize with others who are experiencing profound despair or bitterness?**

### FAQ
**Is it acceptable for believers to feel "weary of life" or "bitter" towards God?**

Answer: Job 10:1, along with numerous psalms (e.g., [Psalm 88](/psalms/88 "A Psalm of Utter Despair")), clearly demonstrates that it is a valid, albeit painful, part of the human experience to feel profound weariness, despair, and even bitterness. The Bible does not shy away from depicting the rawest human emotions, even when directed at God. Job's example teaches us that God can handle our anger, confusion, and sorrow. The crucial point is that Job brings his complaint *to* God, rather than turning away from Him. His lament is a form of desperate prayer, a wrestling within faith, not an abandonment of it. It is in bringing our authentic selves, including our pain and bitterness, into God's presence that we can find eventual solace and understanding.

**Does Job's "complaint" imply a lack of faith or sin?**

Answer: No, Job's "complaint" (שִׂיחִי, _siykhi_) is better understood as a passionate argument or plea rather than a sinful grumbling. Far from indicating a lack of faith, Job's relentless pursuit of God and his demand for an explanation demonstrate a profound, albeit distressed, faith. He believes God is just and therefore owes him an explanation for his inexplicable suffering. His complaint is a desperate attempt to reconcile his experience with his understanding of God's character. It is a testament to his belief that God is real, present, and capable of hearing him, even when his words are born of deep anguish. The book ultimately vindicates Job's integrity, showing that his honesty, even in bitterness, was more pleasing to God than his friends' simplistic and theologically flawed defenses of God ([Job 42:7](/job/42-7 "The Lord's Rebuke of Eliphaz and His Friends")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's profound weariness of life and the bitterness of his soul in [Job 10:1](/job/10-1 "Job's Weariness and Complaint") find their ultimate echo and fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. While Job's suffering was a consequence of a cosmic test, Christ's suffering was a deliberate act of identification with humanity's fallen condition, bearing the full weight of sin and its bitter consequences. Jesus, the "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" ([Isaiah 53:3](/isaiah/53-3 "Man of Sorrows")), experienced a weariness far deeper than physical exhaustion. In the Garden of Gethsemane, His "soul is sorrowful, even to death" ([Matthew 26:38](/matthew/26-38 "Jesus' Soul Sorrowful Unto Death")), a profound existential anguish that mirrored Job's despair. On the cross, He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")), a lament born of the deepest spiritual bitterness as He bore the sin of the world. Christ, unlike Job, was truly innocent, yet He willingly tasted the bitterness of death and separation from God for our sake. Therefore, when we bring our weariness and bitterness to God, we do so not to an unfeeling deity, but to a sympathetic High Priest who was "in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")). He is the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "Jesus, the Lamb of God")), having fully absorbed the bitterness of our fallen existence to offer us true rest and eternal life.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 7:11

Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

1 Kings 19:4

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I [am] not better than my fathers.

Numbers 11:15

And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

Job 9:21

[Though] I [were] perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

Jonah 4:8

And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, [It is] better for me to die than to live.

Job 5:15

But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

Job 5:16

So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.