Job 10:13

KJV

And these [things] hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this [is] with thee.

KJV (with Strong's)

And these things hast thou hid {H6845} in thine heart {H3824}: I know {H3045} that this is with thee.

Complete Jewish Bible

"'Yet you hid these things in your heart; I know what your secret purpose was -

Berean Standard Bible

Yet You concealed these things in Your heart, and I know that this was in Your mind:

American Standard Version

Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart; I know that this is with thee:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 10:13 encapsulates Job's profound anguish and his perception of God's hidden, predetermined purpose behind his inexplicable suffering. In this poignant declaration, Job confronts God, asserting his conviction that the Almighty has secretly harbored a plan for his affliction, a plan that remains concealed within the divine heart, yet is undeniably unfolding in Job's devastating reality. It reflects Job's desperate attempt to reconcile his understanding of a just God with the overwhelming injustice he experiences.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 10:13 is situated within Job's second major discourse (chapters 9-10), following the first round of dialogue with his friends. Having just provided a magnificent, albeit ironic, description of God's omnipotence and meticulous creation (Job 9:4-10), Job abruptly pivots to lament his own miserable existence and God's perceived hostility towards him. He recounts how God lovingly formed him in the womb (Job 10:8-12) only, in Job's present experience, to relentlessly pursue and destroy him. This verse serves as a climactic expression of Job's conviction that his suffering is not a random occurrence or a consequence of his sin, as his friends assert, but rather a deliberate, pre-meditated act by God, hidden from human understanding. It underscores the deep chasm between Job's past experience of God as his Creator and his current perception of God as his adversary.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Job is set in the patriarchal period, likely reflecting a time before the Mosaic Law was given, as evidenced by the absence of references to the Law, the tabernacle, or the priesthood. The cultural understanding of suffering in the ancient Near East often linked prosperity to righteousness and calamity to divine punishment for sin. This conventional wisdom, deeply ingrained in Job's friends, is precisely what Job challenges. His insistence that God has "hid in thine heart" a plan for his suffering speaks to the ancient concept of divine counsel or decrees, often unrevealed to humanity, yet determinative of fate. Kings and deities were believed to hold secret intentions, and for Job, this hidden divine will now seems to be directed against him, contrary to the expected justice for a righteous man.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Job. Firstly, it highlights the **mystery of divine sovereignty** and the inscrutability of God's ways. Job acknowledges God's ultimate power and control but interprets it through the lens of his pain, perceiving a secret, arbitrary, and cruel plan. This resonates with the broader biblical theme that [God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are His ways our ways](/isaiah/55-8 "Isaiah 55:8 - God's Thoughts and Ways are Higher"). Secondly, it deepens the **problem of suffering**, particularly the suffering of the righteous. Job's unwavering conviction of his innocence, coupled with his intense suffering, directly challenges the traditional retribution theology espoused by his friends, forcing a re-evaluation of the relationship between sin and suffering. Thirdly, it reveals the profound **spiritual crisis** Job is undergoing, as his perception of God shifts from a benevolent Creator to a hidden, seemingly malevolent adversary. Despite this struggle, Job's continued engagement with God, even in accusation, reflects a tenacious faith, albeit one under extreme duress, foreshadowing his eventual declaration that he will [see God for himself](/job/42-5 "Job 42:5 - Job Sees God").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Hid (Hebrew, צָפַן, _tsaphan_):** This verb means to hide, conceal, store up, or treasure. Its use here suggests not merely an accidental concealment but a deliberate act of keeping something secret or reserved. In other contexts, it can refer to God "hiding" or preserving His people (e.g., [Psalm 27:5](/psalms/27-5 "Psalm 27:5 - God Hides His Beloved")), but here Job uses it to imply a hidden, malevolent intent or a secret decree against him. It conveys a sense of something deeply embedded and inaccessible to human understanding.
* **Heart (Hebrew, לֵב, _lev_):** In Hebrew thought, the "heart" is not merely the seat of emotions but the center of intellect, will, and intention. It is where one's deepest thoughts, plans, and purposes reside. When Job says God has "hid in thine heart," he is asserting that God's hidden intentions are not superficial but are deeply ingrained in His very being and character, forming the core of His unrevealed plan for Job.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And these [things] hast thou hid in thine heart":** Job directly addresses God, accusing Him of harboring secret intentions concerning Job's suffering. The "these [things]" refers to the afflictions Job is currently enduring, which he perceives as part of a pre-determined, hidden plan of God. This clause expresses Job's conviction that God's actions are not arbitrary but stem from a deliberate, concealed purpose within the divine will, inaccessible to Job's understanding.
* **"I know that this [is] with thee":** This declaration conveys Job's absolute certainty regarding his perception. Despite the mystery surrounding God's motives, Job is convinced that his suffering is not coincidental but is precisely according to God's hidden counsel. The phrase "with thee" (עִמָּךְ, _‘immakh_) emphasizes that this hidden purpose is intrinsically connected to God's person and character, suggesting that God is the author and executor of this secret plan.

#### Literary Devices
Job 10:13 employs several powerful literary devices. The primary device is **Lament**, as Job expresses deep sorrow, complaint, and a sense of injustice directly to God. This lament is infused with **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human characteristics to God by speaking of God having a "heart" where intentions are "hid." This allows Job to grapple with God's actions in human terms, even while acknowledging God's transcendence. There is also a strong element of **Irony** in Job's declaration, "I know that this is with thee." While Job claims to "know," his entire discourse reveals a profound lack of understanding regarding God's true purposes, highlighting the vast gap between human perception and divine reality. This "knowledge" is born of pain and suspicion, not true insight. Finally, the verse functions as a form of **Rhetorical Questioning**, implicitly asking God, "Why have you hidden this plan from me? Why this suffering?" even though it is phrased as a statement of certainty.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 10:13 stands as a pivotal expression of the tension between divine sovereignty and human suffering, particularly when God's purposes remain shrouded in mystery. It grapples with the profound theological truth that God's ways are often beyond human comprehension, yet He remains sovereign over all circumstances, including suffering. While Job perceives God's hidden plan as malevolent, the broader biblical narrative affirms that God's secret counsel is ultimately for His glory and the good of His people, even when it involves trials. This verse compels us to consider how we respond when God's actions seem hidden, challenging us to trust His character even when His plan is obscure.

* [Deuteronomy 29:29](/deuteronomy/29-29 "Deuteronomy 29:29 - The Secret Things Belong to the Lord")
* [Isaiah 55:8](/isaiah/55-8 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts and Ways are Higher")
* [Romans 11:33](/romans/11-33 "Romans 11:33 - The Depth of God's Wisdom")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 10:13 offers a profound space for reflection for anyone grappling with inexplicable suffering or the perceived silence of God. It validates the raw honesty of Job's lament, reminding us that it is permissible, even necessary, to voice our deepest pain, confusion, and even accusations to God. Our faith journey is not always one of clear understanding; often, it involves wrestling with the mystery of God's ways, acknowledging that His plans and purposes may be "hid in His heart" from our limited perspective. This verse encourages humility in the face of divine wisdom, urging us to recognize the vast chasm between our finite understanding and God's infinite knowledge. Ultimately, Job's journey, beginning with such intense questioning, leads to a deeper, more profound faith where he sees God with new eyes, not just hears about Him. This calls us to cultivate a trust that transcends comprehension, leaning on God's unchanging character and faithfulness even when the reasons for our trials remain elusive, knowing that He is working all things for His glory and our ultimate good, even when we cannot discern the path.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When facing suffering, do I feel comfortable expressing my raw emotions and questions to God, as Job did?**
* **How do I reconcile the idea of a loving God with the reality of hidden or seemingly harsh divine purposes in my own life or in the world?**
* **What does it mean to "trust beyond understanding" when God's plan seems concealed or contrary to my expectations?**
* **In what ways might my "knowledge" of God's will be limited or distorted by my current circumstances or pain?**

### FAQ
**Is Job accusing God of being malicious in Job 10:13?**

Answer: Job's words in Job 10:13 reflect his profound anguish and his perception of God's actions as hostile. He is not necessarily accusing God of inherent malice, but rather of a hidden, predetermined plan that is causing him immense suffering. In his pain, Job interprets God's sovereignty as a deliberate, concealed intent to afflict him. This is a desperate cry from a man who believes he is righteous yet is being treated as if he were wicked. It's an expression of bewilderment and a challenge to God's justice from Job's limited human perspective, rather than a definitive theological statement about God's character. The book as a whole ultimately reveals that God's purposes, though hidden from Job, were not malicious but part of a larger divine plan that tested and refined Job's faith, leading him to a deeper knowledge of God (cf. [Job 42:5](/job/42-5 "Job 42:5 - Job Sees God")).

**What does "hid in thine heart" imply about God's character or actions?**

Answer: The phrase "hid in thine heart" (Hebrew: _tsaphan_ in _lev_) suggests that God has a deep, internal, and unrevealed counsel or intention concerning Job's suffering. From Job's perspective, this implies that God's actions are deliberate and pre-meditated, not random or accidental. It speaks to the mystery and inscrutability of God's ways, acknowledging His ultimate sovereignty and control over all events. While Job interprets this hiddenness negatively in his moment of pain, the phrase itself speaks to the profound depth of God's wisdom and His capacity to work out His purposes in ways that are often beyond human comprehension. It highlights that God's plans originate from His very being and are not always immediately evident or explainable to His creation, a concept affirmed in passages like [Deuteronomy 29:29](/deuteronomy/29-29 "Deuteronomy 29:29 - The Secret Things Belong to the Lord").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 10:13, with its desperate cry about God's hidden purposes in suffering, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. For centuries, the "mystery" of God's plan for salvation, His intention to redeem humanity from sin and death, was indeed "hid in His heart" (cf. [1 Corinthians 2:7](/1_corinthians/2-7 "1 Corinthians 2:7 - God's Hidden Wisdom Revealed")). The Old Testament prophets hinted at it, but the full scope of God's redemptive purpose remained largely concealed until Christ's advent. What Job perceived as a hidden plan for destruction, God revealed in Christ as a hidden plan for ultimate restoration and glory. God's deepest intention, kept secret for ages, was to send His Son, the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), to suffer on the cross, thereby conquering sin and death (cf. [Colossians 1:26-27](/colossians/1-26 "Colossians 1:26-27 - Christ in You, the Hope of Glory")). Through Christ's suffering, God's seemingly hidden and harsh judgment against sin was fully revealed and satisfied, not through the destruction of the righteous, but through the sacrifice of the perfectly righteous One. The mystery of God's will, once obscure to Job, is now unveiled in Christ, demonstrating that even through suffering, God's ultimate purpose is to bring many sons to glory (cf. [Hebrews 2:10](/hebrews/2-10 "Hebrews 2:10 - Jesus Perfected Through Suffering")) and to reconcile all things to Himself through the blood of the cross (cf. [Colossians 1:20](/colossians/1-20 "Colossians 1:20 - Reconciliation Through Christ")). Thus, what was hidden is now revealed in the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, transforming our understanding of suffering and God's sovereign plan.

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 23:13

¶ But he [is] in one [mind], and who can turn him? and [what] his soul desireth, even [that] he doeth.

Deuteronomy 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: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand.

Ecclesiastes 8:6

¶ Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man [is] great upon him.

Ecclesiastes 8:7

For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

Lamentations 3:37

¶ Who [is] he [that] saith, and it cometh to pass, [when] the Lord commandeth [it] not?

Job 23:9

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold [him]: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see [him]:

Isaiah 46:9

Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me,