Job 10:16

KJV

For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

KJV (with Strong's)

For it increaseth {H1342}. Thou huntest {H6679} me as a fierce lion {H7826}: and again {H7725} thou shewest thyself marvellous {H6381} upon me.

Complete Jewish Bible

You rise up to hunt me like a lion, and you keep treating me in such peculiar ways.

Berean Standard Bible

Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.

American Standard Version

And ifmy head exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion; And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 10:16 captures the patriarch's raw and agonizing perception of God's relentless pursuit and escalating hostility toward him. Feeling hunted and cornered like prey by a formidable predator, Job expresses profound bewilderment and despair. He views God's actions as not merely punitive but astonishingly destructive, ironically labeling them "marvellous," thereby highlighting his deep sense of injustice and the inexplicable nature of his suffering. This verse is a poignant cry from a man wrestling with the apparent contradiction between God's character and his own dire circumstances.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 10:16 is embedded within Job’s second major soliloquy (chapters 9-10), a passionate and desperate plea directed at God. Following the initial rounds of dialogue with his friends, who insist on his sin as the cause of his suffering, Job turns his lament directly to the Almighty. In this section, Job expresses his profound desire for a legal reckoning with God, yet simultaneously acknowledges God's overwhelming power and his own inability to contend with Him. The preceding verses in Job 10 detail Job's accusations that God, despite being his Creator and sustainer, has now turned against him, scrutinizing him and inflicting pain without apparent cause. This verse intensifies Job's feeling of being relentlessly pursued and tormented, serving as a climax to his bitter complaint against divine action.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in the ancient Near East, a region where the concept of divine justice was often understood in terms of retribution: good deeds were rewarded, and sin brought punishment. This prevailing theological framework, articulated by Job's friends, makes Job’s suffering particularly perplexing, as he steadfastly maintains his innocence. The imagery of a "fierce lion" was potent in this context, as lions were common predators, symbolizing immense power, ferocity, and danger. To be hunted by a lion meant certain doom, a vivid metaphor for Job's feeling of inescapable divine assault. The cultural understanding of God's "marvellous" (פָּלָא, _pala'_) acts typically referred to wondrous, salvific, or awe-inspiring deeds (e.g., the Exodus miracles), making Job's ironic application of the term to his suffering a profound expression of his disorientation and despair.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within the Book of Job. Firstly, it underscores the **problem of suffering and divine justice**, as Job grapples with why a just God would inflict such pain upon an innocent man. Secondly, it highlights the theme of **perceived divine hostility**, where Job, in his agony, experiences God not as a benevolent protector but as an aggressive, relentless adversary, a stark contrast to the divine character revealed in other parts of Scripture (e.g., [Psalm 23:1-4](/psalms/23 "Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd")). Thirdly, the verse exemplifies Job's **honest lament and questioning of God**, demonstrating that faith can coexist with profound doubt and even accusation. Finally, it explores the **limits of human understanding** concerning God's ways, as Job struggles to reconcile his experience with his theological convictions, a tension that ultimately points to the inscrutability of divine wisdom (cf. [Isaiah 55:8-9](/isaiah/55-8 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts are Higher")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **increaseth (Hebrew, _ravah'_):** The verb רָבָה (_ravah_) means "to be great, to multiply, to increase." In this context, it refers to the intensification or multiplication of Job's suffering or, more acutely, God's perceived hostility towards him. Job feels his affliction is not static but actively worsening, suggesting a deliberate, escalating divine assault rather than a passive state of misfortune.
* **fierce lion (Hebrew, _shaḥal'_):** The noun שַׁחַל (_shaḥal_) refers to a young lion or a lion in its prime, known for its strength and predatory nature. The KJV adds "fierce," which accurately captures the connotation. This metaphor powerfully conveys Job's feeling of being relentlessly pursued, cornered, and utterly helpless against an overwhelmingly powerful and dangerous adversary. It evokes images of a predator stalking and pouncing on its prey, leaving no hope of escape.
* **marvellous (Hebrew, _pala'_):** The verb פָּלָא (_pala'_) typically denotes something extraordinary, wonderful, or miraculous, often referring to God's wondrous deeds of creation, deliverance, or judgment (e.g., [Psalm 139:14](/psalms/139-14 "Psalm 139:14 - Fearfully and Wonderfully Made")). However, in Job 10:16, Job uses it with bitter irony or sarcasm. He is not praising God's wonderful works but rather expressing his astonishment and dread at God's seemingly inexplicable and destructive power directed toward him. It is a "marvel" of terror and destruction, not salvation, emphasizing his deep resentment and confusion.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For it increaseth."**: This initial phrase sets the tone of escalating distress. "It" refers either to Job's suffering, his affliction, or, more likely, God's perceived hostility and the intensity of God's pursuit. Job feels that the divine pressure against him is not abating but rather growing stronger, deepening his despair and sense of being overwhelmed.
* **"Thou huntest me as a a fierce lion:"**: Here, Job directly accuses God, employing a vivid and terrifying metaphor. God is portrayed not as a shepherd or protector, but as a relentless, predatory lion. This imagery conveys Job's feeling of being helpless prey, relentlessly tracked, cornered, and about to be devoured by an all-powerful force from which there is no escape. It highlights his sense of being unjustly targeted and persecuted.
* **"and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me."**: This clause continues Job's bitter complaint, employing deep irony. The word "marvellous" (פָּלָא, _pala'_) usually signifies God's wondrous and awe-inspiring acts. However, Job applies it to God's astonishing and terrible display of power *against* him. He is not marveling at God's goodness but at the astounding, inexplicable, and destructive nature of God's actions toward him, which he perceives as a perverse "wonder" of affliction.

#### Literary Devices
Job 10:16 is rich in literary devices that amplify Job's anguish and accusation. The most prominent device is **Metaphor**, as Job compares God to a "fierce lion." This powerful image immediately conveys God's overwhelming strength, ferocity, and relentless predatory nature as perceived by Job, who sees himself as helpless prey. The comparison is stark and terrifying, illustrating Job's profound sense of being hunted and cornered. Furthermore, the verse employs profound **Irony** in Job's use of the word "marvellous." While this term typically denotes God's wondrous and benevolent acts, Job applies it to God's destructive power against him, twisting its usual meaning to convey his bitter astonishment and the perverse nature of his suffering. This ironic usage highlights the depth of Job's despair and his distorted perception of God's character under extreme duress. There is also an element of **Hyperbole** in Job's portrayal of God as a relentless hunter, exaggerating the divine pursuit to express his feeling of utter inescapability. Finally, the verse uses **Personification**, attributing the actions of hunting and displaying power directly to God as if He were a human or animal agent actively engaged in tormenting Job.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 10:16 stands as a stark reminder of the human tendency to project our suffering onto God, sometimes perceiving Him as an adversary rather than a loving Father. Job's raw honesty in expressing his pain and confusion, even to the point of accusing God, highlights a crucial theological truth: God can handle our anger, our questions, and our despair. His sovereignty is not diminished by our lament. The verse also underscores the profound mystery of suffering and the limits of human comprehension when faced with divine providence. While Job's perception of God as a "fierce lion" is a distorted one born of extreme duress, it serves as a powerful testament to the spiritual struggle inherent in trusting God when His ways seem utterly inscrutable and even hostile. Ultimately, the book of Job, in its entirety, moves beyond this limited human perspective to reveal God's vast wisdom and sovereignty, which transcend human understanding of justice and suffering.

* [Psalm 42:7](/psalms/42-7 "Psalm 42:7 - Deep Calls to Deep")
* [Lamentations 3:1-18](/lamentations/3-18 "Lamentations 3:1-18 - The Prophet's Lament")
* [Isaiah 45:7](/isaiah/45-7 "Isaiah 45:7 - God Creates Both Good and Calamity")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 10:16 offers a profound invitation to honest self-reflection for anyone navigating intense suffering. It validates the human experience of feeling utterly overwhelmed, unjustly targeted, and even abandoned by God. Job's willingness to voice his raw accusations, even comparing God to a predatory lion, reminds us that authentic faith does not demand stoic silence or feigned composure in the face of agony. Instead, it permits, and perhaps even encourages, the full expression of our deepest pain and confusion before the Almighty. This verse challenges us to examine our own perceptions of God when life takes a turn we cannot comprehend. Do we, like Job, sometimes project our fear, anger, or sense of injustice onto God, seeing Him as the source of our torment rather than our ultimate refuge? While Job's view here is a distorted one, the larger narrative of his journey teaches us the importance of persevering in dialogue with God, even when we feel hunted, trusting that His ultimate character is not that of a predator but of a loving, sovereign Lord who works all things for His glory and our good, even through inexplicable trials. Our lament, though painful, can be a pathway to deeper trust when we ultimately surrender our limited understanding to His infinite wisdom.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When you face intense suffering, do you ever feel, like Job, that God is actively working against you or is indifferent to your pain?**
* **How does Job's raw honesty in this verse encourage or challenge your own prayers and expressions of emotion to God during difficult times?**
* **In what ways might our perception of God be distorted by our circumstances, and how can we realign it with His true character as revealed in Scripture?**

### FAQ
**Does Job's accusation that God hunts him like a lion mean God is truly a malevolent being?**

Answer: No, Job's accusation does not mean God is truly a malevolent being. Job 10:16 reflects Job's *perception* of God in the crucible of his intense suffering, not an objective theological statement about God's character. In his profound despair and confusion, Job projects his feelings of being relentlessly pursued and overwhelmed onto God. The Book of Job, in its entirety, ultimately refutes this distorted view, revealing God's sovereignty, wisdom, and justice, which transcend human comprehension ([Job 38-41](/job/38 "Job 38 - God Answers Job")). While God allows suffering for His own mysterious purposes, He is not a malevolent predator. This verse highlights the raw, honest, and sometimes flawed nature of human lament when faced with inexplicable pain.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's agonizing cry in [Job 10:16](/job/10-16 "Job 10:16 - Job's Lament of Being Hunted"), where he perceives God as a "fierce lion" hunting him, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Job mistakenly views God as his tormentor, the New Testament reveals God's true heart: not to hunt and destroy, but to seek and save that which was lost ([Luke 19:10](/luke/19-10 "Luke 19:10 - The Son of Man Came to Seek and Save the Lost")). In Christ, we see God not as a lion preying on humanity, but as the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). Jesus himself entered into the deepest human suffering, experiencing abandonment and the weight of divine judgment, not for His own sin, but for ours ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). On the cross, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus Cries Out on the Cross")), echoing Job's sense of divine hostility, yet enduring it perfectly to reconcile humanity to God. Thus, Job's lament, though misdirected in its assessment of God's character, foreshadows the true suffering of the innocent one, Jesus, who bore the full wrath of God so that we might never be truly hunted or abandoned, but always found and redeemed by a loving Father through Him.

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

Isaiah 38:13

I reckoned till morning, [that], as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day [even] to night wilt thou make an end of me.

Lamentations 3:10

He [was] unto me [as] a bear lying in wait, [and as] a lion in secret places.

Job 5:9

Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

Numbers 16:29

If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; [then] the LORD hath not sent me.

Numbers 16:30

But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.

Hosea 13:7

Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe [them]:

Hosea 13:8

I will meet them as a bear [that is] bereaved [of her whelps], and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.