Job 10:18

KJV

Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

KJV (with Strong's)

Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth {H3318} out of the womb {H7358}? Oh that I had given up the ghost {H1478}, and no eye {H5869} had seen {H7200} me!

Complete Jewish Bible

"'Why did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died there where no eye could see me.

Berean Standard Bible

Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!

American Standard Version

Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 10:18 encapsulates the profound anguish of a man overwhelmed by suffering, expressing a desperate wish for non-existence. In this raw lament, Job confronts God directly, questioning the very purpose of his birth and continued life in light of the immense pain and perceived divine abandonment he endures, longing for the oblivion of never having been seen or known.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 10:18 is situated within Job's third monologue (chapters 9-10), which immediately follows Zophar's first speech. Having been accused and condemned by his friends, Job turns his attention from defending himself to directly addressing God. This chapter specifically records Job's lament and plea to God, where he expresses his confusion and despair over his suffering. He challenges God's justice and wisdom, feeling that God is treating him as an adversary rather than a righteous servant. The verse echoes Job's initial lament in [Job 3](/job/3 "Job 3 - Job's First Lament"), where he cursed the day of his birth, but here, the direct address to God intensifies the emotional weight. The preceding verses (Job 10:1-17) detail Job's protest of innocence and his bewildered accusation that God, despite knowing his blamelessness, continues to afflict him. This verse serves as a climactic expression of his desire for an end to his torment.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in the land of Uz, a non-Israelite but likely Edomite or Arabian region, suggesting a wisdom tradition that transcends specific national boundaries. The cultural context reflects a patriarchal, agrarian society where prosperity was often seen as a sign of divine favor and suffering as a consequence of sin. Job's friends operate firmly within this retribution theology, which Job himself, despite his piety, cannot reconcile with his blameless suffering. The concept of the "womb" (רֶחֶם, *rechem*) as the place of origin is fundamental, and the desire for non-existence or death at birth was a common expression of extreme despair in ancient Near Eastern laments, highlighting a profound sense of injustice and hopelessness. The absence of a clear understanding of the afterlife, as developed in later biblical thought, often made the present life, with its joys and sorrows, the sole arena for divine justice and human experience.
* **Key Themes:** Job 10:18 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the Book of Job. Primarily, it underscores the theme of **human suffering and divine justice**, as Job grapples with the apparent contradiction between his righteousness and his overwhelming pain. His questioning of God's purpose in creating him ("Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?") highlights the **problem of evil** and the **mystery of God's ways**, a central theological tension throughout the book. The verse also vividly portrays the **depth of human despair and lament**, demonstrating that even the most righteous individuals can experience profound emotional and spiritual darkness, wishing for an end to their existence. This challenges simplistic notions of faith and encourages honest, even accusatory, dialogue with God, as seen in Job's persistent engagement with the divine despite his agony, a theme that reverberates throughout his speeches, particularly in his desire to bring his case before God in [Job 23](/job/23 "Job 23 - Job's Desire to Find God").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **"brought me forth" (Hebrew, יָצָא _yatsa'_):** This verb literally means "to go out," "to come forth," or "to lead out." In this context, it refers to the act of birth, the divine agency in bringing Job into existence from the womb. Job's use of this word implies a direct accusation: God is responsible for his life, and therefore, in Job's mind, responsible for his suffering. It carries a sense of divine intentionality in his creation, which Job now bitterly questions.
* **"given up the ghost" (Hebrew, גָּוַע _gava'_):** This phrase is an idiom for dying, literally "to expire," "to breathe out one's last," or "to cease to live." The Hebrew verb *gava* specifically denotes the complete cessation of life, emphasizing the finality and utter oblivion Job desires. It's not merely a wish for unconsciousness or sleep, but for the absolute end of his being, a complete escape from the torment of existence.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?"**: This is a direct, accusatory rhetorical question addressed to God. Job is not seeking information but expressing his profound bewilderment and protest. He attributes his very existence to God's action ("thou hast brought me forth") and demands to know the reason for it, implying that his current suffering makes his birth seem pointless or even cruel. It's a cry of injustice, questioning divine wisdom and purpose in allowing him to live only to endure such agony.
* **"Oh that I had given up the ghost,"**: This clause expresses Job's desperate wish for immediate death. The "Oh that" (מִי יִתֵּן, _mi yitten_) conveys a strong, almost impossible longing. He wishes he had died at the very moment of birth, or even before, to avoid the life he is now experiencing. This is a profound expression of despair, where the pain of living outweighs any perceived value or purpose of life itself.
* **"and no eye had seen me!"**: This final clause amplifies the wish for oblivion. Not only does Job desire death, but he longs for a death that would have left him utterly unnoticed, unobserved, and unknown. This speaks to a desire for complete erasure, a non-existence that would preclude any experience of suffering or the shame and isolation he feels. It's a wish for absolute anonymity and an escape from the burden of being a conscious, suffering individual.

#### Literary Devices
Job 10:18 is rich in literary devices that amplify its emotional impact. The verse opens with a powerful **Rhetorical Question**, "Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?", which is not meant to elicit an answer but to express Job's profound bewilderment, accusation, and despair. This question immediately establishes a direct confrontation with God. Following this, Job employs **Hyperbole** and **Exaggeration** in his wish to have "given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!" While a literal death is possible, the intensity of the wish for complete oblivion—never to have been seen or known—exaggerates the depth of his suffering and his desire for absolute escape. The structure of the verse also demonstrates a form of **Parallelism**, where the second and third clauses ("Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!") reinforce and intensify the same core desire for non-existence and obscurity. The raw, unfiltered nature of Job's lament also showcases **Pathos**, appealing directly to the reader's emotions by vividly portraying extreme human suffering and despair.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 10:18 powerfully articulates the human cry of despair in the face of inexplicable suffering, challenging the traditional understanding of divine justice and providence. It raises the profound theological question of why a benevolent and omnipotent God would allow such intense suffering, particularly for the righteous. Job's lament highlights the tension between God's creative act and the perceived futility of life when overwhelmed by pain. This verse resonates with the broader biblical theme of lament, demonstrating that honest, even accusatory, prayer is a legitimate form of engagement with God, acknowledging the reality of human anguish while still holding onto the possibility of divine presence, even if hidden.

* [Job 3:11](/job/3-11 "Job 3:11 - Job's Initial Lament")
* [Psalm 88:15](/psalm/88-15 "Psalm 88:15 - A Cry of Despair")
* [Jeremiah 20:18](/jeremiah/20-18 "Jeremiah 20:18 - Jeremiah's Woe")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 10:18 offers a profound validation of the human experience of deep despair and the overwhelming desire for an end to suffering. It reminds us that faith does not preclude anguish, and even the most righteous individuals can reach a point where life itself feels like an unbearable burden. This verse encourages a radical honesty in our prayers and laments, inviting us to bring our rawest emotions, questions, and even accusations before God, knowing that He can handle our darkest moments. It fosters immense empathy for those who are suffering, urging us to listen without judgment and to offer compassion rather than simplistic theological answers. Ultimately, Job's persistent, albeit painful, dialogue with God, even in his wish for non-existence, underscores the enduring human need to make sense of suffering within the context of a sovereign God, reminding us that even when God's purposes are hidden, our cries are heard and our pain is acknowledged in the divine presence.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's raw honesty in this verse challenge or affirm your own approach to prayer and lament in times of suffering?**
* **In what ways might the church or Christian community better validate and minister to those who express profound despair or even a wish for non-existence?**
* **What does Job's questioning of God's purpose in his birth reveal about the human desire for meaning, even in the midst of pain?**

### FAQ
**Is it wrong for a believer to wish they had never been born or to desire death?**

Answer: Job 10:18, along with other passages like [Job 3:1-26](/job/3 "Job 3 - Job's Lament"), [Jeremiah 20:14-18](/jeremiah/20 "Jeremiah 20 - Jeremiah's Complaint"), and [1 Kings 19:4](/1_kings/19-4 "1 Kings 19:4 - Elijah's Despair"), demonstrates that even righteous figures in the Bible experienced profound despair and wished for death or non-existence. While the Bible consistently values life as a gift from God, these passages validate the reality of human anguish. It is not necessarily "wrong" to experience such feelings, as they are often a symptom of overwhelming pain, grief, or mental distress. Rather, these expressions of despair serve as a raw, honest lament before God. The biblical narrative does not condemn Job or Jeremiah for these feelings but portrays them as part of their human struggle. The key is to bring these feelings honestly to God, as Job does, rather than to act on them outside of His will. Seeking support from trusted spiritual leaders, friends, or mental health professionals is also crucial.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 10:18 expresses a profound human cry for oblivion in the face of suffering, the New Testament reveals that God's ultimate answer to human suffering is not annihilation but incarnation and redemption. In Christ, God does not abandon humanity to its pain but enters into it, experiencing the depths of human suffering and even death. Jesus, though without sin, became acquainted with grief and carried our sorrows ([Isaiah 53:3-4](/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3-4 - The Suffering Servant")). His cry on the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")), echoes Job's lament, demonstrating that God Himself knows the pain of abandonment and the burden of existence. Through His resurrection, Christ transforms the meaning of suffering and death, offering not an escape into non-existence, but the promise of new, eternal life free from pain and sorrow ([Revelation 21:4](/revelation/21-4 "Revelation 21:4 - No More Tears")). Thus, Job's desperate wish for "no eye had seen me" is answered not by oblivion, but by the loving gaze of a God who sees, suffers with, and ultimately redeems His creation through the visible, tangible presence of His Son, who was indeed "brought forth" into the world to bear its sin and suffering ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")).

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

Jeremiah 20:14

¶ Cursed [be] the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

Jeremiah 20:18

Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

Job 11:20

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope [shall be as] the giving up of the ghost.

Matthew 26:24

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Job 14:10

But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where [is] he?

Job 3:10

Because it shut not up the doors of my [mother's] womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

Job 3:11

¶ Why died I not from the womb? [why] did I [not] give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?