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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 16:6–16. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Job's complaint is here as bitter as any where in all his discourses, and he is at a stand whether to smother it or to give it vent. Sometimes the one and sometimes the other is a relief to the afflicted, according as the temper or the circumstances are; but Job found help by neither, Job 16:6. 1. Sometimes giving vent to grief gives ease; but, "Though I speak" (says Job), "my grief is not assuaged, my spirit is never the lighter for the pouring out of my complaint; nay, what I speak is so misconstrued as to be turned to the aggravation of my grief." 2. At other times keeping silence makes the trouble the easier and the sooner forgotten; but (says Job) though I forbear I am never the nearer; what am I eased? If he complained he was censured as passionate; if not, as sullen. If he maintained his integrity, that was his crime; if he made no answer to their accusations, his silence was taken for a confession of his guilt.
Here is a doleful representation of Job's grievances. O what reason have we to bless God that we are not making such complaints! He complains,
I.That his family was scattered (Job 16:7):
"He hath made me weary, weary of speaking, weary of forbearing, weary of my friends, weary of life itself; my journey through the world proves so very uncomfortable that I am quite tired with it." This made it as tiresome as any thing, that all his company was made desolate, his children and servants being killed and the poor remains of his great household dispersed. The company of good people that used to meet at his house for religious worship, was now scattered, and he spent his sabbaths in silence and solitude. He had company indeed, but such as he would rather have been without, for they seemed to triumph in his desolation. If lovers and friends are put far from us, we must see and own God's hand in it, making our company desolate.
II.That his body was worn away with diseases and pains, so that he had become a perfect skeleton, nothing but skin and bones, Job 16:8.
His face was furrowed, not with age, but sickness: Thou hast filled me with wrinkles. His flesh was wasted with the running of his sore boils, so that his leanness rose up in him, that is, his bones, that before were not seen, stuck out, Job 33:21. These are called witnesses against him, witnesses of God's displeasure against him, and such witnesses as his friends produced against him to prove him a wicked man. Or, "They are witnesses for me, that my complaint is not causeless," or "witnesses to me, that I am a dying man, and must be gone shortly."
III.That his enemy was a terror to him, threatened him, frightened him, looked sternly upon him, and gave all the indications of rage against him (Job 16:9): He tears me in his wrath. But who is this enemy?
1.Eliphaz, who showed himself very much exasperated against him, and perhaps had expressed himself with such marks of indignation as are here mentioned: at least, what he said tore Job's good name and thundered nothing but terror to him; his eyes were sharpened to spy out matter of reproach against Job, and very barbarously both he and the rest of them used him. Or,
2.Satan. He was his enemy that hated him, and perhaps, by the divine permission, terrified him with apparitions, as (some think) he terrified our Saviour, which put him into his agonies in the garden; and thus he aimed to make him curse God. It is not improbable that this is the enemy he means. Or, (3.) God himself. If we understand it of him, the expressions are indeed as rash as any he used. God hates none of his creatures; but Job's melancholy did thus represent to him the terrors of the Almighty: and nothing can be more grievous to a good man than to apprehend God to be his enemy. If the wrath of a king be as messengers of death, what is the wrath of the King of kings!
IV.That all about him were abusive to him, Job 16:10.
They came upon him with open mouth to devour him, as if they would swallow him alive, so terrible were their threats and so scornful was their conduct to him. They offered him all the indignities they could invent, and even smote him on the cheek; and herein many were confederate. They gathered themselves together against him, even the abjects, Psa 35:15. Herein Job was a type of Christ, as many of the ancients make him: these very expressions are used in the predictions of his sufferings, Psa 22:13, They gaped upon me with their mouths; and (Mic 5:1), They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek, which was literally fulfilled, Mat 26:67. How were those increased that troubled him!
V.That God, instead of delivering him out of their hands, as he hoped, delivered him into their hands (Job 16:11):
He hath turned me over into the hands of the wicked. They could have had no power against him if it had not been given them from above. He therefore looks beyond them to God who gave them their commission, as David did when Shimei cursed him; but he thinks it strange, and almost thinks it hard, that those should have power against him who were God's enemies as much as his. God sometimes makes use of wicked men as his sword to one another (Psa 17:13) and his rod to his own children, Isa 10:5. Herein also Job was a type of Christ, who was delivered into wicked hands, to be crucified and slain, by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God, Act 2:23.
VI.That God not only delivered him into the hands of the wicked, but took him into his own hands too, into which it is a fearful thing to fall (Job 16:12): "I was at ease in the comfortable enjoyment of the gifts of God's bounty, not fretting and uneasy, as some are in the midst of their prosperity, who thereby provoke God to strip them; yet he has broken me asunder, put me upon the rack of pain, and torn me limb from limb." God, in afflicting him, had seemed,
1.As if he were furious. Though fury is not in God, he thought it was, when he took him by the neck (as a strong man in a passion would take a child) and shook him to pieces, triumphing in the irresistible power he had to do what he would with him.
2.As if he were partial. "He has distinguished me from the rest of mankind by this hard usage of me: He has set me up for his mark, the butt at which he is pleased to let fly all his arrows: at me they are directed, and they come not by chance; against me they are levelled, as if I were the greatest sinner of all the men of the east or were singled out to be made an example." When God set him up for a mark his archers presently compassed him round. God has archers at command, who will be sure to hit the mark that he sets up. Whoever are our enemies, we must look upon them as God's archers, and see him directing the arrow. It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good.
3.As if he were cruel, and his wrath as relentless as his power was resistless. As if he contrived to touch him in the tenderest part, cleaving his reins asunder with acute pains; perhaps they were nephritic pains, those of the stone, which lie in the region of the kidneys. As if he had no mercy in reserve for him, he does not spare nor abate any thing of the extremity. And as if he aimed at nothing but his death, and his death in the midst of the most grievous tortures: He pours out my gall upon the ground, as when men have taken a wild beast, and killed it, they open it, and pour out the gall with a loathing of it. He thought his blood was poured out, as if it were not only not precious, but nauseous.
4.As if he were unreasonable and insatiable in his executions (Job 16:14): "He breaketh me with breach upon breach, follows me with one wound after another." So his troubles came at first; while one messenger of evil tidings was speaking another came: and so it was still; new boils were rising every day, so that he had no prospect of the end of his troubles. Thus he thought that God ran upon him like a giant, whom he could not possibly stand before or confront; as the giants of old ran down all their poor neighbours, and were too hard for them. Note, Even good men, when they are in great and extraordinary troubles, have much ado not to entertain hard thoughts of God.
VII.That he had divested himself of all his honour, and all his comfort, in compliance with the afflicting providences that surrounded him.
Some can lessen their own troubles by concealing them, holding their heads as high and putting on as good a face as ever; but Job could not do so: he received the impressions of them, and, as one truly penitent and truly patient, he humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, Job 16:15, Job 16:16.
1.He now laid aside all his ornaments and soft clothing, consulted not either his ease or finery in his dress, but sewed sackcloth upon his skin; that clothing he thought good enough for such a defiled distempered body as he had. Silks upon sores, such sores, he thought, would be unsuitable; sackcloth would be more becoming. Those are fond indeed of gay clothing that will not be weaned from it by sickness and old age, and, as Job was (Job 16:8), by wrinkles and leanness. He not only put on sackcloth, but sewed it on, as one that resolved to continue his humiliation as long as the affliction continued.
2.He insisted not upon any points of honour, but humbled himself under humbling providences: He defiled his horn in the dust, and refused the respect that used to be paid to his dignity, power, and eminency. Note, When God brings down our condition, that should bring down our spirits. Better lay the horn in the dust than lift it up in contradiction to the designs of Providence and have it broken at last. Eliphaz had represented Job as high and haughty, and unhumbled under his affliction. "No," says Job, "I know better things; the dust is now the fittest place for me." 3. He banished mirth as utterly unseasonable, and set himself to sow in tears (Job 16:16): "My face is foul with weeping so constantly for my sins, for God's displeasure against me, and for my friends unkindness: this has brought a shadow of death upon my eyelids." He had not only wept away all his beauty, but almost wept his eyes out. In this also he was a type of Christ, who was a man of sorrows, and much in tears, and pronounced those blessed that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
19. These particulars would seem to accord with blessed Job after the letter, in that it is said, He hath compassed me with His lances, He hath wounded my loins together, He hath not spared; if that were not added, which is not read as written about him, he hath poured out my bowels upon the ground. From which circumstance it follows, that whereas we cannot find this after the letter, we should investigate after the spirit those points, which in his words sound as of the fact of history. Holy Church is ‘beset with lances’ by her enemy, whensoever she is in her members assaulted by the cunning assailant with the darts of temptation; and it is well said that we are ‘encompassed with lances,’ in that our old enemy assails us on every side with the wounding of temptation. Thus oftentimes whilst the appetite is restrained, that lust may be brought under, the dart of vainglory strikes the mind; but if the body is not worn down by the infliction of abstinence, the flame of lust kindles itself against the soul: often whilst we strive to observe economy, we fall into stinginess; and often whilst we give profusely the things we possess, we are led into avarice, in that we seek to make up again what we may have to give. Whereas then the darts of the old enemy assail us in every direction, it is rightly said now, he hath compassed me about with his lances. And because, in the case of every sin, the crafty enemy indeed recommends it, but we by consenting to his recommendations execute it, it is fitly subjoined, he hath wounded my loins together, for in the loins lust is seated. Hence he who desired to eradicate the delight of lust from the heart, preached the words, Gird up the loins of your mind. [1 Pet. 1, 13] And so when our old enemy draws the faithful people into lust, surely he smites that people ‘in the loins;’ in which place it is deserving of observation, that he does not say ‘he has wounded [‘vulneravit’ ‘convulneravit’],’ but, he hath wounded my loins together. For as to talk is sometimes an act of one person, but to ‘talk together’ of two or perhaps of many, so our old enemy, in that he does not hurry us into sin without our own will, is never said ‘to wound our loins,’ but, ‘to wound our loins together:’ in that what he prompts us amiss we fulfil by following of our own will; and, as it were, ‘wound ourselves together’ in unity with him, because we are at the same time led to commit the evil deed of free will. It goes on; he hath not spared; as if he said, ‘he hath not ceased;’ and he hath poured out my bowels upon the ground. What else are we to understand by ‘the bowels’ of Holy Church, save the minds of those who contain in themselves certain of her mysteries, who are devoted to the interior Sacraments? But our old adversary, when he draws over to secular concerns any of the faithful, who appeared to be devoted to the interior sacraments, does, surely, ‘pour out her bowels upon the ground;’ in that he treads those down in things below, who were before buried from sight in secret and spiritual practices.
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Summary
Job 16:14 is a profound and agonizing lament from Job, expressing his overwhelming sense of being relentlessly assaulted and utterly broken by what he perceives as divine hostility. He vividly portrays his suffering as an unending series of destructive blows, feeling as though God Himself is an unstoppable warrior, a "giant," charging against him, leaving him defenseless and systematically dismantled in his inexplicable agony.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within Job's second cycle of responses to his friends, specifically following Eliphaz's second speech. In this phase of the dialogue (chapters 15-21), Job's friends intensify their accusations, asserting that his suffering must be a direct consequence of his sin. Job, however, vehemently maintains his innocence and increasingly directs his lament and protestations directly toward God, rather than solely to his friends. Chapter 16, in particular, is a raw outpouring of Job's despair, where he expresses his profound isolation, the failure of his friends to comfort him, and his perception of God as his tormentor. This verse, "He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant," stands as a stark expression of his feeling of being under direct divine assault, following his initial devastating losses in Job 1 and his severe physical affliction in Job 2:7. It marks a point where Job's anguish leads him to interpret God's actions in the most terrifying and adversarial terms.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, suffering was frequently understood through the lens of retribution theology: good people prosper, and wicked people suffer. This prevailing worldview is precisely what Job's friends uphold, insisting that Job must have sinned to warrant such calamity. Job's experience directly challenges this simplistic paradigm. His lament in Job 16:14, where he describes God as a "giant" attacking him, draws upon common military imagery of the time—a powerful warrior breaking through defenses. This imagery would have been readily understood as depicting overwhelming, irresistible force. The concept of "breach upon breach" also evokes the collapse of city walls under siege, signifying total destruction and vulnerability. Job's perception, though deeply mistaken about God's character, reflects the human tendency to attribute inexplicable suffering to a powerful, often punitive, divine will, a common response in a world where direct divine intervention was assumed for all major life events.
Key Themes
Job 16:14 powerfully contributes to several key themes within the book of Job. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Overwhelming Suffering, portraying pain not as a singular event but as a relentless, cumulative onslaught, "breach upon breach," suggesting an endless succession of calamities. Secondly, it highlights the theme of Misperception of Divine Justice and Character. Job, in his agony, perceives God not as a benevolent sovereign but as an active, aggressive adversary, "running upon him like a giant." This perception is central to the book's exploration of how humans grapple with God's ways when they seem unjust or inscrutable, a theme that culminates in God's response from the whirlwind in Job 38. Thirdly, the verse vividly expresses Human Helplessness and Despair in the face of forces perceived as infinitely superior. Job feels utterly outmatched and without defense, a sentiment that resonates with anyone experiencing profound, inexplicable hardship. This raw honesty is crucial to the book's purpose, validating the human experience of anguish even as it ultimately points to a deeper trust in God's sovereignty, as seen in Job 42:5-6.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb (H6555) means "to break out," "to burst forth," "to make a breach," or "to tear down." When paired with the noun "breach," as in "breach upon breach," it intensifies the sense of continuous, repeated, and cumulative destruction. It's not a single break, but one after another, like a wall repeatedly collapsing under siege, signifying utter ruin and lack of respite. Job feels his very being is being systematically dismantled.
This noun (H6556) derives from the same root as "breaketh" and refers to a "break" or "gap," especially one made by force. The repetition "breach upon breach" (פֶּרֶץ עַל פֶּרֶץ, perets al perets) is an intensive Hebrew idiom signifying an unending series of calamities, a continuous tearing down of defenses, and a complete lack of relief from successive blows. It paints a picture of utter devastation and vulnerability.
This noun (H1368) typically refers to a "mighty man," "warrior," "hero," or "champion." In this context, it emphasizes immense strength, power, and often, aggressive military prowess. By likening his perceived attacker (God) to a gibbôwr, Job paints a picture of an overwhelming, unstoppable, and fearsome force charging at him. It conveys his feeling of being completely outmatched, hunted, and crushed by a superior, unyielding power.
Verse Breakdown
"He breaketh me with breach upon breach"
This clause vividly portrays Job's experience of incessant and cumulative destruction. The repetition of "breach" (Hebrew: perets) emphasizes a continuous series of calamities, one following another without relief, akin to a wall being repeatedly shattered and rebuilt only to be broken again. It highlights the relentless nature of his suffering, suggesting a systematic dismantling of his life, health, and well-being, leaving him feeling utterly broken and without hope of recovery. Job attributes this ongoing destruction directly to God ("He"), perceiving God as the active agent of his undoing.
"he runneth upon me like a giant"
This clause further intensifies the imagery of divine assault. By likening his perceived attacker to a "giant" (gibbôwr, a mighty warrior), Job conveys the overwhelming power and aggressive intent he attributes to God. The verb "runneth upon" (Hebrew: yārûts) suggests a swift, forceful, and unyielding charge, like a warrior rushing into battle to overpower an enemy. This paints a picture of Job as a helpless victim, cornered and defenseless against an unstoppable, superior force, reinforcing his profound despair and sense of being utterly outmatched and relentlessly pursued by divine wrath.
Literary Devices
Job 16:14 is rich in literary devices that amplify Job's anguish. The most prominent is Hyperbole, as Job exaggerates the extent of his suffering and God's perceived hostility to convey the depth of his despair. While his suffering is real and immense, his description of "breach upon breach" and God "running upon me like a giant" uses extreme language to express his subjective experience of relentless, overwhelming assault. This hyperbole is coupled with powerful Metaphor and Simile. God is implicitly presented as a destructive force, and explicitly compared to a "giant" or "mighty warrior" ("like a giant"), creating a vivid mental image of an unstoppable, aggressive adversary. This Personification of God as a hostile attacker, rather than a benevolent sovereign, underscores Job's distorted perception born of his pain. The phrase "breach upon breach" also employs Repetition (specifically, a Hebrew idiom of "noun upon noun") to emphasize the continuous and cumulative nature of the destruction, reinforcing the feeling of an unending onslaught.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 16:14 offers a profound theological insight into the human experience of suffering, particularly when it feels inexplicable and relentless. It reveals the raw, often distorted, perception of God that can arise in the crucible of intense pain. Job's accusation, though ultimately proven to be based on a limited understanding of God's sovereign purposes, validates the human cry of anguish and the struggle to reconcile suffering with God's character. The verse challenges simplistic notions of divine justice and invites a deeper exploration of faith that endures even when God's ways are inscrutable. It underscores that true lament, even when it involves questioning God, can be a legitimate, albeit painful, part of the spiritual journey, ultimately leading to a more profound and authentic relationship with the Divine.
Reflection and Application
Job 16:14 serves as a powerful reminder that faith is not always neat or comfortable. It validates the raw, honest expression of pain and confusion, even when that pain leads to a distorted perception of God. In moments of overwhelming suffering, when "breach upon breach" seems to be our reality, it is natural to feel assaulted, broken, and utterly defenseless. This verse grants permission to voice that deep anguish, acknowledging that the Bible does not shy away from portraying the full spectrum of human emotion, including despair and even accusations against God. For believers today, it encourages empathy for those who are struggling, reminding us that their cries, however harsh, are often born of profound pain and a desperate search for meaning. Ultimately, while Job's perception of God was flawed, his journey teaches us the importance of persevering in faith, even when understanding eludes us, trusting that God is greater than our current comprehension and that His ultimate purposes are good, even amidst the deepest trials.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Job truly believe God is his enemy, or is this just hyperbole?
While Job's language is hyperbolic, it reflects his genuine perception in the moment of his profound suffering. He is not merely being dramatic; he truly feels that God is actively working against him, breaking him down and attacking him. This is a common, albeit mistaken, human response when facing inexplicable and overwhelming hardship. The book of Job ultimately reveals that God is not Job's enemy, but Job's raw honesty in expressing his pain, even if it involves accusing God, is a crucial part of his journey toward a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty and wisdom, as revealed in Job 38 and Job 42.
How can we reconcile Job's perception of God in this verse with God's loving character?
Job's perception in Job 16:14 is a reflection of his limited understanding and intense emotional distress, not a definitive statement on God's character. The book of Job, as a whole, works to challenge and correct this very perception. While God allows Job's suffering, He is not an arbitrary or malicious "giant" attacking him. Rather, God is sovereign, righteous, and ultimately just, even when His ways are beyond human comprehension. The narrative reveals that God's purposes are far grander than human suffering, aiming to deepen faith and reveal His glory. This tension between human perception and divine reality is a core theme, ultimately resolved by God's self-revelation, which leads Job to repent of his accusations and trust in God's wisdom, as seen in Job 42:1-6. The New Testament further clarifies God's character through the revelation of Jesus Christ, demonstrating God's ultimate love and self-sacrifice for humanity in John 3:16.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job's agonizing cry in Job 16:14, feeling broken by "breach upon breach" and pursued "like a giant," finds profound resonance and ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Job mistakenly perceived God as his adversary, Christ, the Son of God, truly experienced the full "breach upon breach" of human sin and suffering, not as a victim of divine wrath for His own sin, but as the sinless Lamb of God bearing the judgment due to humanity. On the cross, Jesus was truly "broken" for us (Isaiah 53:5), enduring the crushing weight of sin and death, feeling utterly abandoned by God the Father (Matthew 27:46). He allowed the "giant" of sin and death to run upon Him, not to be defeated, but to conquer. His suffering was not a misperception but a deliberate act of identification with our brokenness, allowing Him to be a sympathetic High Priest who understands our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15). Through His sacrifice, the breaches caused by sin are healed, and the "giant" of death is defeated, offering us not despair but the hope of resurrection and eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Thus, Job's lament, though rooted in a misunderstanding, foreshadows the ultimate suffering of the one who would truly be broken for our redemption, transforming our cries of anguish into a song of victory through Christ.