Job 16:22

Translation
King James Version
When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
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KJV (with Strong's)
When a few H4557 years H8141 are come H857, then I shall go H1980 the way H734 whence I shall not return H7725.
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Complete Jewish Bible
For I have but few years left before I leave on the road of no return.
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Berean Standard Bible
For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
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American Standard Version
For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
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World English Bible Messianic
For when a few years have come, I shall go the way of no return.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.
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Young's Literal Translation
When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.
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See also
Job 14:10Job 14:14Job 14:5Job 7:9Job 7:10Ecclesiastes 12:5
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In the KJVVerse 13,261 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Job 16:22 encapsulates Job's profound despair and his conviction that his earthly life is rapidly drawing to a close, leading to an irreversible journey into death. In this poignant declaration, Job expresses a deep weariness with his relentless suffering and a resigned acceptance of what he perceives as his imminent and final departure from the land of the living, emphasizing the perceived brevity and ultimate finality of human existence from his limited, pre-resurrection perspective.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is situated within Job's third response to his friends, specifically to Eliphaz's second speech in Job 15. Job 16 opens with Job's bitter lament against his "miserable comforters" (Job 16:2), accusing them of adding to his suffering rather than alleviating it. He feels utterly abandoned by God and man, portraying himself as a spectacle of divine wrath and human scorn, as detailed in Job 16:6-14. Amidst this profound sense of injustice and physical decay, Job's words in Job 16:18-22 shift to a desperate plea for vindication, looking beyond his immediate circumstances to an "Advocate" in heaven (Job 16:19). Verse 22, therefore, serves as a grim conclusion to this section, underscoring his belief that despite his plea for justice, his earthly time is short, and death is an inescapable, final destination.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, and particularly within the worldview reflected in the Old Testament prior to the fuller revelation of resurrection, death was generally understood as a final, irreversible departure from the realm of the living. The concept of Sheol, the grave or the underworld, was a shadowy place from which there was no return to earthly life, as articulated in passages like Psalm 88:10-12. While there was a nascent understanding of a continued existence beyond death, the emphasis was on the cessation of earthly activity and relationships. Job's lament reflects this common human experience and cultural understanding of mortality. His suffering, compounded by the loss of his family, wealth, and health, would have been interpreted by his contemporaries as a sign of divine judgment, further isolating him and reinforcing his sense of impending doom.
  • Key Themes: Job 16:22 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Job. Firstly, it highlights the brevity and fragility of human life, a recurring motif in wisdom literature, where life is often compared to a fleeting shadow or a vapor, as seen in Psalm 39:4-5. Secondly, it underscores the finality of death from an earthly perspective, a stark reality that Job keenly feels in his suffering. This theme is central to the human predicament explored throughout the book, as Job grapples with the injustice of his suffering in the face of his impending end. Lastly, the verse expresses Job's profound despair and resignation, a raw portrayal of human anguish when faced with seemingly insurmountable suffering and the inevitability of death. This contrasts sharply with the later revelation of God's sovereignty and the hope of resurrection that ultimately transcends Job's initial understanding of mortality, as powerfully hinted at in Job 19:25-27.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • few (Hebrew, miçpâr', H4557): This word, derived from a root meaning "to number," here signifies a small, definite quantity. In this context, "a few" emphasizes the limited and rapidly diminishing span of Job's remaining years. It conveys his perception that his life is not merely short, but critically near its end, highlighting his profound sense of urgency and impending departure.
  • go (Hebrew, hâlak', H1980): A primitive root meaning "to walk" or "to go," this verb is frequently used as an idiom for dying or passing away. It describes a transition or journey from one state of being to another, specifically from life to death. Its application here underscores the active, albeit unwilling, movement towards the grave, a path from which Job believes there is no turning back.
  • return (Hebrew, shûwb', H7725): This primitive root means "to turn back," "to come back," or "to restore." In the context of Job's declaration, "I shall not return" emphatically declares the irreversible nature of this final journey. From his earthly perspective, once he embarks on this ultimate path, there is no possibility of coming back to the land of the living or to his former state of existence.

Verse Breakdown

  • "When a few years are come": This clause expresses Job's deep conviction that his life is rapidly drawing to a close. The phrase "a few years" signifies a very short, perhaps even negligible, period of time remaining. It reflects his profound weariness and the physical toll of his suffering, leading him to believe that death is imminent rather than distant.
  • "then I shall go the way": This is a common biblical idiom for dying. "To go the way" implies a final, irreversible journey from life into the realm of the dead. It speaks to the universal human experience of mortality, where life culminates in a departure from the earthly sphere.
  • "[whence] I shall not return": This concluding phrase powerfully emphasizes the finality of this journey from Job's human perspective. It underscores the ancient understanding of death as an irreversible transition, a point of no return to the land of the living. It highlights his sense of absolute despair and the perceived absence of any earthly hope for recovery or reversal of his fate.

Literary Devices

Job 16:22 employs several literary devices to convey its profound message of despair and finality. The phrase "go the way" is a classic example of Euphemism, using a softer, indirect expression ("the way") to refer to the harsh reality of death. This euphemism is immediately clarified and intensified by the subsequent clause, "whence I shall not return," which functions as a form of Litotes, an understatement used for emphasis. By stating what will not happen (return), Job powerfully emphasizes the absolute and irreversible nature of his impending death. The entire verse also functions as a form of Lament, a common genre in biblical literature where an individual expresses deep sorrow, suffering, and a plea to God, often concluding with a sense of resignation or a glimmer of hope. In this specific verse, the lament is steeped in a palpable sense of Resignation, a quiet but profound acceptance of an unchangeable, grim fate.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Job 16:22, while expressing a pre-resurrection understanding of death, powerfully articulates the universal human experience of mortality and the brevity of life. Theologically, it highlights the stark reality of death as the end of earthly existence, a truth acknowledged throughout Scripture. Job's lament underscores the human longing for an ultimate resolution to suffering and injustice, even as he perceives his own end as final. This deep-seated human desire for justice and a life beyond the grave sets the stage for the later, more complete revelation of God's redemptive plan and the hope of resurrection. The verse serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of human life and the profound mystery surrounding death, prompting reflection on our own finite existence in light of eternity.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Job's somber declaration in Job 16:22 forces us to confront the undeniable reality of our own mortality. In a world often preoccupied with temporal achievements and material accumulation, this verse serves as a stark reminder that our time on earth is finite and fleeting. It invites us to consider how we are stewarding the precious gift of life, urging us to live with intentionality, purpose, and a keen awareness of what truly matters in the grand scheme of eternity. While Job's perspective is one of despair and finality, his raw honesty encourages us to acknowledge our own fears and anxieties about death, creating space for authentic reflection on our ultimate hope. For those who believe, it highlights the profound contrast between Job's limited understanding and the glorious hope offered through Christ's victory over death, prompting gratitude for the promise of eternal life and a future resurrection.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does Job's lament about the brevity and finality of life resonate with your own experiences or fears about mortality?
  • In what ways does an awareness of life's fleeting nature influence your priorities and daily decisions?
  • How does the Christian hope of resurrection transform the despair expressed by Job in this verse?

FAQ

Does Job 16:22 imply there is no afterlife?

Answer: From Job's immediate, earthly perspective, the verse emphasizes the irreversible nature of his journey from this life. The phrase "I shall not return" refers to returning to the land of the living, to his former state of health and earthly existence. It reflects the common ancient Near Eastern understanding of death as a final departure from the physical world. While the Old Testament contains nascent ideas about a continued existence in Sheol (the grave or underworld), Job's statement here is primarily about the cessation of earthly life and the finality of that transition, rather than a definitive theological statement on the nature of the afterlife itself. The full revelation of the afterlife, particularly resurrection and eternal life, comes much later in biblical history, especially through the New Testament, as seen in passages like John 5:28-29.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Job 16:22, with its stark declaration of life's brevity and death's finality, finds its ultimate and glorious transformation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Job's lament, "I shall go the way whence I shall not return," encapsulates the universal human predicament of being bound by sin and death, a journey from which no one could return victorious on their own terms. However, the New Testament reveals that Jesus Christ is the one who "went the way" of death—even into the grave—but uniquely, He did return! His resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6) shattered the chains of death and demonstrated His triumph over its power, as Peter proclaimed in Acts 2:24. Through His death and resurrection, Christ opened "a new and living way" (Hebrews 10:20) back to God and to eternal life. For those who believe in Him, the journey to death is no longer a final, irreversible departure into oblivion, but a transition to a glorious future with Christ, culminating in the bodily resurrection of believers, as powerfully declared in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57. Thus, Job's despairing words become a powerful backdrop against which the unparalleled hope and victory of Christ's resurrection shine even more brightly, transforming the "way whence I shall not return" into the "way to eternal life" through faith in the Risen Lord, who declared, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live" (John 11:25-26).

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Commentary on Job 16 verses 17–22

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

Job's condition was very deplorable; but had he nothing to support him, nothing to comfort him? Yes, and he here tells us what it was.

I. He had the testimony of his conscience for him that he had walked uprightly, and had never allowed himself in any gross sin. None was ever more ready than he to acknowledge his sins of infirmity; but, upon search, he could not charge himself with any enormous crime, for which he should be made more miserable than other men, Job 16:17.

1.He had kept a conscience void of offence, (1.) Towards men: "Not for any injustice in my hands, any wealth that I have unjustly got or kept." Eliphaz had represented him as a tyrant and an oppressor. "No," says he, "I never did any wrong to any man, but always despised the gain of oppression." (2.) Towards God: Also my prayer is pure; but prayer cannot be pure as long as there is injustice in our hands, Isa 1:15. Eliphaz had charged him with hypocrisy in religion, but he specifies prayer, the great act of religion, and professes that in that he was pure, though not from all infirmity, yet from reigning and allowed guile: it was not like the prayers of the Pharisees, who looked no further than to be seen of men, and to serve a turn.

2.This assertion of his own integrity he backs with a solemn imprecation of shame and confusion to himself if it were not true, Job 16:18. (1.) If there were any injustice in his hands, he wished it might not be concealed: O earth! cover thou not my blood, that is, "the innocent blood of others, which I am suspected to have shed." Murder will out; and "let it," says Job, "if I have ever been guilty if it," Gen 4:10, Gen 4:11. The day is coming when the earth shall disclose her blood (Isa 26:21), and a good man as far from dreading that day. (2.) If there were any impurity in his prayers, he wished they might not be accepted: Let my cry have no place. He was willing to be judged by that rule, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, Psa 66:18. There is another probable sense of these words, that he does hereby, as it were, lay his death upon his friends, who broke his heart with their harsh censures, and charges the guilt of his blood upon them, begging of God to avenge it and that the cry of his blood might have no place in which to lie hid, but might come up to heaven and be heard by him that makes inquisition for blood.

II. He could appeal to God's omniscience concerning his integrity, Job 16:19. The witness in our own bosoms for us will stand us in little stead if we have not a witness in heaven for us too; for God is greater than our hearts, and we are not to he our own judges. This therefore is Job's triumph, My witness is in heaven. Note, It is an unspeakable comfort to a good man, when he lies under the censure of his brethren, that there is a God in heaven who knows his integrity and will clear it up sooner or later. See Joh 5:31, Joh 5:37. This one witness is instead of a thousand.

III. He had a God to go to before whom he might unbosom himself, Job 16:20, Job 16:21. See here, 1. How the case stood between him and his friends. He knew not how to be free with them, nor could he expect either a fair hearing with them or fair dealing from them. "My friends (so they call themselves) scorn me; they set themselves not only to resist me, but to expose me; they are of counsel against me, and use all their art and eloquence" (so the word signifies) "to run me down." The scorns of friends are more cutting than those of enemies; but we must expect them, and provide accordingly. 2. How it stood between him and God. He doubted not but that, (1.) God did now take cognizance of his sorrows: My eye pours out tears to God. He had said (Job 16:16) that he wept much; here he tells us in what channel his tears ran, and which way they were directed. His sorrow was not that of the world, but he sorrowed after a godly sort, wept before the Lord, and offered to him the sacrifice of a broken heart. Note, Even tears, when sanctified to God, give ease to troubled spirits; and, if men slight our grief, this may comfort us, that God regards them. (2.) That he would in due time clear up his innocency (Job 16:21): O that one might plead for a man with God! If he could but now have the same freedom at God's bar that men commonly have at the bar of the civil magistrate, he doubted not but to carry his cause, for the Judge himself was a witness to his integrity. The language of this wish is like that in Isa 50:7, Isa 50:8, I know that I shall not be ashamed, for he is near that justifies me. Some give a gospel sense of this verse, and the original will very well bear it; and he will plead (that is, there is one that will plead) for man with God, even the Son of man for his friend, or neighbour. Those who pour out tears before God, though they cannot plead for themselves, by reason of their distance and defects, have a friend to plead for them, even the Son of man, and on this we must bottom all our hopes of acceptance with God.

IV. He had a prospect of death which would put a period to all his troubles. Such confidence had he towards God that he could take pleasure in thinking of the approach of death, when he should be determined to his everlasting state, as one that doubted not but it would be well with him then: When a few years have come (the years of number which are determined and appointed to me) then I shall go the way whence I shall not return. Note, 1. To die is to go the way whence we shall not return. It is to go a journey, a long journey, a journey for good and all, to remove from this to another country, from the world of sense to the world of spirits. It is a journey to our long home; there will be no coming back to out state in this world nor any change of our state in the other world. 2. We must all of us very certainly, and very shortly, go this journey; and it is comfortable to those who keep a good conscience to think of it, for it is the crown of their integrity.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–22. Public domain.
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Gregory the DialogistAD 604
31. Every thing that passes is short, even though it should seem slow in being finished, but in the way of death we ‘go, and do not return by it,’ not because we are not brought back by rising again to the life of the flesh, but because we do not come again to the labours of this mortal life, or to earn rewards by our labours.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
MORALS ON THE BOOK OF JOB 13.28-31
Yet this voice may together with blessed Job suitably apply to each one of us as well; for every person who aims at human praises in what he does, seeks a “witness” on earth. But he that is eager to please almighty God by his deeds takes into account that he has a “witness in heaven.” It often happens that inconsiderate people find fault with even the very best things in us; but one who “has a witness in heaven” has no need to fear human reproofs. Hence it is further added, “My friends are full of words; my eye pours out tears to God.” For what is denoted by the eye but the intent of the heart? As it is written, “If your eye is good, your whole body shall be full of light.” For when anything is done with a good intention, the enacting of that intention gains no favor in the sight of God. And so when friends are full of words, that is, when the very same persons deny they are joined with us in faith, “the eye” must “pour out tears to God,” so that the whole bent of our heart may run out into the piercing of interior love and lift itself up to the things of the interior. Being forced back by external reproaches, it is driven to turn back within, lest it should vanish.… As if it were expressed in plain words, “As in all that I say, I am heard, so would that I heard all that is said concerning me.” But this can never be brought about in this life, because there is a great obstruction before the eyes of our heart, blocking from our sight the subtle nature of God, even our mere frailty by itself. But we shall then see him with clarity by whom we are now searchingly beheld. When this frailty is laid aside, we will receive that grace of inward contemplation of which Paul says, “For then shall I know, as also I am known.” Hence blessed Job, seeing that that knowledge can never be in the fullest way perfected here, groans indeed over the blindness of the present life, yet consoles himself by life’s brevity, saying, “For when a few years have come, I shall go the way from which I shall not return.” Everything that passes is short, even though it should seem slow in being finished, but in the way of death we “go and do not return by it,” not because we are not brought back by rising again to the life of the flesh but because we do not come again to the labors of this mortal life or to earn rewards by our labors.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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