Job 16:22

KJV

When a few years are come, then I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.

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}.

Complete Jewish Bible

For I have but few years left before I leave on the road of no return.

Berean Standard Bible

For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.

American Standard Version

For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

Commentary

### 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/15 "Job 15 - Eliphaz's Second Speech"). Job 16 opens with Job's bitter lament against his "miserable comforters" ([Job 16:2](/job/16-2 "Job 16:2 - Job's Rebuke of His Friends")), 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 ([Job 16:6-14](/job/16-6 "Job 16:6-14 - Job's Anguish")). Amidst this profound sense of injustice and physical decay, Job's words in [Job 16:18-22](/job/16-18 "Job 16:18-22 - Job's Plea for Vindication") shift to a desperate plea for vindication, looking beyond his immediate circumstances to an "Advocate" in heaven ([Job 16:19](/job/16-19 "Job 16:19 - Job's Advocate in Heaven")). 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 ([Psalm 88:10-12](/psalms/88-10 "Psalm 88:10-12 - No Return from Sheol")). 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 ([Psalm 39:4-5](/psalms/39-4 "Psalm 39:4-5 - The Brevity of Life")). 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 hinted at in [Job 19:25-27](/job/19-25 "Job 19:25-27 - Job's Redeemer").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Years (Hebrew, _shanim'_):** While literally meaning "years," in this context, the word carries the connotation of a short, limited span of time. Job is not necessarily calculating a precise number but emphasizing that the remaining duration of his life is minimal, perhaps even "a few" in the sense of "very few." This highlights the perceived swiftness of his approach to death.
* **Go (Hebrew, _halak'_):** This verb, meaning "to walk" or "to go," is a common biblical idiom for dying or passing away. It signifies a journey or a transition from one state of being to another, specifically from life to death. Its use here underscores the active, though perhaps unwilling, movement towards the grave.
* **Return (Hebrew, _shuv'_):** This word means "to turn back," "to come back," or "to restore." In the context of death, "I shall not return" emphatically declares the irreversible nature of this journey. From Job's earthly perspective, once he embarks on this final path, there is no coming back to the land of the living or to his former state.

#### 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 sense of **Resignation**, a quiet 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.

* [Psalm 90:10](/psalms/90-10 "Psalm 90:10 - The Brevity of Life")
* [Ecclesiastes 9:5](/ecclesiastes/9-5 "Ecclesiastes 9:5 - The Dead Know Nothing")
* [Hebrews 9:27](/hebrews/9-27 "Hebrews 9:27 - Appointed to Die Once")

### 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.

### 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](/matthew/28-6 "Matthew 28:6 - He Is Not Here, For He Has Risen!")) shattered the chains of death and demonstrated His triumph over its power ([Acts 2:24](/acts/2-24 "Acts 2:24 - God Raised Him Up")). Through His death and resurrection, Christ opened "a new and living way" ([Hebrews 10:20](/hebrews/10-20 "Hebrews 10:20 - The New and Living Way")) 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 ([1 Corinthians 15:54-57](/1_corinthians/15-54 "1 Corinthians 15:54-57 - Victory Over Death")). 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 ([John 11:25-26](/john/11-25 "John 11:25-26 - Jesus Is the Resurrection and the Life")).

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 14:10

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

Job 14:14

If a man die, shall he live [again]? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

Job 14:5

Seeing his days [are] determined, the number of his months [are] with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

Job 7:9

[As] the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no [more].

Job 7:10

He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

Ecclesiastes 12:5

Also [when] they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: