Job 16:22

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

When a few {H4557} years {H8141} are come {H857}, then I shall go {H1980} the way {H734} whence I shall not return {H7725}.

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

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

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

Commentary

Job 16:22 (KJV) conveys Job's profound sense of despair and the grim reality of his perceived impending death. In this verse, Job laments the brevity of his remaining life and the irreversible nature of the journey into death.

Context

This verse is spoken by Job in the midst of his intense suffering and ongoing debate with his friends. Having lost his children, possessions, and health, and being continually accused by his companions, Job feels utterly forsaken and believes his death is imminent. He is expressing a deep weariness with life and a resignation to what he perceives as his inevitable end. His words reflect the common human understanding of mortality in the ancient world, where death was seen as a final departure from which there was no earthly return.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Brevity of Life: Job keenly feels that his remaining time on earth is short, emphasizing the fragility and fleeting nature of human existence. This sentiment resonates throughout biblical wisdom literature.
  • The Finality of Death: From Job's earthly perspective, death is an irreversible journey. His phrase "I shall not return" underscores the common human experience that once life ceases, there is no coming back to this world. This highlights the universal appointment of death for all humanity.
  • Despair and Resignation: The verse powerfully conveys Job's deep sorrow and his feeling of helplessness in the face of his suffering and approaching end. It's a cry of a soul overwhelmed by affliction, seeing no earthly way out.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "go the way" is a common biblical idiom for dying or passing away. It signifies a journey into the unknown, a transition from this life. The addition "whence I shall not return" simply reinforces the finality of this journey from a human, earthly perspective, without implying any specific theological understanding of the afterlife beyond the cessation of earthly life.

Practical Application

While Job's lament reflects a pre-resurrection understanding of death, this verse still holds significant lessons for us:

  • Acknowledge Mortality: It reminds us of the reality of our own mortality and the limited time we have on earth. This awareness can prompt us to live more intentionally and wisely.
  • Value Each Day: The brevity of life, as Job experienced it, should encourage us to cherish our time and purpose, investing in what truly matters.
  • Contrast with Christian Hope: For believers, this verse highlights the profound difference that Christ's resurrection makes. While earthly death is a reality, the New Testament reveals a hope beyond the grave, a return in the resurrection, and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, a truth not fully revealed to Job in his time.
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Cross-References

  • Job 14:10 (5 votes)

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

  • Job 14:14 (4 votes)

    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 (4 votes)

    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 (4 votes)

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

  • Job 7:10 (4 votes)

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

  • Ecclesiastes 12:5 (2 votes)

    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: