Job 17:15

Commentary on Job 17:15 KJV

Job 17:15 captures the profound despair and utter hopelessness felt by Job during his intense suffering. Having lost his children, wealth, and health, and being misunderstood and accused by his friends, Job reaches a point where he questions the very existence of his future hope.

Context

This verse is situated within a section of Job's lament where he expresses his deep physical and emotional anguish. He has just described his body wasting away, his eyes dimming, and his friends failing to offer true comfort or understanding. He feels abandoned by God and sees the grave as his only remaining prospect. His friends, far from offering solace, have only compounded his misery with their accusations, leading Job to feel utterly isolated and without any tangible reason for optimism. His earlier expressions of faith, such as "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21), are now overshadowed by his current, overwhelming grief and sense of injustice.

Key Themes

• Profound Despair: The rhetorical question, "And where [is] now my hope?" speaks to Job's conviction that hope has vanished. It's not just diminished; it's seemingly non-existent.
• Loss of Vision for the Future: "Who shall see it?" emphasizes that his hope is not only gone for him but also invisible to anyone else, highlighting his complete lack of a positive outlook for the future.
• Isolation and Misunderstanding: The inability of others to "see" his hope underscores his deep loneliness and the chasm between his suffering and his friends' theological explanations.
• The Nature of Hope in Suffering: This verse poignantly illustrates how suffering can erode even the strongest foundations of hope, pushing an individual to the brink of spiritual and emotional collapse.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "hope" used here is תִּקְוָה (tiqvah), which carries the sense of expectation, a cord, or a line that one holds onto. Its repetition in the verse ("my hope... as for my hope") intensely emphasizes its vanishing nature for Job. He is not merely questioning the fulfillment of a hope, but the very existence of the "cord" that connects him to a future expectation. This contrasts sharply with the biblical concept of hope as an anchor for the soul, often found in the Psalms, such as "Hope thou in God" (Psalm 42:11).

Practical Application

Job 17:15 offers a raw, honest portrayal of human despair. It reminds us that even righteous individuals can experience profound periods where hope seems utterly lost.

• Validation of Despair: This verse validates the human experience of feeling completely hopeless, showing that it's a part of the spiritual journey, even for those deeply devoted to God.
• Faith Beyond Feeling: Job's journey ultimately reveals that while feelings of hope may vanish, a deeper faith in God's ultimate justice and sovereignty can remain, even if unseen in the moment. His later encounter with God in Job 42:5 demonstrates a renewed perspective.
• Compassion for Sufferers: It calls us to greater empathy for those who are suffering, recognizing that their "hope" might be invisible to them and to us, and that simplistic answers are rarely helpful.
• The Enduring Nature of True Hope: While Job could not see his hope, God's plan for him was unfolding. This provides a powerful, albeit challenging, reminder that true hope in God is not always dependent on our present circumstances or feelings, but on God's unchanging character and promises, a theme explored in Romans 5:5, which speaks of a hope that "maketh not ashamed."