TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Commentary on Job 17 verses 10–16
Job's friends had pretended to comfort him with the hopes of his return to a prosperous estate again; now he here shows,
I. That it was their folly to talk so (Job 17:10): "Return, and come now, be convinced that you are in an error, and let me persuade you to be of my mind; for I cannot find one wise man among you, that knows how to explain the difficulties of God's providence or how to apply the consolations of his promises." Those do not go wisely about the work of comforting the afflicted who fetch their comforts from the possibility of their recovery and enlargement in this world; though that is not to be despaired of, it is at the best uncertain; and if it should fail, as perhaps it may, the comfort built upon it will fail too. It is therefore our wisdom to comfort ourselves, and others, in distress, with that which will not fail, the promise of God, his love and grace, and a well-grounded hope of eternal life.
II. That it would he much more his folly to heed them; for,
1.All his measures were already broken and he was full of confusion, Job 17:11, Job 17:12. He owns he had, in his prosperity, often pleased himself both with projects of what he should do and prospects of what he should enjoy; but now he looked upon his days as past, or drawing towards a period; all those purposes were broken off and those expectations dashed. He had had thoughts about enlarging his border, increasing his stock, and settling his children, and many pious thoughts, it is likely, of promoting religion in his country, redressing grievances, reforming the profane, relieving the poor, and raising funds perhaps for charitable uses; but he concluded that all these thoughts of his heart were now at an end, and that he should never have the satisfaction of seeing his designs effected. Note, The period of our days will be the period of all our contrivances and hopes for this world; but, if with full purpose of heart we cleave to the Lord, death will not break off that purpose. Job, being thus put upon new counsels, was under a constant uneasiness (Job 17:12): The thoughts of his heart being broken, they changed the night into day and shortened the light. Some, in their vanity and riot, turn night into day and day into night; but Job did so through trouble and anguish of spirit, which were a hindrance, (1.) To the repose of the night, keeping his eyes waking, so that the night was as wearisome to him as the day, and the tossings of the night tired him as much as the toils of the day. (2.) To the entertainments of the day. "The light of the morning is welcome, but, by reason of this inward darkness, the comfort of it is soon gone, and the day is to me as dismal as the black and dark night," Deu 28:67. See what reason we have to be thankful for the health and ease which enable us to welcome both the shadows of the evening and the light of the morning.
2.All his expectations from this world would very shortly be buried in the grave with him; so that it was a jest for him to think of such mighty things as they had flattered him with the hopes of, Job 5:19; Job 8:21; Job 11:17. "Alas! you do but make a fool of me."
(1.)He saw himself just dropping into the grave. A convenient house, an easy bed, and agreeable relations, are some of those things in which we take satisfaction in this world: Job expected not any of these above ground; all he felt, and all he had in view, was unpleasing and disagreeable, but under ground he expected them. [1.] He counted upon no house but the grave (Job 17:13): "If I wait, if there be any place where I shall ever be easy again, it must be in the grave. I should deceive myself if I should count upon any out-let from my trouble but what death will give me. Nothing is so sure as that." Note, In all our prosperity it is good to keep death in prospect. Whatever we expect, let us be sure to expect that; for that may prevent other things which we expect, but nothing will prevent that. But see how he endeavours not only to reconcile himself to the grave, but to recommend it to himself: "It is my house." The grave is a house; to the wicked it is a prison-house (Job 24:19, Job 24:20); to the godly it is Bethabara, a passage-house in their way home. "It is my house, mine by descent, I am born to it; it is my father's house. It is mine by purchase. I have made myself obnoxious to it." We must everyone of us shortly remove to this house, and it is our wisdom to provide accordingly; let us think of removing, and send before to our long home. [2.] He counted upon no quiet bed but in the darkness: "There," says he, "I have made my bed. It is made, for it is ready, and I am just going to it." The grave is a bed, for we shall rest in it in the evening of our day on earth, and rise from it in the morning of our everlasting day, Isa 57:2. Let this make good people willing to die; it is but going to bed; they are weary and sleepy, and it is time that they were in their beds. Why should they not go willingly, when their father calls? "Nay, I have made my bed, by preparation for it, have endeavoured to make it easy, by keeping conscience pure, by seeing Christ lying in this bed, and so turning it into a bed of spices, and by looking beyond it to the resurrection." [3.] He counted upon no agreeable relations but what he had in the grave (Job 17:14): I have cried to corruption (that is, to the grave, where the body will corrupt), Thou art my father (for our bodies were formed out of the earth), and to the worms there, You are my mother and my sister, to whom I am allied (for man is a worm) and with whom I must be conversant, for the worms shall cover us, Job 21:26. Job complained that his kindred were estranged from him (Job 19:13, Job 19:14); therefore here he claims acquaintance with other relations that would cleave to him when those disowned him. Note, First, We are all of us near akin to corruption and the worms. Secondly, It is therefore good to make ourselves familiar with them, by conversing much with them in our thoughts and meditations, which would very much help us above the inordinate love of life and fear of death.
(2.)He saw all his hopes from this world dropping into the grave with him (Job 17:15, Job 17:16): "Seeing I must shortly leave the world, where is now my hope? How can I expect to prosper who do not expect to live?" He is not hopeless, but his hope is not where they would have it be. If in this life only he had hope, he was of all men most miserable. "No, as for my hope, that hope which I comfort and support myself with, who shall see it? It is something out of sight that I hope for, not things that are seen, that are temporal, but things not seen, that are eternal." What is his hope he will tell us (Job 19:25), Non est mortale quod opto, immortale peto - I seek not for that which perishes, but for that which abides for ever. "But, as for the hopes you would buoy me up with, they shall go down with me to the bars of the pit. You are dying men, and cannot make good your promises. I am a dying man, and cannot enjoy the good you promise. Since, therefore, our rest will be together in the dust, let us all lay aside the thoughts of this world and set our hearts upon another." We must shortly be in the dust, for dust we are, dust and ashes in the pit, under the bars of the pit, held fast there, never to loose the bands of death till the general resurrection. But we shall rest there; we shall rest together there. Job and his friends could not agree now, but they will both be quiet in the grave; the dust of that will shortly stop their mouths and put an end to the controversy. Let the foresight of this cool the heat of all contenders and moderate the disputers of this world.
51. What could be the ‘expectation’ of the righteous, but God who justifieth the righteous, Who should freely go down to (what was) the punishment of mankind, and by the efficacy of His righteousness set free the captives of death? For they never ceased to expect His appearing with intent expectation; they knew that it was to come, but they sought for it to come quickly. Wherefore he does not say, ‘Where, then, is my expectation?’ but, where then is now my expectation? For in that he adds, now, he showed that what was to come one day, he desired might come without delay. It goes on,
And who considereth my patience?
52. He expressed the longing desire, wherewith whilst set in the flesh he hastes to be redeemed, and brought back from hell to the regions above. And indeed it belonged to but few men to enter into the consideration of these things, that they, should learn to think of the labours of the present life, or of the subsequent delay after death. Both of which the just grieved to be subject to before the coming of our Redeemer. And hence it is rightly said, And who considereth my patience? Verily, there is not lacking One, to ‘consider patience.’ But when God does not hear quickly, He is said, as it were, not ‘to consider.’ For the Redemption of mankind itself, which came at the beginning of the world, by those who came before from the beginning of the world was accounted slow, in that during a long period of time they were severed from the recompensing of the heavenly things, as Truth testifies, Which saith, Many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them. [Luke 10, 24] And so as to that which is now said, Who considereth my patience? the breathings of fervent desire are laid open. For neither, as we said before, does God forbear to consider the patience of the righteous; but not ‘to have regard,’ in a manner, means to appear less quickly answering to the aspirations of longing desire, and by lengthened periods of time to delay the grace of His Dispensation. Therefore let him say, Who considereth my patience? in that what is short to Him that ordereth, is long to him that loves. Hence, still reflecting on the privations of his delay, he repeats that which he had already said before; and being destined to descend below, he redoubles the voice of his grief.
Continue studying Job 17:15 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Job 17:15 encapsulates Job's profound descent into despair, articulating a complete erosion of his future prospects and the very concept of hope. Amidst relentless suffering, physical decay, and the unhelpful accusations of his friends, Job reaches a critical juncture where he perceives his hope not merely as diminished, but as utterly vanished and invisible, even to external observers. This verse serves as a raw, honest outcry from a righteous man grappling with seemingly insurmountable anguish, questioning the very existence of any positive future.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 17:15 powerfully employs several literary devices to convey Job's profound anguish. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, "And where [is] now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?" These are not questions seeking answers but rather emphatic declarations of Job's conviction that hope is entirely absent from his life. The strategic use of Repetition ("my hope" appears twice) serves to emphasize the object of his despair, underscoring the central role that hope once played in his life and the agony of its loss. This repetition also contributes to the pervasive Pathos of the verse, evoking a deep sense of pity and sorrow for Job's plight. Furthermore, there is a subtle Irony in a righteous man, who has lived blamelessly, being reduced to such a state of hopelessness, challenging the conventional wisdom of his time regarding divine justice and the prosperity of the righteous.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 17:15 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of human suffering and the resilience, or fragility, of hope. It validates the raw, honest expression of despair, even for those who are righteous before God. The verse forces us to grapple with the reality that faith does not always preclude seasons of profound hopelessness. While Job's immediate experience is one of utter desolation, the broader biblical narrative often presents hope as an anchor, not dependent on present circumstances but on God's unchanging character and promises. This tension between felt despair and theological truth is a recurring theme in Scripture, reminding us that God's work often unfolds beyond our immediate perception, even when our own hope seems to vanish.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 17:15 offers a crucial validation for the human experience of profound despair. It reminds us that even the most devout individuals can reach a point where hope seems utterly extinguished, where the future appears bleak and the present unbearable. This verse calls us to cultivate a deep empathy for those who suffer, recognizing that their "hope" might be invisible to them and to us, and that simplistic answers or theological platitudes are rarely helpful. Instead, it invites us to sit with the pain, to acknowledge the raw honesty of lament, and to trust that even in the deepest valleys, God's presence, though unseen, remains. It challenges us to understand that true faith is not the absence of doubt or despair, but the willingness to continue to cry out to God even when all visible hope is gone, trusting in a sovereignty that transcends our immediate understanding and often unfolds in ways we cannot immediately perceive.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is it permissible for a person of faith to feel utterly hopeless, as Job does here?
Answer: Yes, absolutely. Job's experience in Job 17:15 powerfully validates the reality of profound despair, even for the righteous. The Bible, particularly the Psalms of lament (e.g., Psalm 88), provides numerous examples of godly individuals expressing deep anguish, doubt, and a sense of abandonment by God. These passages teach us that faith is not the absence of struggle or negative emotions, but often the willingness to bring those raw feelings honestly before God. Job's despair is not presented as a moral failing but as a genuine human response to overwhelming, inexplicable suffering. His journey ultimately shows that even when hope is invisible to us, God's sovereign plan continues to unfold, and He remains faithful, often working in ways that transcend our immediate understanding or perception.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's agonizing question, "And where [is] now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?", finds its ultimate answer and transformation in Jesus Christ. Job's despair echoes the deepest human cry for meaning and vindication in suffering, a cry that humanity could not answer. However, the true "cord" of hope, the anchor for the soul, is revealed in the person and work of Christ. On the cross, Jesus, the perfectly righteous one, experienced the ultimate abandonment and despair, crying out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). He took upon Himself the hopelessness and sin of the world, entering into the very depths of human suffering and separation from God. Yet, through His resurrection, death was conquered, and a living hope was inaugurated. The hope that Job could not see, the future he could not perceive, is now made manifest in Christ's victory over sin and death (1 Peter 1:3-4). He is the "hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27), the one who ensures that those who are in Him will never be put to shame (Romans 5:5). Thus, Job's desperate query points us to the Lamb of God, who, through His own suffering, became the visible, enduring, and eternal hope for all who believe, fulfilling the deepest longings of the human heart for vindication and ultimate restoration.