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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 19:8–22. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Bildad had very disingenuously perverted Job's complaints by making them the description of the miserable condition of a wicked man; and yet he repeats them here, to move their pity, and to work upon their good nature, if they had any left in them.
I.He complains of the tokens of God's displeasure which he was under, and which infused the wormwood and gall into the affliction and misery.
How doleful are the accents of his complaints! "He hath kindled his wrath against me, which flames and terrifies me, which burns and pains me," Job 19:11. What is the fire of hell but the wrath of God? Seared consciences will feel it hereafter, but do not fear it now. Enlightened consciences fear it now, but shall not feel it hereafter. Job's present apprehension was that God counted him as one of his enemies; and yet, at the same time, God loved him, and gloried in him, as his faithful friend. It is a gross mistake, but a very common one, to think that whom God afflicts he treats as his enemies; whereas, on the contrary, as many as he loves he rebukes and chastens; it is the discipline of his sons. Which way soever Job looked he thought he saw the tokens of God's displeasure against him.
1.Did he look back upon his former prosperity? He saw God's hand putting an end to that (Job 19:9): "He has stripped me of my glory, my wealth, honour, power, and all the opportunity I had of doing good. My children were my glory, but I have lost them; and whatever was a crown to my head he has taken it from me, and has laid all my honour in the dust." See the vanity of worldly glory: it is what we may be soon stripped of; and, whatever strips us, we must see and own God's hand in it and comply with his design.
2.Did he look down upon his present troubles? He saw God giving them their commission, and their orders to attack him. They are his troops, that act by his direction, which encamp against me, Job 19:12. It did not so much trouble him that his miseries came upon him in troops as that they were God's troops, in whom it seemed as if God fought against him and intended his destruction. God's troops encamped around his tabernacle, as soldiers lay siege to a strong city, cutting off all provisions from being brought into it and battering it continually; thus was Job's tabernacle besieged. Time was when God's hosts encamped round him for safety: Hast thou not made a hedge about him? Now, on the contrary, they surrounded him, to his terror, and destroyed him on every side, Job 19:10.
3.Did he look forward for deliverance? He saw the hand of God cutting off all hopes of that (Job 19:8): "He hath fenced up my way, that I cannot pass. I have now no way left to help myself, either to extricate myself out of my troubles or to ease myself under them. Would I make any motion, take any steps towards deliverance? I find my way hedged up; I cannot do what I would; nay, if I would please myself with the prospect of a deliverance hereafter, I cannot do it; it is not only out of my reach, but out of my sight: God hath set darkness in my paths, and there is none to tell me how long," Psa 74:9. He concludes (Job 19:10), "I am gone, quite lost and undone for this world; my hope hath he removed like a tree cut down, or plucked up by the roots, which will never grow again." Hope in this life is a perishing thing, but the hope of good men, when it is cut off from this world, is but removed like a tree, transplanted from this nursery to the garden of the Lord. We shall have no reason to complain if God thus remove our hopes from the sand to the rock, from things temporal to things eternal.
II.He complains of the unkindness of his relations and of all his old acquaintance.
In this also he owns the hand of God (Job 19:13): He has put my brethren far from me, that is, "He has laid those afflictions upon me which frighten them from me, and make them stand aloof from my sores." As it was their sin God was not the author of it; it is Satan that alienates men's minds from their brethren in affliction. But, as it was Job's trouble, God ordered it for the completing of his trial. As we must eye the hand of God in all the injuries we receive from our enemies ("the Lord has bidden Shimei curse David"), so also in all the slights and unkindnesses we receive from our friends, which will help us to bear them the more patiently. Every creature is that to us (kind or unkind, comfortable or uncomfortable) which God makes it to be. Yet this does not excuse Job's relations and friends from the guilt of horrid ingratitude and injustice to him, which he had reason to complain of; few could have borne it so well as he did. He takes notice of the unkindness,
1.Of his kindred and acquaintance, his neighbours, and such as he had formerly been familiar with, who were bound by all the laws of friendship and civility to concern themselves for him, to visit him, to enquire after him, and to be ready to do him all the good offices that lay in their power; yet these were estranged from him, Job 19:13. They took no more care about him than if he had been a stranger whom they never knew. His kinsfolk, who claimed relation to him when he was in prosperity, now failed him; they came short of their former professions of friendship to him and his present expectations of kindness from them. Even his familiar friends, whom he was mindful of, had now forgotten him, had forgotten both his former friendliness to them and his present miseries: they had heard of his troubles, and designed him a visit; but truly they forgot it, so little affected were they with it. Nay, his inward friends, the men of his secret, whom he was most intimate with and laid in his bosom, not only forgot him, but abhorred him, kept as far off from him as they could, because he was poor and could not entertain them as he used to do, and because he was sore and a loathsome spectacle. Those whom he loved, and who therefore were worse than publicans if they did not love him now that he was in distress, not only turned from him, but were turned against him, and did all they could to make him odious, so to justify themselves in being so strange to him, Job 19:19. So uncertain is the friendship of men; but, if God be our friend, he will not fail us in a time of need. But let none that pretend either to humanity or Christianity ever use their friends as Job's friends used him: adversity is the proof of friendship.
2.Of his domestics and family relations. Sometimes indeed we find that, beyond our expectation, there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother; but the master of a family ordinarily expects to be attended on and taken care of by those of his family, even when, through weakness of body or mind, he has become despicable to others. But poor Job was misused by his own family, and some of his worst foes were those of his own house. He mentions not his children; they were all dead, and we may suppose that the unkindness of his surviving relations made him lament the death of his children so much the more: "If they had been alive," would he think, "I should have had comfort in them." As for those that were now about him,
(1.)His own servants slighted him. His maids did not attend him in his illness, but counted him for a stranger and an alien, Job 19:15. His other servants never heeded him; if he called to them they would not come at his call, but pretended that they did not hear him. If he asked them a question, they would not vouchsafe to give him an answer, Job 19:16. Job had been a good master to them, and did not despise their cause when they pleaded with him (Job 31:13), and yet they were rude to him now, and despised his cause when he pleaded with them. We must not think it strange if we receive evil at the hand of those from whom we have deserved well. Though he was now sickly, yet he was not cross with his servants, and imperious, as is too common, but he entreated his servants with his mouth, when he had authority to command; and yet they would not be civil to him, neither kind nor just. Note, Those that are sick and in sorrow are apt to take things ill, and be jealous of a slight, and to lay to heart the least unkindness done to them: when Job was in affliction even his servants' neglect of him troubled him.
(2.)But, one would think, when all forsook him, the wife of his bosom should have been tender of him: no, because he would not curse God and die, as she persuaded him, his breath was strange to her too; she did not care for coming near him, nor took any notice of what he said, Job 19:17. Though he spoke to her, not with the authority, but with the tenderness of a husband, did not command, but entreated her by that conjugal love which their children were the pledges of, yet she regarded him not. Some read it, "Though I lamented, or bemoaned myself, for the children," that is, "for the death of the children of my own body," an affliction in which she was equally concerned with him. Now, it appeared, the devil spared her to him, not only to be his tempter, but to be his tormentor. By what she said to him at first, Curse God and die, it appeared that she had little religion in her; and what can one expect that is kind and good from those that have not the fear of God before their eyes and are not governed by conscience?
(3.)Even the little children who were born in his house, the children of his own servants, who were his servants by birth, despised him, and spoke against him (Job 19:18); though he arose in civility to speak friendly to them, or with authority to check them, they let him know that they neither feared him nor loved him.
III.He complains of the decay of his body; all the beauty and strength of that were gone.
When those about him slighted him, if he had been in health, and at ease, he might have enjoyed himself. But he could take as little pleasure in himself as others took in him (Job 19:20): My bone cleaves now to my skin, as formerly it did to my flesh; it was this that filled him with wrinkles (Job 16:8); he was a perfect skeleton, nothing but skin and bones. Nay, his skin too was almost gone, little remained unbroken but the skin of his teeth, his gums and perhaps his lips; all the rest was fetched off by his sore boils. See what little reason we have to indulge the body, which, after all our care, may be thus consumed by the diseases which it has in itself the seeds of.
IV.Upon all these accounts he recommends himself to the compassion of his friends, and justly blames their harshness with him. From this representation of his deplorable case, it was easy to infer,
1.That they ought to pity him, Job 19:21. This he begs in the most moving melting language that could be, enough (one would think) to break a heart of stone: "Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O you my friends! if you will do nothing else for me, be sorry for me, and show some concern for me; have pity upon me, for the hand of God hath touched me. My case is sad indeed, for I have fallen into the hands of the living God, my spirit is touched with the sense of his wrath, a calamity of all other the most piteous." Note, It becomes friends to pity one another when they are in trouble, and not to shut up the bowels of compassion.
2.That, however, they ought not to persecute him; if they would not ease his affliction by their pity, yet they must not be so barbarous as to add to it by their censures and reproaches (Job 19:22): "Why do you persecute me as God? Surely his rebukes are enough for one man to bear; you need not add your wormwood and gall to the cup of affliction he puts into my hand, it is bitter enough without that: God has a sovereign power over me, and may do what he pleases with me; but do you think that you may do so too?" No, we must aim to be like the Most Holy and the Most Merciful, but not like the Most High and Most Mighty. God gives not account of any of his matters, but we must give account of ours. If they did delight in his calamity, let them be satisfied with his flesh, which was wasted and gone, but let them not, as if that were too little, wound his spirit, and ruin his good name. Great tenderness is due to those that are in affliction, especially to those that are troubled in mind.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“His robbers came together, and through me they made their own way.” Either Job employs use of the simile that he had chosen in order to say that he is exposed to the attack of the enemies and that they go back and forth without any obstacle on their open way, or he refers to the messenger who announced to him those misfortunes that had befallen him. Indeed, the text says, “While he was still speaking, another messenger came.” “His robbers came together.” He has developed the metaphor that he had suggested with the name enemy. In fact, since Job said that God came as a king to fight him as an enemy, he now adds, “His robbers came together.” It is as if he said, his soldiers, because Scripture usually calls the spies of the enemies “robbers.”
46. For ‘his robbers’ are evil spirits, who busy themselves in hunting out the deaths of men; and these ‘make themselves a way’ in the hearts of the afflicted, when, amidst the adversities that are undergone outwardly, they do not cease to infuse bad thoughts likewise; of whom it is yet further added;
And encamp round about my tabernacle.
For they ‘encamp round about our tabernacle,’ when they encircle the mind on every side with their temptings; which by most wicked prompting they persuade one while to mourn for things temporal, at another time to despair of things eternal, now to go headlong into impatience, and to cast words of blasphemy against God. Yet these words, as we have already said before, agree with blessed Job even taken historically; who, whilst he heaped before his eyes the ills he was enduring, judged himself to be not like a son that must be corrected, but as an enemy stricken with affliction. Through whom even ‘His robbers made themselves a way,’ in that the evil spirits obtained against him the leave to smite. ‘Round about whose tabernacle they encamped,’ in that after his substance and his children were taken away, they bruised his whole body too with wounds. But it is very extraordinary, why, when he spoke of the ‘robbers,’ he added His, clearly with a view to show that these same robbers belonged to God; on which point, if we make a distinction between the power and the will of evil spirits, it is made evident, why they are called ‘God’s robbers;’ for evil spirits incessantly pant to do us mischief; but while they have a bad will derived from themselves, they have not the power of doing mischief, except the Supreme Will vouchsafes them permission; and while of themselves indeed they long to hurt us unjustly, yet by Almighty God they are not suffered to hurt anyone saving justly; and so whereas the will is unjust in them and the power just, they are at once called ‘robbers,’ and ‘God’s robbers,’ that it should come from themselves, that they aim to bring down evil things unjustly, and from God that the things so desired they do not consummate saving justly; but because, as we have often said already, the holy man set in the midst of the pain of punishment, one while speaks in his own accents, at another time in the accents of the Church, at another time of our Redeemer, and very frequently so describes his own circumstances, that in a figure he delivers those that belong to the Holy Church and to our Redeemer, concern for historical fact being for a little space put aside, let us show in these things, which he subjoins, how he accords with the accents of our Redeemer.
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Summary
Job 19:12 profoundly articulates Job's perception of divine assault, where he sees God's own forces actively besieging him. Amidst his unparalleled suffering—bereavement, destitution, and debilitating illness—Job interprets his calamities not as random misfortune but as a deliberate, organized military campaign orchestrated by God against his very being and dwelling. This verse vividly portrays his conviction that God has become his adversary, leaving him utterly surrounded and without refuge, thereby highlighting the central theological dilemma of the book: the nature of divine justice and sovereignty in the face of innocent suffering.
Context
Literary Context
Job 19 is a pivotal speech within Job's extended dialogue with his friends, specifically serving as his response to Bildad's third and final address in Job 18. Having endured their persistent accusations that his suffering is a direct consequence of sin, Job expresses profound despair, yet also a glimmer of hope in a future vindication by his Redeemer. Prior to verse 12, Job laments how God has systematically stripped him of his honor, family, and social standing, making him an object of scorn even to his closest acquaintances, as he declares, "He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head" (Job 19:9). He feels utterly isolated, alienated from his own household and servants (Job 19:13-16). Verse 12 specifically describes the means of this perceived divine assault, employing vivid military imagery to convey the overwhelming nature of his affliction, thereby setting the stage for his desperate plea for pity (Job 19:21) and his monumental declaration of faith in a future vindication by his Redeemer (Job 19:25-27).
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Job is set in the land of Uz, a region generally thought to be east of ancient Israel, suggesting a patriarchal, pre-Mosaic era. The cultural milieu reflects a deeply ingrained belief in retributive justice, a theological framework asserting that suffering is a direct consequence of sin, and prosperity a clear sign of righteousness. This prevailing worldview is precisely what Job's friends uphold and what Job's inexplicable experience profoundly challenges. Military imagery, such as "troops" and "encamp," was ubiquitous in the ancient Near East, where siege warfare was a frequent, brutal, and terrifying reality. To be "encamped round about" implied complete encirclement, cutting off all supplies and avenues of escape, inevitably leading to defeat or surrender. This imagery would have resonated deeply with an audience familiar with such dire realities, amplifying Job's sense of being utterly trapped and overwhelmed by a hostile force, a common experience in the ancient world where cities were often besieged, as vividly described in accounts like 2 Kings 25.
Key Themes
Job 19:12 contributes significantly to several overarching themes woven throughout the book of Job. Firstly, it powerfully underscores the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Perceived Hostility, as Job grapples with the agonizing paradox of a just God seemingly acting as his enemy. This perception is central to Job's profound theological struggle, challenging the simplistic cause-and-effect theology espoused by his friends and forcing a deeper inquiry into the nature of God's justice and wisdom, which is ultimately revealed in God's speeches from the whirlwind. Secondly, the verse vividly highlights the theme of Profound Suffering and Isolation, depicting Job's experience as an inescapable siege, which intensifies his sense of abandonment by both God and humanity. This motif of deep isolation and despair is echoed throughout his laments, such as his sorrow over his friends' lack of empathy in Job 16. Finally, the potent military metaphor in this verse subtly contributes to the theme of Cosmic Conflict, hinting at a larger spiritual battle at play, even though Job himself remains unaware of the heavenly dialogue between God and Satan detailed in Job 1.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This noun refers to a crowd, especially of soldiers, an army, or a band of men. In this context, it emphasizes not merely random misfortune but a deliberate, coordinated, and overwhelming assault. The use of "troops" suggests a force acting with intent and strategy, reinforcing Job's perception that his suffering is a targeted, organized attack.
This word primarily means a road or path, but figuratively, it can refer to a course of life or mode of action. In the phrase "raise up their way," it signifies the deliberate construction of a path or ramp for attack, akin to siege engineering. This denotes a methodical and determined advance, indicating the enemy is preparing for a decisive strike, leaving no avenue for escape.
This term literally means a tent or dwelling place. While it can refer to the portable sanctuary of Israel, in Job's context, it metaphorically represents his body, his home, his very life, or his entire existence. The idea of "my tabernacle" being surrounded implies that every aspect of his being, his personal space, and his sense of security is under comprehensive and inescapable siege.
Verse Breakdown
"His troops come together"
Job attributes the organized forces attacking him directly to God ("His troops"). This reveals Job's profound conviction that God is not merely permitting his suffering but is actively orchestrating it. The phrase "come together" (H935 bôwʼ with H3162 yachad) implies a unified, concerted effort, not disparate misfortunes, but a combined and strategic assault.
"and raise up their way against me"
This clause describes the aggressive posture and direct opposition of these perceived divine forces. "Raise up their way" (H5549 çâlal with H1870 derek) suggests the construction of a siege ramp or a deliberate path of attack, indicating a methodical and determined advance. It paints a vivid picture of an enemy preparing for a decisive strike, leaving Job no avenue for escape or defense.
"and encamp round about my tabernacle"
This final phrase solidifies the imagery of a complete and inescapable siege. To "encamp round about" (H2583 chânâh with H5439 çâbîyb) means to surround completely, cutting off all retreat and supplies. "My tabernacle," as previously discussed, represents Job's entire being, his home, and his very existence. The implication is total vulnerability and no possibility of defense or escape from the perceived divine assault.
Literary Devices
Job 19:12 is exceptionally rich in Military Metaphor and Personification. The entire verse functions as an extended military metaphor, where Job's profound suffering is vividly depicted as a relentless siege. God's afflictions are personified as "troops" (gᵉdûwd), organized military units, rather than abstract forces or random events. This Personification lends a vivid, tangible quality to Job's invisible torment, transforming abstract pain into a concrete, physical assault. The actions "come together," "raise up their way," and "encamp round about" further develop this metaphor, painting a picture of strategic, relentless, and overwhelming aggression. This powerful imagery effectively conveys Job's psychological state of feeling utterly besieged, trapped, and under direct, intentional attack from the very source he believed should protect him. The use of "my tabernacle" as a Synecdoche for his entire being, his home, or his very existence further intensifies the personal and comprehensive nature of this perceived attack.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 19:12 is a profound expression of the human experience of feeling abandoned by God in the crucible of suffering, a theological tension central to the entire book of Job. It starkly challenges simplistic notions of divine justice and compels a deeper contemplation of God's ways, which often transcend finite human understanding. While Job, in his agony, misinterprets the source of his affliction (attributing it directly to God's hostile will rather than God's permissive will in the face of Satan's challenge), his honest lament validates the raw emotions of pain, confusion, and even anger that can arise when faith is tested to its limits. The verse thus contributes to the broader biblical theme of innocent suffering and the mystery of God's providence, ultimately pointing towards a deeper trust in God's character even when His actions appear inscrutable. It foreshadows the ultimate revelation that God is not Job's enemy, but his vindicator, demonstrating His sovereign control over all forces, including those of evil.
Reflection and Application
Job 19:12 offers a powerful lens through which to understand and respond to profound suffering. It validates the raw, honest expressions of pain and confusion that can arise when life feels like an inescapable siege. In moments of deep trial—whether illness, loss, injustice, or spiritual attack—it is natural to feel overwhelmed, isolated, and even to question God's presence or intentions. This verse reminds us that the biblical narrative does not shy away from such agonizing laments; rather, it provides a sacred space for them. For those who feel their "tabernacle" is surrounded by overwhelming forces, Job's cry resonates deeply. It encourages us to bring our unfiltered anguish to God, trusting that He can handle our doubts and despair. While Job's interpretation of God's direct hostility was flawed, his journey ultimately teaches us about enduring faith and the eventual vindication of those who persevere in trust, even when the path is dark. It also calls us to cultivate profound empathy for those in distress, resisting the urge to offer simplistic explanations or theological platitudes, and instead, to sit with them in their pain, just as Job's friends initially did before their misguided counsel began.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did Job truly believe God was his enemy?
From Job's perspective in the midst of his profound suffering, yes, he genuinely perceived God as his adversary. He explicitly states in Job 19:11 that God's wrath was kindled against him, and in Job 16:12-14 he describes God tearing him apart. This perception was a direct result of his intense pain and the prevailing theology of his friends, which rigidly linked suffering directly to sin. Job knew he was innocent of the great sins his friends accused him of, yet he was suffering immensely. The only logical conclusion for him, within his limited understanding, was that God Himself was attacking him. The book, however, reveals to the reader (though not to Job until much later) that God was not Job's enemy, but was allowing a test of Job's faith at the instigation of Satan, as seen in the opening chapters of Job 1. Job's honest, albeit mistaken, perception highlights the profound struggle of faith in the face of inexplicable suffering.
What does "my tabernacle" refer to in this verse?
In Job 19:12, "my tabernacle" (Hebrew, ʼôhel, H168) is best understood metaphorically. While ʼôhel literally means a dwelling place or tent, in this context, it likely refers to Job's entire being, his physical body, his home, his personal space, or his very existence. It encompasses everything that makes up Job's life and sense of security. The imagery of "troops" encamping "round about my tabernacle" therefore conveys a sense of complete and inescapable siege, where every aspect of Job's life is under comprehensive attack, leaving him no refuge or protection. This interpretation aligns with Job's broader lament throughout the chapter, where he describes the all-encompassing nature of his suffering, affecting his honor, family, health, and social standing, as detailed in Job 19:9-10.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job 19:12, with its raw and agonizing depiction of feeling utterly besieged and abandoned by God, finds a profound and unexpected fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Job mistakenly believed God was his adversary, Jesus, the innocent Son of God, truly experienced divine abandonment and the full, crushing weight of God's wrath against sin on the cross. On Calvary, the "troops" of divine justice, not against Jesus personally but against the sin of humanity He bore, truly "encamped round about" Him. His agonizing cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" echoes Job's lament, yet with a crucial difference: Jesus' suffering was not for His own sin, but for ours, making Him the ultimate innocent sufferer. Through His willingness to be utterly surrounded by the forces of sin and death, and to experience profound separation from the Father, Jesus became our ultimate "tabernacle"—the dwelling place of God with humanity, as the Word became flesh and "dwelt among us" (John 1:14). His decisive victory over these forces, culminating in His glorious resurrection, transforms Job's despairing cry into a beacon of eternal hope. For those who are in Christ, the siege of sin and death has been decisively broken, and we are no longer abandoned, but eternally secure in the one who was abandoned for us (Romans 8:31-39). He is the ultimate Redeemer, the one Job longed for, who stands upon the earth to vindicate His own, offering true refuge and salvation where Job found none (1 Peter 2:24).