Job 19:17

Job 19:17 is part of Job's deeply moving lament in response to the accusations of his friends. Having lost his children, wealth, and health, Job feels utterly forsaken by God and man. This verse highlights the extreme depth of his isolation, portraying his wife's repulsion as a final, crushing blow, underscoring his complete abandonment.

Context

In Job 19, Job eloquently expresses his profound anguish and sense of betrayal. He feels that God has afflicted him, and his friends have turned against him. This particular verse focuses on the breakdown of his most intimate relationship—with his wife. It depicts a man so ravaged by illness that his very presence, signified by his breath, has become repulsive to his closest companion. This illustrates the comprehensive nature of his suffering, where even the comfort of family is denied.

Key Themes

• Profound Isolation and Abandonment: Job's lament reveals a man stripped of everything, including the comfort and support of his spouse. His wife's revulsion ("My breath is strange") signifies a complete breakdown of marital intimacy and support, leaving him utterly alone. This echoes the sentiment of Psalm 38:11, where friends and kinsmen stand afar off.
• Physical and Emotional Deterioration: The phrase "My breath is strange" vividly depicts Job's physical decay, likely due to his debilitating illness (perhaps a severe skin disease or leprosy, as suggested by other biblical passages). This physical repulsion is compounded by the emotional pain of being rejected by his wife, the one person who might have offered solace in his time of severe personal affliction.
• The Injustice of Suffering: Job emphasizes his past devotion ("though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body"), highlighting his role as a loving father and husband. This past faithfulness and shared tragedy of losing their children (Job 1:19) makes his current abandonment by his wife even more poignant and unjust. Her earlier counsel to "curse God, and die" (Job 2:9) further illustrates her lack of empathy in his suffering.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "breath" (נִשְׁמָתִי, nishmati) here refers to the physical breath, emphasizing its unpleasantness due to Job's illness. The word "strange" (זָרָה, zarah) implies something foreign, repulsive, or alien, suggesting that Job's very essence or physical presence has become utterly distasteful to his wife. "Intreated" comes from the root חָנַן (chanan), meaning to show favor, be gracious, or supplicate. In this context, it speaks to Job's past actions of showing grace or devotion, perhaps pleading for or caring deeply for his children, which now stands in stark contrast to his wife's current lack of grace towards him.

Practical Application

Job's experience serves as a powerful reminder of the isolating nature of profound suffering and offers several insights for contemporary life:

• Empathy in Adversity: This verse challenges us to consider how we respond to those in deep distress, especially when their condition is unpleasant or difficult. True compassion often requires us to look beyond superficial appearances or discomfort.
• The Limits of Human Support: While devastating, Job's abandonment highlights that human relationships, even the closest ones, can fail. This can drive us to seek ultimate solace and understanding in God, who remains faithful even when all others forsake us (Psalm 27:10).
• Resilience Amidst Despair: Despite this crushing blow, Job continues his lament and ultimately declares his hope in a Redeemer (Job 19:25). His story encourages perseverance and faith even when faced with extreme personal affliction and the breakdown of all earthly support.