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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 30:1–14. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here Job makes a very large and sad complaint of the great disgrace he had fallen into, from the height of honour and reputation, which was exceedingly grievous and cutting to such an ingenuous spirit as Job's was. Two things he insists upon as greatly aggravating his affliction: -
I.The meanness of the persons that affronted him.
As it added much to his honour, in the day of his prosperity, that princes and nobles showed him respect and paid a deference to him, so it added no less to his disgrace in his adversity that he was spurned by the footmen, and trampled upon by those that were not only every way his inferiors, but were the meanest and most contemptible of all mankind. None can be represented as more base than those are here represented who insulted Job, upon all accounts.
1.They were young, younger than he (Job 30:1), the youth (Job 30:12), who ought to have behaved themselves respectfully towards him for his age and gravity. Even the children, in their play, played upon him, as the children of Bethel upon the prophet, Go up, thou bald-head. Children soon learn to be scornful when they see their parents so.
2.They were of a mean extraction. Their fathers were so very despicable that such a man as Job would have disdained to take them into the lowest service about his house, as that of tending the sheep and attending the shepherds with the dogs of his flock, Job 30:1. They were so shabby that they were not fit to be seen among his servants, so silly that they were not fit to be employed, and so false that they were not fit to be trusted in the meanest post. Job here speaks of what he might have done, not of what he did: he was not of such a spirit as to set any of the children of men with the dogs of his flock; he knew the dignity of human nature better than to do so.
3.They and their families were the unprofitable burdens of the earth, and good for nothing. Job himself, with all his prudence and patience, could make nothing of them, Job 30:2. The young were not fit for labour, they were so lazy, and went about their work so awkwardly: Whereto might the strength of their hands profit me? The old were not to be advised with in the smallest matters, for in them was old age indeed, but their old age was perished, they were twice children.
4.They were extremely poor, Job 30:3. They were ready to starve, for they would not dig, and to beg they were ashamed. Had they been brought to necessity by the providence of God, their neighbours would have sought them out as proper objects of charity and would have relieved them; but, being brought into straits by their own slothfulness and wastefulness, nobody was forward to relieve them. Hence they were forced to flee into the deserts both for shelter and sustenance, and were put to sorry shifts indeed, when they cut up mallows by the bushes, and were glad to eat them, for want of food that was fit for them, Job 30:4. See what hunger will bring men to: one half of the world does not know how the other half lives; yet those that have abundance ought to think sometimes of those whose fare is very coarse and who are brought to a short allowance of that too. But we must own the righteousness of God, and not think it strange, if slothfulness clothe men with rags and the idle soul be made to suffer hunger. This beggarly world is full of the devil's poor.
5.They were very scandalous wicked people, not only the burdens, but the plagues, of the places where they lived, arrant scoundrels, the scum of the country: They were driven forth from among men, Job 30:5. They were such lying, thieving, lurking, mischievous people, that the best service the magistrates could do was to rid the country of them, while the very mob cried after them as after a thief. Away with such fellows from the earth; it is not fit they should live. They were lazy and would not work, and therefore they were exclaimed against as thieves, and justly; for those that do not earn their own bread by honest labour do, in effect, steal the bread out of other people's mouths. An idle fellow is a public nuisance; but it is better to drive such into a workhouse than, as here, into a wilderness, which will punish them indeed, but never reform them. They were forced to dwell in caves of the earth, and they brayed like asses among the bushes, Job 30:6, Job 30:7. See what is the lot of those that have the cry of the country, the cry of their own conscience, against them; they cannot but be in a continual terror and confusion. They groan among the trees (so Broughton) and smart among the nettles; they are stung and scratched there, where they hoped to be sheltered and protected. See what miseries wicked people bring themselves to in this world; yet this is nothing to what is in reserve for them in the other world. 8. They had nothing at all in them to recommend them to any man's esteem. They were a vile kind; yea, a kind without fame, people that nobody could give a good word to nor had a good wish for; they were banished from the earth as being viler than the earth. One would not think it possible that ever the human nature should sink so low, and degenerate so far, as it did in these people. When we thank God that we are men we have reason to thank him that we are not such men. But such as these were abusive to Job,
(1.)In revenge, because when he was in prosperity and power, like a good magistrate, he put in execution the laws which were in force against vagabonds, and rogues, and sturdy beggars, which these base people now remembered against him.
(2.)In triumph over him, because they thought he had now become like one of them. Isa 14:10, Isa 14:11. The abjects, men of mean spirits, insult over the miserable, Psa 35:15.
II.The greatness of the affronts that were given him. It cannot be imagined how abusive they were.
1.They made ballads on him, with which they made themselves and their companions merry (Job 30:9): I am their song and their byword. Those have a very base spirit that turn the calamities of their honest neighbours into a jest, and can sport themselves with their griefs.
2.They shunned him as a loathsome spectacle, abhorred him, fled far from him, (Job 30:10), as an ugly monster or as one infected. Those that were themselves driven out from among men would have had him driven out. For,
3.They expressed the greatest scorn and indignation against him. They spat in his face, or were ready to do so; they tripped up his heels, pushed away his feet (Job 30:12), kicked him, either in wrath, because they hated him, or in sport, to make themselves merry with him, as they did with their companions at foot-ball. The best of saints have sometimes received the worst of injuries and indignities from a spiteful, scornful, wicked world, and must not think it strange; our Master himself was thus abused.
4.They were very malicious against him, and not only made a jest of him, but made a prey of him - not only affronted him, but set themselves to do him all the real mischief they could devise: They raise up against me the ways of their destruction; or (as some read it), They cast upon me the cause of their woe; that is, "They lay the blame of their being driven out upon me;" and it is common for criminals to hate the judges and laws by which they are punished. But under this pretence,
(1.)They accused him falsely, and misrepresented his former conversation, which is here called marring his path. They reflected upon him as a tyrant and an oppressor because he had done justice upon them; and perhaps Job's friends grounded their uncharitable censures of him (Job 22:6, etc.) upon the unjust and unreasonable clamours of these sorry people; and it was an instance of their great weakness and inconsideration, for who can be innocent if the accusations of such persons may be heeded?
(2.)They not only triumphed in his calamity, but set it forward, and did all they could to add to his miseries and make them more grievous to him. It is a great sin to forward the calamity of any, especially of good people. In this they have no helper, nobody to set them on or to countenance them in it, nobody to bear them out or to protect them, but they do it of their own accord; they are fools in other things, but wise enough to do mischief, and need no help in inventing that. Some read it thus, They hold my heaviness a profit, though they be never the better. Wicked people, though they get nothing by the calamities of others, yet rejoice in them.
5.Those that did him all this mischief were numerous, unanimous, and violent (Job 30:14): They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters, when the dam is broken; or, "They came as soldiers into a broad breach which they have made in the wall of a besieged city, pouring in upon me with the utmost fury;" and in this they took a pride and a pleasure: They rolled themselves in the desolation as a man rolls himself in a soft and easy bed, and they rolled themselves upon him with all the weight of their malice.
III.All this contempt put upon him was caused by the troubles he was in (Job 30:11):
"Because he has loosed my cord, has taken away the honour and power with which I was girded (Job 12:18), has scattered what I had got together and untwisted all my affairs - because he has afflicted me, therefore they have let loose the bridle before me," that is, "have given themselves a liberty to say and do what they please against me." Those that by Providence are stripped of their honour may expect to be loaded with contempt by inconsiderate ill-natured people. "Because he hath loosed his cord" (the original has that reading also), that is, "because he has taken off his bridle of restraint from off their malice, they cast away the bridle from me," that is, "they make no account of my authority, nor stand in any awe of me." It is owing to the hold God has of the consciences even of bad men, and the restraints he lays upon them, that we are not continually thus insulted and abused; and, if at any time we meet with such ill treatment, we must acknowledge the hand of God in taking off those restraints, as David did when Shimei cursed him: So let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. Now in all this,
1.We may see the uncertainty of worldly honour, and particularly of popular applause, how suddenly a man may fail from the height of dignity into the depth of disgrace. What little cause therefore have men to be ambitious or proud of that which may be so easily lost, and what little confidence is to be put in it! Those that today cry Hosannah may tomorrow cry Crucify. But there is an honour which comes from God, which if we secure, we shall find it not thus changeable and loseable.
2.We may see that it has often been the lot of very wise and good men to be trampled upon and abused. And,
3.That those who look only at the things that are seen despise those whom the world frowns upon, though they are ever so much the favourites of Heaven. Nothing is more grievous in poverty than that it renders men contemptible. Turba Remi sequitur fortunam, ut semper odit damnatos - The Roman populace, faithful to the turns of fortune, still persecute the fallen.
4.We may see in Job a type of Christ, who was thus made a reproach of men and despised of the people (Psa 22:6; Isa 53:3), and who hid not his face from shame and spitting, but bore the indignity better than Job did.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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You see what especially afflicts him is to be mocked by those who reproach him for the evil actions that they commit. Some “thieves,” he says, some wicked, some criminals, some robbers have made us the subject of their proposals and conversations.
51. Let blessed Job tell these things of evil spirits, i.e. of secret enemies. Let the Church Universal speak them of bad men persecuting, i.e. of open adversaries. For these ‘do away with her paths,’ when in the souls of certain weak ones they interrupt the ways of truth by crafty persuading. These in ‘plotting prevail, when those, whom they cannot openly force to evil, they turn aside by pretending what is good, but that is very wonderful, which he subjoins, And there was not any one to bring help, when the Psalmist exclaims touching the help of God; A helper in seasons, in tribulation. And, Let them hope in Thee, who know Thy Name, for Thou, Lord, wilt not forsake those that seek Thee. [Ps. 9, 9. 10.] And when it is written again, Did ever any trust in the Lord and was confounded? or did any abide in His commandments, and was forsaken? Or whom did He ever despise, that called upon Him? [Ecclus. 2, 10] On what principle, then, is it now said; And there was not any to bring help, excepting that those, whom Almighty God loves for all eternity, He sometimes leaves for a time? Whence it is written; For a small moment have I forsaken thee, and with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment, and with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee. [Is. 54, 7. 8.] Hence too the Psalmist besought, saying, O forsake me not utterly. [Ps. 119, 8] He then knew that he might be left for a little while with advantage, who prayed that he might not be ‘utterly forsaken.’ For the Lord by coming helps His Saints, by ‘leaving’ puts them to the proof, by gifts he establishes, by tribulations he tries. Whence too it is rightly said by one of Wisdom, For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline until she try him in his thoughts. [Ecclus. 4, 17] Since the soul of the righteous grace calls, trial puts to the question. And Almighty God allows the adversaries of His Elect to grow to a height in time, that the life of the good may be purified by the pitilessness of the bad.
52. Since the Lord would never suffer them to be hostile to the good except he also saw what great good they did. For whilst the unrighteous deal cruelly, the righteous are purified, and the life of the wicked is enlisted to the advantage of the innocent, in that this same both by bearing down it abases, and by abasing ever fashions to better. Hence too it is rightly said by Solomon; the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. [Prov. 11, 29] And yet we often see the wise subordinate, and fools occupying the stronghold of dominion, wise men paying obedience in servitude, and fools lording it with tyrannical exultation. How then by the marking out of God’s sentence is ‘the fool servant to the wise,’ when generally speaking he keeps him down by the right of temporal dominion? But it is to be borne in mind, that whilst against the life of the wise man the fool being uppermost enforces the terribleness of power, whilst he wearies him out with labours, rends him with insults, such a person surely by burning he purges from all the rust of bad habits. Thus the fool even in ruling is ‘servant to the wise,’ in that by bearing him down he advances him to a better state. In this way it is sometimes the case that over masters under age servants are set for the tutorage of discipline, they frighten, they bear hard upon them, strike them, yet do not at all cease to be servants, because they are appointed to this very end, that to their masters whilst progressing they should render service even by striking them. Therefore because the ills of the children of perdition purify whilst they torment the good, even the power of the wicked is enlisted to the welfare of the just. But very often the just when seized by tribulation account the hand of Him Who helps them slow, when the barbarity of those persecuting them wrings them somewhat too long. And the remedies of the deliverer indeed are quickened, but that which is done quickly by the deliverer, appears slow to him that is in grief. And when there is sought help to present itself to the supplicating voice, if it does not follow the voice directly, it is reckoned that it is wanting. Whence it is said now; And there was not any one to bring help. In which same utterance we have set forth the actual force of the suffering, because help from Above, though it is there as to the appointed providence of the protector, yet is thought to be wanting as to the quickened wishes of the sufferer.
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Summary
Job 30:13 powerfully articulates Job's profound despair and the active, relentless malice of his tormentors. Having plummeted from a pinnacle of societal respect and prosperity, Job now finds himself scorned and actively persecuted by those of the lowest social standing. This verse vividly portrays their deliberate actions to obstruct his life's course and hasten his suffering, highlighting Job's overwhelming sense of helplessness and the perceived impunity with which his adversaries inflict pain upon him, intensifying his isolation and agony.
Context
Literary Context
Job 30:13 is situated within Job's final and most intense lament, following the exhaustive dialogues with his three friends. Chapters 29-31 collectively represent Job's concluding defense and his direct appeal to God. Chapter 29 serves as a poignant flashback, detailing Job's former glory, immense prosperity, and the profound esteem in which he was held by his community, establishing a stark and painful contrast to his present degradation. Chapter 30 then plunges into the depths of his current humiliation, describing how he is now mocked, scorned, and physically tormented by individuals he would have previously disdained—the outcasts and dregs of society. This specific verse moves beyond mere passive scorn to describe their active, malicious intent, portraying them as directly interfering with his life and accelerating his misfortune, thereby intensifying the pervasive sense of injustice and abandonment that defines Job's soliloquy.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, social standing, honor, and reputation were not merely personal attributes but fundamental pillars of one's existence and community identity. Job's initial status, as depicted in Job 1, was that of an exemplary, wealthy, and righteous patriarch. To fall from such a position to being mocked and physically abused by "the dregs of society" (as described in Job 30:1-8) represented the ultimate dishonor and a profound violation of established social norms. The "path" (Hebrew: nâthîyb) in this context transcends a mere physical road, encompassing one's life course, destiny, moral integrity, or way of living. To "mar" or ruin it was a deep assault on one's very existence and future prospects. The concept of "no helper" for the tormentors suggests a complete absence of external restraint—whether from human authority, societal norms, or divine intervention—allowing them to act with perceived impunity, thereby amplifying Job's feeling of being utterly exposed and without defense.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several foundational themes within the book of Job. It underscores the theme of unjust suffering, as Job, a man of unquestionable righteousness, endures not only physical affliction but also active persecution from malicious individuals. It vividly highlights the depth of human cruelty, demonstrating humanity's chilling capacity to inflict pain and exploit vulnerability, even among the most afflicted. Furthermore, the phrase "they have no helper" for the tormentors introduces the profound theme of divine silence and perceived abandonment, as Job grapples with the apparent absence of God's intervention to restrain his tormentors or alleviate his plight. This active, unpunished malice compounds Job's suffering, contributing to his overarching struggle with the problem of evil and the justice of God, leading to profound despair and isolation, as vividly expressed throughout Job 30.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root meaning "to tear up." In this context, it signifies a deliberate act of destruction, to "mar" or ruin. It implies an active, violent dismantling of Job's "path" or way of life, indicating that his tormentors are not merely observing his decline but are actively tearing down his prospects and his very existence.
A primitive root meaning "to ascend," but figuratively "to be valuable" or "to profit." In the Hiphil stem, as used here, it takes on a causative sense: "to cause to profit," "to advance," "to hasten," or "to promote." Here, it vividly portrays the tormentors not just observing Job's calamity but actively contributing to its acceleration and intensification, as if they gain some perverse advantage or satisfaction from his worsening misfortune.
Derived from a root suggesting "eagerly coveting and rushing upon." It denotes "desire," but also "ruin," "calamity," "iniquity," or "mischief." In this verse, it refers to Job's profound disaster and misfortune. The tormentors are actively advancing this "ruin," indicating a malicious intent to deepen and hasten his already dire state of suffering and destruction.
Verse Breakdown
"They mar my path"
This initial clause describes a direct and destructive assault on Job's life. The "path" (Hebrew: nâthîyb) symbolizes his life's course, his future prospects, his way of living, or even his moral integrity and reputation. The tormentors are actively ruining his prospects, obstructing his way forward, and perhaps even defaming his character, making it impossible for him to regain any semblance of his former life or honor. This is not passive suffering but active, malicious sabotage.
"they set forward my calamity"
This emphasizes the active and intentional role of the tormentors in intensifying Job's suffering. They are not merely witnessing his misfortune but are actively advancing, accelerating, or promoting his disaster. This implies a deliberate and malicious intent to worsen his already dire situation, perhaps by spreading rumors, mocking him publicly, or physically harassing him, thereby ensuring his continued degradation and pain.
"they have no helper"
This final clause, referring to Job's tormentors, underscores their perceived unrestrained and lawless behavior. From Job's perspective, these individuals act with complete impunity, seemingly without any external force—whether human authority, societal norms, or divine intervention—to check their cruelty or hold them accountable. This amplifies Job's feeling of utter helplessness and isolation, as he sees no one to intercede or protect him from their relentless and unpunished attacks.
Literary Devices
Job 30:13 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the depth of Job's anguish and the nature of his suffering. The verse utilizes Vivid Imagery, painting a stark picture of Job's "path" being actively "marred" and his "calamity" being "set forward," creating a strong visual of deliberate destruction and the acceleration of suffering. A form of Parallelism is evident in the two initial clauses ("They mar my path, they set forward my calamity"), which express similar ideas of active harm and malicious intent, intensifying the impact of the tormentors' actions through repetition and reinforcement. Furthermore, there is an element of Hyperbole in Job's description, as he feels his suffering is not merely passive but actively exacerbated by those around him, reflecting the extreme nature of his emotional and physical pain. The final phrase, "they have no helper," adds a layer of Pathos and Irony, as Job, the one enduring profound suffering, highlights the lack of restraint on his tormentors, rather than focusing solely on his own lack of help. This rhetorical choice underscores the profound injustice of his situation and the perceived absence of any external force to bring his tormentors to account.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 30:13 confronts the unsettling reality of human cruelty and the profound despair it can inflict upon the innocent. It forces us to grapple with the problem of evil, not merely as abstract suffering, but as active, unprovoked malice from fellow human beings. The verse highlights the vulnerability of the afflicted and the perceived silence of God in the face of such injustice, a central tension throughout the book of Job. The "no helper" clause for the tormentors raises profound questions about divine sovereignty and human accountability, prompting reflection on why God permits such unchecked evil, even if only for a time. Ultimately, Job's lament, though filled with despair, serves as a testament to the human spirit's cry for justice and a longing for divine intervention, even when answers are elusive. It reminds us that true help often comes from unexpected places or in unexpected ways, and that God's justice, though sometimes delayed, is never ultimately denied.
Reflection and Application
Job 30:13 offers a stark mirror to the human condition, reminding us that suffering is often compounded by the active unkindness, mockery, or deliberate harm inflicted by others. It challenges us to cultivate deep empathy for those who are not merely enduring hardship but are also actively persecuted or scorned in their pain. This verse serves as a sobering reminder of humanity's capacity for cruelty, even towards the most vulnerable, urging us to examine our own hearts and ensure we never contribute to the burden of those who are already struggling. In a world where social media and public discourse can amplify mockery and accelerate distress, Job's lament resonates powerfully, calling us to be agents of compassion and justice rather than contributors to others' woes. While Job's experience is one of profound despair and questioning, his story ultimately points to the truth that our ultimate hope and help come from God, even when human helpers are absent or actively malicious. It encourages perseverance and a continued cry to God, even when answers are not immediately apparent, trusting that God sees, hears, and will ultimately bring justice and comfort to the afflicted.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "they have no helper" mean in the context of Job 30:13?
The phrase "they have no helper" refers to Job's tormentors, not to Job himself. It signifies that, in Job's perception, these malicious individuals are acting with complete impunity, seemingly without any external restraint or accountability. This lack of a "helper" for them implies that there is no one to stop their cruel actions, no one to hold them responsible, and no one to intervene on Job's behalf against their relentless attacks. It amplifies Job's sense of abandonment and the profound injustice of his situation, where his tormentors operate without consequence, intensifying his despair as described throughout Job 30.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job 30:13, with its depiction of a righteous man suffering active malice and abandonment, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Job's lament of his "path" being marred and his "calamity" being "set forward" by those who "have no helper" powerfully foreshadows the suffering of the Lamb of God who was actively opposed, mocked, and ultimately crucified. Jesus, the perfectly righteous one, endured not only immense physical pain but also the active malice of religious and political authorities who sought to destroy Him (Matthew 27:27-31). He was betrayed by a close friend (Matthew 26:47-50), denied by another (Matthew 26:69-75), and abandoned by His disciples, truly experiencing a profound "no helper" moment as He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" on the cross, taking the full weight of humanity's sin and the Father's wrath. Yet, unlike Job's tormentors who seemingly acted with impunity, Jesus' suffering was not without purpose or ultimate divine oversight; it was the redemptive path to victory over sin and death (Hebrews 2:9-10). In Christ, we find the ultimate advocate and helper (Hebrews 4:15-16) for all whose paths are marred and whose calamities are advanced, and the sure promise of ultimate justice for those who inflict harm, as every knee will one day bow before Him and every tongue confess Him as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).