Job 30:15

¶ Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.

Terrors {H1091} are turned {H2015} upon me: they pursue {H7291} my soul {H5082} as the wind {H7307}: and my welfare {H3444} passeth away {H5674} as a cloud {H5645}.

Terrors tumble over me, chasing my honor away like the wind; my [hope of] salvation passes like a cloud.

Terrors are turned loose against me; they drive away my dignity as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed like a cloud.

Terrors are turned upon me; They chase mine honor as the wind; And my welfare is passed away as a cloud.

Job 30:15 vividly portrays the depth of Job's despair and the relentless nature of his suffering. In this lament, Job describes how overwhelming terrors have enveloped him, pursuing his very soul, and how his former well-being has vanished completely and quickly, like a cloud disappearing from the sky.

Context

This verse is part of Job's third and most extensive monologue (chapters 29-31), where he contrasts his past life of honor, prosperity, and respect with his present state of utter degradation, pain, and contempt. In chapter 30, Job details the mockery and abuse he now endures, even from those younger and less esteemed than himself. He feels not only physically afflicted but also deeply humiliated and abandoned by God and man. This particular verse expresses the psychological and spiritual toll of his afflictions, highlighting his sense of being relentlessly pursued by fear and the complete loss of his former stability and peace, as initially described in Job 1:1-3.

Key Themes

  • Profound Despair and Anguish: Job's declaration that "terrors are turned upon me" signifies an overwhelming sense of dread and fear. These are not just external circumstances but internal, soul-consuming anxieties that relentlessly "pursue my soul." This highlights the spiritual and emotional dimension of his suffering, which is often as debilitating as physical pain.
  • The Fleeting Nature of Earthly Well-being: The powerful imagery of "my welfare passeth away as a cloud" underscores the transience and instability of all earthly blessings and security. Job, who once enjoyed immense prosperity and health, now sees it all vanished, emphasizing that worldly comfort can dissipate as quickly and completely as a cloud. This theme resonates with other biblical teachings on the impermanence of life and possessions, such as the fragility of life described in James 4:14.
  • Relentless and Pervasive Attack: The comparison of terrors pursuing his soul "as the wind" suggests an invisible, inescapable, and forceful assault. Like the wind, these terrors are everywhere, constantly pressing in on him, leaving him no respite or refuge.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "terrors" is ballahoth, which conveys the idea of sudden destructions, frights, or overwhelming calamities. This emphasizes the shocking and disruptive nature of Job's trials. The term "welfare" in the KJV for teshu'ah (תְּשׁוּעָה) in this context refers to Job's state of well-being, security, and even salvation or deliverance. Its passing like a cloud indicates a complete and swift disappearance, leaving him utterly exposed and without hope of rescue from his predicament.

Practical Application

Job 30:15 offers profound insight into the experience of deep emotional and spiritual distress. For those undergoing immense hardship, loss, or chronic suffering, Job's lament validates the feelings of being overwhelmed, pursued by anxiety, and witnessing one's sense of security vanish. This verse reminds us that it is natural and even biblical to express raw, intense feelings of despair to God. While Job's suffering was unique, his ultimate journey, culminating in God's restoration and blessing, offers a timeless message of hope that even in the darkest moments, God remains sovereign and can bring about renewal.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hosea 13:3

    Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff [that] is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

  • Job 6:4

    For the arrows of the Almighty [are] within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

  • Isaiah 44:22

    I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

  • Job 7:14

    Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

  • Psalms 88:15

    I [am] afflicted and ready to die from [my] youth up: [while] I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

  • Job 31:23

    For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

  • Job 3:25

    For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

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