Job 30:2

KJV

Yea, whereto [might] the strength of their hands [profit] me, in whom old age was perished?

KJV (with Strong's)

Yea, whereto {H4100} might the strength {H3581} of their hands {H3027} profit me, in whom old age {H3624} was perished {H6}?

Complete Jewish Bible

What use to me was the strength in their hands? All their vigor had left them.

Berean Standard Bible

What use to me was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them?

American Standard Version

Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? Men in whom ripe age is perished.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 30:2 encapsulates the profound depths of Job's humiliation and despair as he laments the drastic reversal of his fortunes. He expresses bitter contempt for the low-status individuals who now mock him, rhetorically questioning the value or benefit of their physical "strength" or productive potential. He highlights their own decrepitude and perceived uselessness, asserting that their "old age" has "perished," making their audacity to scorn a once-revered man like himself an intolerable and deeply painful indignity. This verse powerfully underscores Job's precipitous fall from a position of immense honor and influence to being despised even by those he considers utterly worthless.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within Job's final and most extended monologue (chapters 29-31), a poignant and powerful lament that starkly contrasts his glorious past with his present abject misery. Chapter 29 meticulously details Job's former prosperity, the immense societal respect he commanded, and his unwavering moral uprightness. He was revered by all, from the young to the aged, sought out for his wisdom and justice, acting as a compassionate father to the needy and a staunch defender of the oppressed. However, the transition to [Job 30](/job/30 "Job 30 - Job's Present Misery") marks a dramatic and devastating shift. Here, Job describes how he is now scorned, ridiculed, and tormented by those he considers the absolute lowest strata of society—outcasts, vagrants, and the destitute. Verse 2 specifically targets their perceived physical weakness or lack of productive capacity, making their audacity to mock him an unbearable indignity. This immediate context amplifies the depth of Job's suffering, as his tormentors are not his peers or superiors, but those he would have previously helped or ignored, intensifying his sense of degradation.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Near Eastern societies, honor and shame were foundational to social standing and personal identity. A person's status was inextricably linked to their wealth, wisdom, lineage, and social influence. Old age, in particular, was revered and associated with wisdom, respect, and authority, as evidenced in texts like [Proverbs 16:31](/proverbs/16-31 "Proverbs 16:31 - Gray Hair is a Crown of Glory") and [Leviticus 19:32](/leviticus/19-32 "Leviticus 19:32 - Respect for the Aged"). To be mocked by the young, the poor, or the marginalized was a profound insult and a public declaration of one's utter loss of status. The individuals Job describes in [Job 30:1-8](/job/30-1-8 "Job 30:1-8 - Job's Contempt for His Tormentors") are likely the truly desperate—those without land, lineage, or livelihood, often living on the fringes of society as scavengers or those afflicted with physical deformities or illnesses that rendered them unproductive. Job's disdain reflects the rigid societal hierarchy where such individuals occupied the very bottom, making their scorn of a once-great man like Job an unprecedented and deeply humiliating reversal of roles.
* **Key Themes:** [Job 30:2](/job/30-2 "Job 30:2 - Job's Scorn for His Tormentors") contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book of Job. It powerfully illustrates the theme of **Profound Humiliation**, as Job's suffering is intensified not only by physical pain but by the social degradation of being scorned by those he deems utterly worthless and unproductive. This highlights the **Loss of Esteem and Status**, a central motif in Job's lament, contrasting sharply with his former glory described in [Job 29](/job/29 "Job 29 - Job's Former Prosperity and Honor"). Furthermore, the verse touches upon **The Nature of Human Weakness and Vulnerability**, albeit from Job's bitter perspective. His harsh assessment of his tormentors' decrepitude and lack of "strength of their hands" ironically underscores the fragility of all human standing and the potential for anyone, even the most revered, to be stripped bare of all dignity, as Job himself has been. This also subtly introduces the theme of **Misplaced Judgment**, as Job, in his agony, judges others based on their perceived social and physical utility, demonstrating how suffering can distort one's perspective on the inherent value of others.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Strength (Hebrew, _kôach'_):** This term (H3581) refers to vigor, force, or capacity. In this context, Job uses it to dismiss the very physical ability or productive potential that these individuals might possess. It's a rhetorical question implying they have no useful strength whatsoever, making their mockery of him even more galling. It speaks to their perceived inability to contribute anything of value.
* **Old age (Hebrew, _kelach'_):** This word (H3624) signifies maturity or full (old) age. However, in this phrase, it's not merely about chronological age but about the vigor, wisdom, and respect typically associated with a dignified old age. Job implies that even this natural progression to respected maturity has "perished" or been utterly wasted in their lives, underscoring their destitution and lack of any valuable contribution or societal standing.
* **Perished (Hebrew, _ʼâbad'_):** This crucial verb (H6) means "to wander away, i.e., lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)." When applied to "old age," it does not simply mean they died in old age, but rather that their strength, vigor, or productive capacity—the very essence of what a respected old age should embody—had been utterly "wasted," ruined, or was non-existent. It suggests a state of premature decrepitude, physical uselessness, or that their lives had been so hard and unproductive that they never achieved the respect or wisdom typically associated with a dignified old age. It speaks to their utter destitution and lack of any valuable contribution.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Yea, whereto [might] the strength of their hands [profit] me":** Job opens with a rhetorical question, expressing profound contempt and dismissiveness. He is asking, "What possible benefit or advantage could their physical strength or productive capacity ever offer me?" The implied answer is "none whatsoever." This highlights Job's perception of his tormentors as utterly useless, incapable of providing any aid, relief, or even meaningful opposition. Their perceived physical weakness and lack of utility make their current position of mocking him an unbearable insult, amplifying his sense of degradation.
* **"in whom old age was perished?":** This clause provides the bitter rationale for their perceived uselessness and worthlessness. It describes the wretched condition of these individuals: their "old age"—representing not just chronological years but the vigor, wisdom, and respect typically associated with it—has "perished" or been wasted. This suggests they are either prematurely decrepit, or their lives have been so impoverished and hard that they never developed any productive capacity or gained the dignity and wisdom of age. They are seen by Job as utterly spent, devoid of any valuable contribution, making their scorn of him profoundly humiliating. The question implicitly states that these individuals are so utterly devoid of value, even in their "old age," that their very existence is a testament to wasted potential, further deepening Job's indignation at being mocked by such people.

#### Literary Devices
Job 30:2 is rich with literary techniques that amplify Job's despair and indignation. The primary device is a **Rhetorical Question**, "Yea, whereto [might] the strength of their hands [profit] me, in whom old age was perished?" Job uses this not to seek information but to express his profound contempt and the absolute worthlessness of his tormentors. This question underscores the deep **Irony** of his situation: those who are themselves utterly useless and decrepit, lacking any societal standing or productive capacity, are now the ones strong enough to mock him. There is an element of **Hyperbole** in Job's description of their "perished" old age, exaggerating their destitution to emphasize the unparalleled indignity of being scorned by such individuals. The verse also functions as part of a larger **Contrast** that dominates [Job 30](/job/30 "Job 30 - Job's Present Misery"), setting Job's former honor and influence (detailed in [Job 29](/job/29 "Job 29 - Job's Former Prosperity")) against his present degradation, intensified by the low status of his mockers. This contrast highlights the radical reversal of his fortunes and the depth of his suffering.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 30:2 powerfully illustrates the theological theme of radical reversals of fortune and the profound indignity that can accompany suffering. It challenges simplistic notions of divine justice that often link prosperity directly to righteousness and suffering to sin. Job, a man of unquestionable righteousness, finds himself not only afflicted physically but also socially disgraced, mocked by those at the very bottom of society. This raises profound questions about the nature of human dignity, the source of true worth, and God's mysterious ways in allowing such reversals for His righteous servants. The verse also subtly questions human judgment, as Job himself, in his pain, judges others based on their perceived social and physical utility, demonstrating how suffering can distort one's perspective on the inherent value of others and the potential for even the afflicted to perpetuate cycles of scorn.

* [Psalm 22:6](/psalm/22-6 "Psalm 22:6 - I am a worm and no man")
* [Lamentations 3:45](/lamentations/3-45 "Lamentations 3:45 - You have made us scum and refuse")
* [Isaiah 53:3](/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3 - Despised and rejected by men")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job's bitter words in Job 30:2 offer a stark, albeit painful, insight into the depths of human suffering and the indignities that can accompany it. His experience reminds us that extreme hardship can strip away not only physical comfort but also social standing and personal dignity, leaving one feeling utterly exposed and worthless. For contemporary reflection, this verse prompts us to confront our own biases and the ways we might inadvertently contribute to the humiliation of others. It challenges us to cultivate a profound empathy for those who suffer, recognizing that their pain is often multifaceted, extending beyond physical ailments to deep social and emotional distress, particularly when they are marginalized or scorned by society. Moreover, while Job's words reflect his immense pain and understandable indignation, they also serve as a subtle caution against judging or dismissing others based on their perceived social status, physical strength, or "worth" in a utilitarian sense. Every person, regardless of their societal standing, physical condition, or perceived productivity, holds intrinsic value and dignity in the eyes of God, a truth that Job, in his agony, momentarily loses sight of. Our call is to see others through the lens of God's love, extending compassion where Job, in his brokenness, could only express contempt.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's reaction to his tormentors challenge or affirm your own understanding of human dignity and worth, especially for those on the fringes of society?**
* **In what ways might we, perhaps unknowingly, contribute to the humiliation or marginalization of others based on their perceived social or physical status?**
* **How can we cultivate greater empathy for those whose suffering includes social degradation, beyond just physical or emotional pain?**
* **What does this verse reveal about the destructive power of bitterness and resentment, even in the face of immense injustice, and how might we guard against it?**

### FAQ
**What does "old age was perished" truly mean in this context?**

Answer: The phrase "old age was perished" (KJV) is a somewhat archaic translation of the Hebrew _'avad_ (אָבַד), which means "to be lost, ruined, destroyed, or wasted." In this context, it doesn't mean that the individuals simply died in old age. Rather, it signifies that their strength, vigor, or productive capacity—often associated with the wisdom and respect of age—had been utterly wasted or was non-existent. It implies a state of premature decrepitude, physical uselessness, or that their lives had been so hard and unproductive that they never achieved the dignity, wisdom, or contribution typically associated with a respected old age. Job sees them as utterly spent and without any valuable contribution, making their mockery of him all the more humiliating. It speaks to a life that has been so utterly consumed by hardship and futility that even the natural progression to respected maturity has been "lost" or "destroyed."

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 30:2, with its raw portrayal of a righteous man scorned by the lowest of society, finds profound resonance and ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Job bitterly lamented being mocked by those whose "strength of their hands" had "perished," Jesus, the perfect and righteous Son of God, willingly embraced humiliation and scorn, not from the decrepit, but from the powerful and the common alike. He was "despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering," as prophesied in [Isaiah 53:3](/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3 - Despised and Rejected by Men"). On the cross, Jesus' physical strength indeed "perished," as he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")). Yet, it was precisely in this ultimate weakness and public humiliation that the true strength of God was revealed, crushing the power of sin and death. Unlike Job, who recoiled from his tormentors and judged them for their perceived worthlessness, Jesus welcomed the outcasts, dined with sinners, and embraced those whom society deemed worthless, demonstrating that true value is not found in social standing or physical prowess, but in God's unconditional love and redemptive purpose, ultimately fulfilled in His self-sacrificial love on the cross ([Romans 5:8](/romans/5-8 "Romans 5:8 - God's Love for Us")). Jesus transforms the shame of the cross into the glory of salvation, offering dignity and worth to all who are "perishing" in their sin and brokenness.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.