Job 7:6

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

My days {H3117} are swifter {H7043} than a weaver's shuttle {H708}, and are spent {H3615} without {H657} hope {H8615}.

My days pass more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle and come to their end without hope.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope.

Commentary

Job 7:6 KJV is a poignant cry from Job in the midst of his immense suffering, reflecting on the swift passage of time and the depth of his despair. He uses a vivid, everyday image to express the brevity and perceived futility of his life.

Context

This verse is part of Job's second monologue, following the initial dialogues with his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. In chapter 7, Job responds directly to Eliphaz, detailing the relentless nature of his physical pain and emotional anguish. He expresses his weariness with life, his restless nights, and his sense that God has become his adversary. This lamentation sets the stage for his stark declaration about the speed of his days and his lack of hope.

Key Themes

  • Brevity of Life: The central image of the weaver's shuttle emphasizes how quickly life passes by, like thread being rapidly woven into a finite piece of cloth.
  • Suffering and Despair: Job's intense physical and emotional pain leads him to a state of profound hopelessness regarding his current circumstances and future prospects.
  • Mortality and Transience: The verse highlights the fragile and temporary nature of human existence, a common theme in the Book of Job and wisdom literature.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "swifter than a weaver's shuttle" uses a powerful simile from a common ancient craft. The shuttle moves back and forth rapidly across the loom, laying down the threads that make up the fabric. It moves quickly and purposefully, but the process of weaving is finite, and the piece of cloth is completed relatively quickly. This image underscores not only the speed but also the perceived finality and limited scope of Job's remaining life. The declaration "and are spent without hope" in the KJV is a direct translation reflecting Job's immediate, overwhelming sense of despair in his suffering.

Related Scriptures

Job's reflection on the brevity of life resonates with other biblical passages that speak to the transient nature of human existence, such as Psalm 90:10 or James 4:14. While Job expresses being spent without hope in his current state, the New Testament presents a different perspective on hope available through faith, as seen in Romans 15:13, which speaks of the "God of hope."

Practical Application

Job's lament reminds us of the universal human experience of witnessing how quickly time passes. It challenges us to consider the purpose and value we place on our days. While we may not face suffering as extreme as Job's, moments of pain or difficulty can lead to feelings of despair. This verse prompts us to reflect on where we find our hope – is it in fleeting circumstances, or in something more enduring? It encourages a thoughtful perspective on our mortality and the importance of living intentionally.

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Cross-References

  • Job 9:25 (6 votes)

    ¶ Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

  • Job 17:15 (5 votes)

    And where [is] now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

  • Isaiah 40:6 (4 votes)

    The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh [is] grass, and all the goodliness thereof [is] as the flower of the field:

  • Isaiah 40:7 (4 votes)

    The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people [is] grass.

  • Psalms 103:15 (4 votes)

    [As for] man, his days [are] as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

  • Psalms 103:16 (4 votes)

    For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

  • Psalms 144:4 (4 votes)

    Man is like to vanity: his days [are] as a shadow that passeth away.