Job 13:24 | KingComments | STEP | Because there is no answer from God to his questions in the previous verses, Job resumes his complaint. There is no answer because he is not yet ready to be stripped of his own righteousness. He sees God as One Who does not look at him, but hides His face from him in wrath ( ) and acts as the unapproachable God against him ( ). Job experiences God as his adversary. God has overloaded him with misery, although he has always served Him so faithfully. Why does God persecute such a ‘nobody’ like him? He feels completely at the mercy of God, just as a dead leaf can do nothing against the wind and dry chaff is blown in all directions by the wind ( ). Why does He concern Himself with someone who is nothing more than a dead leaf? Job may experience this negatively, but we can see in this the care of God for Job. To God, Job is not a ‘nobody’, but rather ‘a someone’ to whom all His interest is directed. In His dealings with Job, it is precisely His concern for him that is evident. God’s care still completely eludes Job. To him, God is Someone Who rages against him and writes bitter things against him ( ). It seems as if God has issued a warrant for the arrest of a villain who has a lot to answer. That is very bitter. His guilt is certain in advance. Then according to Job it must be youth sins (cf. ), because he is not aware of any sins lately. Isn’t God digging up old skeletons that He is still accusing him of forgotten sins? He feels like a prisoner of God, who has put his feet in the stocks, so that he is hindered in his movements ( ; ). In doing so, God also keeps a close eye on him and watches over all his paths, that he does not attempt to escape. God has also set a limit for the soles of his feet, literally, set a carve for his feet. If he should escape anyway, his footsteps are easy to recognize and he can be picked up again easily. Job describes how God makes it impossible for him to make any attempt to escape from his misery. He is in it and is condemned to remain in it. How is it possible to God to do this to someone like him, Job wonders in despair. Surely God can see that his sickened body is decaying and rots, can’t He ( )? His body, which is covered with maggots ( ), is like a garment that the moths eat (cf. ). Moths do their destructive work slowly, but also thoroughly (cf. ). Thus, Job’s body slowly crumbles and dies little by little. What is the point of God letting more misery come over it?

‏ Job 13:24

Job Resumes His Complaint

Because there is no answer from God to his questions in the previous verses, Job resumes his complaint. There is no answer because he is not yet ready to be stripped of his own righteousness. He sees God as One Who does not look at him, but hides His face from him in wrath (Psa 104:29) and acts as the unapproachable God against him (Job 13:24). Job experiences God as his adversary. God has overloaded him with misery, although he has always served Him so faithfully.

Why does God persecute such a ‘nobody’ like him? He feels completely at the mercy of God, just as a dead leaf can do nothing against the wind and dry chaff is blown in all directions by the wind (Job 13:25). Why does He concern Himself with someone who is nothing more than a dead leaf?

Job may experience this negatively, but we can see in this the care of God for Job. To God, Job is not a ‘nobody’, but rather ‘a someone’ to whom all His interest is directed. In His dealings with Job, it is precisely His concern for him that is evident.

God’s care still completely eludes Job. To him, God is Someone Who rages against him and writes bitter things against him (Job 13:26). It seems as if God has issued a warrant for the arrest of a villain who has a lot to answer. That is very bitter. His guilt is certain in advance. Then according to Job it must be youth sins (cf. Psa 25:7), because he is not aware of any sins lately. Isn’t God digging up old skeletons that He is still accusing him of forgotten sins?

He feels like a prisoner of God, who has put his feet in the stocks, so that he is hindered in his movements (Job 13:27; Jer 20:2). In doing so, God also keeps a close eye on him and watches over all his paths, that he does not attempt to escape. God has also set a limit for the soles of his feet, literally, set a carve for his feet. If he should escape anyway, his footsteps are easy to recognize and he can be picked up again easily. Job describes how God makes it impossible for him to make any attempt to escape from his misery. He is in it and is condemned to remain in it.

How is it possible to God to do this to someone like him, Job wonders in despair. Surely God can see that his sickened body is decaying and rots, can’t He (Job 13:28)? His body, which is covered with maggots (Job 7:5 ; Job 21:26), is like a garment that the moths eat (cf. Isa 50:9b). Moths do their destructive work slowly, but also thoroughly (cf. Hos 5:12). Thus, Job’s body slowly crumbles and dies little by little. What is the point of God letting more misery come over it?