Job 7 - Introduction

TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION

7 Human life is like forced army service,

like a life of hard manual labor,

2 like a slave longing for cool shade;

like a worker waiting for his pay.

3 Month after month I have nothing to live for;

night after night brings me grief.

4 When I lie down to sleep, the hours drag;

I toss all night and long for dawn.

5 My body is full of worms;

it is covered with scabs;

pus runs out of my sores.

6 My days have passed without hope,

passed faster than a weaver's shuttle.

7 Remember, God, my life is only wind;

my happiness has already ended.

8 You see me now, but never again.

If you look for me, I-'ll be gone.

9-10 Like a cloud that fades and is gone,

a man dies and never returns;
he is forgotten by all who knew him.

11 No! I can-'t be quiet!

I am angry and bitter.
I have to speak.

12 Why do you keep me under guard?

Do you think I am a sea monster?

13 I lie down and try to rest;

I look for some help for my pain.

14 But youyou terrify me with dreams;

you send me visions and nightmares,

15 until I would rather be strangled,

rather die than live like this.

16 I give up. I am tired of living.

Leave me alone. My life makes no sense.

17 Why is man so important to you?

Why pay attention to what he does?

18 You inspect him every morning every minute.
19 Won-'t you look away long enough

for me to swallow my spit?

20 Are you harmed by my sin, you jailer?

Why use me for your target practice?

Am I that big a burden to you?

21 Can-'t you ever forgive my sin?

Can-'t you pardon the wrong I do?
Soon I will lie down in the dust,

and I-'ll be gone when you look for me.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 7:1-21

136.

Job compares life to three states of existence. What are they?

137.

What was Nietzsche's remark which relates to Job's problem?

138.

What is the difference between the expression human nature and human condition?

139.

What general principle can be drawn from the sufferings of Job that has application to all of life?

140.

How does Job compare himself to a slave in verse two?

141.

How long did Job's affliction last? Discuss.

142.

Verse five was omitted by the LXX. Why?

143.

Is Job contradicting himself when first he claims that life passes so slowly, and now complains in Job 7:6 that it is too brief?

144.

How is life like a thread?

145.

Does Job in verse seven deny the resurrection? Discuss.

146.

What is the meaning of verse eight?

147.

Give five characteristics of Sheol.

148.

In this book death does seem to be final. Read Job 7:21; Job 10:21 and Job 14:10 and discuss.

149.

Job has grown bitter and now for the first time he complains against God. Why?

150.

What does Job mean by asking if he is a sea or a sea-monster?

151.

Job can find no rest on his bed or in his sleep. Why? Who causes this?

152.

Terror is a major word with Jobshow why.

153.

Job suggests a form of death in Job 7:15. What is it?

154.

... My days are vanitywhat is the meaning of this expression?

155.

Job feels God has taken an overbearing inquisitiveness or an unrelenting surveillance in the affairs of man. Is this wrong? Discuss.

156.

Job wishes God would leave him alone, but David wanted just the oppositePsalms 33:18; Psalms 34:15. Why?