1 "My soul is weary of my life. I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will tell God, 'Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me. 3 Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked? 4 Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees? 5 Are your days as the days of mortals, or your years as man's years, 6 that you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin? 7 Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand. 8 "'Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me. 9 Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again? 10 Haven't you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese? 11 You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. 12 You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit. 13 Yet you hid these things in your heart. I know that this is with you: 14 if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity. 15 If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction. 16 If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me. 17 You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me. 18 "'Why, then, have you brought me forth out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me. 19 I should have been as though I had not been. I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Aren't my days few? Cease then. Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort, 21 before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death; 22 the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.'"
Job is weary of life, and expostulates with God, Job 10:1-6. He appeals to God for his innocence; and pleads on the weakness of his frame, and the manner of his formation, Job 10:7-13. Complains of his sufferings, and prays for respite, Job 10:14-20. Describes the state of the dead, Job 10:21, Job 10:22.
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 10
Job here declares the greatness of his afflictions, which made him weary of his life, and could not help complaining; entreats the Lord not to condemn him but show him the reason of his thus dealing with him, Job 10:1; and expostulates with him about it, and suggests as if it was severe, and not easily reconciled to his perfections, when he knew he was not a wicked man, Job 10:3; he puts him in mind of his formation and preservation of him, and after all destroyed him, Job 10:8; and represents his case as very distressed; whether he was wicked or righteous it mattered not, his afflictions were increasing upon him, Job 10:13; and all this he observes, in order to justify his eager desire after death, which he renews, Job 10:18; and entreats, since his days he had to live were but few, that God would give him some respite before he went into another state, which he describes, Job 10:20.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.