10:1 Job decides to become his own defense attorney. He would vent his complaint in his bitterness even if it killed him. Job had already said he despised his life (9:21), now he repeated the thought. "What was there to live for in such a dire condition? He had considered the alternative of forgetting his complaint and trying to be happy (9:27), but now he decided to give full vent to his complaint and voice the bitterness he felt inside" (Zuck p. 51).
10:2 "I will say to God": This is what Job would say to God if given the chance, you might say he is rehearsing his speech. "Let me know why": He wants an answer. He would begin his speech with an outright order.
10:3 "Is it right": Implying that it was wrong for God to afflict Job, His own creation, while favoring the wicked. "Is God enjoying the cat and mouse game? Is He like a capricious potter who makes pots just for the perverse pleasure of smashing them?" (Zuck p. 51). Job is wondering, "if this is what a righteous man receives, then why are not the wicked being punished as well?"
10:4-7 "Hast Thou eyes of flesh?" The accusation that God is acting on a human level. "Job likened God to a man who looks harshly and intently for the faults of others, and to a man with a limited lifespan, who must seek out Job while He has the chance" (Zuck p. 51). He again argues that God knows he is innocent so why this injustice? What impresses me throughout this section is that Job does not become an atheist, he does not say, "That's it, I do not believe in You anymore!" Job does not think, "May be all this suffering proves that there is no God". "Are God's days as limited as man's, is that why He is quick to exact punishment, even before Job does evil? Why is He punishing Job, as though he is about to slip through His fingers?" (Strauss p. 99).
10:10-11 Here is a poetic description of the formation of Job in the womb, compare with Psalm 139:13-16; Ecclesiastes 11:5. "God caused Job to be conceived and develop in the womb, an intricate process like the curdling of milk into cheese, He had knitted (woven) together his bones and sinews, clothing him with skin and flesh" (Zuck pp. 51-52).
10:12 Job is also grateful and acknowledges that God had taken very good care of him in the past, so why has God now turned on him? "It shows that, although Job wrestles with God, he is conscious of his absolute dependence upon him" (Strauss p. 99).
10:13 The idea here may been that Job's present condition proves to Job that God has been concealing His true attitude toward him. Maybe God has had this affliction in mind all along. Has God simply been preparing Job to be a sacrificial victim?
10:14 "God was watching him ready to chalk up every offense" (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 732). Job feels that as God has been a watchful protector, now He has become a watchful accuser.
10:15-16 Has God determined that he will suffer regardless of whether he is innocent or guilty, does it make any difference? "Job has no pride left, he cannot lift up his head" (Strauss p. 100). If Job would lift up his head again, regain his confidence, try to enjoy what life he had, God would quickly hunt him down like a lion.
10:18-19 Again, as in chapter 3 and 6:8-9, Job wishes that he had never been born, to have been carried from the womb to the tomb. Of course such is foolish, for countless generations have benefited from this account of Job's life.
10:20 "Because God had not let him be a miscarriage or a stillbirth, he longed for a little peace before death. If God would only let him alone so he could be cheerful" (Zuck p. 52). "How thankful he should have been, and doubtless later was, that the gracious God did not leave him alone to die with such careless words still warm on his lips!" (Jackson p. 41). In all of this, remember God's patience (2 Peter 3:9), God could have wiped Job off of face of the earth, with his friends, but he will allow Job to vent and He will give Job a chance to repent.
10:21-22 Job's feelings regarding death up to this point have been depressing (3:21,22; 7:21; 10:21-22). Notice the expression, "without order", "chaos reigns in Sheol as well as on earth. This presents bleak prospects indeed; even death will not help his situation" (Strauss p. 102). We need to be thankful that this is not the final picture of death that we have in the Scriptures (Philippians 1:21-23; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:13). In his present state of mind, Job only sees darkness awaiting him beyond the grave. In addition, notice the statement, "I shall not return". Job did not believe in reincarnation.
Bibliographical Information Dunagan, Mark. "Commentary on Job 10". "Dunagan's Commentaries on the Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dun/job-10.html. 1999-2014.
Verse 1
10:1 Job decides to become his own defense attorney. He would vent his complaint in his bitterness even if it killed him. Job had already said he despised his life (9:21), now he repeated the thought. "What was there to live for in such a dire condition? He had considered the alternative of forgetting his complaint and trying to be happy (9:27), but now he decided to give full vent to his complaint and voice the bitterness he felt inside" (Zuck p. 51).
Verse 2
10:2 "I will say to God": This is what Job would say to God if given the chance, you might say he is rehearsing his speech. "Let me know why": He wants an answer. He would begin his speech with an outright order.
Verse 3
10:3 "Is it right": Implying that it was wrong for God to afflict Job, His own creation, while favoring the wicked. "Is God enjoying the cat and mouse game? Is He like a capricious potter who makes pots just for the perverse pleasure of smashing them?" (Zuck p. 51). Job is wondering, "if this is what a righteous man receives, then why are not the wicked being punished as well?"
Verse 4
10:4-7 "Hast Thou eyes of flesh?" The accusation that God is acting on a human level. "Job likened God to a man who looks harshly and intently for the faults of others, and to a man with a limited lifespan, who must seek out Job while He has the chance" (Zuck p. 51). He again argues that God knows he is innocent so why this injustice? What impresses me throughout this section is that Job does not become an atheist, he does not say, "That's it, I do not believe in You anymore!" Job does not think, "May be all this suffering proves that there is no God". "Are God's days as limited as man's, is that why He is quick to exact punishment, even before Job does evil? Why is He punishing Job, as though he is about to slip through His fingers?" (Strauss p. 99).
Verse 8
10:8-9 Job acknowledges that God made him, but he is puzzled as to why God would seek to destroy his own creation.
Verse 10
10:10-11 Here is a poetic description of the formation of Job in the womb, compare with Psalm 139:13-16; Ecclesiastes 11:5. "God caused Job to be conceived and develop in the womb, an intricate process like the curdling of milk into cheese, He had knitted (woven) together his bones and sinews, clothing him with skin and flesh" (Zuck pp. 51-52).
Verse 12
10:12 Job is also grateful and acknowledges that God had taken very good care of him in the past, so why has God now turned on him? "It shows that, although Job wrestles with God, he is conscious of his absolute dependence upon him" (Strauss p. 99).
Verse 13
10:13 The idea here may been that Job's present condition proves to Job that God has been concealing His true attitude toward him. Maybe God has had this affliction in mind all along. Has God simply been preparing Job to be a sacrificial victim?
Verse 14
10:14 "God was watching him ready to chalk up every offense" (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 732). Job feels that as God has been a watchful protector, now He has become a watchful accuser.
Verse 15
10:15-16 Has God determined that he will suffer regardless of whether he is innocent or guilty, does it make any difference? "Job has no pride left, he cannot lift up his head" (Strauss p. 100). If Job would lift up his head again, regain his confidence, try to enjoy what life he had, God would quickly hunt him down like a lion.
Verse 17
10:17 "One by one, like hostile witnesses in a court of law, have afflictions come against the man of Uz" (Jackson p. 41).
Verse 18
10:18-19 Again, as in chapter 3 and 6:8-9, Job wishes that he had never been born, to have been carried from the womb to the tomb. Of course such is foolish, for countless generations have benefited from this account of Job's life.
Verse 20
10:20 "Because God had not let him be a miscarriage or a stillbirth, he longed for a little peace before death. If God would only let him alone so he could be cheerful" (Zuck p. 52). "How thankful he should have been, and doubtless later was, that the gracious God did not leave him alone to die with such careless words still warm on his lips!" (Jackson p. 41). In all of this, remember God's patience (2 Peter 3:9), God could have wiped Job off of face of the earth, with his friends, but he will allow Job to vent and He will give Job a chance to repent.
Verse 21
10:21-22 Job's feelings regarding death up to this point have been depressing (3:21,22; 7:21; 10:21-22). Notice the expression, "without order", "chaos reigns in Sheol as well as on earth. This presents bleak prospects indeed; even death will not help his situation" (Strauss p. 102). We need to be thankful that this is not the final picture of death that we have in the Scriptures (Philippians 1:21-23; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:13). In his present state of mind, Job only sees darkness awaiting him beyond the grave. In addition, notice the statement, "I shall not return". Job did not believe in reincarnation.