Job 16:12
Job 16:12 in Multiple Translations
I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;
I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.
I was in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.
I was living in peace and he smashed me to pieces. He grabbed me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target.
I was in welth, but he hath brought me to nought: he hath taken me by the necke, and beaten me, and set me as a marke for himselfe.
At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.
I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target.
I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
Previously, I was living peacefully, but he crushed me; it is as though he grabbed my neck and smashed me to pieces. It is as though [MET] he set me up like a target;
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 16:12
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 16:12 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו
הָיִ֨יתִי
וַֽ/יְפַרְפְּרֵ֗/נִי
וְ/אָחַ֣ז
בְּ֭/עָרְפִּ/י
וַֽ/יְפַצְפְּצֵ֑/נִי
וַ/יְקִימֵ֥/נִי
ל֝֗/וֹ
לְ/מַטָּרָֽה
שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו
shâlêv
H7961
at ease
Adj
הָיִ֨יתִי
hâyâh
H1961
to be
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
וַֽ/יְפַרְפְּרֵ֗/נִי
pârar
H6565
to break
Conj | V-l-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
וְ/אָחַ֣ז
ʼâchaz
H270
to grasp
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
בְּ֭/עָרְפִּ/י
ʻôreph
H6203
neck
Prep | N-ms | Suff
וַֽ/יְפַצְפְּצֵ֑/נִי
pûwts
H6327
to scatter
Conj | V-l-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
וַ/יְקִימֵ֥/נִי
qûwm
H6965
-kamai
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
ל֝֗/וֹ
Prep | Suff
לְ/מַטָּרָֽה
maṭṭârâʼ
H4307
guardhouse
Prep | N-fs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 16:12
שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו
shâlêv
H7961
"at ease"
Adj
Being at ease means feeling peaceful and secure, like having no worries. In the Bible, it can also mean being prosperous or wealthy, but sometimes it can imply being too comfortable and becoming careless.
Definition: 1) quiet, at ease, prosperous 1a) at ease (of persons) 1b) quiet (of land) 1c) quiet, ease 1d) ease (subst)
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: (being) at ease, peaceable, (in) prosper(-ity), quiet(-ness), wealthy. See also: 1 Chronicles 4:40; Psalms 73:12; Jeremiah 49:31.
הָיִ֨יתִי
hâyâh
H1961
"to be"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
וַֽ/יְפַרְפְּרֵ֗/נִי
pârar
H6565
"to break"
Conj | V-l-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
To split or break something apart is the meaning of this word, often used figuratively to mean frustrate or violate. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible.
Definition: 1) to break, frustrate 1a) (Hiphil) 1a1) to break, violate 1a2) to frustrate, make ineffectual 1b) (Hophal) 1b1) to be frustrated 1b2) to be broken 1b3) to break 1c) (Pilpel) to break to bits, shatter Also means: pur (פּוּר "to break" H6331)
Usage: Occurs in 46 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any ways, break (asunder), cast off, cause to cease, [idiom] clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring (come) to nought, [idiom] utterly, make void. See also: Genesis 17:14; Psalms 85:5; Psalms 74:13.
וְ/אָחַ֣ז
ʼâchaz
H270
"to grasp"
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
The Hebrew word means to grasp or take hold of something, often holding it in possession. It can also mean to be caught or settled. This verb is used in various forms throughout the Bible, including in the books of Exodus and Psalms.
Definition: 1) grasp, take hold, seize, take possession 1a) (Qal) to grasp, take hold of 1b) (Niphal) to be caught, grasped, be settled 1c) (Piel) to enclose, overlay 1d) (Hophal) fastened
Usage: Occurs in 63 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay, take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get, have or take) possess(-ion). See also: Genesis 22:13; Nehemiah 7:3; Psalms 48:7.
בְּ֭/עָרְפִּ/י
ʻôreph
H6203
"neck"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
The neck or back of the neck represents a turning point, like the back of a fleeing enemy or a stubborn person with a stiff neck.
Definition: 1) neck, back of the neck, back 1a) back of the neck 1a1) of fleeing foe 1a2) of apostasy (fig.) 1b) stiff of neck, obstinate (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: back ((stiff-) neck((-ed). See also: Genesis 49:8; 2 Chronicles 30:8; Psalms 18:41.
וַֽ/יְפַצְפְּצֵ֑/נִי
pûwts
H6327
"to scatter"
Conj | V-l-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
To shatter means to break something into pieces, either physically or figuratively. It can also mean to disperse or scatter people or things, as seen in various Bible translations.
Definition: 1) to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered 1a) (Qal) to be dispersed, be scattered 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be scattered 1b2) to be spread abroad 1c) (Hiphil) to scatter 1d) Hithpael) scatter
Usage: Occurs in 66 OT verses. KJV: break (dash, shake) in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive, retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad. See also: Genesis 10:18; Jeremiah 10:21; Psalms 18:15.
וַ/יְקִימֵ֥/נִי
qûwm
H6965
"-kamai"
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Definition: Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B) § -Kamai = "my adversary" Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai
Usage: Occurs in 596 OT verses. KJV: abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising). See also: Genesis 4:8; Numbers 30:13; Ruth 4:10.
ל֝֗/וֹ
""
Prep | Suff
לְ/מַטָּרָֽה
maṭṭârâʼ
H4307
"guardhouse"
Prep | N-fs
This word can refer to a guardhouse or prison, where people are watched and protected. It can also mean a target or mark, symbolizing something to aim for or a sign of warning. In the Bible, it is used to describe a place of confinement or a goal to strive for.
Definition: 1) guard, ward, prison, mark, target 1a) guard, ward, prison 1b) target, mark (fig. of chastisement)
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: mark, prison. See also: 1 Samuel 20:20; Jeremiah 33:1; Jeremiah 32:2.
Study Notes — Job 16:12
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 16:12 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 16:12
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 16:12
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 16:12
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 16:12
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 16:12
- Cambridge Bible on Job 16:12
- Barnes' Notes on Job 16:12
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 16:12
- Sermons on Job 16:12
Context — Job Decries His Comforters
10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
11God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.
12I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;
13His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground. 14He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 7:20 | If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You ? |
| 2 | Lamentations 3:11–12 | He forced me off my path and tore me to pieces; He left me without help. He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow. |
| 3 | Lamentations 3:4 | He has worn away my flesh and skin; He has shattered my bones. |
| 4 | Job 9:17 | For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause. |
| 5 | Psalms 44:19 | But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals; You have covered us with deepest darkness. |
| 6 | Ezekiel 29:7 | When Israel took hold of you with their hands, you splintered, tearing all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke, and their backs were wrenched. |
| 7 | Job 29:18–19 | So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand. My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches. |
| 8 | Job 4:10 | The lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken. |
| 9 | Matthew 21:44 | He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed. ” |
| 10 | Job 29:3 | when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness, |
Job 16:12 Summary
This verse describes how Job felt when his life was turned upside down by suffering and pain. He felt like God had suddenly and severely broken him, like an object being shattered, and that he was being targeted for affliction. This can be a difficult concept to understand, but it's essential to remember that God's love and sovereignty are always at work, even in the midst of hardship, as we see in Psalm 23:4, where David trusted God to be with him even in the darkest valleys. By trusting in God's goodness and love, we can find strength and comfort, even when our circumstances are difficult to understand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Job say God shattered him, when we know God is a loving God?
Job's statement reflects his current perspective on his suffering, but it's essential to remember that God's ways are not always easy to understand, as stated in Isaiah 55:8-9, and His love can sometimes be expressed through discipline, as seen in Hebrews 12:6.
What does it mean to be 'set up as His target'?
This phrase suggests that Job feels like he's been singled out by God for affliction, much like an archer sets his sights on a target, similar to what David experienced in Psalm 38:2, where he felt God's arrows had pierced him.
Is Job accusing God of being unjust or cruel?
While Job's words may seem accusatory, they're more a reflection of his emotional pain and confusion, as seen in other passages like Lamentations 3:1-20, where the prophet expresses similar feelings of despair and questioning.
How can we reconcile Job's experience with the idea of a loving God?
The Bible teaches that God's love and sovereignty can coexist with human suffering, as seen in Romans 8:28, where we're told that God works all things together for good, even in the midst of pain and hardship.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I feel like I've been 'shattered' or severely tested, and how can I trust God in those moments?
- In what ways do I feel like I'm being 'set up as a target' for challenges or pressures, and how can I seek God's strength and protection?
- How can I balance my emotions and questions with a deep trust in God's goodness and love, even when I don't understand my circumstances?
- What does this verse teach me about the nature of suffering and God's involvement in my life, and how can I apply that to my daily experiences?
Gill's Exposition on Job 16:12
I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder,.... He was in easy and affluent circumstances, abounding with the good things of this life, lay in his nest, as his expression is, Job 29:18; quietly and
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 16:12
I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 16:12
I lived in great peace and prosperity, which makes my present miseries more grievous to me; and therefore my complaints are excusable, and I deserve pity rather than reproach from my friends. Broken me asunder; broken my spirit with the sense of his anger, and my body with loathsome ulcers, as also by destroying my children, a part of my own flesh or body. Taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; as a mighty man doth with some young stripling, when he wrestleth with him. Set me up for his mark; that he may shoot all his arrows into me, and that with delight, which archers have in that exercise.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 16:12
Job 16:12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken [me] by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.Ver. 12. I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder] It is no small misery to have been happy. Fuimus Troes et fortis Milesis. Euripides bringeth in Hecuba as ashamed to look Polymnestor in the face, because having been a queen she was now a captive; her former felicity was no small aggravation compared to her present misery: so was Job’ s. Prosper eram, sed disrupit me, saith he. I was wealthy, but he hath undone me; so Broughton rendereth it. The same Hebrew word signifieth both to be rich and to be at ease; for such commonly sing requiems to their souls, as he did Luke 12:19, and say, "I shall never be moved," Psalms 30:6; "I shall see no sorrow," Revelation 18:7. But God can quickly confute them. Job’ s worldly prosperity was quickly dashed and lost. He once hoped to have died in his nest, but God not only unnested him, but broke him to shivers, yea, beat him to dust and atoms, as the word here signifies.
Nay, more, He hath also taken me by my neck] As a strong man doth his enemy, dashing him to the ground, and giving him his passport, as we say. And hath shaken me to pieces] Heb. He hath scattered and scattered me, as a stone crumbled to crattle, or a pitcher beaten to powder. Sunt illustres figurae et elegantes hyperbolae, saith Mercer. Here is brave rhetoric. And set me up for his mark] Heb. For a mark to him; that I may feel all the arrows of his judgments. See Job 7:20, with the notes there. God shot showers of shafts at him, and seemed to take pleasure in so doing, as a man doth in his shooting at a mark.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 16:12
(12) I was at ease.—A highly poetical passage, in which Job becomes, as it were, a St. Sebastian for the arrows of God. It is hardly possible to conceive a more vivid picture of his desolate condition under the persecuting hand of the Almighty.
Cambridge Bible on Job 16:12
6–17. Job realizes to himself his new condition: God and men combine to pursue him with their enmity, though he is innocent of all wrong In Job 16:5 Job flung back with scorn the “comforts of God” which the friends proffered him. And now there seems to occur a pause, and the excited sufferer looks about him and realizes both the extremity of the evil in which he is held, and the new and unexpected trial, added to all others, of the judgment of men being against him. And he hardly knows whether he shall speak or be silent, so overcome is he and so unavailing to help him or make men judge truly of him are both speech and silence—if I speak my grief is not assuaged, and if I forbear what am I eased? Job 16:6. Yet this new condition in which he realizes that he is, which makes speech useless, forces him to speak, and he sets before himself in an excited soliloquy the combined enmity to him of men and God. First, Job 16:7-11, he realizes to himself the complete estrangement from him of all familiar friends; God’s enmity to him has turned men also into foes (Job 16:7-8). This combined enmity of God and men is represented under what seems the figure of a creature hunted by one great lion-like assailant, leading on a host of minor, ignobler foes. The chief adversary is first described, his rending anger, and gnashing teeth, and flashing eyes (Job 16:9); and then the pell-mell rout of baser foes that howled behind him, their open mouth and shameless gestures, and full cry after the prey, which is flung over into their hands (Job 16:10-11). Second, Job 16:12-17, then the hostility of God Himself is particularly dwelt upon in graphic figures, which express its unexpected suddenness, its violence and destructiveness.
One figure is that of a man suddenly grasped by another of overwhelming strength and tossed about and dashed to pieces (Job 16:12). Then the figure changes, and this shattered frame is set up as a mark, and God’s arrows hiss around him and split his reins and pour out his life to the ground (Job 16:13). Again the figure changes, and this body seems some fair edifice or fort which God dismantles by breach upon breach till it lies a sorrowful ruin (Job 16:14). And finally the condition of humiliation to which the sufferer is brought is described; and all this befell him though he had done no wrong (Job 16:15-17).
Barnes' Notes on Job 16:12
I was at ease - I was in a state of happiness and security. The word used here (שׁלו shâlêv) means sometimes to be “at ease” in an improper sense; that is, to be in a state of “carnal security,” or
Whedon's Commentary on Job 16:12
Second strophe — Notwithstanding Job’s life of purity, God has maltreated and persecuted him even unto death, Job 16:12-17.12.
Sermons on Job 16:12
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Consider the Lilies of the Field, How They Grow by A.B. Simpson | The preacher discusses the Greek word 'skopos,' which refers to a distant mark or goal that one aims to hit, emphasizing its importance as the first word in a Greek sentence. 'Skop |
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I Was at Ease, and He Brake Me Asunder. by F.B. Meyer | F.B. Meyer reflects on the theme of divine intervention in our lives, using the metaphor of sparrows trapped in a vestry to illustrate how God sometimes disrupts our comfort for ou |
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The Deceitfulness of the Heart by Paris Reidhead | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the deceptive nature of sin and the false promises it offers. He warns against being deceived by the temporary pleasures and illusions of si |
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Confession of Sin by C.H. Spurgeon | C.H. Spurgeon delivers a powerful sermon on the 'Confession of Sin,' emphasizing its necessity for salvation and the different types of confessions found in Scripture. He illustrat |
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The Assurance of God's Watchful Care by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes the assurance of God's watchful care, illustrating how God preserves the righteous through His protective presence. He highlights David's prayer for pres |
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Exodus 9:27 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith discusses the theme of confession of sin, illustrating various types of confessions from the Bible, including the terror-driven confession of Pharaoh, the insincere con |
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A Holy Nation by T. Austin-Sparks | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of separation from the world in the life of Abraham. God called Abraham to leave his country, his family, and his father's hou |