Job 19:22
Job 19:22 in Multiple Translations
Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?
Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Why do ye persecute me as God, And are not satisfied with my flesh?
Why are you cruel to me, like God, for ever saying evil against me?
Why are you persecuting me like God does? Aren't you satisfied with getting your pound of flesh?
Why do ye persecute me, as God? and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Why do you pursue me as God? And with my flesh are not satisfied?
Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Why do you persecute me as God, and glut yourselves with my flesh?
Why do you cause me to suffer like God does? Why do you continue to slander [MET] me?
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 19:22
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 19:22 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
לָ֭/מָּה
תִּרְדְּפֻ֣/נִי
כְמוֹ
אֵ֑ל
וּ֝/מִ/בְּשָׂרִ֗/י
לֹ֣א
תִשְׂבָּֽעוּ
לָ֭/מָּה
mâh
H4100
what?
Prep | Part
תִּרְדְּפֻ֣/נִי
râdaph
H7291
to pursue
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp | Suff
כְמוֹ
kᵉmôw
H3644
like
Prep
אֵ֑ל
ʼêl
H410
god
N-ms
וּ֝/מִ/בְּשָׂרִ֗/י
bâsâr
H1320
flesh
Conj | Prep | N-ms | Suff
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
תִשְׂבָּֽעוּ
sâbaʻ
H7646
to satisfy
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Job 19:22
לָ֭/מָּה
mâh
H4100
"what?"
Prep | Part
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Definition: interr pron 1) what, how, of what kind 1a) (interrogative) 1a1) what? 1a2) of what kind 1a3) what? (rhetorical) 1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what 1b) (adverb) 1b1) how, how now 1b2) why 1b3) how! (exclamation) 1c) (with prep) 1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means? 1c2) because of what? 1c3) the like of what? 1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often? 1c3b) for how long? 1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose? 1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore? indef pron 2) anything, aught, what may
Usage: Occurs in 655 OT verses. KJV: how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why. See also: Genesis 2:19; Numbers 21:5; 1 Samuel 19:5.
תִּרְדְּפֻ֣/נִי
râdaph
H7291
"to pursue"
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp | Suff
To pursue or chase after someone means to follow them with hostile intent. This can be a physical pursuit or a pursuit of someone's life or well-being, as seen in many biblical stories.
Definition: 1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon 1a2) to persecute, harass (fig) 1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig) 1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be pursued 1b2) one pursued (participle) 1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue 1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away 1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase
Usage: Occurs in 135 OT verses. KJV: chase, put to flight, follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or), pursue(-r). See also: Genesis 14:14; 2 Samuel 20:13; Psalms 7:2.
כְמוֹ
kᵉmôw
H3644
"like"
Prep
This word means like or as, used to compare things. It appears in the Bible to describe similarities or to make comparisons, such as in the book of Psalms.
Definition: adv 1) like, as, the like of which conj 2) when, according as, as it were
Usage: Occurs in 126 OT verses. KJV: according to, (such) as (it were, well as), in comparison of, like (as, to, unto), thus, when, worth. See also: Genesis 19:15; Job 40:17; Psalms 29:6.
אֵ֑ל
ʼêl
H410
"god"
N-ms
In the Bible, 'el means strength or power, and is often used to refer to God or false gods. It describes something or someone as mighty or powerful, like the Almighty. This concept is central to understanding the Bible's view of God.
Definition: : god 1) god, god-like one, mighty one 1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes 1b) angels 1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations) 1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah 2) mighty things in nature 3) strength, power Also means: ": power" (el אֵל H0410L)
Usage: Occurs in 235 OT verses. KJV: God (god), [idiom] goodly, [idiom] great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in '-el.' See also: Genesis 14:18; Job 33:14; Psalms 5:5.
וּ֝/מִ/בְּשָׂרִ֗/י
bâsâr
H1320
"flesh"
Conj | Prep | N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word for flesh refers to the body or a person, and can also describe living things or animals. In the Bible, it is used to describe humans and animals, as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: 1) flesh 1a) of the body 1a1) of humans 1a2) of animals 1b) the body itself 1c) male organ of generation (euphemism) 1d) kindred, blood-relations 1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God) 1f) all living things 1g) animals 1h) mankind Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)
Usage: Occurs in 241 OT verses. KJV: body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin. See also: Genesis 2:21; Numbers 11:21; Psalms 16:9.
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
תִשְׂבָּֽעוּ
sâbaʻ
H7646
"to satisfy"
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp
To satisfy means to fill someone with enough of something, like food or desire, and can also mean to have too much of something.
Definition: 1) to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be sated (with food) 1a2) to be sated, be satisfied with, be fulfilled, be filled, have one's fill of (have desire satisfied) 1a3) to have in excess, be surfeited, be surfeited with 1a3a) to be weary of (fig) 1b) (Piel) to satisfy 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to satisfy 1c2) to enrich 1c3) to sate, glut (with the undesired)
Usage: Occurs in 93 OT verses. KJV: have enough, fill (full, self, with), be (to the) full (of), have plenty of, be satiate, satisfy (with), suffice, be weary of. See also: Exodus 16:8; Proverbs 12:11; Psalms 17:14.
Study Notes — Job 19:22
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 19:22 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 19:22
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 19:22
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 19:22
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 19:22
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 19:22
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 19:22
- Cambridge Bible on Job 19:22
- Barnes' Notes on Job 19:22
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 19:22
Context — Job: My Redeemer Lives
20My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.
22Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?
23I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book, 24by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 69:26 | For they persecute the one You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded. |
| 2 | Job 31:31 | if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’— |
| 3 | Job 16:13–14 | His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground. He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior. |
| 4 | Job 16:11 | God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked. |
| 5 | Job 10:16 | Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me. |
| 6 | Micah 3:3 | You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.” |
| 7 | Isaiah 51:23 | I will place it in the hands of your tormentors, who told you: ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you,’ so that you made your back like the ground, like a street to be traversed.” |
| 8 | Job 13:25 | Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff? |
| 9 | Job 2:5 | But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.” |
Job 19:22 Summary
In this verse, Job is saying that his friends are treating him just like God is - they're both causing him a lot of pain and suffering. Job is feeling very hurt and alone, and he's asking his friends why they're being so mean to him, as seen in Job 19:22. He's not understanding why God is allowing all this to happen, and he's feeling like his friends are just making things worse, which is similar to what the Psalmist experienced in Psalm 38:2. This verse reminds us that sometimes, when people are suffering, they just need our love and support, rather than our judgment or criticism, as seen in Galatians 6:2 where we're called to bear each other's burdens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Job accusing his friends of in this verse?
Job is accusing his friends of persecuting him, just as God seems to be doing, and he's asking if they will ever be satisfied with the suffering they've seen him endure, as seen in Job 19:22 and also in Jeremiah 12:6 where it talks about friends turning against each other.
Why does Job feel like his friends are persecuting him?
Job feels like his friends are persecuting him because they are not showing him the pity and compassion he expects from them, instead they are judging him and telling him that he must have done something wrong to deserve God's punishment, as mentioned in Job 19:21 where he asks for pity from his friends.
What does Job mean by 'my flesh' in this verse?
When Job says 'my flesh', he's likely referring to his physical body and his life, which has been severely afflicted by God, as described in Job 19:20 where his skin and flesh cling to his bones, and his friends are adding to his suffering by their words and actions, much like what the Psalmist experienced in Psalm 38:2.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the book of Job?
This verse is part of Job's lament and his defense against his friends' accusations, which is a central theme in the book of Job, as seen in Job 13:24 and Job 31:35, where Job longs for an opportunity to present his case before God and clear his name.
Reflection Questions
- In what ways do I, like Job's friends, sometimes add to the suffering of others with my words or actions, rather than offering them comfort and support?
- How do I respond when I feel like God is allowing me to suffer, and others are judging me or telling me that I must have done something wrong?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of showing compassion and empathy towards those who are suffering, as seen in Job 19:21?
- In what ways can I, like Job, trust in God's sovereignty and goodness, even when I don't understand what He's doing in my life, as expressed in Psalm 73:16-17?
Gill's Exposition on Job 19:22
Why do ye persecute me as God,.... As if they were in his stead, or had the same power and authority over him, who is a sovereign Being, and does what he pleases with his creatures, and is not
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 19:22
Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh? As God - has persecuted me. Prefiguring Jesus Christ (Psalms 69:26).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 19:22
As God; either, 1. As God doth; or rather, 2. As if you were gods, and not men; as if you had the same infinite knowledge which God hath, whereby you can search my heart, and know my hypocrisy; and the same sovereign and absolute authority, to say and do what you please with me, without giving any reason or account of it, which is indeed the prerogative of the great God; but it belongs not to you, who are men, and therefore liable to mistake and misjudging, and such as must give all account to God of all their words and carriages towards their brethren, and particularly towards persons in affliction, and withal subject to the same diseases and calamities under which I groan; and therefore may need the pity which I expect from you. With my flesh, i.e. with the consumption and torment of my whole body, but add to it the vexation of my spirit, by grievous reproaches and censures; but are like wolves or lions, that are not contented with devouring the flesh of their prey, but also break their bones.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 19:22
Job 19:22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?Ver. 22. Why do ye persecute me as God?] Is this that pitying of me thus to press me with reproaches, and therein to think you gratify God, and do him good service? Know ye not, that to persecute him whom he hath smitten is greatest cruelty? and to talk to the grief of those whom he hath wounded is to heap up guilt, and thereby wrath? Psalms 69:26-27. When a deer is shot the rest of the herd push him out of the company. When a tree falleth every passenger is ready to be pulling at it, Dρυοςπεσουσηςανηρπαςξυλευεται. But God’ s people should love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, 1 Peter 3:8; and of some have compassion, making a difference, and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, Judges 1:22-23. Thus it should be; but as of old, in Egypt, one Hebrew smote another; blows enough were not dealt by the common adversary, but their own must add to the violence. Still Satan is thus busy, and Christians are thus malicious; that, as if they wanted persecutors, they persecute one another; and if (as here) they can but do as God, that is, for God, as they mispersuade themselves (to vindicate his justice, and to promote his glory), then they rage and are confident, as these friends of Job; in whom nevertheless it was rather error amoris than amor erroris, an error of love than any love of error. And are not satisfied with my flesh?] Which is pined away with pain and grief; this contents you not, but you must break my bones also, and suck my blood by your contumelies and calumnies.
Brentius and others apply this text to slanderers and backbiters, whom they compare to cannibals, Est detractoris periphrasis (Mercer). Non minus enim calumniatores homines devorant quam Scythae (Brent. in loc.). It is reported of wolves, that when they have once fed upon man’ s flesh they desist not, but desire more of it. Job looketh upon his friends as such man eaters, wherein his sorrow transported him too far; and while he was moving them to compassion he shows himself overly passionate.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 19:22
(22) Why do ye persecute me as God?—Comp. Job 16:9.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 19:22
Verse 22. Why do ye persecute me as God] Are not the afflictions which God sends enough? Do ye not see that I have as much as I can bear? When the papists were burning Dr. Taylor at Oxford, while wrapped in the flames, one of the true sons of the Church took a stick out of the faggots, and threw it at his head, and split open his face. To whom he calmly said, Man, why this wrong? Do not I suffer enough? And are not satisfied with my flesh?] Will ye persecute my soul, while God is persecuting my body? Is it not enough that my body is destroyed? Why then labour to torment my mind?
Cambridge Bible on Job 19:22
22. satisfied with my flesh] Why cannot ye be sated with devouring me? The figure is sufficiently plain. In Oriental phrase “to devour or eat the parts or pieces of one” is to calumniate him, to accuse him, Daniel 3:8, Dan. 6:34. Job asks why they will not cease to bring accusations against him?
Barnes' Notes on Job 19:22
Why do ye persecute me as God? - As God has done. That is, without giving me any reason for it; accusing me of crimes without proof, and condeming me without mitigation.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 19:22
22. Satisfied with my flesh — According to Schultens, to eat the flesh of another, is an Arabic phrase for calumniating him.