Job 30:21
Job 30:21 in Multiple Translations
You have ruthlessly turned on me; You oppose me with Your strong hand.
Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
Thou art turned to be cruel to me; With the might of thy hand thou persecutest me.
You have become cruel to me; the strength of your hand is hard on me.
You have turned cruel to me; you use your power to make me suffer.
Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me, and art enemie vnto mee with the strength of thine hand.
Thou art turned to be fierce to me, With the strength of Thy hand, Thou oppressest me.
You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.
Thou hast become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
Thou art changed to be cruel toward me, and in the hardness of thy hand thou art against me.
He acts very cruelly toward me; with all of his power [MTY] he causes me to suffer.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 30:21
BAB
Word Study
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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 30:21 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
תֵּהָפֵ֣ךְ
לְ/אַכְזָ֣ר
לִ֑/י
בְּ/עֹ֖צֶם
יָדְ/ךָ֣
תִשְׂטְמֵֽ/נִי
תֵּהָפֵ֣ךְ
hâphak
H2015
to overturn
V-Niphal-Imperf-2ms
לְ/אַכְזָ֣ר
ʼakzâr
H393
cruel
Prep | Adj
לִ֑/י
Prep | Suff
בְּ/עֹ֖צֶם
ʻôtsem
H6108
strength
Prep | N-ms
יָדְ/ךָ֣
yâd
H3027
hand
N-cs | Suff
תִשְׂטְמֵֽ/נִי
sâṭam
H7852
to hate
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 30:21
תֵּהָפֵ֣ךְ
hâphak
H2015
"to overturn"
V-Niphal-Imperf-2ms
To overturn means to turn something around or change it completely, often implying a reversal or transformation. This can be seen in the Bible when something is turned upside down or changed radically.
Definition: 1) to turn, overthrow, overturn 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to overturn, overthrow 1a2) to turn, turn about, turn over, turn around 1a3) to change, transform 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to turn oneself, turn, turn back 1b2) to change oneself 1b3) to be perverse 1b4) to be turned, be turned over, be changed, be turned against 1b5) to be reversed 1b6) to be overturned, be overthrown 1b7) to be upturned 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to transform oneself 1c2) to turn this way and that, turn every way 1d) (Hophal) to turn on someone
Usage: Occurs in 92 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] become, change, come, be converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse, retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary, every way). See also: Genesis 3:24; Job 30:15; Psalms 30:12.
לְ/אַכְזָ֣ר
ʼakzâr
H393
"cruel"
Prep | Adj
Means 'cruel' or 'fierce', often describing violent or deadly behavior. However, it can also imply bravery or strength in a positive sense. It appears in various Bible books, including Psalms and Proverbs, to describe human nature and behavior.
Definition: cruel, fierce
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: cruel, fierce. See also: Deuteronomy 32:33; Job 41:2; Lamentations 4:3.
לִ֑/י
""
Prep | Suff
בְּ/עֹ֖צֶם
ʻôtsem
H6108
"strength"
Prep | N-ms
This Hebrew word means strength or power, and can also refer to the body or bones, as in the might of a person. It appears in the Bible to describe someone's physical strength. In the KJV, it is translated as might, strong, or substance.
Definition: 1) power, bones, might 1a) might 1b) bones
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: might, strong, substance. See also: Deuteronomy 8:17; Job 30:21; Psalms 139:15.
יָדְ/ךָ֣
yâd
H3027
"hand"
N-cs | Suff
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Definition: : hand/arm[anatomy] 1) hand 1a) hand (of man) 1b) strength, power (fig.) 1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.) 1d) (various special, technical senses) 1d1) sign, monument 1d2) part, fractional part, share 1d3) time, repetition 1d4) axle-trees, axle 1d5) stays, support (for laver) 1d6) tenons (in tabernacle) 1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure) 1d8) wrists
Usage: Occurs in 1446 OT verses. KJV: ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves. See also: Genesis 3:22; Exodus 7:19; Leviticus 14:22.
תִשְׂטְמֵֽ/נִי
sâṭam
H7852
"to hate"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
This verb means to hate or oppose someone, often implying a long-held grudge. It is used in various books of the Bible, including Psalms and Proverbs, to describe animosity.
Definition: 1) to hate, oppose oneself to, bear a grudge, retain animosity against, cherish animosity against 1a) (Qal) to cherish animosity against
Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: hate, oppose self against. See also: Genesis 27:41; Job 16:9; Psalms 55:4.
Study Notes — Job 30:21
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 30:21 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 30:21
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 30:21
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 30:21
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 30:21
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 30:21
- Cambridge Bible on Job 30:21
- Barnes' Notes on Job 30:21
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 30:21
- Sermons on Job 30:21
Context — Job’s Prosperity Becomes Calamity
19He throws me into the mud, and I have become like dust and ashes.
20I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer; when I stand up, You merely look at me.
21You have ruthlessly turned on me; You oppose me with Your strong hand.
22You snatch me up into the wind and drive me before it; You toss me about in the storm. 23Yes, I know that You will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 10:14–17 | If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity. If I am guilty, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head. I am full of shame and aware of my affliction. Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me. You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave. |
| 2 | Job 16:9–14 | His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked. 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; 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. |
| 3 | Job 19:6–9 | then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me. Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness. He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. |
| 4 | Job 10:3 | Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked? |
| 5 | 1 Peter 5:6 | Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. |
| 6 | Job 13:25–28 | Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff? For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth. You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet. So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment. |
| 7 | Job 19:22 | Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh? |
| 8 | Job 6:9 | that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off! |
| 9 | Psalms 77:7–9 | “Will the Lord spurn us forever and never show His favor again? Is His loving devotion gone forever? Has His promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has His anger shut off His compassion?” Selah |
| 10 | Job 7:20–21 | 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 ? Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.” |
Job 30:21 Summary
[In Job 30:21, Job feels like God has turned against him and is opposing him with His strong hand, which can be a really scary and confusing feeling. This verse shows that even when we feel like God is against us, we can still trust in His love and goodness, just like it says in Romans 8:28 that God works all things for our good. It's okay to feel overwhelmed and express our emotions to God, just like Job does, and we can learn to trust in His sovereignty, even when we don't understand what is happening, as seen in Isaiah 55:9.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Job feel like God has turned against him in Job 30:21?
Job feels this way because he is experiencing intense suffering and feels that God is opposing him, as seen in the strong language used in this verse, similar to what is expressed in Psalms 38:2, where the psalmist also feels God's heavy hand upon him.
Is Job accusing God of being cruel in Job 30:21?
While Job is expressing his feelings of being ruthlessly treated by God, he is not necessarily accusing God of being cruel, but rather expressing his emotional pain and confusion, as also seen in Lamentations 3:1-3, where the prophet expresses similar feelings.
How can we reconcile God's love with His strong hand in Job 30:21?
The Bible teaches that God's love and discipline are not mutually exclusive, as seen in Hebrews 12:6, which says that God disciplines those He loves, and this verse can be understood in the context of God's sovereign plan, even if it is not fully understood by us, as expressed in Isaiah 55:9.
What can we learn from Job's expression of feeling opposed by God in Job 30:21?
We can learn that even in the midst of suffering and feeling abandoned, we can still express our emotions honestly to God, as Job does, and trust in His goodness, as expressed in Romans 8:28, which reminds us that God works all things for our good.
Reflection Questions
- How do you feel when you face trials and opposition, and how do you express your emotions to God?
- In what ways do you feel like God is opposing you or turning against you, and how can you trust in His sovereignty despite these feelings?
- What does this verse reveal about God's character, and how can you reconcile His love with His strong hand in your life?
- How can you, like Job, be honest with God about your emotions and still trust in His goodness, even when you don't understand what is happening?
Gill's Exposition on Job 30:21
Thou art become cruel to me,.... Or "turned", or "changed" (g), to be cruel to me.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 30:21
And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me. Job's outward calamities affect his mind. Poured out - in irrepressible complaints (Psalms 42:4; Joshua 7:5). Verse 17.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 30:21
Become cruel, Heb. turned to be cruel; as if thou hadst changed thy very nature, which is kind, and merciful, and gracious; and such thou hast been formerly in thy carriage to me; but now thou art grown severe, and rigorous, and inexorable. Thou opposest thyself against me; thy power wherewith I hoped and expected that thou wouldst have supported me under my troubles thou usest against me.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 30:21
Job 30:21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.Ver. 21. Thou art become cruel to me] Mutatus es mihi in tyrannum, thou art turned tyrant towards me, so Brentius rendereth it; and the like he had said before, Job 16:13; Job 19:8-10, out of the vehemency of his pain, and the sense of his flesh, which should have been silenced, and faith exalted; the property whereof is to pick one contrary out of another (as life out of death, assurance of deliverance out of deepest distresses, Deuteronomy 32:36), and to persuade the heart that God concealeth his love, out of increased love, and in very faithfulness afflicteth his darlings, that he may be true to their souls, Psalms 119:75. With thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me] Thou hatest me, Satanically hatest me; Intestinum odium exerces adversum me (Tremell.); and accordingly thou dost practise all thy might upon me. Thus Job in his heat; and that he may not seem to rage without reason, he subjoineth.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 30:21
Verse 21. Thou art become cruel to me] Thou appearest to treat me with cruelty. I cry for mercy, trust in thy goodness, and am still permitted to remain under my afflictions. Thou opposest thyself] Instead of helping, thou opposest me; thou appearest as my enemy.
Cambridge Bible on Job 30:21
19–23. God’s great severity.
Barnes' Notes on Job 30:21
Thou art become cruel to me - Margin, turned to be. This language, applied to God, seems to be harsh and irreverent, and it may well be inquired whether the word cruel does not express an idea which Job did not intend.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 30:21
21. Harsh and unjustifiable charges against God, which Elihu justly reproves, Job 33:10.
Sermons on Job 30:21
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Reading From the Beatitudes by D.L. Moody | D.L. Moody emphasizes the profound blessings found in the Beatitudes, particularly focusing on the comfort promised to those who mourn and the meek. He explains that mourning signi |
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2006 Heart-Cry - Question Answer Panel by Paul Washer | In this sermon, the preacher criticizes the current state of preaching in evangelicalism, stating that the gospel being preached is not the true gospel. He argues that the message |
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Always Take the Down Elevator by Jim Cymbala | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the uncertainty of life and the importance of humility. He challenges the audience to consider the guarantee of waking up tomorrow and highl |
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Bearing Fruit - Part 4 by Keith Daniel | This sermon emphasizes the importance of trusting God through trials and challenges, highlighting how God refines and purifies us like gold through the fires of life. It discusses |
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Roadblock to Revival by Harold Vaughan | In this sermon, the preacher shares two stories to illustrate the root problem and roadblock to revival. The first story involves a man swinging on a swing near a lion cage, seekin |
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Useful for the Master - Part 12 by Jackie Pullinger | This sermon emphasizes the role of believers as chosen leaders to set the captives free, acknowledging that all we have received comes from God and should be given back to Him as a |
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(Clip) the Welsh Revival and Preparation by +Todd Atkinson by Todd Atkinson | This sermon reflects on the Welsh Revival of 1904, where God's power transformed an entire nation through the ministry of a young man named Evan Roberts. The revival led to 100,000 |