Job 10:20
Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Job is pleading for a pause from God's relentless pressure, not because he doesn't believe God is in control, but because life is already so short and painful. He's essentially saying, "My remaining days are fleeting, so let me have a moment of peace before I reach the inevitable darkness of death, where there will be no chance for comfort."
Job is pouring out his anguish to God, feeling utterly overwhelmed by his suffering and lamenting his very existence. He feels God's hand is heavy upon him, pushing him towards the grave, and desperately pleads for a brief respite from his pain. Job questions why God continues to torment him when his life is already so short and drawing to a close.
Job cries out that his days are few. What does this realization mean for how we face our own limited time?
Job’s cry, 'Are not my days few?', isn't just a statement of fact; it's a plea born of immense suffering. He's reminding God, and himself, that his time on earth is rapidly coming to a close. This isn't a complaint about death itself, but an argument for a brief pause in his agony before that inevitable end.
Think about it: Our lives are a vapor, a fleeting breath in the grand scheme of eternity. This perspective can either paralyze us with the fear of insignificance or empower us to value each moment. Job’s short life, filled with pain, makes him desperately crave even a sliver of peace.
In the face of overwhelming pain, Job begs for a moment of relief. What does this teach us about the human need for solace?
Job’s request, 'cease, and let me alone, that I may find a little cheer,' reveals a profound human need. He’s not asking for a permanent fix, but a temporary respite from the relentless suffering.
This isn't about avoiding God's presence, but about finding a moment of peace in the storm. It highlights that even in the deepest spiritual struggles, the human spirit yearns for a breath of fresh air, a moment to gather strength before facing the inevitable.
Job’s intense pain makes him crave even the smallest comfort. It's a reminder that when we're in distress, a little kindness, a little space, can feel like everything.
Understand the original words
yamim · Hebrew Noun
The finite, transient period of a human's life. It emphasizes the brevity and fragility of existence, often used in prayer to reflect on the limitation of time before eternity.
balag · Hebrew Verb
A state of brief respite, relaxation, or joy. In the midst of suffering, Job desires a moment of relief or the calming of his troubled spirit before he meets his end.
This passage echoes Job's plea for a respite, as the Psalmist also asks God to 'look away from me, that I may smile again, before I go hence and am no more.'
Ecclesiastes 9:4The sentiment that life is short and fleeting, and that any comfort must be found within its limited span, resonates with Job's words here, as Ecclesiastes states, 'But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.'
Isaiah 38:10-12Like Job, King Hezekiah pleaded for more time and relief from his suffering, describing his days as shortened and his life being cut off, asking, 'I am robbed of the remnant of my years... I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living.'
Luke 12:20The parable of the rich fool highlights the suddenness with which life can be taken, reminding us of the brevity of our days and the importance of finding solace before our time is up, as God says, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you.'
bensonJob 10:20: "Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,"
Job 10:20-22 . Are not my days few? Cease then, &c. — My life is short, and of itself hastens to an end; there is no need that thou shouldest grudge me some ease for so small a moment. Let me alone — Or lay aside, or remove thy hand or anger from me. That I may take comfort a little — Hebrews אבליגה , abligah, et recreabo me, I shall refresh, or strengthen myself: shall have some respite, some remi…
pooleJob 10:20: "Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,"
My life is short, and of itself hastens apace to an end; there is no need that thou shouldst push it forward, or grudge me some ease for so small a moment. Let me alone; or, lay aside , or remove , thy hand or anger from me.
Job is pleading for a pause from God's relentless pressure, not because he doesn't believe God is in control, but because life is already so short and painful. He's essentially saying, "My remaining days are fleeting, so let me have a moment of peace before I reach the inevitable darkness of death, where there will be no chance for comfort."
Job is pouring out his anguish to God, feeling utterly overwhelmed by his suffering and lamenting his very existence. He feels God's hand is heavy upon him, pushing him towards the grave, and desperately pleads for a brief respite from his pain. Job questions why God continues to torment him when his life is already so short and drawing to a close.
Job is pouring out his anguish to God, feeling utterly overwhelmed by his suffering and lamenting his very existence. He feels God's hand is heavy upon him, pushing him towards the grave, and desperately pleads for a brief respite from his pain. Job questions why God continues to torment him when his life is already so short and drawing to a close.
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"Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer" — Job is pleading for a pause from God's relentless pressure, not because he doesn't believe God is in control, but because life is already so short and painful. He's essentially saying, "My remaining…
