All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job isn't just saying his friends left him; he's highlighting that the very people he trusted with his deepest thoughts and plans, his "inner circle," are the ones who now revile him. This wasn't a casual acquaintance turning away, but a profound betrayal from those who knew him best, making their abandonment doubly sharp.
All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is in the midst of agonizing suffering, stripped of his wealth, family, and health, and now feeling utterly abandoned. His closest friends, whom he considered confidants and trusted advisors, have not only distanced themselves but actively seem to despise him. This verse captures the painful realization that even those he loved most dearly have joined the chorus of those turning against him in his darkest hour.
Job uses a powerful phrase to describe his lost friends, speaking volumes about the pain of their departure. What did this profound intimacy truly mean?
Job describes his closest companions as 'the men of my secret' or 'my intimate friends.' This wasn't just casual acquaintance; these were individuals with whom Job shared his deepest thoughts, plans, and vulnerabilities. Imagine a trusted inner circle, people who knew his heart, his struggles, and his joys. The Hebrew word for 'secret' here refers to a circle of confidants, a group in close counsel. For these individuals to not only withdraw but to actively 'abhor' him and 'turn against' him was an unimaginable betrayal, cutting him to the core.
It's one thing to be abandoned, but another to be actively opposed by those you cherished. Job felt this sting acutely.
Job doesn't just say his friends left; he states they 'abhorred' him and 'turned against' him. This implies active disgust and opposition, not just passive withdrawal. The word 'loved' points to a deep, heartfelt affection on Job's part. Their rejection, therefore, wasn't merely a loss of comfort; it was a perversion of love into its opposite – hatred and hostility. This speaks to the profound pain of experiencing the very people who should offer solace becoming sources of deep hurt.
Understand the original words
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tāʿab · Hebrew Verb
A term describing the loathing, intense dislike, or turning away from something considered defiled, detestable, or repulsive. In a moral/theological sense, it is often used for things that are an affront to God.
sôd · Hebrew Noun
The innermost circle of companions, confidants, or those sharing a close, covenantal-like bond of loyalty and trust.
This Psalm echoes Job's profound pain, speaking of betrayal by a close friend, a devastating experience that Job is undergoing.
Psalm 55:12-14The psalmist describes a similar agonizing betrayal by someone he considered a close companion, highlighting the deep emotional wound of such desertion.
Matthew 26:50Even Jesus, the ultimate example of love and loyalty, experienced the betrayal of a close follower, showing that even divine love can be met with human treachery.
Jeremiah 20:10The prophet Jeremiah felt surrounded by opposition and betrayal from those who were once his allies, mirroring Job's deep sense of isolation and abandonment.
barnesJob 19:19: "All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me."
All my inward friends - Margin, "the men of my secret." The meaning is those, who were admitted to the intimacy of friendship or who were permitted to be acquainted with his secret thoughts, purposes, and plans. The word uses here (סוד sôd) denotes properly "a couch, cushions, pillow," on which one reclines; then a "divan," a circle of persons sitting together for consultation or conversation; and hen…
bensonJob 19:19: "All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me."
Job 19:19 . All my inward friends abhorred me — מתי סודי , methei sodi, The men of my secret, or council; my intimates and confidants, to whom I imparted all my thoughts, counsels, and concerns. And they whom I loved — Sincerely and fervently; are turned against me — So ill do they requite me. He does not say, they who loved me, for had their love been sincere it would have continued, and manifested its…
Job isn't just saying his friends left him; he's highlighting that the very people he trusted with his deepest thoughts and plans, his "inner circle," are the ones who now revile him. This wasn't a casual acquaintance turning away, but a profound betrayal from those who knew him best, making their abandonment doubly sharp.
Job is in the midst of agonizing suffering, stripped of his wealth, family, and health, and now feeling utterly abandoned. His closest friends, whom he considered confidants and trusted advisors, have not only distanced themselves but actively seem to despise him. This verse captures the painful realization that even those he loved most dearly have joined the chorus of those turning against him in his darkest hour.
Job is in the midst of agonizing suffering, stripped of his wealth, family, and health, and now feeling utterly abandoned. His closest friends, whom he considered confidants and trusted advisors, have not only distanced themselves but actively seem to despise him. This verse captures the painful realization that even those he loved most dearly have joined the chorus of those turning against him in his darkest hour.
"All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me." — Job isn't just saying his friends left him; he's highlighting that the very people he trusted with his deepest thoughts and plans, his "inner circle," are the ones who now revile him. This wasn't a c…
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Last reviewed October 2026