Job isn't just saying his troubles are overwhelming; he's highlighting that even his inner nobility and generous spirit, what made him "great" or "principal," are being relentlessly pursued and scattered. His true self, the very core of his being and his former standing, is vanishing as swiftly and uncontrollably as a cloud driven by a storm.
Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud. “And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me. The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job has just described the scorn and mockery he endures from the lowest members of society, people he once would have disdained to even associate with. Now, stripped of his status and health, he feels utterly forsaken by God, who seems to have turned all of existence into a source of terror and swiftly vanishing prosperity. This torment feels not only overwhelming but also utterly inexplicable, as his former righteousness offers no protection.
Have you ever felt like troubles are not just happening to you, but are actively hunting you? Job describes a relentless assault where 'terrors are turned upon me.'
Job isn't just experiencing bad luck; he feels actively targeted. The phrase 'terrors are turned upon me' suggests a deliberate, overwhelming onslaught. It's as if all the fears and anxieties in the world have focused their attack on him.
This isn't just about external pressures, but the internal experience of being besieged by dread. The commentators highlight that these 'terrors' can represent divine judgment, overwhelming personal fears, or the relentless pressure of his enemies. Whatever the source, Job feels defenseless, with his 'walls beaten down' and his 'strongholds no longer tenable.' The pursuit is swift and inescapable, like a relentless wind.
Imagine having everything stripped away in an instant. Job uses a powerful image to describe the vanishing of his well-being: 'my prosperity has passed away like a cloud.'
The loss Job describes is not a slow decline, but a sudden dissipation. The comparison to a cloud vanishing emphasizes the speed and completeness of his misfortune. What was once solid and visible—his wealth, his family, his health, his honor—is now gone, leaving no trace.
Commentators point out that 'welfare' (or 'salvation' in some translations) encompasses all aspects of his happiness and security. It wasn't just about material wealth, but his entire state of well-being. The cloud imagery is potent because clouds can bring life-giving rain, but they can also disappear just as quickly, leaving the land parched. Job feels that his season of blessing has dissolved into nothingness.
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Understand the original words
ballāhâ · Hebrew Noun
Biblically, these are experiences of intense dread, overwhelming fear, or divine judgment that strike the human spirit. They represent the chaotic and destructive forces that threaten the stability and peace of a person's life.
kābôd · Hebrew Noun
The weight, glory, or reputation of a person. It denotes a person’s dignity, social standing, or the intrinsic value ascribed to them, which can be fleeting or stripped away in the eyes of others.
yĕšûʿâ · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the state of being successful, blessed, or flourishing in life, often understood in the Old Testament as a sign of divine favor or covenantal blessing. Its absence or withdrawal is frequently associated with times of suffering or spiritual trial.
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the immaterial part of a human being, the seat of emotions, will, and life itself. In the Bible, it often represents the whole person in their deepest internal experiences, joys, and sufferings.
oni · Hebrew Noun
A state of distress, suffering, or hardship. In Scripture, it often describes the trials faced by the faithful, which serve to test, refine, or humble the individual before God.
etsem · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the foundational structure of the human body. In poetic literature, "bones" often represent the strength, core, or total physical being of a person, and their "racking" or "breaking" symbolizes extreme physical or emotional agony.
This passage echoes Job's lament, describing enemies who repay good with evil and afflict his soul, mirroring the feeling of being attacked by unseen forces and losing one's well-being.
Lamentations 1:14Here, the prophet describes sins as a yoke that has become heavy, crushing and binding the soul, which connects to Job's sense of overwhelming terrors and the pursuit of his very essence.
Job 7:4Job himself expresses a similar weariness and despair when he says 'nights are my torment,' and 'terrors surround me at night,' highlighting his ongoing struggle with fear and affliction.
Psalm 143:3-4This psalm speaks of enemies pursuing the soul, crushing it to the ground, and making one's life feel like the days of the dead, resonating with Job's feeling of his honor and prosperity being utterly lost.
clarkeJob 30:15: "Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud."
Terrors are turned upon me - Defence is no longer useful; they have beat down my walls. They pursue my soul as the wind - I seek safety in flight, my strong holds being no longer tenable; but they pursue me so swiftly, that it is impossible for me to escape. They follow me like a whirlwind; and as fast as that drives away the clouds before it, so is my prosperity destroyed. The word…
wesleyJob 30:15: "Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud."
30:15 Terrors - If he endeavoured to shake them off, they turned furiously upon him: if he endeavoured to out run them, they pursued his soul, as swiftly and violently as the wind.
Job isn't just saying his troubles are overwhelming; he's highlighting that even his inner nobility and generous spirit, what made him "great" or "principal," are being relentlessly pursued and scattered. His true self, the very core of his being and his former standing, is vanishing as swiftly and uncontrollably as a cloud driven by a storm.
Job has just described the scorn and mockery he endures from the lowest members of society, people he once would have disdained to even associate with. Now, stripped of his status and health, he feels utterly forsaken by God, who seems to have turned all of existence into a source of terror and swiftly vanishing prosperity. This torment feels not only overwhelming but also utterly inexplicable, as his former righteousness offers no protection.
Job has just described the scorn and mockery he endures from the lowest members of society, people he once would have disdained to even associate with. Now, stripped of his status and health, he feels utterly forsaken by God, who seems to have turned all of existence into a source of terror and swiftly vanishing prosperity. This torment feels not only overwhelming but also utterly inexplicable, as his former righteousness offers no protection.
"Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud. “And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me. The night racks my…" — Job isn't just saying his troubles are overwhelming; he's highlighting that even his inner nobility and generous spirit, what made him "great" or "principal," are being relentlessly pursued and scatt…
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Last reviewed October 2026
