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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Job 7:16 I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/job/7-16.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/12/18_Job_07_16.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Job 7:16 - Job Continues: Life Seems Futile" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath." /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/vmenus/job/7-16.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc/job/7-16.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/job/">Job</a> > <a href="/job/7.htm">Chapter 7</a> > Verse 16</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div><div id="ad1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad16.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/job/7-15.htm" title="Job 7:15">◄</a> Job 7:16 <a href="/job/7-17.htm" title="Job 7:17">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Heb </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/job/7.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/job/7.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/job/7.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />I hate my life and don’t want to go on living. Oh, leave me alone for my few remaining days.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/job/7.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/job/7.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/job/7.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />I loathe <i>it</i>; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days <i>are</i> vanity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/job/7.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />I loathe <i>my life;</i> I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days <i>are but</i> a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/job/7.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />“I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are <i>only</i> a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/job/7.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />&#8220I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/job/7.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />“I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are <i>but</i> a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/job/7.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />I have rejected <i>everything</i>; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are <i>but</i> a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/job/7.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />“I waste away <i>and</i> loathe my life; I will not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are but a breath [futile and without substance].<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/job/7.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />I give up! I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/job/7.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />I give up! I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are a breath. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/job/7.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />I loathe my life; I would not live alway: Let me alone; for my days are vanity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/job/7.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Leave me alone and let me die; my life has no meaning. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/job/7.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />I loathe my life; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/job/7.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />I hate my life; I do not want to live forever. Leave me alone because my days are so brief.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/job/7.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />I give up; I am tired of living. Leave me alone. My life makes no sense. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/job/7.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />I hate the thought of living forever! Leave me alone, because my days are pointless."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/job/7.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/job/7.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />I loathe it; I do not want to live forever; leave me alone, for my days are a vapor! <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/job/7.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />I loathe my life. I do not want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/job/7.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />I lothe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/job/7.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/job/7.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />I have wasted away—I do not live for all time. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/job/7.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days are vanity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/job/7.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />I melted away; I shall not live forever: desist from me, for my days are vanity.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/job/7.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/job/7.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />I despair; by no means will I live any longer. Spare me, for my days are nothing.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/job/7.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />I waste away: I will not live forever; let me alone, for my days are but a breath. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/job/7.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/job/7.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />I am despondent; I would not live for ever; leave me alone, for my days are vanity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/job/7.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />I have lost hope for myself and I am not living to eternity. Depart from me, for my days are empty!<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/job/7.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />I loathe it; I shall not live alway; Let me alone; for my days are vanity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/job/7.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />For I shall not live for ever, that I should patiently endure: depart from me, for my life <i>is</i> vain.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/job/7-16.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XAwuD5NuZq0?start=1112" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/job/7.htm">Job Continues: Life Seems Futile</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">15</span>so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body. <span class="reftext">16</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/3988.htm" title="3988: mā·’as·tî (V-Qal-Perf-1cs) -- To spurn, to disappear. A primitive root; to spurn; also to disappear.">I loathe my life!</a> <a href="/hebrew/3808.htm" title="3808: lō- (Adv-NegPrt) -- Not. Or lowi; or loh; a primitive particle; not; by implication, no; often used with other particles.">I would not</a> <a href="/hebrew/2421.htm" title="2421: ’eḥ·yeh (V-Qal-Imperf-1cs) -- To live, to revive. A primitive root; to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive.">live</a> <a href="/hebrew/5769.htm" title="5769: lə·‘ō·lām (Prep-l:: N-ms) -- Long duration, antiquity, futurity. ">forever.</a> <a href="/hebrew/2308.htm" title="2308: ḥă·ḏal (V-Qal-Imp-ms) -- To cease. A primitive root; properly, to be flabby, i.e. desist; be lacking or idle.">Leave me alone,</a> <a href="/hebrew/4480.htm" title="4480: mim·men·nî (Prep:: 1cs) -- From. Or minniy; or minney; for men; properly, a part of; hence, from or out of in many senses."></a> <a href="/hebrew/3588.htm" title="3588: kî- (Conj) -- That, for, when. ">for</a> <a href="/hebrew/3117.htm" title="3117: yā·māy (N-mpc:: 1cs) -- Day. From an unused root meaning to be hot; a day, whether literal, or figurative.">my days are</a> <a href="/hebrew/1892.htm" title="1892: he·ḇel (N-ms) -- Or Habel; from habal; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb.">but a breath.</a> </span><span class="reftext">17</span>What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/39-4.htm">Psalm 39:4-5</a></span><br />“Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is. / You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ecclesiastes/2-17.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:17</a></span><br />So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/144-4.htm">Psalm 144:4</a></span><br />Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/james/4-14.htm">James 4:14</a></span><br />You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/102-3.htm">Psalm 102:3</a></span><br />For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ecclesiastes/1-14.htm">Ecclesiastes 1:14</a></span><br />I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/38-12.htm">Isaiah 38:12</a></span><br />My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_peter/1-24.htm">1 Peter 1:24</a></span><br />For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/78-39.htm">Psalm 78:39</a></span><br />He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ecclesiastes/6-12.htm">Ecclesiastes 6:12</a></span><br />For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_corinthians/5-2.htm">2 Corinthians 5:2-4</a></span><br />For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, / because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. / For while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/89-47.htm">Psalm 89:47</a></span><br />Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/philippians/1-23.htm">Philippians 1:23</a></span><br />I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/90-9.htm">Psalm 90:9-10</a></span><br />For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh. / The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty if we are strong—yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/15-19.htm">1 Corinthians 15:19</a></span><br />If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">I loathe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity.</p><p class="hdg">I loathe it.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/3-20.htm">Job 3:20-22</a></b></br> Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter <i>in</i> soul; … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/6-9.htm">Job 6:9</a></b></br> Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/10-1.htm">Job 10:1</a></b></br> My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.</p><p class="hdg">let me alone.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/10-20.htm">Job 10:20</a></b></br> <i>Are</i> not my days few? cease <i>then, and</i> let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/14-6.htm">Job 14:6</a></b></br> Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/39-10.htm">Psalm 39:10,13</a></b></br> Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand… </p><p class="hdg">my days.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/62-9.htm">Psalm 62:9</a></b></br> Surely men of low degree <i>are</i> vanity, <i>and</i> men of high degree <i>are</i> a lie: to be laid in the balance, they <i>are</i> altogether <i>lighter</i> than vanity.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/78-33.htm">Psalm 78:33</a></b></br> Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/144-4.htm">Psalm 144:4</a></b></br> Man is like to vanity: his days <i>are</i> as a shadow that passeth away.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/job/5-26.htm">Age</a> <a href="/job/1-19.htm">Alone</a> <a href="/2_chronicles/21-7.htm">Alway</a> <a href="/2_chronicles/21-7.htm">Always</a> <a href="/job/7-7.htm">Breath</a> <a href="/job/6-17.htm">Cease</a> <a href="/job/6-8.htm">Desire</a> <a href="/job/5-17.htm">Despise</a> <a href="/job/4-20.htm">Forever</a> <a href="/esther/6-10.htm">Leave</a> <a href="/numbers/21-5.htm">Loathe</a> <a href="/nehemiah/8-8.htm">Meaning</a> <a href="/job/7-3.htm">Vanity</a> <a href="/nehemiah/9-21.htm">Want</a> <a href="/job/6-18.htm">Waste</a> <a href="/job/5-15.htm">Wasted</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/job/8-8.htm">Age</a> <a href="/job/7-19.htm">Alone</a> <a href="/psalms/9-18.htm">Alway</a> <a href="/job/27-10.htm">Always</a> <a href="/job/9-18.htm">Breath</a> <a href="/job/10-20.htm">Cease</a> <a href="/job/9-3.htm">Desire</a> <a href="/job/9-21.htm">Despise</a> <a href="/job/14-20.htm">Forever</a> <a href="/job/7-19.htm">Leave</a> <a href="/job/42-6.htm">Loathe</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/6-4.htm">Meaning</a> <a href="/job/15-31.htm">Vanity</a> <a href="/job/8-5.htm">Want</a> <a href="/job/12-24.htm">Waste</a> <a href="/job/17-7.htm">Wasted</a><div class="vheading2">Job 7</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/job/7-1.htm">Job excuses his desire of death.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">12. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/job/7-12.htm">He complains of his own restlessness, and reasons with God.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/job/7.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/job/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/job/7.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>I loathe my life!</b><br>Job's expression of loathing for his life reflects the depth of his suffering and despair. This sentiment is echoed in other parts of the Bible, such as in the laments of Jeremiah (<a href="/jeremiah/20-14.htm">Jeremiah 20:14-18</a>) and the Psalms (Psalm 88). Job's intense emotional state is a response to his immense physical pain, loss, and the perceived absence of God's justice. In the ancient Near Eastern context, life was often seen as a gift from God, and to loathe it was to express profound anguish and a sense of abandonment. This phrase highlights the human struggle with suffering and the search for meaning in the midst of trials.<p><b>I would not live forever.</b><br>Job's desire not to live forever underscores his current misery and the futility he feels. In the biblical context, eternal life is often portrayed as a blessing (<a href="/psalms/133-3.htm">Psalm 133:3</a>, <a href="/john/3-16.htm">John 3:16</a>), yet Job's wish to avoid it reflects his current state of hopelessness. This sentiment contrasts with the Christian hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ, who offers redemption and eternal joy. Job's statement can be seen as a precursor to the New Testament revelation of eternal life as a gift through Christ, which transforms suffering into a temporary state with the promise of future glory (<a href="/romans/8-18.htm">Romans 8:18</a>).<p><b>Leave me alone,</b><br>Job's plea for solitude is a cry for relief from his suffering and from the perceived scrutiny of God. This request can be compared to the isolation felt by other biblical figures, such as Elijah (<a href="/1_kings/19-4.htm">1 Kings 19:4</a>) and Jonah (<a href="/jonah/4-3.htm">Jonah 4:3</a>), who also sought to escape their burdens. In the cultural context of the time, suffering was often seen as a result of divine displeasure, and Job's plea reflects his struggle to understand his plight. This phrase also foreshadows the ultimate solitude experienced by Jesus Christ on the cross, who bore the weight of humanity's sin and cried out in abandonment (<a href="/matthew/27-46.htm">Matthew 27:46</a>).<p><b>for my days are but a breath.</b><br>Job acknowledges the brevity and fragility of human life, a theme echoed throughout Scripture (<a href="/psalms/39-5.htm">Psalm 39:5</a>, <a href="/james/4-14.htm">James 4:14</a>). This recognition of life's transience is a common biblical motif that emphasizes the need for reliance on God and the pursuit of eternal values. In the historical context, life expectancy was much shorter, and the unpredictability of life was a constant reality. Job's statement serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of earthly existence and the importance of seeking a relationship with God, who offers eternal life through Jesus Christ.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/j/job.htm">Job</a></b><br>A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, experiencing intense suffering and questioning the reasons behind it.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/u/uz.htm">Uz</a></b><br>The land where Job lived. It is often associated with the region east of Israel, though its exact location is uncertain.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/j/job's_suffering.htm">Job's Suffering</a></b><br>The context of this verse is Job's lament over his intense suffering, which includes the loss of his children, wealth, and health.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_brevity_of_life.htm">The Brevity of Life</a></b><br>Job's statement, "my days are but a breath," reminds us of the transient nature of our earthly existence. We should live with an eternal perspective, focusing on what truly matters.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_reality_of_suffering.htm">The Reality of Suffering</a></b><br>Job's lament is a raw expression of human suffering. It teaches us that it is okay to bring our honest emotions before God, trusting that He understands our pain.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_desire_for_relief.htm">The Desire for Relief</a></b><br>Job's plea to be left alone reflects a deep desire for relief from his suffering. This can encourage us to seek God's comfort and presence in our own times of distress.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_importance_of_hope.htm">The Importance of Hope</a></b><br>While Job expresses despair, the broader account of Scripture encourages us to hold onto hope, knowing that God is sovereign and has a purpose even in our suffering.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/trust_in_god's_sovereignty.htm">Trust in God's Sovereignty</a></b><br>Despite Job's anguish, the book ultimately points to God's sovereignty and wisdom, reminding us to trust Him even when we do not understand our circumstances.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_job_7.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Job 7</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_else_is_a_savior_besides_me.htm">What does breathing signify in relation to Yahweh's name?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_does_job_16_11_suggest_god_delivers_innocents.htm">In Job 16:11, why would a just God 'deliver' the innocent to the ungodly, contradicting passages that promise divine protection?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/does_ecclesiastes_3_19_contradict_human_soul_uniqueness.htm">Does Ecclesiastes 3:19, comparing humans and animals, contradict other scriptures that distinguish the uniqueness of human souls?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_do_devout_suffer_or_die_young.htm">Proverbs 3:2 promises 'long life and peace' for obedience--how do we reconcile this with devout individuals who die young or endure immense turmoil?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/job/7.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(16) <span class= "bld">I loathe it</span>--<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>the thought of self-destruction; or, <span class= "ital">I loathe my life; </span>or, according to others (see the margin), <span class= "ital">I waste away: </span>this, however, is perhaps less probable. Then the thought comes with a ray of comfort, "I shall not live for ever;" for this seems more in accordance with the context than the Authorised Version: "I <span class= "ital">would </span>not live always."<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/job/7.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 16.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">I loathe it;</span> rather, <span class="accented">I am wasted away -</span> "ulceratus tabesco" (Schultens). <span class="cmt_word">I would not live alway</span>; rather, <span class="accented">I shall not live alway</span>. <span class="cmt_word">Let me alone; for my days are vanity</span>; literally, <span class="accented">cease from me</span>; <span class="accented">i.e.</span> "cease to trouble me" - with, perhaps, the further meaning. "cease to trouble thyself about me;" for I am sufficiently reduced to nothingness - my life is mere vanity. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/job/7-16.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">I loathe [my life]!</span><br /><span class="heb">מָ֭אַסְתִּי</span> <span class="translit">(mā·’as·tî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3988.htm">Strong's 3988: </a> </span><span class="str2">To spurn, to disappear</span><br /><br /><span class="word">I would not</span><br /><span class="heb">לֹא־</span> <span class="translit">(lō-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb - Negative particle<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3808.htm">Strong's 3808: </a> </span><span class="str2">Not, no</span><br /><br /><span class="word">live</span><br /><span class="heb">אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה</span> <span class="translit">(’eḥ·yeh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2421.htm">Strong's 2421: </a> </span><span class="str2">To live, to revive</span><br /><br /><span class="word">forever.</span><br /><span class="heb">לְעֹלָ֣ם</span> <span class="translit">(lə·‘ō·lām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5769.htm">Strong's 5769: </a> </span><span class="str2">Concealed, eternity, frequentatively, always</span><br /><br /><span class="word">Leave me alone,</span><br /><span class="heb">חֲדַ֥ל</span> <span class="translit">(ḥă·ḏal)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2308.htm">Strong's 2308: </a> </span><span class="str2">To be flabby, desist, be lacking, idle</span><br /><br /><span class="word">for</span><br /><span class="heb">כִּי־</span> <span class="translit">(kî-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">A relative conjunction</span><br /><br /><span class="word">my days [are]</span><br /><span class="heb">יָמָֽי׃</span> <span class="translit">(yā·māy)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3117.htm">Strong's 3117: </a> </span><span class="str2">A day</span><br /><br /><span class="word">[but] a breath.</span><br /><span class="heb">הֶ֥בֶל</span> <span class="translit">(he·ḇel)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1892.htm">Strong's 1892: </a> </span><span class="str2">Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/job/7-16.htm">Job 7:16 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/job/7-16.htm">OT Poetry: Job 7:16 I loathe my life (Jb) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/job/7-15.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Job 7:15"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Job 7:15" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/job/7-17.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Job 7:17"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Job 7:17" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>