DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2015 January 20
Young Christian Martyr (1855)
Paul Delaroche (1797-1856)
Academic Style
Musee du Louvre, Paris, France
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In Job 30 Job continues his defense. In this chapter he reveals more of the terrifying details of his affliction. I have chosen the painting above, in spite of the difference in gender, to symbolize the innocence of Job who was being swept away by a flood of troubles (verse 14) which included persecution by those who thought they were doing God a service.
[ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Job 25. Job 26. Job 27. Job 28. Job 29. Job 31. ]
[ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]
[ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]
As Job continued his defense, he complained that younger men cast "derision" ("laughter, scorn") upon him. He returned this scorn with scorn or his own, saying, in an expression of utter contempt, that even their fathers (who, in Oriental tradition, were better than their sons) were not worthy to be keepers of the dogs which guarded his flock (1). Their fathers (and the sons) never had sufficient strength to profit Job, in youth or old age. And, as Job shows in the next set of images, their fathers lived in exile form wisdom: they were, in a figure of speech, stricken by famine and driven into the wilderness where they lived on meager rations and were in exile from society, living among the bushes. They were the children of fools, of base men, of the most vile of men. This contradicts the claim which Job's three friends made through the words of Eliphaz (in Job 15 verses 10 and 18) that they, their fathers, and their fathers' fathers were partakers of deep and ancient wisdom which would profit Job if he accepted it (2-8). Now, said Job, these children of base men and fools, had Job in derision! They abhorred him. They, (figuratively, presumably), spit in his face. God "loosed his cord" (weakened him); and his friends weakened him further and made his calamity worse with their destructive actions which were like waters bursting through a wide breach and rolling in upon him, causing terror. And they pursued him swiftly, like the wind; and his prosperity dissolved like a cloud (9-15).
For these reasons Job's soul was poured out within him; and days of affliction took hold upon him. His bones and his flesh were racked and gnawed with piercing, restless pain (16-17). The discharges from his disease matted his garment and made it stick tightly to his skin (18). He was so covered with mire, and dust, and ashes that he could not be distinguished from them (19). He cried to God; but God did not hear him. He stood up to try to be seen; but God did not regard him. God was cruel to him, he said. With his strong hand, God opposed him (20-21). God's wind carried Job away and dissolved him (22). He knew he was going to die (23).
The next verse (24) has a vast number of interpretations. It seems best, therefore, to consider it in the context of Job's other statements. When we do this, we note that Job had just complained that God was afflicting him and ignoring him, even though death was near. Here he seems to continue this thought by saying that God will not stretch out his hand to rescue one (i.e., Job) from the grave, though Job cries out in the midst of his destruction (24). By contrast, Job wept for those who were in trouble; and he grieved for the poor (25). And yet, when Job looked for the good that he prayed for on behalf of others, evil came upon him; and when he waited for light, darkness came (26). His bowels boiled; he rested not; the days of affliction came to meet him (27). He went about "mourning" or "darkened," but not by the sun; he stood up in the assembly and cried for help (28). But instead of being seen and heard in the assembly, he lived in exile from them -- he was a brother and a companion to "dragons and owls," or "jackals and ostriches." This exile image links Job to the fathers of his accusers: both were in exile -- they from wisdom, and Job from relief (29). His skin was black and his bones were burned, most probably by his disease, and also, perhaps, from the sun (30). Instead of music he had mourning and weeping (31).
Job 30
1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
3 For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
5 They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)
6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.
12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.
15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.
18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.
28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.
29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.
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