Job 10:5
Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,
Original Language Analysis
כִּ֣ימֵי
Are thy days
H3117
כִּ֣ימֵי
Are thy days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
1 of 7
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
אֱנ֣וֹשׁ
of man
H582
אֱנ֣וֹשׁ
of man
Strong's:
H582
Word #:
2 of 7
properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified h0120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively)
כִּ֣ימֵי
Are thy days
H3117
כִּ֣ימֵי
Are thy days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
3 of 7
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
4 of 7
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern gods were often portrayed as having limited lifespans or being subject to time. Biblical theology's eternal God stood in stark contrast. Job affirms this doctrine while wrestling with its implications—if God is eternal, why the rush to judgment before Job can understand and respond?
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's eternality shape His patience with sinners and His perfect timing in our trials?
- What does Job's question about divine temporality teach about our tendency to project human limitations onto God?
- In what ways does understanding God's timelessness help us endure prolonged suffering?
Analysis & Commentary
Job continues questioning divine temporality: 'Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days?' If God's lifespan were human, His urgency to afflict Job might make sense—limited time demands hasty action. But God is eternal, not rushed. Why then the apparent hurry to punish? The questions emphasize divine eternality, making God's treatment of Job seem even more inexplicable.
The rhetorical questions expect negative answers—God's days aren't like man's days; He is eternal (Psalm 90:2, 4). This should mean patience, not haste; mercy, not severity. Yet Job experiences relentless pressure. He cannot reconcile God's eternal nature with the apparent urgency of divine prosecution. If God has all eternity, why not grant Job respite?
Peter addresses this paradox: 'The Lord is not slack concerning his promise... is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish' (2 Peter 3:9). God's eternal perspective means patient endurance with sinners. But to sufferers like Job, God's patience in withholding relief seems like impatience in afflicting. The same attribute (eternality) produces opposite pastoral applications depending on circumstance.