Job 30:16
And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
Original Language Analysis
וְעַתָּ֗ה
H6258
עָ֭לַי
H5921
עָ֭לַי
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
2 of 7
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ
is poured out
H8210
תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ
is poured out
Strong's:
H8210
Word #:
3 of 7
to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e., to mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc
נַפְשִׁ֑י
And now my soul
H5315
נַפְשִׁ֑י
And now my soul
Strong's:
H5315
Word #:
4 of 7
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
יֹ֖אחֲז֣וּנִי
have taken hold
H270
יֹ֖אחֲז֣וּנִי
have taken hold
Strong's:
H270
Word #:
5 of 7
to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)
Cross References
Psalms 22:14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.Psalms 42:4When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.Isaiah 53:12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Historical Context
The 'pouring out' metaphor had ritual significance in ancient Israel. Libations were poured out to God; blood was poured at the altar's base (Leviticus 4:7). Job inverts this—instead of offering poured out in worship, his very being drains away uncontrollably. This verse marks transition from external attacks (verses 8-15) to internal devastation (verses 16-18). Ancient Near Eastern lament literature similarly moved from describing enemies to expressing internal anguish. Job's 'days of affliction' echoes the 'day of trouble' motif throughout Psalms (Psalm 20:1, 50:15).
Questions for Reflection
- What does it mean to have your soul 'poured out'? How do we maintain identity when suffering drains our sense of self?
- How does Job's description of unrelenting days of affliction validate chronic sufferers whose pain doesn't resolve?
- In what ways did Christ's soul being 'poured out unto death' redeem Job's (and our) experience of being poured out in suffering?
Analysis & Commentary
And now my soul is poured out upon me (וְעַתָּה עָלַי תִּשְׁתַּפֵּךְ נַפְשִׁי)—The verb shapak (שָׁפַךְ) means to pour out, spill, or shed—the same word for pouring out drink offerings or shedding blood. Nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) means soul, life, or inner being. Job's very self is liquefying, poured out like water. Hannah prayed 'I have poured out my soul before the LORD' (1 Samuel 1:15); the psalmist laments 'I am poured out like water' (Psalm 22:14). Christ's soul was 'poured out unto death' (Isaiah 53:12)—the ultimate identification with Job's suffering.
The days of affliction have taken hold upon me (יֹאחֲזוּנִי יְמֵי־עֹנִי)—The verb achaz (אָחַז) means to seize, grasp, or take hold—affliction isn't passive but actively grips Job like an assailant. Oni (עֹנִי) means affliction, poverty, or misery. Days personified as attackers that won't release their grip—time itself has become Job's enemy.