Job 9:17
For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
Original Language Analysis
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
1 of 6
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי
For he breaketh
H7779
יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי
For he breaketh
Strong's:
H7779
Word #:
3 of 6
properly, to gape, i.e., snap at; figuratively, to overwhelm
Cross References
Job 16:14He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.Job 2:3And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.Job 34:6Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine-human relations assumed suffering indicated divine displeasure for specific sins. Job's insistence on suffering 'without cause' challenges this framework, preparing ground for later revelation about redemptive suffering that characterizes the cross.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we distinguish between punitive suffering (punishment for sin) and redemptive suffering (purposeful testing)?
- What does Job's 'without cause' suffering teach about the problem of innocent suffering?
- In what ways does Christ's innocent suffering transform our understanding of undeserved pain?
Analysis & Commentary
Job describes God's overwhelming force: 'For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.' The verb 'breaketh' (shuph, שׁוּף) means to crush or bruise. 'Tempest' (searah, שְׂעָרָה) denotes whirlwind or storm—overwhelming, indiscriminate force. God 'multiplieth' (rabah, רָבָה) Job's wounds 'without cause' (chinnam, חִנָּם), the same word used in 2:3 and 9:17, meaning gratuitously or for nothing.
Job's 'without cause' parallels God's own assessment (2:3) that Satan incited Him against Job 'without cause.' Job speaks truth: his suffering isn't proportionate to any sin. However, 'without cause' doesn't mean 'without purpose'—God has purposes Job cannot yet see. The book distinguishes between punitive suffering (deserved) and redemptive suffering (purposeful but not punitive). Job's wounds aren't punishment but testing.
The language anticipates Christ's suffering 'without cause'—He was wounded for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5). The perfectly righteous One bore stripes He didn't deserve. Job's suffering foreshadows Christ's in being unjust (undeserved) while serving divine purposes. The New Testament reveals that righteous suffering can be redemptive, not merely punitive.