Job 9:25
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
Original Language Analysis
וְיָמַ֣י
Now my days
H3117
וְיָמַ֣י
Now my days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
1 of 8
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
קַ֭לּוּ
are swifter
H7043
קַ֭לּוּ
are swifter
Strong's:
H7043
Word #:
2 of 8
to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)
מִנִּי
H4480
מִנִּי
Strong's:
H4480
Word #:
3 of 8
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
בָּֽ֝רְח֗וּ
they flee away
H1272
בָּֽ֝רְח֗וּ
they flee away
Strong's:
H1272
Word #:
5 of 8
to bolt, i.e., figuratively, to flee suddenly
לֹא
H3808
לֹא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
6 of 8
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
Historical Context
Ancient postal systems in Persia, Assyria, and Egypt employed relay runners who could cover 100+ miles daily. Job's audience would immediately grasp this metaphor for unstoppable speed. The context is Job's complaint about his inability to contend with God (9:14-24)—his life is too brief and painful to secure justice. This theme of life's brevity pervades wisdom literature, from Moses' prayer (Psalm 90:10) to the Teacher's reflection (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
Questions for Reflection
- How does the reality of life's brevity change your priorities and use of time?
- What does Job's complaint about seeing 'no good' reveal about the weight of unrelieved suffering?
Analysis & Commentary
Now my days are swifter than a post (יָמַי קַלּוּ מִנִּי־רָץ, yamai qallu minni-ratz)—Job laments life's brevity using the image of a 'post' (ratz, רָץ), a courier or runner carrying urgent messages. Ancient Near Eastern postal systems used relay runners for rapid communication across empires. The verb 'are swifter' (qalal, קָלַל) means to be light, swift, or insignificant—Job's days race past like a sprinter, unstoppable and fleeting.
They flee away, they see no good intensifies the tragedy: not only are Job's days brief, but they contain no goodness (tov, טוֹב). The verb 'flee' (nus, נוּס) suggests escape or running from danger—his days are deserters abandoning him to misery. This verse echoes Ecclesiastes' meditation on life's transience (Ecclesiastes 6:12, James 4:14) but adds the pain of suffering throughout that brief span.