Job - 9:18



18 He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Job 9:18.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
That would not suffer me to take my breath, But fill me with bitterness.
He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

He will not suffer me to take my breath; - see the notes at Job 7:19.

He will not suffer me to take my breath - I have no respite in my afflictions; I suffer continually in my body, and my mind is incessantly harassed.

He will not suffer me to take my breath,.... Which some think refers to Job's disease, which was either an asthma, or a quinsy in his throat, which occasioned great difficulty in breathing: I should rather think the allusion is to the hot burning winds in those countries before mentioned, which sometimes blew so strongly as almost to take away a man's breath; so the above traveller (u) reports, that between Suez and Cairo (in Egypt) they had for a day's time and more so hot a wind, that they were forced to turn their backs to it, to take a little breath. The design of Job is to show, that his afflictions were continued, and were without any intervals; they were repeated so fast, and came so thick upon him, one after another, that he had no breathing time; the import of the phrase is the same with that in Job 7:19,
but filleth me with bitterness; to the full, to satiety, to loathing, as a man may be with a bitter potion, with wormwood drink, and water of gall, with bitter afflictions comparable to such, whereby Job's life was embittered to him, see Jeremiah 9:15.
(u) Travels. par. 1. B. 2. c. 34. p. 177.

Breath - My pains are continual, and I have not so much as a breathing time free from them.

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