Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 10:16
For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou showest thyself marvelous upon me.
16. This verse reads, and if it (i. e. my head) should lift itself up, thou wouldst hunt me as a fierce lion, and again shew &c. Cf. the figure of a wild beast again, ch. Job 16:9. There is a touch of sarcasm in the words “shew thyself marvellous upon me,” marvellous in the variety and nature of His plagues, and in plaguing such an object.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For it increaseth – Our translators understand this as meaning that the calamities of Job, so far from becoming less, were constantly increasing, and thus augmenting his perplexity and embarrassment. But a somewhat different explanation is given to it by many interpreters. The word rendered increaseth ( ga’ah) means properly, to lift up, to lift up oneself, to rise; and Gesenius supposes that it refers here to the head, and that the meaning is, if it lift up itself (sc. my head), thou huntest me as a lion. It cannot be denied that the notion of pride, elation, haughtiness, is usually connected with the use of the word, but it is not necessary here to depart from the common interpretation, meaning that the increase of his affliction greatly augmented his perplexity. Jerome, however, readers it, and on account of pride, thou dost seize me as a lioness. The idea is, my affliction, as it were, exalts itself, or, becomes more and more prominent. This is a better interpretation than to refer it to the raising up of his head.
Thou huntest me as a fierce lion – On the meaning of the word here rendered fierce lion shachal, see the notes at Job 4:10. The sense here is, that God hunted or followed him as a fierce lion pursued his prey.
And again thou showest thyself marvelous – Or rather, thou turnest, and art wonderful toward me. The meaning is, that he did not at once spring upon his prey and then leave it, but he came back as if it had not been put to death when first seized, as if a lion should come back and torture his victim again. The meaning of the phrase shewest thyself marvelous is, that the dealings of God toward him were wonderful. They were wholly incomprehensible. He had no means of finding out the reasons of his doings. On the word used here, compare the notes at Isa 9:6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. For it increaseth.] Probably this refers to the affliction mentioned above, which is increased in proportion to its duration. Every day made his escape from such a load of evils less and less probable.
Thou huntest me as a fierce lion] As the hunters attack the king of beasts in the forest, so my friends attack me. They assail me on every side.
Thou showest thyself marvellous] Thy designs, thy ways, thy works, are all incomprehensible to me; thou dost both confound and overpower me. Mr. Good translates thus: –
“For uprousing as a ravenous lion dost thou spring upon me.
And again thou showest over me thy vast power.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As a fierce lion; which hunteth after his prey with great eagerness, and when he overtakes it, falls upon it with great fury.
And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me, Heb.
and thou returnest and showest thyself marvellous upon, or in, or against me. The lion tears its prey speedily, and so ends its torments; but thou renewest my calamities again and again, and makest my plagues wonderful, both for kind, and extremity, and continuance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. increasethrather, “(if)I lift up (my head) Thou wouldest hunt me,” &c.[UMBREIT].
and againas if a lionshould not kill his prey at once, but come back and torture it again.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For it increaseth,…. That is, the affliction increaseth; which is a reason why pity should be shown him, seeing his troubles instead of abating were growing upon him; he had as much, or more, than he could well bear, and yet more was added to it; so that he was an object of compassion: or, “it lifteth itself up” c; these proud waves of affliction rise, swell, and lift themselves on high, and threaten to overwhelm and utterly destroy; some render it as a “wish, oh, that it increased” d; that it would come to its height, and quickly and at once put an end to this miserable life of mine: Job’s affliction was a lingering one, it proceeded slowly; he wished it would make more haste, and become stronger, and soon dispatch him; see Job 6:9;
thou huntest me as a fierce lion; as the ramping shakal, as Mr. Broughton; the lion rampant, that is hungry, fierce, and ravenous, that pursues its prey with great eagerness, and never leaves till it comes up to it, when it seizes and devours it at once; or it, the affliction, hunteth me, pursues me closely, and will not leave, but threatens destruction to me; or rather, thou, that is God, who is often in Scripture compared to a lion, particularly when afflicting, or about to afflict the sons of men; see Isa 38:13; some e interpret the words, as if Job was compared to a lion hunted by men, at which darts were cast, for which nets were prepared, and pits were dug: according to this sense Job was dealt with as if, in the time of his prosperity, he had been like a fierce and cruel lion, preying upon and oppressing others; now the Lord was taking methods with him, both to restrain him from hurting others, and to chastise him for what he had done to them: but it would be much better to consider this in a light more agreeable to Job’s character as a good man, a righteous one, who is as bold as a lion, and fears nothing, Pr 28:1; and such an one was Job; and in his prosperity lifted up his head and walked boldly, and consequently not fearing the frowns of men, nor the malice of Satan; but now this lion was hunted by the Lord himself, and compassed with his net, Job 19:6; and to this sense is the version of Schultens, connecting the words with the preceding clause, “him therefore, who walked high as a lion, thou humblest”; he who before carried his head high, being afraid of none, is now hunted down, and lies low enough, prostrate and distressed:
and again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me; or, “thou returnest f and showest”, c. after he had afflicted him in one way, he returned and afflicted him in another and he not only repeated his afflictions, but devised new ways of afflicting him, uncommon ones, such as raised admiration in all beholders, as things rare and uncommon do: Job’s afflictions were surprising ones; to be stripped at once of his substance, servants, children, and health; and it might be more wonderful to some, that God, so gracious and merciful as he is, should afflict in such a severe and rigorous manner; and especially that he should afflict so good a man, one so just and upright as Job was, in such a way: and it was even marvellous to Job himself, who was at a loss to account for it, not being conscious to himself of any gross enormity he had committed, or of a sinful course of life, or of anyone sin he had indulged to, wherefore God should come forth “against” g him as an enemy, in so terrible a manner: so some render the particle.
c “attollit sese”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Mercerus. d So Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Bolducius. e So Jarchi and Nachmanides; to which sense the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions incline. f “et reverteris”, Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius, Vatablus, Mercerus; so Beza. g “adversum me”, Beza; “contra me”, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) For it increaseth.This verse is very obscure. Some understand it thus: But is it so glorious a thing that Thou shouldst hunt me like a fierce lion, and then again show Thyself mysterious and wonderful towards me? hunting me like a lion, and yet hiding alike Thy person and Thy motive from me? Or the subject is the head of the former verse, And if it exalt itself, Thou huntest me, &c. Or again, as in the Authorised Version, the subject is the affliction, For it increaseth: Thou huntest me, &c.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. For it increaseth, etc. And (if) it (the head) lift itself up, thou huntest me like the lion, ( shahhal,) see note, Job 4:10. This image is of frequent occurrence. (Isa 31:4; Isa 38:13; Hos 5:14; Hos 13:7.) “Good and Boothroyd seem rightly to consider that the fine passage in this and the following verse refers to the sport which lions, and, indeed, all the feline tribe, exercise over their prey before they finally devour it.” DR. KITTO, Pict. Bible. This painful feature of instinct is relieved by the consideration that the senses of the victim are probably to a good extent paralyzed. Such was the experience of Dr. Livingstone when once in the jaws of a lion. ( Travels in South Africa, p. 12.) The figure is one of unspeakable terror, but not necessitated by the text, though the Speaker’s Commentary seems to adopt it.
Marvellous upon me “Mighty against me.” (Furst.) The crude form of the verb is the same as Isa 9:6, translated wonderful. God adapts his afflictions to the heart. He shows as marvellous wisdom in the various visitations he makes to the souls of men as he does in the works of creation.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 10:16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.
Ver. 16. For it increaseth ] Heb. For it lifteth up itself; it even boileth up to the height, or it waxeth proud, as the proud surges of the sea. Broughton rendered it, Oh how it fleeth up! Why how? Surely, as a fierce lion, so it hunteth me; it riseth upon me, as a lion rampant doth upon his prey, or as a lion, when he is pursued, gives not place, hides not his head, but comes into the open fields as holding it a disgrace to withdraw; so some sense it: or,
Thou huntest me as a fierce lion
And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Thou huntest: Isa 38:13, Lam 3:10, Hos 13:7, Hos 13:8, Amo 3:8
marvellous: Num 16:29, Num 16:30, Deu 28:59
Reciprocal: 1Sa 24:11 – thou huntest Job 10:1 – I will speak Job 16:9 – teareth me Job 19:22 – persecute Job 30:15 – Terrors Psa 88:7 – Thy wrath Lam 4:18 – hunt Eze 17:20 – I will spread Hos 5:14 – as a lion
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 10:16. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion Which hunteth after his prey with eagerness, and, when he overtakes it, falls upon it with great fury. Again thou showest Hebrews , vetashob tithpalla bi, Thou turnest again: Thou art marvellous, or, thou showest thyself marvellous upon, in, or against me. The lion tears its prey speedily, and so ends its torments; but thou renewest my calamities again and again, and makest my plagues wonderful, both for kind, and extremity, and continuance.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10:16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself {q} marvellous upon me.
(q) Job being sore assaulted in this battle between the flesh and the spirit, breaks out into these affections, wishing rather for short days than long pain.