Job 29 and 30

After reading chapter 29:

*Job is still talking. He is poetically remembering the good old days when his "path was drenched with cream." He was god's friend then. He was well respected by other people. He performed many acts of benevolence for the needy. He fought against the wicked. He was sooo good. People were awed by his wisdom. He believed his life would continue along this vein until he died of old age peacefully in his own home. He was kind of like a king.

After reading chapter 30:

*Job continues. Now he talks of the present and the changes in his life. He says young men from worthless, indigent  fathers are disrespectful to him. They mock him, spit in his face, they lay siege against him. Now Job lives in fear and pain. He has no more dignity or safety. He says God has used his great power to take hold of Job, throw him in the mud, then ruthlessly attack him. God will take him down to death, the place appointed for all the living. (See, everyone goes to the same place.)

*Verses 24-31 are a poetic list of Job's current ailments and emotional state. They emphasize his bodily suffering, despair, and isolation. In verse 24 he says,"Surely no one lays a hand on a broken man when he cries for help in his distress."

*As usual, a close parallel comparison of different versions gives you different interpretations of these chapters. Some are more confusing than others. Two things I found interesting: In verse 27 of chapter 30, the KJV says Job's bowels were boiling, which is a more vivid alliterative description than what the NIV calls churning insides.  Plus, in verse 29, Job is either a brother of jackals or dragons, and a companion of ostriches or owls, depending upon which version you prefer.



Edited for mistakes which I should have caught before I hit the publish button.