Job 9:17For he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
The setting
Ancient Uz (possibly southern Jordan/northern Saudi Arabia). Job sits in ashes, covered in boils, having lost everything...
The emotion here: crushed and bewildered by relentless suffering
The original word
shāʾaph (שָׁאַף) — to crush, break in pieces like pottery shards
Why it matters
Job's wealth of 7,000 sheep and 3,000 camels made him richer than most ancient kings
Read with care
What most readers miss in Job 9:17
Job uses legal language — he's building a court case against God
Common misconceptionPeople think Job was patient throughout his suffering, but he actually spent most of the book arguing with God and demanding answers.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Job 9:17
Bible Genome reading
Job 9:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Job 9:17 comes from the book of Job, written during the Patriarchal period. These words are attributed to Job. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the poetry genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine violence, undeserved suffering. Notable phrases: breaks me with a storm.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Job 9:17 mean to you, today?
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