Bible Strands

Job 16:12

I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Job speaks from the center of acute physical and social ruin, responding to his friends after being delivered to the clutches of the wicked. He describes the sudden collapse of his former stability into violent affliction.

The words — שָׁלֵו (sha.Lev) translates literally to "at ease," and מַטָּרָה (ma.ta.Rah) means "target." Job contrasts his previous state of peace with his current status as a divine mark for destruction.

The thread — The theme of violent shattering appears in Lamentations 3:4 and Lamentations 3:11, while the specific "target" imagery recurs in Job 7:20. These passages collectively map a pattern of sudden, unexplained devastation.

Why it lands — The verse demands readers confront the reality of unmerited suffering without resorting to comfort or theological explanation. It requires honest acknowledgment that divine action can dismantle stability without warning.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

שָׁ֘לֵ֤וsha.Levat easeהָיִ֨יתִי׀ha.Yi.tiI wasוַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִיva/y.far.pe.Re./niand/ he smashed/ meוְאָחַ֣זve./'a.Chazand/ he took holdבְּ֭עָרְפִּיBe./'a.re.p/ion/ neck/ myוַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִיva/y.fatz.pe.Tze./niand/ he shattered/ meוַיְקִימֵ֥נִיva/y.ki.Me./niand/ he set up/ meל֝֗וֹl/oof/ himלְמַטָּרָֽה׃le./ma.ta.Rahto/ a target

King James Version

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

Cross-references