Job 6 · Verse 4

Job 6:4

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
Job 6:4, King James Version

Job 6:4 in other translations

BSBFor the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
WEBFor the arrows of the Almighty are within me. My spirit drinks up their poison. The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
ASVFor the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
YLTFor arrows of the Mighty are with me, Whose poison is drinking up my spirit. Terrors of God array themselves for me!
DARBYFor the arrows of the Almighty are within me, their poison drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
BBEFor the arrows of the Ruler of all are present with me, and their poison goes deep into my spirit: his army of fears is put in order against me.
WebsterFor the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison of which drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God set themselves in array against me.

What does Job 6:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. arrows ... within me--have pierced me. A poetic image representing the avenging Almighty armed with bow and arrows (Psa 38:2, 3). Here the arrows are poisoned. Peculiarly appropriate, in reference to the burning pains which penetrated, like poison, into the inmost parts--("spirit"; as contrasted with mere surface flesh wounds) of Job's body. set themselves in array--a military image (Jud 20:33). All the terrors which the divine wrath can muster are set in array against me (Is 42:13).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 The arrows of the Almighty - There is an evident reference here to wounds inflicted by poisoned arrows; and to the burning fever occasioned by such wounds, producing such an intense parching thirst as to dry up all the moisture in the system, stop all the salivary ducts, thicken and inflame the blood, induce putrescency, and terminate in raging mania, producing the most terrifying images, from which the patient is relieved only by death. This is strongly expressed in the fine figure: The Poison Drinketh Up my Spirit; the Terrors of God Set Themselves in Array against me. That calamities are represented among the Eastern writers as the arrows of the Almighty, we have abundant proofs. In reference to this, I shall adduce that fine saying attributed to Aaly, the son-in-law of Mohammed in the Toozuki Teemour; which I have spoken of elsewhere. "It was once demanded of the fourth califf (Aaly), 'If the canopy of heaven were a bow; and if the earth were the cord thereof; and if calamities were the arrows; if mankind were the mark for those arrows; and if Almighty God, the tremendous and glorious, were the unerring Archer; to whom could the sons of Adam flee for protection?' The califf answered, 'The sons of Adam must flee unto the Lord.'" This fine image Job keeps in view in the eighth and ninth verses, wishing that the unerring marksman may let fly these arrows, let loose his hand, to destroy and cut him off.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 6:1-7

Job still justifies himself in his complaints. In addition to outward troubles, the inward sense of God's wrath took away all his courage and resolution. The feeling sense of the wrath of God is harder to bear than any outward afflictions. What then did the Saviour endure in the garden and on the cross, when he bare our sins, and his soul was made a sacrifice to Divine justice for us! Whatever burden of affliction…

Read the full comment on Job 6:1-7 →

Job 6:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּ֤יkiforH3588
חִצֵּ֪יchi.Tzei[the] arrows ofH2671
שַׁדַּ֡יsha.Dai[the] AlmightyH7706
עִמָּדִ֗י'i.ma.Di[are] with meH5978
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
חֲ֭מָתָםCha.ma.tompoison theirH2534
שֹׁתָ֣הsho.Tah[is] drinkingH8354
רוּחִ֑יru.Chispirit myH7307
בִּעוּתֵ֖יbi.'u.Tei[the] terrors ofH1161
אֱל֣וֹהַּ'e.Lo.ahGodH433
יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי\׃Ya.'ar.Khu.nithey are arranged against meH6186

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 6:4

  • Psalms 38:2

    For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

  • Job 30:15

    Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.

  • Psalms 88:15-16

    I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

  • Proverbs 18:14

    The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

  • Mark 15:34

    And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

  • Job 16:12-14

    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. His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

  • Psalms 143:7

    Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

  • Lamentations 3:12-13

    He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

  • Job 9:17

    For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

  • Deuteronomy 32:23-24

    I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

  • Psalms 21:12

    Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.

  • Psalms 7:13

    He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the arrows.
16:12-14; De 32:23,42; Ps 7:13; 18:14; 21:12; 38:2; 45:5; La 3:12,13
drinketh up.
De 32:24; Ps 143:7; Pr 18:14; Mr 14:33,34; 15:34
the terrors.
9:17; 30:15; 31:23; Ps 88:15,16; 2Co 5:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 6:3

    For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

  • Job 6:4

    For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

  • Job 6:5

    Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

Read all of Job 6

Job 6:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque las saetas del Todopoderoso están en mí, cuyo veneno bebe mi espíritu; y terrores de Dios me combaten.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car les flèches du Tout-puissant sont en moi, leur venin boit mon esprit; les frayeurs de ✝Dieu se rangent en bataille contre moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn die Pfeile des Allmächtigen sind in mir, ihr Gift trinkt mein Geist; die Schrecken Gottes stellen sich in Schlachtordnung wider mich auf.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quia sagittæ Domini in me sunt, quarum indignatio ebibit spiritum meum; et terrores Domini militant contra me.