New International Version In his great power God becomes like clothing to me; he binds me like the neck of my garment. New Living Translation With a strong hand, God grabs my shirt. He grips me by the collar of my coat. English Standard Version With great force my garment is disfigured; it binds me about like the collar of my tunic. Berean Standard Bible With great force He grasps my garment; He seizes me by the collar of my tunic. Berean Literal Bible With abundance of strength He grasps my garment; by the collar of my tunic He seizes me. King James Bible By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. New King James Version By great force my garment is disfigured; It binds me about as the collar of my coat. New American Standard Bible “By a great force my garment is distorted; It ties me up like the collar of my coat. NASB 1995 “By a great force my garment is distorted; It binds me about as the collar of my coat. NASB 1977 “By a great force my garment is distorted; It binds me about as the collar of my coat. Legacy Standard Bible By a great force my garment is distorted; It seizes me about as the collar of my tunic. Amplified Bible “By the great force [of my disease] my garment (skin) is disfigured and blemished; It binds about me [choking me] like the collar of my coat. Berean Annotated Bible With great force He grasps my garment [He becomes like a garment to me]; He seizes me by the collar of my tunic. Christian Standard Bible My clothing is distorted with great force; he chokes me by the neck of my garment. Holman Christian Standard Bible My clothing is distorted with great force; He chokes me by the neck of my garment. American Standard Version By God's great force is my garment disfigured; It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. Contemporary English Version and God has shrunk my skin, choking me to death. English Revised Version By the great force of my disease is my garment disfigured: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. GOD'S WORD® Translation With great strength he grabs my clothes. He seizes me by the collar of my robe. Good News Translation God seizes me by my collar and twists my clothes out of shape. International Standard Version My clothes are disheveled by his forceful treatment of me; he restricts my movement like the collar of my cloak. NET Bible With great power God grasps my clothing; he binds me like the collar of my tunic. New Heart English Bible By great force is my garment disfigured. It binds me about as the collar of my coat. Webster's Bible Translation By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWith great force He grasps my garment; He seizes me by the collar of my tunic. World English Bible My garment is disfigured by great force. It binds me about as the collar of my tunic. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBy the abundance of power, "" Is my clothing changed, "" As the mouth of my coat it girds me. Berean Literal Bible With abundance of strength He grasps my garment; by the collar of my tunic He seizes me. Young's Literal Translation By the abundance of power, Is my clothing changed, As the mouth of my coat it doth gird me. Smith's Literal Translation By the multitude of power my clothing will be disguised: it will gird me about as the mouth of my coat. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWith the multitude of them my garment is consumed, and they have girded me about, as with the collar of my coat. Catholic Public Domain Version By the sheer number of them my clothing is worn away, and they have closed in on me like the collar of my coat. New American Bible With great difficulty I change my clothes, the collar of my tunic fits around my waist. New Revised Standard Version With violence he seizes my garment; he grasps me by the collar of my tunic. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleI have put on my garment; and girded up myself with my robe. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated I am clothed with garments and I am girded in my tunic OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917By the great force [of my disease] is my garment disfigured; It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. Brenton Septuagint Translation With great force my disease has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Job's Prosperity Becomes Calamity…17Night pierces my bones, and my gnawing pains never rest. 18With great force He grasps my garment; He seizes me by the collar of my tunic. 19He throws me into the mud, and I have become like dust and ashes.… Cross References With great force Job 16:14 He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior. Job 9:17 For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause. Psalm 22:12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. He grasps my garment; Genesis 39:12-15 She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. / When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, / she called her household servants. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could. … 1 Samuel 15:27-28 As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore. / So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. Zechariah 8:23 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” He seizes me by the collar of my tunic. Matthew 5:40 if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; Luke 6:29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone takes your cloak, do not withhold your tunic as well. 1 Samuel 24:4-5 So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. / Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. Job 19:20 My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. Job 7:5 My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering. Job 16:8 You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me. Job 17:1 “My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me. Job 19:9 He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. Job 30:30 My skin grows black and peels, and my bones burn with fever. Job 33:21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude. Treasury of Scripture By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it binds me about as the collar of my coat. By the great Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. Job 7:5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. Job 19:20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. Jump to Previous Abundance Bind Bindeth Binds Changed Clothing Coat Collar Disease Disfigured Distorted Force Garment Gird God's Great Grip Mouth Neck Power Pulling Raiment Seizes Tunic ViolenceJump to Next Abundance Bind Bindeth Binds Changed Clothing Coat Collar Disease Disfigured Distorted Force Garment Gird God's Great Grip Mouth Neck Power Pulling Raiment Seizes Tunic ViolenceJob 30 1. Job's honor is turned into extreme contempt15. and his prosperity into calamity With great force Job portrays his affliction as the crushing hand of God upon his life. The Lord had permitted Satan to strike Job’s possessions, family, and body, yet Job rightly understood that no trial lies outside God’s sovereign rule. His suffering had stripped him of strength, honor, and the security he once knew. Job 16:14 He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me… He grasps my garment; Job pictures himself as violently seized, his clothing distorted by the struggle. Garments marked dignity, identity, and social standing in the ancient world; Job’s ruined appearance reflected the devastation of his former life. The man once honored at the city gate had become an object of scorn and pity. Gen 39:12-15 She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!”… He seizes me by the collar of my tunic. The image conveys helplessness before an overpowering adversary. Job feels held at the point of greatest vulnerability, unable to escape the pain God has allowed. Yet his anguish does not place him beyond God’s care. The suffering servant Christ also endured humiliation, was stripped of His garments, and submitted Himself to the Father’s will, securing redemption for those who suffer in faith. Mat 5:40 if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic… Persons / Places / Events 1. JobThe central figure in the Book of Job, a man of great faith and integrity who undergoes severe trials and suffering. In this chapter, Job is lamenting his current state of affliction and the loss of his former honor and respect. 2. God Although not directly mentioned in this verse, Job attributes his suffering to God's actions, reflecting his struggle to understand the divine purpose behind his trials. 3. Job's Suffering The broader context of this verse is Job's intense physical and emotional suffering, which he describes in vivid and metaphorical language. Teaching Points Understanding SufferingSuffering is a complex part of the human experience and can often feel overwhelming, as Job describes. It is important to seek God's presence and wisdom in times of distress. God's Sovereignty Even when we feel like our lives are being "seized" by forces beyond our control, we must remember that God is sovereign and has a purpose, even if it is not immediately clear to us. Maintaining Faith Job's account encourages believers to maintain their faith and integrity, even when circumstances are dire and understanding is limited. Empathy and Support As members of the body of Christ, we are called to support and empathize with those who are suffering, offering comfort and prayer. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Job 30:18?2. How does Job 30:18 illustrate the depth of Job's physical suffering? 3. What can we learn about perseverance from Job's experience in Job 30:18? 4. How does Job 30:18 connect to the theme of suffering in the Bible? 5. How can Job's endurance in Job 30:18 inspire us in our trials? 6. What does Job 30:18 teach about God's presence during our times of distress? 7. What does Job 30:18 reveal about God's role in human suffering? 8. How does Job 30:18 challenge the belief in a just and loving God? 9. What historical context is necessary to understand Job 30:18? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 30? What Does Job 30:18 Mean With great forceJob’s first words picture an irresistible power pressing in on him. He is convinced that God Himself is behind the intensity of his suffering. • Job 6:4 says, “For the arrows of the Almighty are within me… God’s terrors are arrayed against me,” showing that Job consistently ascribes his pain to God’s purposeful action. • Job 16:14 echoes the same feeling: “He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a warrior.” • David felt similar pressure in Psalm 32:4, “For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me,” affirming that the Lord’s hand can weigh heavily on His people when He chooses. This opening phrase reminds us that the Lord’s strength is limitless; when He moves, no one can stand against Him (Isaiah 43:13). He grasps my garment Now Job shifts from sheer power to personal contact. A garment is intimate—worn close to the skin—and when someone grabs it, the wearer is instantly halted. • Job 19:9 laments, “He has stripped me of my honor,” underscoring how Job feels God has taken hold of what once covered and dignified him. • Lamentations 3:4 adds, “He has made my skin and flesh grow old; He has broken my bones,” another testimony that the Lord sometimes lays hold of His servant in ways that expose weakness. By using his garment as a picture, Job admits that God’s dealings are not distant; they reach right into the fabric of daily life, stripping away any illusion of self-sufficiency (2 Corinthians 1:9). He seizes me by the collar of my tunic Grabbing the collar yanks a person where he does not wish to go. Job feels grabbed at the neck, the place of breath and life. • Job 16:12 had already said, “He seized me by the neck and shattered me,” so this image is part of a larger pattern: Job sees God directing every detail of his distress. • Proverbs 3:12 reminds, “The LORD disciplines the one He loves,” showing that such a forceful grip can be an act of fatherly discipline rather than hostility. • Hebrews 12:10–11 expands the point: “God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness… it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Job’s testimony therefore illustrates that, while God’s hand can feel severe, His aim is always for ultimate good—bringing His children closer to Himself and refining their character (Romans 8:28–29). summary Job 30:18 paints a vivid, three-fold portrait of the Almighty’s direct involvement in human suffering: His unmatched power bears down, His hand reaches into personal space, and His firm grip steers the sufferer where he would never choose to go. Taken together with the wider testimony of Scripture, the verse affirms God’s sovereignty and purposeful discipline. Even when His touch feels harsh, it is guided by perfect wisdom, intended to humble pride, uncover hidden strength, and shape a deeper, holier trust in Him. (18) My garment changed.—Some render “By His (i.e., God’s) great power the garment (of my skin) is disfigured;” and others, “With great effort must my garment be changed because of the sores to which it clings? It bindeth me about as closely as the collar of my coat.”Verse 18. - By the great force of my disease is my garment changed; or, disfigured. The purulent discharge from his ulcers disfigured and made filthy his garment, which stiffened as the discharge dried, and clung to his frame. It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. The whole garment clung to his body as closely as it is usual for a mall's collar, or "neck-hole" (Professor Lee), to cling about his throat.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew By greatבְּרָב־ (bə·rāḇ-) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 7227: Much, many, great power כֹּ֭חַ (kō·aḥ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species) He becomes like יִתְחַפֵּ֣שׂ (yiṯ·ḥap·pêś) Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 2664: To seek, to conceal oneself, mask my garment; לְבוּשִׁ֑י (lə·ḇū·šî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 3830: A garment, clothing, raiment He seizes me יַֽאַזְרֵֽנִי׃ (ya·’az·rê·nî) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular Strong's 247: To gird, encompass, equip by the collar כְּפִ֖י (kə·p̄î) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to of my tunic. כֻתָּנְתִּ֣י (ḵut·tā·nə·tî) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 3801: A shirt Additonal Resources Job 30:18 Blue Letter BibleJob 30:18 Bible Gateway Job 30:18 Bible.com Job 30:18 NIV |
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