Job 19:12

Job 19:12 Meaning and Explanation

His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.

King James Version (KJV)

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Job pictures God's forces marching against him as an army besieging his tent.

What Does Job 19:12 Mean?

Using the language of war, Job imagines God's troops advancing as a siege army, building a ramp to assault his dwelling and encamping around his tent. A lone, broken man feels surrounded by an overwhelming host. The picture conveys how total and inescapable his suffering seems.

Job's words show how affliction can make even the faithful feel besieged by the Almighty. Yet Scripture also speaks of armies of light, the hosts of heaven encamped around those who fear the Lord to deliver them. The same God whom Job feels as an attacker is, in the fuller story, the defender of his people. Faith holds on through the siege until the besieger is revealed as Savior.

Job 19:12 in the Original Language

ohel (אֹהֶל), 'tabernacle' -- a tent or dwelling, the fragile home of a wandering man, easily surrounded.

Frequently Asked Questions About Job 19:12

What does Job 19:12 mean?

Job pictures God's forces marching against him as an army besieging his tent.

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