Is my complaint against a man?
Job is addressing his friends, who have been offering explanations for his suffering based on human wisdom and understanding. The rhetorical question implies that his grievance is not with humans but with God. This reflects the broader theme of the book, where Job seeks to understand divine justice and the reasons for his suffering. The question highlights Job's awareness that his situation transcends human disputes and enters the realm of divine sovereignty. This phrase connects to other biblical instances where individuals question God, such as in the Psalms, where the psalmists often express their struggles and seek understanding from God.

Then why should I not be impatient?
Job's impatience stems from his deep anguish and the lack of satisfactory answers from his friends. The word "impatient" here conveys a sense of restlessness and frustration with the prolonged suffering and the silence of God. This reflects the human condition of waiting for divine intervention and understanding, a theme also seen in the lamentations of the prophets. Job's impatience can be seen as a type of Christ's own suffering and waiting for God's will to be fulfilled, as seen in the Gospels where Jesus expresses his own anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. This phrase underscores the tension between human suffering and divine timing, a recurring theme throughout Scripture.

1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, enduring immense suffering and questioning the justice of his plight.

2. Job's Friends
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who visit Job to offer comfort but end up arguing that his suffering must be due to sin.

3. The Land of Uz
The setting of the Book of Job, a region whose exact location is uncertain but is traditionally considered to be in the area of Edom or northern Arabia.

4. God
The ultimate authority and sovereign being, whose justice and ways are questioned by Job throughout the book.

5. Suffering and Divine Justice
The central theme of the Book of Job, exploring the reasons for human suffering and the nature of God's justice.Understanding the Nature of Complaints
Job's question highlights the difference between human and divine justice. When we face trials, it's natural to question and express our grievances, but we must remember that our ultimate appeal is to God, not man.

Patience in Suffering
Job's impatience is a human response to prolonged suffering. As believers, we are called to develop patience, trusting in God's timing and purposes even when they are not immediately clear.

The Role of Friends in Times of Trouble
Job's friends initially come to comfort him but end up misjudging his situation. This teaches us the importance of offering support without assuming we understand God's purposes in someone else's suffering.

The Mystery of Divine Justice
Job's struggle with understanding why the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper is a common human experience. We are reminded to trust in God's ultimate justice, even when it is not evident in our current circumstances.

Faith Amidst Doubt
Job's questioning does not negate his faith. It is possible to have faith while wrestling with doubt and seeking understanding from God.(4) Is my complaint to man?--"It is not to man that I complain. I do not ask for your sympathy, and, therefore, why should ye resent an offence that is not given? If, however, I did ask it, might not my spirit with good reason be impatient? But, on the contrary, my complaint is to God; and, concerning the ways of God, I venture to ask why it is that His justice is so tardy; and this is a problem which when I remember it I am troubled, and horror taketh hold on my flesh, so difficult and arduous is it."

Verse 4. - As for me, is my complaint to man? Do I address myself to man, pour out my complaint to him, and expect him to redress my wrongs? No; far otherwise. I address myself to God, from whom alone I can look for effectual assistance. And if it were so; rather, and if so, if this is the case, if my appeal is to God, and he makes me no answer, then why should not my spirit be troubled? or, Why should I not be impatient? (Revised Version). Job thinks that he has a right to be impatient, if God does not vouchsafe him an answer.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Is my
הֶ֭אָנֹכִי (he·’ā·nō·ḵî)
Article | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

complaint
שִׂיחִ֑י (śî·ḥî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7879: A contemplation, an utterance

against a man?
לְאָדָ֣ם (lə·’ā·ḏām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

Then why
מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ (mad·dū·a‘)
Interrogative
Strong's 4069: Why? for what reason?

should I not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

be impatient?
תִקְצַ֥ר (ṯiq·ṣar)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7114: To dock off, curtail, to harvest


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OT Poetry: Job 21:4 As for me is my complaint (Jb)