Job 17:16 - Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?”
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Job 17:16" mean?
Job 17:16, "Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?" is a powerful expression of Job's utter despair and lack of hope. Let's break down the meaning:
"It": This refers to the last flicker of hope or expectation Job might still cling to. He's talking about his hope or prospects. It's a rhetorical question, implying his hope is as dead as he feels.
"Go down with me to the gates of Sheol": Sheol is the Hebrew term for the underworld, the place of the dead. It's often translated as "the grave" or "the pit." The "gates of Sheol" suggest the very entrance to death, the final and irreversible point of no return. Job is saying that whatever hope he had will die with him when he enters the realm of death.
"Descend together into the dust": This is a parallel statement reinforcing the first. To "descend into the dust" is a common expression referring to death. When a person dies, their body returns to the earth. This emphasizes the complete and utter annihilation of both Job and his remaining hope. They will both perish together.
In essence, Job is declaring:
My hope is utterly dead.
It will not outlive me.
It will die with me when I die, going to the grave with me, turning to dust as I turn to dust.
There is no future, no recovery, no redemption.
Context within Job's situation:
At this point in the Book of Job, Job is suffering immensely. He has lost his wealth, his children, and his health. He is surrounded by friends who, instead of comforting him, accuse him of secret sin and try to explain his suffering as divine punishment. Job vehemently protests his innocence and laments his fate, questioning God's justice. This verse is a stark manifestation of his feelings of abandonment, hopelessness, and the conviction that death is his only remaining companion.
Job 17:16 - Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?”
What does "Job 17:16" mean?
Job 17:16, "Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?" is a powerful expression of Job's utter despair and lack of hope. Let's break down the meaning:
"It": This refers to the last flicker of hope or expectation Job might still cling to. He's talking about his hope or prospects. It's a rhetorical question, implying his hope is as dead as he feels.
"Go down with me to the gates of Sheol": Sheol is the Hebrew term for the underworld, the place of the dead. It's often translated as "the grave" or "the pit." The "gates of Sheol" suggest the very entrance to death, the final and irreversible point of no return. Job is saying that whatever hope he had will die with him when he enters the realm of death.
"Descend together into the dust": This is a parallel statement reinforcing the first. To "descend into the dust" is a common expression referring to death. When a person dies, their body returns to the earth. This emphasizes the complete and utter annihilation of both Job and his remaining hope. They will both perish together.
In essence, Job is declaring:
My hope is utterly dead.
It will not outlive me.
It will die with me when I die, going to the grave with me, turning to dust as I turn to dust.
There is no future, no recovery, no redemption.
Context within Job's situation:
At this point in the Book of Job, Job is suffering immensely. He has lost his wealth, his children, and his health. He is surrounded by friends who, instead of comforting him, accuse him of secret sin and try to explain his suffering as divine punishment. Job vehemently protests his innocence and laments his fate, questioning God's justice. This verse is a stark manifestation of his feelings of abandonment, hopelessness, and the conviction that death is his only remaining companion.