Job 10:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In a positive light, humanity is likened to a lion, symbolizing nobility; more significantly, the righteous are akin to this majestic creature. By upholding the respect inherent in the divine image, they instill fear in their adversaries. This is reflected in Proverbs, where it is stated that the righteous are as courageous as lions (Proverbs 28:1). However, should one yield to the seductive temptations presented by foes, they risk becoming ensnared, much like a lion led to its demise. They become victims of the hunters, like the lion that, having been lured, falls prey to its pursuit.

Job is astonished that the Almighty Lord, who is all-powerful and all-knowing, not only fashioned humanity but also meticulously sustains their lives and upholds their morals, could so harshly afflict His creation for seemingly trivial transgressions and subject him to such torment (Job 10: 1-12). In his deep perplexity regarding the reasons behind his undeserved suffering and his struggle to find justification before God, Job ultimately prefers death over life and pleads for respite from the remaining days of his troubled existence (13-22).