Job 9:18
 Job 9:18 
New International Version (©2011)
He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.

New Living Translation (©2007)
He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.

English Standard Version (©2001)
he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"He will not allow me to get my breath, But saturates me with bitterness.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
He doesn't let me catch my breath but soaks me with bitter experiences.

International Standard Version (©2012)
He won't let me catch my breath; instead, he fills me with bitterness.

NET Bible (©2006)
He does not allow me to recover my breath, for he fills me with bitterness.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
He would not let me catch my breath. He fills me with bitterness.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
He will not permit me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

American King James Version
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

American Standard Version
He will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.

Darby Bible Translation
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.

English Revised Version
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

Webster's Bible Translation
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

World English Bible
He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

Young's Literal Translation
He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:14-21 Job is still righteous in his own eyes, ch. 32:1, and this answer, though it sets forth the power and majesty of God, implies that the question between the afflicted and the Lord of providence, is a question of might, and not of right; and we begin to discover the evil fruits of pride and of a self-righteous spirit. Job begins to manifest a disposition to condemn God, that he may justify himself, for which he is afterwards reproved. Still Job knew so much of himself, that he durst not stand a trial. If we say, We have no sin, we not only deceive ourselves, but we affront God; for we sin in saying so, and give the lie to the Scripture. But Job reflected on God's goodness and justice in saying his affliction was without cause.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 18. - He will not suffer me to take my breath. "He gives me no breathing-space," that is, "no time of relaxation or refreshment. My existence is one continual. misery." (comp. Job 7:3-6, 13-19). But filleth me with bitterness; literally, with bitter things or bitterness (Hebrew, מַמְּר ורִים).


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He will not suffer me to take my breath,.... Which some think refers to Job's disease, which was either an asthma, or a quinsy in his throat, which occasioned great difficulty in breathing: I should rather think the allusion is to the hot burning winds in those countries before mentioned, which sometimes blew so strongly as almost to take away a man's breath; so the above traveller (u) reports, that between Suez and Cairo (in Egypt) they had for a day's time and more so hot a wind, that they were forced to turn their backs to it, to take a little breath. The design of Job is to show, that his afflictions were continued, and were without any intervals; they were repeated so fast, and came so thick upon him, one after another, that he had no breathing time; the import of the phrase is the same with that in Job 7:19,

but filleth me with bitterness; to the full, to satiety, to loathing, as a man may be with a bitter potion, with wormwood drink, and water of gall, with bitter afflictions comparable to such, whereby Job's life was embittered to him, see Jeremiah 9:15.

(u) Travels. par. 1. B. 2. c. 34. p. 177.


Job 9:18 Parallel Commentaries

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Job: No Arbiter Between God and Man
17For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause. 18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness. 19If I speak of strength, see, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? …

Job 7:19 Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant?
Job 10:20 Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy
Job 13:26 For you write down bitter things against me and make me reap the sins of my youth.
Job 27:2 "As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,