AThornquist
Puritan Board Doctor
This was discussed some on this thread, but I have a question to add. The point of the thread is to better understand if Job scraped his wounds because they itched or to self-medicate, or if he was self-mutilating in the form of cutting because of depression.
My question is this: what does Job 18:4 mean? "You who tear yourself in your anger"... could that refer to Job tearing his skin with the potsherd because of his emotions? Earlier than Job 18, Job lamented about how God was "tearing at his soul," but I don't think this is being referenced here by Bildad, the speaker. I doubt this reference because Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar having been telling Job that God was the cause of his disposition because of Job's alleged moral pitfalls. Thus, the tearing here in 18:4 seems to be a ramification of God's actions, while earlier in Job "God's tearing" would be the causal actions. Perhaps then, in Job's "anger" he tore himself physically with the potsherd?
My question is this: what does Job 18:4 mean? "You who tear yourself in your anger"... could that refer to Job tearing his skin with the potsherd because of his emotions? Earlier than Job 18, Job lamented about how God was "tearing at his soul," but I don't think this is being referenced here by Bildad, the speaker. I doubt this reference because Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar having been telling Job that God was the cause of his disposition because of Job's alleged moral pitfalls. Thus, the tearing here in 18:4 seems to be a ramification of God's actions, while earlier in Job "God's tearing" would be the causal actions. Perhaps then, in Job's "anger" he tore himself physically with the potsherd?