Job 16:10

They haue gaped vpon me with their mouth, they haue smitten me vpon the cheeke reprochfully, they haue gathered themselues together against mee. Job 16:10 (KJV)

Context: The Book of Job is a poetic and philosophical exploration of human suffering and the nature of God’s justice. Job was a righteous man who experienced extreme suffering and loss, including the death of his children, the destruction of his possessions, and personal afflictions. His friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—came to comfort him but ended up offering misguided explanations for his suffering, suggesting that his calamities were a result of hidden sin.

Job’s complaint: In Job 16:10, Job expresses his lament over the treatment he has received. The phrase “they have gaped upon me with their mouth” indicates that his friends have spoken against him, delivering harsh judgment and condemnation that add to his distress. He says they have “smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully,” a vivid image that conveys a verbal rebuke that feels as painful as a physical blow. The final clause, “they have gathered themselves together against me,” reveals a sense of collective opposition, as if his accusers have united in hostility.

Gathering against Job: The verse’s reference to a gathering points to both his three friends and possibly others who have joined in accusing and mocking him. This creates an atmosphere in which Job feels isolated, surrounded by enemies, and increasingly abandoned. The combined effect of hostile speech, the feeling of being struck, and the perception of a united front intensifies his feelings of despair and abandonment, underscoring the depth of his suffering and the profound sense of injustice he perceives in his situation.