תְּחַדֵּ֬שׁ עֵדֶ֨יךָ נֶגְדִּ֗י וְתֶ֣רֶב כַּֽעַשְׂךָ עִמָּדִ֑י חֲלִיפֹ֖ות וְצָבָ֣א עִמִּֽי׃
(Job 10:17)
You renew Your witnesses against me and increase Your anger toward me; changes and troops are against me.
In this verse, Job laments that his suffering feels constant and overwhelming. The Hebrew expresses this despair through strong verbs of repetition and imagery of battle—as if God continually sends new waves of attack. Let’s unpack the Hebrew grammar that gives this verse its power.
Word Order and Flow
Hebrew often begins with the verb, which gives action first and emotion second. Here, the verse opens with תְּחַדֵּשׁ (“You renew”), setting the tone of relentless divine activity. The rest of the sentence unfolds in vivid parallel lines—each reinforcing the idea of ongoing struggle:
1. You renew Your witnesses against me
2. You increase Your anger toward me
3. Changes and troops are with me
This triple rhythm mirrors Job’s feeling of being struck again and again.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
| Hebrew Word | English Meaning | Part of Speech | Grammar & Notes | Role in Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| תְּחַדֵּשׁ | You renew | Verb | Root: ח־ד־שׁ (“to make new, renew”) Form: Piel imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular Expresses continuous or repeated action |
Main verb – initiates the clause |
| עֵדֶיךָ | Your witnesses | Noun + suffix | Root: עֵד (“witness, testimony”) Suffix -ךָ = “your (masculine singular)” Plural sense implied—“Your witnesses” or “Your accusations” |
Direct object of “You renew” |
| נֶגְדִּי | against me | Prepositional phrase | From נֶגֶד (“in front of, opposite”) + suffix -י = “me” | Describes direction of hostility |
| וְתֶרֶב | and You increase | Verb | Root: ר־ב־ה (“to increase, multiply”) Form: Qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular Joined with וְ = “and,” forming a second clause |
Continues the action – intensifies Job’s suffering |
| כַּעַשְׂךָ | Your anger | Noun + suffix | Root: כַּעַשׂ (“anger, wrath”) + suffix -ךָ = “your” | Object of the verb “You increase” |
| עִמָּדִי | with me / against me | Prepositional phrase | From עִם (“with”) + strengthened form עִמָּדִי (“with me”) Here expresses opposition—“in dealing with me” |
Indicates relationship of conflict |
| חֲלִיפוֹת | changes / relays | Noun (plural) | Root: ח־ל־ף (“to change, alternate”) May refer to “changes” or “relays” of attacks or sufferings |
Subject or parallel image – recurring trials |
| וְצָבָא | and troops / army | Noun | Root: צ־ב־א (“army, host”) Imagery of soldiers or relentless forces |
Paired with “changes” as poetic parallel |
| עִמִּי | with me | Prepositional phrase | From עִם (“with”) + suffix -י = “me” Indicates Job feels surrounded or under constant siege |
Final phrase – completes the imagery of attack |
Grammar and Imagery Insights
- Repetition through the Piel stem: The verb תְּחַדֵּשׁ (You renew) uses the Piel binyan, which emphasizes intensity or repetition—perfect for expressing Job’s sense of ongoing torment.
- Parallel verbs: תְּחַדֵּשׁ (“You renew”) and תֶּרֶב (“You increase”) run parallel, each showing intensification of divine action.
- Shift from verbs to nouns: The verse moves from God’s actions to their effects—חֲלִיפוֹת (changes, shifts) and צָבָא (army)—a shift from verbs to metaphors.
- Emotive prepositions: Words like נֶגְדִּי and עִמָּדִי reflect confrontation and tension—Job feels surrounded, not accompanied.
Tips for Beginners
- Watch for verb patterns: The prefix תְּ often signals “You (masculine singular)” in imperfect verbs.
- Suffixes tell ownership: -ךָ = “your,” -י = “my/me.” Recognizing them makes long phrases easy to read.
- Parallelism = Hebrew poetry’s heartbeat: Notice how each line mirrors the next—Hebrew poetry repeats meaning with variation, not rhyme.
- Imagery evolves: “Witnesses,” “anger,” “troops”—each term escalates Job’s distress poetically and emotionally.
What We Learned from this Sentence
Job 10:17 blends legal, emotional, and military language to portray Job’s anguish. God seems both prosecutor and commander, renewing accusations and sending waves of affliction.
Through precise Hebrew grammar—intense verb stems, layered nouns, and rhythmic prepositions—this verse captures the feeling of being endlessly pursued by forces beyond control.
In learning the Hebrew here, you also glimpse the poetry of lament: structured, honest, and hauntingly beautiful.
