Job 17: Group Study Handout

How to use: read Job 17 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.

Overview

In Job chapter 17, Job continues his lament, feeling abandoned and in despair. He expresses a deep sense of injustice and hopelessness, perceiving himself to be mocked and misunderstood by those around him, including his friends. Despite this, he implores God to be his advocate, affirming his integrity.

Key verse

“If I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness,”
Job 17:13 (WEB)

Outline

Job 17:1–2 Job's Despair
Job 17:3–5 Pleading for Advocacy
Job 17:6–7 A Byword Among People
Job 17:8–10 Righteousness in Suffering
Job 17:11–12 Broken Plans and Darkness
Job 17:13–15 Hope in Sheol
Job 17:16 Descent into Dust

Discussion questions

In v6, why does Job say he has become a 'byword' of the people?
What does Job mean by 'the light is near' in v12?
Job's expression of mockery in v2: how does it connect to his feelings of suffering?
In v15, when Job asks 'where then is my hope?', what does it tell us about his mental state?
When have you felt like Job in v11, with 'broken off' plans and lost hopes?

Go deeper

Passages that echo Job 17: Isaiah 40, Isaiah 5, Job 7.

Before next time: read Job 18.