Job 10:17

thou renewest wouldst renew. Similarly, and increase. All the verbs in these verses (Job 10:14) are to be translated from the point of view of God's intention cherished beforehand with regard to Job. This intention has, of course, been carried out, and has been fulfilled in Job's present condition, and this condition supplies the colours in which the intention is painted. God's "witnesses" are His plagues and afflictions, as the margin explains, which testified to Job's guilt, cf. ch. Job 16:8.

changes and war are against me Or, changes and a host with me. The words are either an exclamation, in which the preceding statements of Job 10:17 are summed up; or are in apposition to "indignation," being a description of how this indignation shews itself. The expression "changes and a host" means most naturally, an ever-changing, or, renewed host, the figure being that of an attacking army which makes continually fresh and renewed assaults. This army is composed of his afflictions sent against him by God, ch. Job 6:4; Job 16:14; Job 19:12. Others regard the "changes" as the successive new attacks, and the "host" as the abiding old army of afflictions, which seems artificial and puerile. The word "change" occurs ch. Job 14:14 in the sense of release, and the word "host" in the general meaning of warfare, ch. Job 7:1; Job 14:14. If these meanings were adopted here the sense would be: releases and warfare with me, i. e. brief intervals and then terrible conflict. Job, however, usually represents his afflictions as without intermission.