איוב, פרק י״ט, פסוק כ״ב

In the midst of overwhelming physical agony, Job cries out from the depths of his heart to his friends, questioning why they choose to add verbal and mental persecution to his already unbearable pain. He challenges their relentless pursuit, asking why they torment an innocent man. The primary approach among commentators is that Job draws a painful parallel, asking why his friends pursue him just as God pursues him with suffering. However, an alternative perspective suggests he is comparing their cruelty to the behavior of strong, ruthless men who prey on the weak [רס ג ורלב״ג].

Job then likens his companions to wild beasts that can never be satisfied. He wonders if the severe physical afflictions that have already struck his body are not enough for them, questioning their need to further damage his spirit with harsh insults [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This desperate plea also strips away a potential defense his friends might use. They could claim that by rebuking him, they are simply following God's path and carrying out His will. Job firmly rejects this, pointing out a profound difference between their actions and God's decree. When God brought suffering upon Job, He placed a strict limit on the destruction, allowing only Job's flesh to be harmed while explicitly protecting his soul. The friends, by contrast, are not satisfied with his physical ruin. They continue to hound him, hoping to push him into such deep anger that he will speak wrongfully and ultimately lose his soul as well [אלשיך].