He Agrees With Bildad, But Who Can Truly be Righteous Before God? (9:1-13)

CHAPTER 9

1 And Job answered and said, 2 Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with GOD? 3 If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand. 4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace? 5 Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger; 6 Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble; 7 Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars; 8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea; 9 Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; 10 Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number. 11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not. 12 Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou? 13 +God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:

Because of Such Power, Job’s Complains of God’s Inaccessibility (9:14-20)

14 How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words to strive with him? 15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge. 16 If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, — 17 He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. 18 He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses. 19 Be it a question of strength, lo, he is strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time? 20 If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.

Maintaining Claim to Innocence, Conclusion: God Destroys Indiscriminately (9:21-24)

21 Were I perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. 22 It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. 23 If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent. 24 The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked man; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?

Feeling Hopeless, Job Bemoans the Lack of a Mediator (9:25-35)

25 And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good. 26 They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey. 27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance, and brighten up, 28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 29 Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain? 30 If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity, 31 Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me. 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment. 33 There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid, 35 Then I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

In Pain, Job Gives Free Course to His Complaint (10)

CHAPTER 10

1 My soul is weary of my life: I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say unto +God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou strivest with me. 3 Doth it please thee to oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? 4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? 5 Are thy days as the days of a mortal? are thy years as a man’s days, 6 That thou searchest after mine iniquity, and inquirest into my sin; 7 Since thou knowest that I am not wicked, and that there is none that delivereth out of thy hand? 8 Thy hands have bound me together and made me as one, round about; yet dost thou swallow me up! 9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as clay, and wilt bring me into dust again. 10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? 11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews; 12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy care hath preserved my spirit; 13 And these things didst thou hide in thy heart; I know that this was with thee. 14 If I sinned, thou wouldest mark me, and thou wouldest not acquit me of mine iniquity. 15 If I were wicked, woe unto me! and righteous, I will not lift up my head, being so full of shame, and beholding mine affliction; — 16 And it increaseth: thou huntest me as a fierce lion; and ever again thou shewest thy marvellous power upon me. 17 Thou renewest thy witnesses before me and increasest thy displeasure against me; successions of evil and a time of toil are with me. 18 And wherefore didst thou bring me forth out of the womb? I had expired, and no eye had seen me. 19 I should be as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few? cease then and let me alone, that I may revive a little, 21 Before I go, and never to return, — to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; 22 A land of gloom, as darkness itself; of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as thick darkness.

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