He Chides His Accusers (12:1-12)

CHAPTER 12

1 And Job answered and said, 2 Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you! 3 I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these? 4 I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call upon +God, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright man. 5 He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. 6 The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke GOD are secure; into whose hand +God bringeth. 7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowl of the heavens, and they shall tell thee; 8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 9 Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this? 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man. 11 Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food? 12 With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

He Affirms God’s Own Wisdom and Strength (12:13-25)

13 With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding. 14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening. 15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; and he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. 16 With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his. 17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools; 18 He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter; 19 He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty; 20 He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders; 21 He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty; 22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death; 23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in; 24 He taketh away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste. 25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunkard.

The Advice of His Friends has been No Help (13:1-12)

CHAPTER 13

1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. 2 What ye know, I know also: I am not inferior to you. 3 But I will speak to the Almighty, and will find pleasure in reasoning with GOD; 4 For ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5 Oh that ye would be altogether silent! and it would be your wisdom. 6 Hear now my defence, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will ye speak unrighteously for GOD? and for him speak deceit? 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for GOD? 9 Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one mocketh at a man, will ye mock at him? 10 He will certainly reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 11 Shall not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you? 12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your bulwarks are bulwarks of mire.

Confident of His Own Integrity, Job Again Wishes to Speak With God (13:13-19)

13 Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what will! 14 Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? 15 Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him. 16 This also shall be my salvation, that a profane man shall not come before his face. 17 Hear attentively my speech and my declaration with your ears. 18 Behold now, I have ordered the cause; I know that I shall be justified. 19 Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.

Job Appeals to God for an Audience (13:20-28)

20 Only do not two things unto me; then will I not hide myself from thee. 21 Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid: 22 Then call, and I will answer; or I will speak, and answer thou me. 23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin. 24 Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, and countest me for thine enemy? 25 Wilt thou terrify a driven leaf? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble? 26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth; 27 And thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and markest all my paths; thou settest a bound about the soles of my feet; — 28 One who, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that the moth eateth.

He Expresses Hopelessness in This Life (14:1-12)

CHAPTER 14

1 Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; and he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not. 3 Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? 4 Who can bring a clean man out of the unclean? Not one! 5 If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass, 6 Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day. 7 For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease; 8 Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground, 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant. 10 But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he? 11 The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth up: 12 So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep.

He Longs for Death (14:13-22)

13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, — 14 (If a man die, shall he live again?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come: 15 Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands. 16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity. 18 And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place; 19 The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man. 20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him. 21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not. 22 But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.

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