Job 13
13
1“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2#Job 12:3What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3#Job 23:3; 31:35But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
4But you forgers of lies,
#Job 6:21; (Jer. 23:32)You are all worthless physicians.
5Oh, that you would be silent,
And #Job 13:13; 21:5; Prov. 17:28it would be your wisdom!
6Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7#Job 27:4; 36:4Will you speak wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
8Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.
11Will not His excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13“Hold your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14Why #Job 18:4do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15#Ps. 23:4; (Prov. 14:32)Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
#Job 27:5Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16He also shall be my salvation,
For a #Job 8:13hypocrite could not come before Him.
17Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be #(Rom. 8:34)vindicated.
19#Job 7:21; 10:8; Is. 50:8Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
Job’s Despondent Prayer
20“Only#Job 9:34 two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21#Job 9:34; Ps. 39:10Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22Then call, and I will #Job 9:16; 14:15answer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24#(Deut. 32:20); Ps. 13:1Why do You hide Your face,
And #Lam. 2:5regard me as Your enemy?
25#Is. 42:3Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26For You write bitter things against me,
And #Job 20:11make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27#Job 33:11You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You set a limit for the soles of my feet.
28“Man decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
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Job 13: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Job 13
13
1All this my eye has seen;
my ear has heard and perceived it.
2What you know, I also know;#Jb 12:3; 15:9.
I do not fall short of you.
3But I would speak with the Almighty;#Jb 23:4.
I want to argue with God.
4But you gloss over falsehoods,
you are worthless physicians, every one of you!
5Oh, that you would be altogether silent;
that for you would be wisdom!
6Hear now my argument
and listen to the accusations from my lips.
7Is it for God that you speak falsehood?
Is it for him that you utter deceit?
8Is it for him that you show partiality?
Do you make accusations on behalf of God?
9Will it be well when he shall search you out?
Can you deceive him as you do a mere human being?
10He will openly rebuke you
if in secret you show partiality.
11Surely his majesty will frighten you
and dread of him fall upon you.
12Your reminders are ashy maxims,
your fabrications mounds of clay.
13Be silent! Let me alone that I may speak,
no matter what happens to me.
14I will carry my flesh between my teeth,
and take my life in my hand.#The second half of the verse is a common biblical expression for risking one’s life; cf. Jgs 12:3; 1 Sm 19:5; 28:21; Ps 119:109; the first half of the verse must have a similar meaning. Job is so confident of his innocence that he is willing to risk his life by going to judgment with God.
15Slay me though he might,#Jb 27:5. I will wait for him;#Many translations adopt the Ketib reading, “I have no hope.”
I will defend my conduct before him.
16This shall be my salvation:
no impious man can come into his presence.
17Pay close attention to my speech,
give my statement a hearing.
18Behold, I have prepared my case,#Jb 33:9.
I know that I am in the right.
19If anyone can make a case against me,
then I shall be silent and expire.
20Two things only do not use against me,#In 13:20–14:22, Job directs his address to God; cf. 7:8–21; 9:28–10:22. His three friends never do this.
then from your presence I need not hide:
21Withdraw your hand far from me,
do not let the terror of you frighten me.
22Then call me, and I will respond;
or let me speak first, and answer me.
23What are my faults and my sins?
My misdeed, my sin make known to me!
24Why do you hide your face
and consider me your enemy?#The Hebrew word for “enemy” (‘oyeb) is very close to the Hebrew form of Job’s name (‘iyyob). The play on the word implies that God has confused the two. #Jb 19:11; 33:10.
25Will you harass a wind-driven leaf
or pursue a withered straw?
26For you draw up bitter indictments against me,
and punish in me the faults of my youth.
27You put my feet in the stocks;
you watch all my paths
and trace out all my footsteps,
28Though I wear out like a leather bottle,
like a garment the moth has consumed.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc