Job 9
9
Job Speaks: the Futility of Arguing with God
1Then Job replied ⌞to his friends⌟,
2“Yes, I know that this is true.
But how can a mortal be declared righteous to God?
3If he wished to debate with God,
he wouldn’t be able to answer one question in a thousand.
4“God is wise in heart and mighty in power.
Who could oppose him and win?
5He moves mountains without their knowing it,
and he topples them in his anger.
6He shakes the earth from its place,
and its pillars tremble.
7He commands the sun not to rise.
He doesn’t let the stars come out.
8He stretches out the heavens by himself
and walks on the waves of the sea.
9He made ⌞the constellations⌟ Ursa Major, Orion, and the Pleiades,
and the clusters of stars in the south.
10He does great things that are unsearchable
and miracles that cannot be numbered.
11He passes alongside of me, and I don’t even see him.
He goes past me, and I don’t even notice him.
12He takes something away, ⌞but⌟ who can stop him?
Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13God does not hold back his anger.
Even Rahab’s#9:13 Rahab is the name of a demonic creature who opposes God. helpers bow humbly in front of him.
14“How can I possibly answer God?
How can I find the right words ⌞to speak⌟ with him?
15Even if I were right, I could not answer ⌞him⌟.
I would have to plead for mercy from my judge.
16If I cried out and he answered me,
I do not believe that he would listen to me.
17He would knock me down with a storm
and bruise me without a reason.
18He would not let me catch my breath.
He fills me with bitterness.
19If it is a matter of strength,
then he is the mighty one.
If it is about justice,
who will charge me with a crime?
20If I am righteous, my own mouth would condemn me.
It would declare that I am corrupt even if I am a man of integrity.
21If I am a man of integrity, I have no way of knowing it.
I hate my life!
22It is all the same.
That is why I say,
‘He destroys ⌞both⌟ the man of integrity and the wicked.’
23When a sudden disaster brings death,
he makes fun of the despair of innocent people.
24The earth is handed over to the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If he isn’t the one ⌞doing this⌟, who is?
25“My days go by more quickly than a runner.
They sprint away.
They don’t see anything good.
26They pass by quickly like boats made from reeds,
like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 ⌞Even⌟ if I say, ‘I will forget my complaining;
I will change my expression and smile,’
28I ⌞still⌟ dread everything I must suffer.
I know that you won’t declare me innocent.
29I’ve already been found guilty.
Why should I work so hard for nothing?
30If I wash myself with lye soap#9:30 Or “with water made from snow.”
and cleanse my hands with bleach,
31then you would plunge me into a muddy pit,
and my own clothes would find me disgusting.
32A human like me cannot answer God,
‘Let’s take our case to court.’
33There is no mediator between us
to put his hand on both of us.
34God should take his rod away from me,
and he should not terrify me.#9:33–34 Or “If there were a mediator between us to put his hand on both of us, he would remove his rod from me, and no longer terrify me.”
35Then I would speak and not be afraid of him.
But I know that I am not like that.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Job 9
9
Job: There Is No Mediator
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Truly I know it is so,
But how can a #(Job 4:17; 15:14–16; Ps. 143:2; Rom. 3:20)man be #(Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38)righteous before God?
3If one wished to contend with Him,
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4#Job 36:5God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
6He #Is. 2:19, 21; Hag. 2:6; Heb. 12:26shakes the earth out of its place,
And its #Job 26:11pillars tremble;
7He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
8#Gen. 1:6; Job 37:18; Ps. 104:2, 3; Is. 40:22He alone spreads out the heavens,
And treads on the waves of the sea;
9#Gen. 1:16; Job 38:31; Amos 5:8He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;
10#Job 5:9He does great things past finding out,
Yes, wonders without number.
11#(Job 23:8, 9; 35:14)If He goes by me, I do not see Him;
If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
12#(Is. 45:9; Dan. 4:35; Rom. 9:20)If He takes away, who can hinder Him?
Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13God will not withdraw His anger,
#Job 26:12The allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.
14“How then can I answer Him,
And choose my words to reason with Him?
15#Job 10:15; 23:1–7For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;
I would beg mercy of my Judge.
16If I called and He answered me,
I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17For He crushes me with a tempest,
And multiplies my wounds #Job 2:3without cause.
18He will not allow me to catch my breath,
But fills me with bitterness.
19If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;
And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
20Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;
Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.
21“I am blameless, yet I do not know myself;
I despise my life.
22It is all one thing;
Therefore I say, #(Eccl. 9:2, 3); Ezek. 21:3‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
23If the scourge slays suddenly,
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, who else could it be?
25“Now #Job 7:6, 7my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, they see no good.
26They pass by like swift ships,
#Job 39:29; Hab. 1:8Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
27#Job 7:13If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’
28#Ps. 119:120I am afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that You #Ex. 20:7will not hold me innocent.
29If I am condemned,
Why then do I labor in vain?
30#(Jer. 2:22)If I wash myself with snow water,
And cleanse my hands with soap,
31Yet You will plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes will abhor me.
32“For #Eccl. 6:10; (Is. 45:9; Jer. 49:19; Rom. 9:20)He is not a man, as I am,
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
33#(1 Sam. 2:25); Job 9:19; Is. 1:18Nor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
34#Job 13:20, 21; Ps. 39:10Let Him take His rod away from me,
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
35Then I would speak and not fear Him,
But it is not so with me.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.