Job

Job 9

1Job acknowledgeth God's justice, wisdom, and power, against which there is no contending: 14he disclaimeth all thought of justifying himself; 20but insisteth that a man's innocency is not to be judged by the good or evil that befalls him in this world: 25he bringeth evidence of his own misfortunes, but will not presume to dispute with the author of them, who is so much above him.


1THEN Job answered and said,

2 I know it is so of a truth: but ahow should man be just 1with God?

1Or, before God?

a ch. 4.17; 25.4,6. Ps. 143.2; 130.3. Ro. 3.19,20. Ga. 2.16. Is. 64.6.

3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him bone of a thousand.

b Ro. 3.19,20. 1Jn. 3.20. Ps. 40.12.

4He is cwise in heart, and mighty in strength: dwho hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

c ch. 36.5; 40.9-14; 37.23. v.19,32,33. Ps. 147.5. Jude 24,25. d Is. 27.4. 1Co. 10.22. ch. 41.10. Mal. 3.13.

5Which eremoveth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

e Ps. 68.8; 46.2; 114.4. Hab. 3.6. Am. 9.5. Na. 3.6. Zec. 14.4; 4.7. Re. 16.20.

6Which fshaketh the earth out of her place, and the gpillars thereof tremble.

f He. 12.26. Is. 13.13. g Ps. 75.3. 1Sa. 2.8. ch. 26.11.

7Which hcommandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and isealeth up the stars.

h Ps. 135.6. Da. 4.35. Joel 2.2. Am. 4.13; 5.8; 8.9. Jos. 10.12,13. i ch. 3.4,6. Eze. 32.7. Ac. 27.20. Is. 13.10.

8Which alone jspreadeth out the heavens, and ktreadeth upon the 2waves of the sea.

2Heb. heights, Am. 4.13.

j Ge. 1.6. Ps. 104.2,3. ch. 37.18. Is. 40.22-28; 42.5. k Hab. 3.15. Ps. 93.3,4; 65.7; 89.9; 107.29. Mat. 14.25. Mar. 6.48. Je. 5.22.

9 lWhich maketh 3Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

3Heb. Ash, Cesil and Cimah.

l ch. 38.31,32. Am. 5.8. Ps. 147.1.

10mWhich doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

m ch. 5.9. Ps. 71.15; 40.5; 145.5,6; 72.18.

11nLo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

n ch. 23.3,8,9; 35.14.

12oBehold, he taketh away, who can 4hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

4Heb. turn him away? ch. 11.10.

o Is. 45.9. Je. 18.6. Ro. 9.20. ch. 23.13; 33.13; 34.29. Da. 4.35. Ps. 135.6; 115.3.

13pIf God will not withdraw his anger, the 5proud helpers do stoop under him.

5Heb. helpers of pride, or, strength.

p Is. 30.7; 31.2. ch. 40.2,11,12. Eze. 21.26. Da. 4.37. Lu. 14.11.

14qHow much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

q ch. 40.5. 1Pe. 3.15.

15Whom, rthough I were righteous, yet would I not answer, sbut I would make supplication to my judge.

r ch. 10.15. Ro. 3.19. 1Co. 4.4. Ge. 18.27,30. Ho. 12.4. Mat. 5.24,25. s ch. 34.31.

16If tI had called, and he had answered me; yet would uI not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

t ch. 29.2-5. Ge. 48.3. Ps. 18.6; 116.1; 6.8,9; 34.4,6. u Ex. 6.9. Ju. 6.13.

17For he vbreaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds wwithout cause.

v Ps. 83.15; 42.7,9,10. Je. 23.19. Eze. 13.13. Is. 28.17. w ch. 2.3; 34.6. Jn. 9.3. Mat. 20.15.

18xHe will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with ybitterness.

x ch. 7.19. Ps. 88.15-17. Je. 9.15. y ch. 3.20. 1Sa. 15.32. 2Sa. 2.26. La. 3.15,19. He. 12.6-11.

19If I speak of strength, lo, zhe is strong: and if of judgment, who ashall set me a time to plead ?

z 1Co. 10.22; 1.25. v.4. a v.32,33. Ps. 143.2.

20If I bjustify myself, cmine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say , I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

b v.2,3. Ps. 130.3; 143.2. Pr. 27.2. Lu. 16.15. 1Co. 4.4. 1Jn. 1.8,10. c ch. 15.6.

21Though dI were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

d Phi. 3.3-9. Is. 64.6. Lu. 17.10. Ge. 32.10. ch. 7.16.

22This is eone thing , therefore I said it , He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

e Ec. 9.1-3. Eze. 21.3.

23If fthe *scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the gtrial of the innocent.

*scourge-whip.

f ch. 1.13-19; 27.20,21; 34.20. Ps. 80.5. Is. 10.26; 28.15,18. g Eze. 21.13. Zec. 13.9. 1Pe. 1.7; 4.12. He. 11.36,37.

24hThe earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he icovereth the faces of the judges thereof; jif not, where, and who is he?

h Je. 12.1,2. Ps. 73.3,7; 17.14. Da. 7.7,25. i Ps. 69.23; 81.12. Es. 7.8. Is. 29.10. j ch. 24.25.

25Now my days are kswifter than la *post: they flee away, they see no good.

*post-messenger carrying letters.

k ch. 7.6,7. Ps. 39.5; 90.6,9; 103.15,16. Ja. 4.14. 1Co. 7.31. Hab. 1.8. La. 4.19. l 2Ch. 30.6.

26They are passed away as the 6swift ships: as mthe eagle that hasteth to the prey.

6Or, ships of Ebeh, Heb. ships of desire.

m Hab. 1.8.

27nIf I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and 7comfort myself :

7Or, strengthen, Am. 5.9. ch. 10.20. Ps. 39.13.

n ch. 7.13.

28I oam afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou pwilt not hold me innocent.

o Ps. 119.120; 88.16; 77.3-9. p Ex. 20.7. Ps. 130.3.

29If I be wicked, why then labour I qin vain?

q 2Pe. 2.20-22. Eze. 18.24. Ps. 73.13.

30If I rwash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

r Je. 2.22; 18.14. Ps. 18.20; 73.13; 26.6; 15.1,2; 24.4.

31Yet shalt thou splunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall 8abhor me.

8Or, make me to be abhorred, Pr. 21.27. Lu. 13.14.

s Ps. 130.3; 143.2; 69.1,2.

32For he is tnot a man, as I am , that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

t Ec. 6.10. Is. 45.9. Je. 49.19. Ro. 9.20. Nu. 23.19. v.3,14,15.

33Neither is there any 9*days-man betwixt us, that might ulay his hand upon us both.

9Heb. one that should argue, or, umpire.

*daysman-mediator.

u 1Sa. 2.25. v.19. 1Ti. 2.5. He. 8.6; 9.15; 2.5. Ps. 106.23.

34Let him take vhis rod away from me, and let not his fear wterrify me:

v Ps. 39.10. w Ps. 90.11. ch. 31.23; 38.1; 33.7; 13.11,21.

35Then would I speak, and not fear him; 10but it is not so with me.

10Heb. but I am not so with myself.