Job 16: Job answers: worn out, with a witness in heaven
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What happens?
Job answers and says he has heard many such things, and he calls those he speaks to miserable comforters. He says he could speak as they do, then tells of being worn out, torn, struck and set up as a target, of the sackcloth he has sewed on his skin, and of his weeping. He calls on the earth not to cover his blood, says his witness is in heaven, and says that when a few years have come he will go the way of no return.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Job speaks the whole chapter: verse 1 says "Then Job answered", and nobody else speaks or is quoted. In verses 2 to 5 he speaks to "you", the ones he calls comforters, and in verse 18 he calls on the earth. He speaks of God in verses 11, 20 and 21, and the WEB also says "God" in verse 7. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then Job answered,
In plain English: Then Job answered,
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2“I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!
In plain English: I have heard many things like these. You are all miserable comforters (word by word: comforters of trouble).
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3Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
In plain English: Is there an end to vain words (word by word: words of wind)? Or what provokes you, that you answer?
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4I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,
In plain English: I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in the place of my soul. I could join words together against you and shake my head at you,
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5but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
In plain English: but I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve you.
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6“Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?
In plain English: Though I speak, my grief is not eased (the Hebrew says: not held back). Though I stop, what goes from me (or: how am I eased)?
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7But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made all my company desolate.
In plain English: But now, God, you have surely worn me out (see the note on who is meant). You have made all my company desolate.
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew of this verse has no word for "God". Word by word it reads "nevertheless now he has made me weary; you have devastated all my company", so the first verb says "he" and the second says "you". The WEB puts "God" in the verse. The Hebrew word for God is in .
What changes: Without the added word, the verse does not say who wore Job out or who made his company desolate. The text does not say whom Job means here.
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8You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.
In plain English: You have shriveled me up (or: seized me). This has become a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me and testifies to my face.
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9He has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.
In plain English: In his anger he has torn me and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.
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10They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.
In plain English: They have opened their mouths wide at me. They have struck me on the cheeks with scorn. They gather together against me.
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11God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
In plain English: God hands me over to the ungodly (or: the unjust) and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
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12I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target.
In plain English: I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up as his target.
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13His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my bile on the ground.
In plain English: His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart and does not spare. He pours out my bile (or: gall) on the ground.
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14He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs at me like a giant.
In plain English: He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs at me like a giant (or: a warrior).
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15I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.
In plain English: I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust (see the note).
The Hebrew words: "Thrust" is alal, which the dictionary gives as "to effect thoroughly; specifically, to glean (also figuratively); by implication (in a bad sense) to overdo, i.e. maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose (also literal)". The word cards give "I have inserted". "Horn" is qeren, which the dictionary gives as "a horn (as projecting)" and, among other meanings, "figuratively, power".
How it is translated: Alal is in 18 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "thrust" in 3 of them. Qeren is in 69 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "horn" in 28 of them. In Job both words are in this verse only.
What changes: Read as a horn, the line is a picture of a horn pushed into the dust. Read as "power", it says his power is in the dust. The text does not say which.
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16My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids,
In plain English: My face is red with weeping, and deep darkness is on my eyelids,
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17although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
In plain English: although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
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18“Earth, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.
In plain English: Earth, do not cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest (the Hebrew says: no place for my cry).
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19Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.
In plain English: Even now, look, my witness is in heaven. The one who vouches for me is in the high places (the Hebrew says "witness" twice: see the note).
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew says "witness" twice. The first is ed, which the dictionary gives as "concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e. prince". It is in 60 verses of the Bible and 3 of Job: , and this one. The second is sahed, which the dictionary gives as "a witness". It is in this verse only in the whole Bible.
What changes: Word by word both lines say "my witness": one is in the heavens, the other in high places. The WEB makes the second "he who vouches for me". The text does not name the witness.
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20My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,
In plain English: My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,
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21that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!
In plain English: that he would maintain the right (or: plead the case) of a man with God, and of a son of man with his neighbor (or: companion)!
Good to know: The Hebrew does not say who "he" is. Word by word the verse reads "and he may argue for a man with God, and a son of man for his companion". The Hebrew word for "companion" is the one the WEB translates "friends" in and "neighbor" here.
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22For when a few years have come, I will go the way of no return.
In plain English: For when a few years (years of a number) have come, I will go the way from which I will not return.
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