Job 9: Job asks how a man can be right with God
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Job answers Bildad. He says he knows it is so, but asks how a man can be right with God, and says that if he is pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one time in a thousand. He tells of God's power over mountains, earth, sun, stars and sea, and says that when God passes by he cannot see him. He says that even if he were righteous his own mouth would condemn him, that there is no umpire between them, and asks that God take his rod away, and says then he would speak and not fear him.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Verse 1 is the narrator's line: Job answers. Job speaks in verses 2 to 35, answering the speech of Bildad the Shuhite in [[JOB 8:1|chapter 8]]. Inside his words he quotes a question put to God in verse 12 ("What are you doing?") and words he might say in verse 27 ("I will forget my complaint"). In verse 19 the WEB prints "says he" in the question "Who will summon me?": the Hebrew has no "says he", and either way Job is the one speaking, so the words are not in gold. The narrator speaks no other words in this chapter. 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“Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?
In plain English: Truly I know that it is so. But how can a person be in the right (or: be just) with God?
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3If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.
In plain English: If he is pleased to argue a case with him, he cannot answer him one time in a thousand.
Good to know: The Hebrew has only "he" and "him" in this verse and does not name who is pleased to contend. It can be read as a man who is pleased to contend with God, or as God who is pleased to contend with a man. The text does not say which is meant.
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4God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?
In plain English: God is wise of heart and strong in power. Who has been stubborn against him and come out unharmed (or: prospered)?
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5He removes the mountains, and they don’t know it, when he overturns them in his anger.
In plain English: He moves mountains, and they do not know it. He overturns them in his anger.
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6He shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.
In plain English: He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble.
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7He commands the sun and it doesn’t rise, and seals up the stars.
In plain English: He speaks to the sun and it does not rise (or: shine), and he puts a seal on the stars.
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8He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
In plain English: He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the high places (or: waves) of the sea.
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9He makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.
In plain English: He makes Ash, Kesil and Kimah (the WEB prints the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades: see the note), and the chambers (or: rooms) of the south.
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew names are Ash, Kesil and Kimah, and the WEB prints "the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades". The dictionary gives Ash as "the constellation of the Great Bear (perhaps from its migration through the heavens)", Kesil as "any notable constellation; specifically Orion (as if a burly one)", and Kimah as "a cluster of stars, i.e. the Pleiades". Ash is in 2 verses of the Bible, this one and , and the WEB says "Bear" in both. Kesil is in 4 verses, and the WEB says "Orion" in 3 of them. Kimah is in 3 verses: this one, and , and the WEB says "Pleiades" in all 3.
What changes: The verse gives the three names and says that he makes them. It does not say which stars they are. The WEB's star names follow the dictionary.
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10He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.
In plain English: He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
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11Behold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him. He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.
In plain English: Look, he passes by me, and I do not see him. He moves on, and I do not perceive him.
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12Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
In plain English: Look, he snatches away. Who can turn him back? Who will say to him, "What are you doing?"
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13“God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
In plain English: God will not turn back his anger. Under him the helpers of Rahab bow down.
The Hebrew words: "God" here is Eloah, which the dictionary gives as "a deity or the Deity". It is in 41 verses of Job, and the WEB says "God" in all 41. "Rahab" is rahav, which the dictionary gives as "bluster(-er)". It is in 3 verses of the Bible: this one, and , and the WEB says "Rahab" in all 3. The text does not say who the helpers of Rahab are.
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14How much less will I answer him, and choose my words to argue with him?
In plain English: How much less will I answer him, and choose my words to argue with him?
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15Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
In plain English: Though I am righteous, I would not answer him. I would ask my judge for favor.
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16If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened to my voice.
In plain English: If I called and he answered me, I would not believe that he gave ear to my voice.
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17For he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
In plain English: He crushes me with a storm and multiplies my wounds for no reason.
The Hebrew word: "Storm" is searah, which the dictionary gives as "a hurricane". It is in 2 verses of the Bible, this one and , and the WEB says "storm" in both.
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18He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
In plain English: He does not allow me to bring back my breath, for he fills me with bitter things.
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19If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
In plain English: If it is a matter of strength, look, he is mighty. And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon me (the WEB adds: says he; see the note)?
Good to know: The WEB prints "says he" after "Who". The Hebrew has no "says he": it reads "who will summon me?". Without it, the line is Job asking who would summon him. With it, the question is words Job gives to God. Either way Job is the one speaking. The text does not say which is meant.
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20Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.
In plain English: Though I am righteous, my own mouth would condemn me. Though I am blameless, it would prove me crooked (or: declare me guilty).
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21I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life.
In plain English: I am blameless. I do not know myself (the WEB says: I don't respect myself). I reject (or: despise) my life.
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22“It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.
In plain English: It is all one. That is why I say that he brings the blameless and the wicked to an end.
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23If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.
In plain English: If a scourge kills suddenly, he mocks at the trial (or: despair) of the innocent.
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24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
In plain English: The earth is given into the hand of a wicked person. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?
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25“Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good.
In plain English: Now my days are faster than a runner. They flee away. They do not see good.
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26They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
In plain English: They pass on like swift ships (the Hebrew words say: ships of reed), like an eagle that rushes on its food (or: prey).
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27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up,’
In plain English: If I say, "I will forget my complaint, I will let go of my face (the WEB says: put off my sad face), and be cheerful,"
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28I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that you will not hold me innocent.
In plain English: I dread all my sorrows (or: pains). I know that you will not hold me innocent.
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29I will be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
In plain English: I will be guilty (or: condemned). Why then should I labor in vain (the Hebrew word is: breath, vapor)?
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30If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
In plain English: If I wash myself in snow water and clean my hands with lye (or: potash),
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31yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.
In plain English: then you will dip me in the ditch (or: pit), and my own clothes will abhor me.
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32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
In plain English: For he is not a man like me, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
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33There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.
In plain English: There is no umpire (or: arbiter) between us, who could lay his hand on both of us.
The Hebrew word: "Umpire" is yakach, which the dictionary gives as "to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict". It is in 55 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "umpire" in 1 of them, this one.
What changes: The word can be read as one who judges between the two, an umpire or arbiter, or one who argues the case. The verse says only that no such one is between them to lay a hand on both.
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34Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;
In plain English: Let him take his rod away from me, and let his dread not terrify me,
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35then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.
In plain English: then I would speak and not fear him, for I am not so with myself (or: in myself).
Good to know: The end of the verse is short in the Hebrew: it reads "for not so I with myself". The WEB reads "for I am not so in myself". The word translated "in" can also be read "with". The text does not say more about what Job means.
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