Job 13 · Clearspring

Job Prepares His Case

¹“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.+ ²What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.+ ³“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.+ ⁴But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.+ ⁵Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.+ ⁶Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.+ ⁷Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?+ ⁸Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?+ ⁹Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?+ ¹⁰He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.+ ¹¹Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?+ ¹²Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defences are defences of clay.+ ¹³“Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.+ ¹⁴Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?+ ¹⁵Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.+ ¹⁶This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.+ ¹⁷Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.+ ¹⁸See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.+ ¹⁹Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.+ ²⁰“Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:+ ²¹withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.+ ²²Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me.+ ²³How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.+ ²⁴Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?+ ²⁵Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?+ ²⁶For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.+ ²⁷You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,+ ²⁸though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.+

Job Prepares His Case

Study Job 13