Job 23
Lexham English Bible
Job’s Eighth Speech: A Response to Eliphaz
23 Then[a] Job answered and said,
2 “Even today my complaint is bitter;
my hand is heavy in addition to my groaning.
3 O that[b] I knew and that I might find him;
O that I might come to his dwelling.
4 I would lay my case before him,[c]
and I would fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I want to know the words with which he would answer me,
and I want to understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his strength?
No, but he himself[d] would give heed to me.
7 There an upright person could reason with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 “When I go forward, he is not there,[e]
or[f] backward, I cannot see him.[g]
9 When he works[h] on the left, I cannot perceive[i] him;
he turns to the right, but[j] I cannot see him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;[k]
he tests me—I shall come out like gold.
11 My foot has held on to his steps;
I have kept his way, and I have not turned aside.
12 From the commandment of his lips, indeed[l] I have not departed;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily food.
13 “But[m] he is alone,[n] and who can dissuade him?
And whatever he desires,[o] indeed,[p] he does it.
14 For he will carry out what he appoints for me,[q]
and many things like these are with him.
15 Therefore, I am horrified because of his presence;
when I consider, I tremble[r] because of him.
16 Indeed,[s] God has made my heart faint,
and Shaddai has terrified me.
17 Indeed, I have not been silenced because of darkness,[t]
and because of me he[u] conceals thick darkness.
Footnotes
- Job 23:1 Hebrew “And”
- Job 23:3 Literally “Who shall give”
- Job 23:4 Literally “to his face”
- Job 23:6 Emphatic personal pronoun
- Job 23:8 Literally “and there is not he,” or “and he is not”
- Job 23:8 Hebrew “and”
- Job 23:8 Hebrew “and I cannot see him”
- Job 23:9 Literally “At his working”
- Job 23:9 Literally “and I cannot see”
- Job 23:9 Hebrew “and”
- Job 23:10 Literally “way with me”
- Job 23:12 Hebrew “and”
- Job 23:13 Hebrew “And”
- Job 23:13 Literally “as one”
- Job 23:13 Literally “his inner self desires,” or “his soul desires”
- Job 23:13 Hebrew “and”
- Job 23:14 Literally “my portion,” or “my allotment”
- Job 23:15 Hebrew “and I tremble,” or “then I tremble”
- Job 23:16 Hebrew “And”
- Job 23:17 Literally “from the face of darkness”
- Job 23:17 Or “it”
Job 23
King James Version
23 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.
15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software