Job 13
Reading Time: 3 minutes Listen
Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Job 13:1-28
Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God
1“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
my ear has heard and understood it.
2What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3But I would speak to the Almighty,
and I desire to argue my case with God.
4As for you, you whitewash with lies;
worthless physicians are you all.
5Oh that you would keep silent,
and it would be your wisdom!
6Hear now my argument
and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7Will you speak falsely for God
and speak deceitfully for him?
8Will you show partiality toward him?
Will you plead the case for God?
9Will it be well with you when he searches you out?
Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man?
10He will surely rebuke you
if in secret you show partiality.
11Will not his majesty terrify you,
and the dread of him fall upon you?
12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.
13“Let me have silence, and I will speak,
and let come on me what may.
14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
and put my life in my hand?
15Though he slay me, I will hope in him;
yet I will argue my ways to his face.
16This will be my salvation,
that the godless shall not come before him.
17Keep listening to my words,
and let my declaration be in your ears.
18Behold, I have prepared my case;
I know that I shall be in the right.
19Who is there who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.
20Only grant me two things,
then I will not hide myself from your face:
21withdraw your hand far from me,
and let not dread of you terrify me.
22Then call, and I will answer;
or let me speak, and you reply to me.
23How many are my iniquities and my sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24Why do you hide your face
and count me as your enemy?
25Will you frighten a driven leaf
and pursue dry chaff?
26For you write bitter things against me
and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27You put my feet in the stocks
and watch all my paths;
you set a limit for the soles of my feet.
28Man wastes away like a rotten thing,
like a garment that is moth-eaten.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Job 13:1-28
1“My eyes have seen all this,
my ears have heard and understood it.
2What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3But I desire to speak to the Almighty
and to argue my case with God.
4You, however, smear me with lies;
you are worthless physicians, all of you!
5If only you would be altogether silent!
For you, that would be wisdom.
6Hear now my argument;
listen to the pleas of my lips.
7Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?
8Will you show him partiality?
Will you argue the case for God?
9Would it turn out well if he examined you?
Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?
10He would surely call you to account
if you secretly showed partiality.
11Would not his splendor terrify you?
Would not the dread of him fall on you?
12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.
13“Keep silent and let me speak;
then let come to me what may.
14Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my life in my hands?
15Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
I will surely defend my ways to his face.
16Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
for no godless person would dare come before him!
17Listen carefully to what I say;
let my words ring in your ears.
18Now that I have prepared my case,
I know I will be vindicated.
19Can anyone bring charges against me?
If so, I will be silent and die.
20“Only grant me these two things, God,
and then I will not hide from you:
21Withdraw your hand far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.
22Then summon me and I will answer,
or let me speak, and you reply to me.
23How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
Show me my offense and my sin.
24Why do you hide your face
and consider me your enemy?
25Will you torment a windblown leaf?
Will you chase after dry chaff?
26For you write down bitter things against me
and make me reap the sins of my youth.
27You fasten my feet in shackles;
you keep close watch on all my paths
by putting marks on the soles of my feet.
28“So man wastes away like something rotten,
like a garment eaten by moths.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
Everything you know, I know, too. I’ve heard it all before.
And I’m not inferior to you, and I will have my say—although my dispute is not really with you.
I wish I could talk with God! If only He would challenge me, so I could answer Him—or maybe He would listen to me speak, and then correct me.
But you brethren, I wish you would just breathe through your noses for awhile!
Being quiet would be greater wisdom than anything I’ve heard out of you since you got here! Besides, God doesn’t need your fables to “get Him off the hook.”
Aren’t you even awed by who He is?
Aren’t you afraid to spread out your cheap lies in front of His glory?
So, you be quiet, and I will speak—and whatever happens, happens. I’ll take it.
Even if God should kill me, I’ll still trust in Him!
But I know I’m innocent! I know I’m in the right! Can anyone prove me wrong?
It does seem as though You, God, are dredging up the indiscretions of my youth—even
bitter accusations against me.
Why do you hide Your face from me as though I were your enemy?
Remove your hand from me, O God! Please don’t let your terror frighten me!
Virginia Davidson
Artist—designing and building stained glass windows, Spokane Valley Seventh-day Adventist church, Spokane, Washington USA (as of this writing)
