Job 19
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Then Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Job 19:1-29
Job Replies: My Redeemer Lives
1Then Job answered and said:
2“How long will you torment me
and break me in pieces with words?
3These ten times you have cast reproach upon me;
are you not ashamed to wrong me?
4And even if it be true that I have erred,
my error remains with myself.
5If indeed you magnify yourselves against me
and make my disgrace an argument against me,
6know then that God has put me in the wrong
and closed his net about me.
7Behold, I cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered;
I call for help, but there is no justice.
8He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass,
and he has set darkness upon my paths.
9He has stripped from me my glory
and taken the crown from my head.
10He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone,
and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.
11He has kindled his wrath against me
and counts me as his adversary.
12His troops come on together;
they have cast up their siege ramp against me
and encamp around my tent.
13“He has put my brothers far from me,
and those who knew me are wholly estranged from me.
14My relatives have failed me,
my close friends have forgotten me.
15The guests in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger;
I have become a foreigner in their eyes.
16I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer;
I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy.
17My breath is strange to my wife,
and I am a stench to the children of my own mother.
18Even young children despise me;
when I rise they talk against me.
19All my intimate friends abhor me,
and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh,
and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends,
for the hand of God has touched me!
22Why do you, like God, pursue me?
Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?
23“Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24Oh that with an iron pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!
25For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!
28If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’
and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’
29be afraid of the sword,
for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
that you may know there is a judgment.”
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Job 19:1-29
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“How long will you torment me
and crush me with words?
3Ten times now you have reproached me;
shamelessly you attack me.
4If it is true that I have gone astray,
my error remains my concern alone.
5If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me
and use my humiliation against me,
6then know that God has wronged me
and drawn his net around me.
7“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;
though I call for help, there is no justice.
8He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;
he has shrouded my paths in darkness.
9He has stripped me of my honor
and removed the crown from my head.
10He tears me down on every side till I am gone;
he uproots my hope like a tree.
11His anger burns against me;
he counts me among his enemies.
12His troops advance in force;
they build a siege ramp against me
and encamp around my tent.
13“He has alienated my family from me;
my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14My relatives have gone away;
my closest friends have forgotten me.
15My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner;
they look on me as on a stranger.
16I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
though I beg him with my own mouth.
17My breath is offensive to my wife;
I am loathsome to my own family.
18Even the little boys scorn me;
when I appear, they ridicule me.
19All my intimate friends detest me;
those I love have turned against me.
20I am nothing but skin and bones;
I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.
21“Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
for the hand of God has struck me.
22Why do you pursue me as God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?
23“Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,
24that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever!
25I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
27I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
28“If you say, ‘How we will hound him,
since the root of the trouble lies in him,’
29you should fear the sword yourselves;
for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,
and then you will know that there is judgment.”
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
How long will you torment and attack me with your words? I am crushed.
Those I love have turned against me. Have pity!
When illness and tragedy strike, it is common for the sufferer to be misunderstood, verbally attacked or abandoned by friends and family. When the illness or loss is not easily resolved or explained, many people are unable to cope with long-term suffering. So they walk away, leaving the sufferer feeling forgotten and alone, wondering why loved ones refuse to care and provide. Other times, family and friends attack the heart-motives of the sufferer, accusing them of dreadful things. Too often, sufferers are doubly wounded, the grief of loss or illness compounded by the cruel words of those who refuse to understand. Those who should care the most are often the most unwilling to care.
God hears the words that cut and vilify you. He sees the attitudes that attack you and the hearts that reject you. He knows your heart’s wounds.
If friends and family abandon you, God will defend you. He will bring compassionate people into your life as balm for your wounds, people who will grace your life with God’s healing love. Trust His heart.
Lori Engel
Chaplain (currently disabled), Eugene, Oregon USA
