Job 13

Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God

1 "Behold, my eye has seen all this,

my ear has heard and understood it.

2 *[ch. 12:3;15:9]What you know, I also know;

I am not inferior to you.

3 *ch. 23:4;31:35But I would speak to the Almighty,

and I desire to *[ver. 15, 18]argue my case with God.

4 As for you, *Ps. 119:69you whitewash with lies;

*[ch. 16:2]worthless physicians are you all.

5 Oh that you would *Prov. 17:28keep silent,

and it would be your wisdom!

6 Hear now my argument

and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

7 Will you *ch. 27:4speak falsely for God

and speak *ch. 27:4deceitfully for him?

8 Will you show partiality toward him?

Will you *[Judg. 6:31]plead the case for God?

9 Will it be well with you when he *Prov. 28:11searches you out?

Or *Gal. 6:7can you deceive him, as one deceives a man?

10 He will surely rebuke you

if in secret you show partiality.

11 Will not his *ch. 31:23majesty terrify you,

and the dread of him fall upon you?

12 Your maxims are proverbs of *Isa. 44:20ashes;

your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 "Let me have silence, and I will speak,

and let come on me what may.

14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth

and *See Judg. 12:3put my life in my hand?

15 *[Prov. 14:32] Though he slay me, I will *ch. 14:14hope in him;*13:15 Or Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope

yet I will *[ver. 3; ch. 27:5]argue my ways to his face.

16 This will be my salvation,

that the godless shall not come before him.

17 *ch. 21:2Keep listening to my words,

and let my declaration be in your ears.

18 Behold, I have *See ch. 33:5prepared my case;

I know that I shall be in the right.

19 *Isa. 50:8,9Who is there who will contend with me?

For then I would be silent and die.

20 Only grant me two things,

then I will not *[Gen. 3:8]hide myself from your face:

21 *ch. 9:34;Ps. 39:10withdraw your hand far from me,

and let not *ch. 9:34;33:7dread of you terrify me.

22 *ch. 14:15Then call, and I will answer;

or let me speak, and you reply to me.

23 How many are my iniquities and my sins?

*[Ps. 19:12]Make me know my transgression and my sin.

24 Why *Deut. 32:20do you hide your face

and *ch. 19:11;33:10;[Lam. 2:5]count me as your enemy?

25 Will you frighten *Lev. 26:36a driven leaf

and pursue dry *ch. 21:18;Ps. 83:13chaff?

26 For you *[Ps. 149:9] write bitter things against me

and make me inherit *Ps. 25:7the iniquities of my youth.

27 You put my feet in *[ch. 33:11] the stocks

and *See ch. 10:14watch all my paths;

you set a limit for*13:27 Or you marked the soles of my feet.

28 Man*13:28 Hebrew He wastes away like *Prov. 12:4;14:30;Hab. 3:16a rotten thing,

like a garment that is *ch. 4:19moth-eaten.