Job 9:1-10

Hymnic praise

1 Job responded:
2 I know for certain that this is so; and how can anyone be innocent before God?
3 If one wants to contend with him, he won't answer one in a thousand.
4 He is wise and powerful; who can resist him and prosper?
5 Who removes mountains, and they are unaware; who overthrows them in anger? and its pillars shudder?
6 Who shakes the earth from its place,
7 Who commands the sun, and it does not rise, even seals up the stars;
8 stretched out the heavens alone and trod on the waves of the Sea;
9 made the Bear and Orion, Pleiades and the southern constellations;
10 does great and unsearchable things, wonders beyond number?

Job 9:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 9

This and the following chapter contain Job's answer to Bildad, and in this he asserts the strict justice at God; which is such, that no man can be just in his sight, not being able to answer to one charge, or for one sin, of a thousand he is guilty of, Job 9:1-3; and that such are his wisdom and power, that the most daring man cannot expect to succeed in an opposition to him, Job 9:4; instances are given of his power in the works of nature and providence, Job 9:5-10; notice is taken of the imperceptibleness of his actions and motions, and of his sovereignty in all his ways, Job 9:11,12; and of his fierce wrath and anger, which is such as obliges the proudest of men to stoop under him; and therefore Job chose not to contend in a judicial way with him, but in a suppliant manner would entreat him, since his hand was so heavy upon him, Job 9:13-21; he affirms, in direct opposition to Bildad and his friends, and insists upon it, that God afflicts both the righteous and the wicked; yea, gives the earth to the latter when he slays the former, Job 9:22-24; he then observes the shortness of his days, and complains of his heavy afflictions, Job 9:25-28; and concludes, that it was in vain for him to expect his cause to be heard before God, there being no daysman between them; and wishes that the dread of the Divine Majesty might be taken from him, and then he would freely and without fear speak unto him, Job 9:29-35.

Footnotes 2

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