Job 9:1-10

Job Says There Is No Arbitrator between God and Man

1 Then Job answered,
2 "In truth I know that this is so; But how can a 1man be in the right before God?
3 "If one wished to 2dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
4 "3Wise in heart and 4mighty in strength, Who has 5defied * Him without harm?
5 "6It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns them in His anger;
6 Who 7shakes the earth out of its place, And its 8pillars tremble;
7 Who commands the 9sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars;
8 Who alone 10stretches out the heavens And 11tramples down the waves of the sea;
9 Who makes the 12Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the 13chambers of the south;
10 Who 14does great things, unfathomable * *, And wondrous works without * 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.

Cross References 14

  • 1. Job 4:17; Job 25:4
  • 2. Job 10:2; Job 13:19; Job 23:6; Job 40:2
  • 3. Job 11:6; Job 12:13; Job 28:23; Job 38:36, 37
  • 4. Job 9:19; Job 23:6
  • 5. 2 Chronicles 13:12; Proverbs 29:1
  • 6. Job 9:5-10; Job 26:6-14; Job 41:11
  • 7. Isaiah 2:19, 21; Isaiah 13:13; Haggai 2:6
  • 8. Psalms 75:3
  • 9. Isaiah 13:10; Ezekiel 32:7, 8
  • 10. Genesis 1:1; Job 37:18; Psalms 104:2; Isaiah 40:22
  • 11. Job 38:16; Psalms 77:19
  • 12. Job 38:31, 32; Amos 5:8
  • 13. Job 37:9
  • 14. Job 5:9

Footnotes 7

  • [a]. Lit "answered and said"
  • [b]. Lit "with"
  • [c]. Lit "stiffened his neck against"
  • [d]. Lit "and remained safe"
  • [e]. Lit "and it does not shine"
  • [f]. Lit "treads upon the heights of"
  • [g]. Lit "until there is no searching out"
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