Job 9:3-13

3 "If one wished to 1dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
4 "2Wise in heart and 3mighty in strength, Who has 4defied * Him without harm?
5 "5It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns them in His anger;
6 Who 6shakes the earth out of its place, And its 7pillars tremble;
7 Who commands the 8sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars;
8 Who alone 9stretches out the heavens And 10tramples down the waves of the sea;
9 Who makes the 11Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the 12chambers of the south;
10 Who 13does great things, unfathomable * *, And wondrous works without * number.
11 "Were He to pass by me, 14I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
12 "Were He to snatch away, who could 15restrain Him? Who could say to Him, '16What are You doing?'
13 "God will not turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of 17Rahab.

Job 9:3-13 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 17

  • 1. Job 10:2; Job 13:19; Job 23:6; Job 40:2
  • 2. Job 11:6; Job 12:13; Job 28:23; Job 38:36, 37
  • 3. Job 9:19; Job 23:6
  • 4. 2 Chronicles 13:12; Proverbs 29:1
  • 5. Job 9:5-10; Job 26:6-14; Job 41:11
  • 6. Isaiah 2:19, 21; Isaiah 13:13; Haggai 2:6
  • 7. Psalms 75:3
  • 8. Isaiah 13:10; Ezekiel 32:7, 8
  • 9. Genesis 1:1; Job 37:18; Psalms 104:2; Isaiah 40:22
  • 10. Job 38:16; Psalms 77:19
  • 11. Job 38:31, 32; Amos 5:8
  • 12. Job 37:9
  • 13. Job 5:9
  • 14. Job 23:8, 9; Job 35:14
  • 15. Job 10:7; Job 11:10
  • 16. Isaiah 45:9
  • 17. Job 26:12; Psalms 89:10; Isaiah 30:7; Isaiah 51:9

Footnotes 5

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