Job 9:8-18

8 Who alone 1stretches out the heavens And 2tramples down the waves of the sea;
9 Who makes the 3Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the 4chambers of the south;
10 Who 5does great things, unfathomable * *, And wondrous works without * number.
11 "Were He to pass by me, 6I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
12 "Were He to snatch away, who could 7restrain Him? Who could say to Him, '8What are You doing?'
13 "God will not turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of 9Rahab.
14 "How then * can 10I answer Him, And choose my words before Him?
15 "For 11though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to 12implore the mercy of my judge.
16 "If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 "For He 13bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 "He will 14not allow me to get my breath, But saturates me with 15bitterness.

Job 9:8-18 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 15

  • 1. Genesis 1:1; Job 37:18; Psalms 104:2; Isaiah 40:22
  • 2. Job 38:16; Psalms 77:19
  • 3. Job 38:31, 32; Amos 5:8
  • 4. Job 37:9
  • 5. Job 5:9
  • 6. Job 23:8, 9; Job 35:14
  • 7. Job 10:7; Job 11:10
  • 8. Isaiah 45:9
  • 9. Job 26:12; Psalms 89:10; Isaiah 30:7; Isaiah 51:9
  • 10. Job 9:3, 32
  • 11. Job 9:20, 21; Job 10:15
  • 12. Job 8:5
  • 13. Job 16:12, 14; Job 30:22
  • 14. Job 7:19; Job 10:20
  • 15. Job 13:26; Job 27:2

Footnotes 5

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