Job 9:9-19

9 Who makes the 1Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the 2chambers of the south;
10 Who 3does great things, unfathomable * *, And wondrous works without * number.
11 "Were He to pass by me, 4I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
12 "Were He to snatch away, who could 5restrain Him? Who could say to Him, '6What are You doing?'
13 "God will not turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of 7Rahab.
14 "How then * can 8I answer Him, And choose my words before Him?
15 "For 9though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to 10implore 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 11bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 "He will 12not allow me to get my breath, But saturates me with 13bitterness.
19 "If it is a matter of power, 14behold, He is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?

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

Footnotes 5

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.