Job 9:1-10

Job's Reply

1 Job replied,
2 "I'm sure that what you have said is true. But how can human beings be right with God?
3 They might wish to argue with him. But they couldn't answer him even once in a thousand times.
4 His wisdom is deep. His power is great. No one opposes him and comes away unharmed.
5 He moves mountains, and they don't even know it. When he is angry, he turns them upside down.
6 He shakes the earth loose from its place. He makes its pillars tremble.
7 When he tells the sun not to shine, it doesn't. He turns off the light of the stars.
8 He's the only one who can spread the heavens out. He alone can walk on the waves of the ocean.
9 He made the Big Dipper and Orion. He created the Pleiades and the southern stars.
10 He does wonderful things that can't be understood. He does miracles that can't even be counted.

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.

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