Job 19:18-28

18 Hasta los niños me menosprecian;
cuando me levanto para hablar, me vuelven la espalda.

19 Mis amigos íntimos me detestan;
los que yo amaba se han puesto en mi contra.

20 Quedé reducido a piel y huesos
y he escapado de la muerte por un pelo.

21 »Tengan misericordia de mí, amigos míos, tengan misericordia;
porque la mano de Dios me ha golpeado.

22 ¿Me perseguirán ustedes también como lo hace Dios?
¿No me han despellejado ya bastante?

23 »Oh, que mis palabras fueran grabadas;
oh, que quedaran escritas en un monumento,

24 talladas con cincel de hierro y rellenas de plomo,
y labradas en la roca para siempre.

25 »Pero en cuanto a mí, sé que mi Redentor vive,
y un día por fin estará sobre la tierra.

26 Y después que mi cuerpo se haya descompuesto,
¡todavía en mi cuerpo veré a Dios!

27 Yo mismo lo veré;
así es, lo veré con mis propios ojos.
¡Este pensamiento me llena de asombro!

28 »¿Cómo se atreven a seguir persiguiéndome,
diciendo: “Es su propia culpa”?

Job 19:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 19

This chapter contains Job's reply to Bildad's second speech, in which he complains of the ill usage of his friends, of their continuing to vex him, and to beat, and bruise, and break him in pieces with their hard words, and to reproach him, and carry it strange to him, Job 19:1-3; which he thought was very cruel, since, if he was mistaken, the mistake lay with himself, Job 19:4; and if they were determined to go on at this rate, he would have them observe, that his afflictions were of God, and therefore should take care to what they imputed them, since he could not get the reasons of them, or his cause to be heard, though he vehemently and importunately sought it, Job 19:5-7; and then gives an enumeration of the several particulars of his distress, all which he ascribes to God, Job 19:8-12; and he enlarges upon that part of his unhappy case, respecting the alienation of his nearest relations, most intimate acquaintance and friends, from him, and their contempt of him, and the like treatment he met with from his servants, and even young children, Job 19:13-19; all which, with other troubles, had such an effect upon him as to reduce him to a mere skeleton, and which he mentions to move the pity of these his friends, now conversing with him, Job 19:20-22; and yet after all, and in the midst of it, and which was his great support under his trials, he expresses his strong faith in his living Redeemer, who should appear on the earth in the latter day, and be his Saviour, and in the resurrection of the dead through him, which he believed he should share in, and in all the happiness consequent on it; and he wishes this confession of his faith might be written and engraven, and be preserved on a rock for ever for the good of posterity, Job 19:23-27; and closes the chapter with an expostulation with his friends, dissuading them from persecuting him any longer, since there was no reason for it in himself, and it might be attended with bad consequences to them, Job 19:28,29.