Job 9:1-11

1 Then Job answered:

2 "Yes, I know that this is true, but how can anyone be right in the presence of God?

3 Someone might want to argue with God, but no one could answer God, not one time out of a thousand.

4 God's wisdom is deep, and his power is great; no one can fight him without getting hurt.

5 God moves mountains without anyone knowing it and turns them over when he is angry.

6 He shakes the earth out of its place and makes its foundations tremble.

7 He commands the sun not to shine and shuts off the light of the stars.

8 He alone stretches out the skies and walks on the waves of the sea.

9 It is God who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiadesn and the groups of stars in the southern sky.

10 He does wonders that cannot be understood; he does so many miracles they cannot be counted.

11 When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by me, I do not recognize him.

Job 9:1-11 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.