Job 9:1-11

1 Then Job answered and said:

2 "Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?

3 If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.

4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?

5 He removes the mountains, and they do not know When He overturns them in His anger;

6 He shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;

7 He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars;

8 He alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea;

9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

10 He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.

11 If He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive 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.