19 2 Job reproveth his friends,  8 and reciteth his miseries and grievous pains. 25 He assureth himself of the general resurrection.

But Job answered, and said,

How long will ye vex my soul, and torment me with words?

Ye have now [a]ten times reproached me, and are not ashamed: ye are impudent toward me.

And though I had indeed erred, mine error [b]remaineth with me.

But indeed if ye will advance yourselves against me, and rebuke me for my reproach,

Know now, that God hath [c]overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.

Behold, I cry out of violence, but I have none answer: I cry, but there is no judgment.

He hath hedged up my way that I cannot [d]pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

He hath spoiled me of mine honor, and taken the [e]crown away from mine head.

10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and he hath removed mine hope like [f]a tree.

11 And he hath kindled his wrath against me, and counteth me as one of his enemies.

12 His [g]armies came together, and made their way upon me, and camped about my tabernacle.

13 He hath removed my brethren far from me, and also mine acquaintance were strangers unto me.

14 My neighbors have forsaken me, and my familiars have forgotten me.

15 [h]They that dwell in mine house, and my maids took me for a stranger: for I was a stranger in their sight.

16 I called my servant, but he would not answer, though I prayed him with my mouth.

17 My breath was strange unto my wife, though I prayed her for the children’s sake of mine [i]own body.

18 The wicked also despised me, and when I rose, they spake against me.

19 All my secret friends abhorred me, and they whom I loved, are turned against me.

20 My bone [j]cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped with the [k]skin of my teeth.

21 Have pity upon me: have [l]pity upon me, (O ye my friends) for the hand of God hath touched me.

22 Why do ye persecute me, as [m]God? and are not satisfied with my [n]flesh?

23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were written even in a book,

24 And graven with [o]an iron pen in lead, or in stone forever!

25 For I am sure that my [p]Redeemer liveth, and he shall stand the last on the earth.

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet shall I see God [q]in my flesh.

27 Whom I myself shall see, and mine eyes shall behold, and none other for me, though my reins are consumed within me.

28 But ye said, Why is he persecuted? And there was a [r]deep matter in me.

29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for the sword will be [s]avenged of wickedness, that ye may know that there is a judgment.

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:3 That is, many times, as Neh. 4:12.
  2. Job 19:4 That is, I myself shall be punished for it, or you have not yet confuted it.
  3. Job 19:6 He bursteth out again into his passions, and declareth still that his affliction cometh of God, though he be not able to feel the cause in himself.
  4. Job 19:8 Meaning, out of his afflictions.
  5. Job 19:9 Meaning, his children, and whatsoever was dear unto him in this world.
  6. Job 19:10 Which is plucked up, and hath no more hope to grow.
  7. Job 19:12 His manifold afflictions.
  8. Job 19:15 Mine household servants: by all these losses Job showeth that touching the flesh he had great occasion to be moved.
  9. Job 19:17 Which were hers and mine.
  10. Job 19:20 Besides these great losses and most cruel unkindness, he was touched in his own person, as followeth.
  11. Job 19:20 All my flesh was consumed.
  12. Job 19:21 Seeing I have these just causes to complain, condemn me not as an hypocrite, specially ye which should comfort me.
  13. Job 19:22 Is it not enough that God doth punish me, except you by reproaches increase my sorrow?
  14. Job 19:22 To see my body punished, except ye trouble my mind?
  15. Job 19:24 He protesteth that notwithstanding his sore passions his religion is perfect: and that he is not a blasphemer as they judged him.
  16. Job 19:25 I do not so justify myself before the world, but I know that I shall come before the great Judge, who shall be my deliverer and Savior.
  17. Job 19:26 Herein Job declareth plainly that he had a full hope, that both the soul and body should enjoy the presence of God in the last resurrection.
  18. Job 19:28 Though his friends thought that he was but persecuted of God for his sins, yet he declareth that there was a deeper consideration, to wit, the trial of his faith and patience, and so to be an example for others.
  19. Job 19:29 God will be revenged of this hasty judgment, whereby you condemned me.

Job Trusts in His Redeemer

19 Then Job answered and said:

“How long will you torment my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?
These ten times you have [a]reproached me;
You are not ashamed that you [b]have wronged me.
And if indeed I have erred,
My error remains with me.
If indeed you (A)exalt yourselves against me,
And plead my disgrace against me,
Know then that (B)God has wronged me,
And has surrounded me with His net.

“If I cry out concerning [c]wrong, I am not heard.
If I cry aloud, there is no justice.
(C)He has [d]fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass;
And He has set darkness in my paths.
(D)He has stripped me of my glory,
And taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side,
And I am gone;
My (E)hope He has uprooted like a tree.
11 He has also kindled His wrath against me,
And (F)He counts me as one of His enemies.
12 His troops come together
And build up their road against me;
They encamp all around my tent.

13 “He(G) has removed my brothers far from me,
And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14 My relatives have failed,
And my close friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants,
Count me as a stranger;
I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call my servant, but he gives no answer;
I beg him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife,
And I am [e]repulsive to the children of my own body.
18 Even (H)young children despise me;
I arise, and they speak against me.
19 (I)All my close friends abhor me,
And those whom I love have turned against me.
20 (J)My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh,
And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

21 “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends,
For the hand of God has struck me!
22 Why do you (K)persecute me as God does,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?

23 “Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
26 And after my skin is [f]destroyed, this I know,
That (L)in my flesh I shall see God,
27 Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my [g]heart yearns within me!
28 If you should say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’—
Since the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be afraid of the sword for yourselves;
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
That you may know there is a judgment.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:3 shamed or disgraced
  2. Job 19:3 A Jewish tradition make yourselves strange to me
  3. Job 19:7 violence
  4. Job 19:8 walled off my way
  5. Job 19:17 Lit. strange
  6. Job 19:26 Lit. struck off
  7. Job 19:27 Lit. kidneys

Job

19 Then Job replied:

“How long will you torment(A) me
    and crush(B) me with words?
Ten times(C) now you have reproached(D) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error(E) remains my concern alone.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me(F)
    and use my humiliation against me,
then know that God has wronged me(G)
    and drawn his net(H) around me.(I)

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(J)
    though I call for help,(K) there is no justice.(L)
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(M)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(N)
He has stripped(O) me of my honor(P)
    and removed the crown from my head.(Q)
10 He tears me down(R) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope(S) like a tree.(T)
11 His anger(U) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.(V)
12 His troops advance in force;(W)
    they build a siege ramp(X) against me
    and encamp around my tent.(Y)

13 “He has alienated my family(Z) from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(AA)
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends(AB) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(AC) and my female servants(AD) count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome(AE) to my own family.
18 Even the little boys(AF) scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.(AG)
19 All my intimate friends(AH) detest me;(AI)
    those I love have turned against me.(AJ)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;(AK)
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.[a]

21 “Have pity on me, my friends,(AL) have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck(AM) me.
22 Why do you pursue(AN) me as God does?(AO)
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?(AP)

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,(AQ)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool(AR) on[b] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!(AS)
25 I know that my redeemer[c](AT) lives,(AU)
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[d]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet[e] in[f] my flesh I will see God;(AV)
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes(AW)—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns(AX) within me!

28 “If you say, ‘How we will hound(AY) him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,[g]
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,(AZ)
    and then you will know that there is judgment.[h](BA)

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:20 Or only by my gums
  2. Job 19:24 Or and
  3. Job 19:25 Or vindicator
  4. Job 19:25 Or on my grave
  5. Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
  6. Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from
  7. Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts me
  8. Job 19:29 Or sword, / that you may come to know the Almighty

Job Replies: My Redeemer Lives

19 Then Job answered and said:

“How long will you torment me
    and break me in pieces with words?
These (A)ten times you have cast reproach upon me;
    are you not ashamed to wrong me?
And even if it be true that I have erred,
    my error remains with myself.
If indeed you (B)magnify yourselves against me
    and make my disgrace an argument against me,
know then that God has (C)put me in the wrong
    and closed his net about me.
Behold, I (D)cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered;
    I call for help, but there is no justice.
He has (E)walled up my way, so that I cannot pass,
    and he has set darkness upon my paths.
He has (F)stripped from me my glory
    and taken the (G)crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side, and I (H)am gone,
    and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.
11 He has kindled his wrath against me
    and (I)counts me as his adversary.
12 His (J)troops come on together;
    they have (K)cast up their siege ramp[a] against me
    and encamp around my tent.

13 “He has put my (L)brothers far from me,
    and (M)those who knew me are wholly estranged from me.
14 My relatives (N)have failed me,
    my close (O)friends have forgotten me.
15 The guests (P)in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger;
    I have become a foreigner in their eyes.
16 I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer;
    I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy.
17 My breath is strange to my (Q)wife,
    and I am a stench to the children of (R)my own mother.
18 Even young (S)children despise me;
    when I rise they talk against me.
19 All my (T)intimate friends abhor me,
    and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My (U)bones stick to my skin and to my flesh,
    and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends,
    for the hand of God has (V)touched me!
22 Why do you, like God, (W)pursue me?
    Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?

23 “Oh that my words were written!
    Oh that they were (X)inscribed in a book!
24 Oh that with an iron (Y)pen and lead
    they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For I (Z)know that my (AA)Redeemer lives,
    and at the last he will stand upon the (AB)earth.[b]
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
    yet in[c] my flesh I shall (AC)see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself,
    and my eyes shall behold, and not (AD)another.
    My heart (AE)faints within me!
28 If you say, ‘How we will (AF)pursue him!’
    and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’[d]
29 be afraid of the sword,
    for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
    that you may know there is (AG)a judgment.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:12 Hebrew their way
  2. Job 19:25 Hebrew dust
  3. Job 19:26 Or without
  4. Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts in me