Job Says He Longs for God
23 Then Job responded,
2 “Even today my (A)complaint is rebellion;
[a]His hand is (B)heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew how to find Him,
That I might come to His home!
4 I would (C)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn the words which He would [b]answer,
And perceive what He would tell me.
6 Would He contend with me by (D)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 There the upright would (E)argue with Him;
And I [c]would be (F)free of my Judge forever.
8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (G)cannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him;
He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the [d]way I take;
When He has (H)put me to the test, I will come out as gold.
11 My foot has (I)held on to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not [e]failed the command of His lips;
I have treasured the (J)words of His mouth [f]more than my [g]necessary food.
13 But He is unique, and who can [h]make Him turn?
Whatever His soul desires, He does it.
14 For He carries out what is destined for me,
And many such destinies are with Him.
15 Therefore, I would be terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am frightened of Him.
16 It is God who has made my (K)heart faint,
And the Almighty who has terrified me,
17 But I (L)am not destroyed by darkness,
Nor by (M)deep gloom which covers me.
Footnotes
- Job 23:2 As in LXX and Syriac; MT My
- Job 23:5 Lit answer me
- Job 23:7 Or bring forth my justice forever
- Job 23:10 Lit way with me
- Job 23:12 Lit ceased from
- Job 23:12 Or with some ancient versions, in my breast
- Job 23:12 Lit prescribed portion
- Job 23:13 Or deprive Him of anything
Cross references
- Job 23:2 : Job 7:11
- Job 23:2 : Job 6:2, 3; Ps 32:4
- Job 23:4 : Job 13:18
- Job 23:6 : Job 9:4
- Job 23:7 : Job 13:3
- Job 23:7 : Job 13:16; 23:10
- Job 23:8 : Job 9:11; 35:14
- Job 23:10 : Job 7:18; Ps 7:9; 11:5; 66:10; Zech 13:9; 1 Pet 1:7
- Job 23:11 : Job 31:7; Ps 17:5; 44:18
- Job 23:12 : Job 6:10; 22:22
- Job 23:16 : Deut 20:3; Job 27:2; Jer 51:46
- Job 23:17 : Job 10:18, 19
- Job 23:17 : Job 19:8