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Job 9
Expanded Bible
Job 9
Expanded Bible
Job Answers Bildad
9 Then Job answered:
2 “·Yes [Truly], I know that this [C Zophar’s point that God punishes the wicked] is ·true [correct],
but how can anyone be ·right [righteous; vindicated] in the presence of God?
3 Someone might want to ·argue with God [take God to court],
but no one could answer God,
not one time out of a thousand.
4 ·God’s wisdom is deep [L He is wise of heart], and his power is great;
no one can ·fight [L press] him ·without getting hurt [and come out whole/unscathed].
5 He moves mountains [C an earthquake] 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 [pillars] ·tremble [shudder].
7 He ·commands the sun not to [L speaks to the sun and it does not] shine
and ·shuts off the light of [L seals up] the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the ·skies [heavens]
and ·walks [treads] on the ·waves [L high places] of the sea.
9 It is God who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades [C well-known constellations]
and the ·groups of stars in the southern sky [L chambers of the south].
10 He does ·wonders [great things] that cannot be understood;
he does so many ·miracles [or marvelous things] they cannot be counted.
11 ·When [or If] he passes me, I cannot see him;
·when [or if] he goes by me, I do not ·recognize [perceive] him.
12 If he snatches ·something [or someone] away, no one can ·stop him [or bring them back]
or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 God will not ·hold back [relent from] his anger.
Even the ·helpers [allies] of the monster Rahab [C a sea monster; Ps. 89:10] ·lie at his feet in fear [L cower under him].
14 So how can I ·argue with [L answer] God,
or even ·find words to argue [L choose words] with him?
15 Even if I were ·right [righteous], I could not answer him;
I could only ·beg God [plead], my Judge, for mercy.
16 If I ·called to [summoned] him and he answered,
I still don’t believe he would ·listen to me [L hear my voice].
17 He would crush me with a ·storm [whirlwind; 38:1]
and multiply my ·wounds [bruises] ·for no reason [without cause].
18 He would not let me ·catch [regain] my breath
but would ·overwhelm [satiate] me with ·misery [bitterness].
19 ·When [or If] it comes to ·strength [power], God is stronger than I;
·when [or if] it comes to ·justice [or judgment], no one can ·accuse [testify against] him.
20 ·Even if I were [or Though I am] ·right [righteous], my own mouth would ·say I was wrong [condemn me];
·if I were [or I am] innocent, ·my mouth would say I was [or he declares me] guilty.
21 “I am innocent,
but I don’t ·care about myself [or know for sure].
I ·hate [loathe] my own life.
22 It is all the same. That is why I say,
‘God destroys both the innocent and the ·guilty [wicked].’
23 If ·the whip [or disaster] brings sudden death,
God will ·laugh [ridicule] ·at the suffering [or the despair] of the innocent.
24 When the ·land [earth] ·falls [L is given] into the ·hands [power] of evil people,
he covers the judges’ faces so they can’t see it.
If it is not God who does this, then who is it?
25 “My days go by faster than a runner;
they ·fly away without my seeing any joy [L are swift but not good].
26 They ·glide past [pass by] like ·paper [L reed] boats.
They ·attack [or go fast] like eagles swooping down to feed.
27 ·Even though [or If] I say, ‘I will forget my ·complaint [sighs];
I will ·change the look on my face [L abandon my countenance] and ·smile [be cheerful],’
28 I still dread all my ·suffering [distress].
I know you will ·hold me guilty [L not find me innocent].
29 I have already been ·found guilty [declared wicked],
so why should I ·struggle [L exhaust myself] for no reason?
30 [L Even if] I might wash myself with ·soap [or snow]
and ·scrub [cleanse] my hands with ·strong soap [lye],
31 but you would ·push [plunge] me into a dirty pit,
and even my clothes would ·hate [abhor] me.
32 [“L For] God is not human like me, ·so I cannot [L that I could] answer him.
·We cannot meet each other in court [L …that we could go together into judgment].
33 ·I wish there were someone to make peace [L There is no umpire] between us,
·someone to decide our case [L who would set his hand on both of us].
34 Maybe he could remove ·God’s punishment [L his rod from me]
so his terror would no longer frighten me.
35 Then I could speak without being afraid [L of him],
but I am not able to do that.
Job 9
New International Version
Job 9
New International Version
Job
9 Then Job replied:
2 “Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(A)
3 Though they wished to dispute with him,(B)
they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(C)
4 His wisdom(D) is profound, his power is vast.(E)
Who has resisted(F) him and come out unscathed?(G)
5 He moves mountains(H) without their knowing it
and overturns them in his anger.(I)
6 He shakes the earth(J) from its place
and makes its pillars tremble.(K)
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;(L)
he seals off the light of the stars.(M)
8 He alone stretches out the heavens(N)
and treads on the waves of the sea.(O)
9 He is the Maker(P) of the Bear[a] and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.(Q)
10 He performs wonders(R) that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.(S)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.(T)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?(U)
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(V)
13 God does not restrain his anger;(W)
even the cohorts of Rahab(X) cowered at his feet.
14 “How then can I dispute with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?(Y)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;(Z)
I could only plead(AA) with my Judge(AB) for mercy.(AC)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.(AD)
17 He would crush me(AE) with a storm(AF)
and multiply(AG) my wounds for no reason.(AH)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.(AI)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!(AJ)
And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[b]?(AK)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.(AL)
21 “Although I am blameless,(AM)
I have no concern for myself;(AN)
I despise my own life.(AO)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’(AP)
23 When a scourge(AQ) brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent.(AR)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,(AS)
he blindfolds its judges.(AT)
If it is not he, then who is it?(AU)
25 “My days are swifter than a runner;(AV)
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.(AW)
26 They skim past(AX) like boats of papyrus,(AY)
like eagles swooping down on their prey.(AZ)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,(BA)
I will change my expression, and smile,’
28 I still dread(BB) all my sufferings,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.(BC)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
why should I struggle in vain?(BD)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap(BE)
and my hands(BF) with cleansing powder,(BG)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit(BH)
so that even my clothes would detest me.(BI)
32 “He is not a mere mortal(BJ) like me that I might answer him,(BK)
that we might confront each other in court.(BL)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,(BM)
someone to bring us together,(BN)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,(BO)
so that his terror would frighten me no more.(BP)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,(BQ)
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(BR)
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