Job 9:1-12

Job

1 Then Job replied:
2 “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
3 Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
5 He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.
6 He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 He is the Maker of the Bear[a] and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

Job 9:1-12 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.

Cross References 22

  • 1. S Job 4:17; Psalms 143:2; Romans 3:20
  • 2. ver 32; Job 40:5
  • 3. ver 12,14,29,32; Job 10:2; Job 12:14; Job 13:9,14; Job 22:4; Job 23:7,13; Job 37:19; Job 40:2; Psalms 44:21; Isaiah 14:24
  • 4. Job 11:6; Job 28:12,20,23; Job 38:36; Psalms 51:6; Proverbs 2:6; Ecclesiastes 2:26
  • 5. ver 19; S Job 5:9; Job 12:13,16; Job 23:6; Job 24:22; Job 26:12; Job 30:18; Psalms 93:4; Psalms 95:3; Proverbs 8:14; Isaiah 40:26; Isaiah 63:1; Daniel 2:20; Daniel 4:35; Job 36:5
  • 6. Jeremiah 50:24
  • 7. S 2 Chronicles 13:12; S Job 5:13
  • 8. Matthew 17:20
  • 9. Psalms 18:7; Psalms 46:2-3; Isaiah 13:13; Micah 1:4
  • 10. S Exodus 19:18; Isaiah 2:21; Isaiah 13:13; Isaiah 24:18-20; Haggai 2:6; Amos 8:8; Hebrews 12:26
  • 11. S 2 Samuel 22:8; Job 26:14; Job 36:29; Job 37:4-5; Psalms 75:3; Habakkuk 3:4; Job 26:11
  • 12. Isaiah 34:4; Jeremiah 4:28; Joel 2:2,10,31; Joel 3:15; Zephaniah 1:15; Zechariah 14:6
  • 13. Isaiah 13:10; Jeremiah 4:23; Ezekiel 32:8
  • 14. S Genesis 1:1,8; S Isaiah 48:13; Genesis 1:6; Psalms 104:2-3
  • 15. Job 38:16; Psalms 77:19; Proverbs 8:28; Habakkuk 3:15; Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48; John 6:19
  • 16. Job 32:22; Job 40:15,19
  • 17. S Genesis 1:16; Job 38:31; Amos 5:8
  • 18. Deuteronomy 6:22; Psalms 72:18; Psalms 136:4; Jeremiah 32:20; Psalms 71:15
  • 19. S Job 5:9
  • 20. Job 23:8-9; Job 35:14
  • 21. Numbers 23:20; Job 11:10; Isaiah 14:27; Isaiah 43:13
  • 22. S ver 3; S Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9; Daniel 2:21; Daniel 4:32; Romans 9:20

Footnotes 1

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