Job 23:7

7 "There the upright would ¹reason with Him; And I would be ²delivered forever from my Judge.

Job 23:7 Meaning and Commentary

Job 23:7

There the righteous might dispute with him
That is, at his seat, either at his mercy seat, where even God allows sinners to come and reason with him, for pardoning grace and mercy, upon the foot of his own declarations and promises, and the blood and sacrifice of his son, ( Isaiah 1:18 ) ; or at his judgment seat, pleading the righteousness of Christ, which is fully satisfactory to law and justice. Job most probably means himself by the righteous or upright man, being conscious to himself of his sincerity and integrity; and relying on this, he feared not to appear before God as a Judge, and reason his case before him, dispute the matter with him, and in his presence, which was in controversy between him and his friends, whether he was an hypocrite or a sincere good man:

so should I be delivered for ever from my Judge;
either from those who judged harsely of him, and were very censorious in the character they gave of him; and from all their condemnation of him, and calumnies and charges they fastened on him; or "from him that judgest me" ^F6, from anyone whatever that should wrongly judge him, friend or foe; or rather from God himself, his Judge, from whom he should depart acquitted; and so Mr. Broughton renders the words, "so should I be quit for ever by my Judge"; for, if God justifies, who shall condemn? such an one need not regard the condemnations of men or devils; being acquitted by God he is for ever instilled, and shall never enter into condemnation; God's acquittance is a security from the damnatory sentence of others.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (yjpvm) "a judicante me", Beza, Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius, Vatablus, Cocceius.

Job 23:7 In-Context

5 "I would learn the words which He would answer, And perceive what He would say to me.

6 "Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power? No, surely He would pay attention to me.

7 "There the upright would reason with Him; And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

8 "Behold, I go forward but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

9 When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.

Cross References

• 1. Job 13:3
• 2. Job 13:16; Job 23:10

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "bring forth my justice forever"