Job 17
1 My spiritPs 143:4 is broken, 1 Ps 143:4 1 my days are cut short,Isa 38:12 1 the grave awaits me.Ps 88:3-4Ecc 12:1-7 1 Ps 88:3-4
2 Surely mockersS Job 11:31Sa 1:6-7 surround me;S Job 6:14; Ps 22:7; 119:51; Jer 20:7; La 3:14 2 1Sa 1:6-7 2 my eyes must dwell on their hostility.
3 "Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.Ps 35:27119:122 3 Ps 119:122 3 Who else will put up securityPr 6:1 for me?Ps 35:2; 40:17Isa 38:14 3 Isa 38:14
4 You have closed their minds to understanding;S Job 12:12 4 therefore you will not let them triumph.
5 If a man denounces his friends for reward,S Ex 22:15 5 the eyes of his children will fail.S Job 11:20 5 Job 11:20
6 "God has made me a bywordS 1Ki 9:7Job 30:9Jer 15:4 to everyone,S ver 2 6 Job 30:9 6 a man in whose face people spit.S Nu 12:14
7 My eyes have grown dim with grief;S Job 16:8 7 Job 16:8 7 my whole frame is but a shadow.S Job 2:12; S 16:16
8 Upright men are appalled at this; 8 the innocent are arousedS Ex 4:14Job 22:19 against the ungodly. 8 Job 22:19
9 Nevertheless, the righteousPr 4:18 will hold to their ways, 9 Pr 4:18 9 and those with clean handsS 2Sa 22:21; S Job 9:30Job 22:30 will grow stronger.S 1Sa 2:4; Ps 84:7 9 Job 22:30
10 "But come on, all of you, try again! 10 I will not find a wise man among you.S Job 12:2 10 Job 12:2
11 My days have passed,ver 15; Isa 38:10 my plans are shattered, 11 and so are the desires of my heart.S Job 7:6 11 Job 7:6
12 These men turn night into day;Isa 50:11 12 in the face of darkness they say, 'Light is near.'Job 5:17-26; S 11:17
13 If the only home I hope for is the grave,[a] Hebrew SheolS 2Sa 14:14; S Job 3:13 13 Job 3:13 13 if I spread out my bedPs 139:8 in darkness,Ps 88:18
14 if I say to corruption,Job 13:28; 30:28,30; Ps 16:1049:9 'You are my father,' 14 Job 13:28 14 and to the worm,S Job 4:19; S 7:5Job 21:26 'My mother' or 'My sister,' 14 Job 21:26
15 where then is my hope?S Job 7:6 15 Job 7:6 15 Who can see any hope for me?Ps 31:22; La 3:18; Eze 37:11
16 Will it go down to the gates of death[b] Hebrew Sheol ?Job 3:17-19S Job 7:9; 33:28; Ps 9:13; 30:3; 107:18; Isa 38:10,17Jnh 2:6 16 Job 3:17-19; Jnh 2:6 16 Will we descend together into the dust?"S Ge 2:7; S Job 3:19; 20:11; 21:26 Job 18
1 Bildad
1 Then Bildad the ShuhiteS Job 8:1 replied:
2 "When will you end these speeches?S Job 8:2; S 16:3 2 Job 16:3 2 Be sensible, and then we can talk.
3 Why are we regarded as cattleS Job 12:7 3 and considered stupid in your sight?Ps 73:22 3 Ps 73:22
4 You who tear yourselfJob 13:14 to pieces in your anger,S Job 16:9 4 Job 13:14 4 is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? 4 Or must the rocks be moved from their place?Job 14:18
5 "The lamp of the wicked is snuffed out;Job 21:1735:15Pr 13:920:20; 24:20Jer 25:10; Mt 25:8; Jn 8:12 5 Pr 13:9; 20:20; 24:20 5 the flame of his fire stops burning.S Job 5:14; 12:25; 24:17; 38:15
6 The light in his tentS Job 8:22 becomes dark;S Job 5:14 6 the lamp beside him goes out.S Job 11:17; S 12:25 6 Job 11:17
7 The vigorS Job 13:26 of his step is weakened;Ps 18:36Pr 4:12 7 Pr 4:12 7 his own schemesS Job 5:13 throw him down.S Job 15:6 7 Job 5:13; 15:6
8 His feet thrust him into a netJob 19:6Job 22:10Ps 9:1510:935:757:6; 66:11; 140:5; La 1:13; Mic 7:2; Hab 1:15 8 Job 22:10; Ps 9:15; 35:7 8 and he wanders into its mesh.
9 A trap seizes him by the heel; 9 Pr 5:22 9 a snareJob 22:10; 30:12; Isa 24:18; Jer 48:44; Am 5:19 holds him fast.Pr 5:22
10 A noosePr 7:22; Isa 51:20 is hidden for him on the ground; 10 a trapS 1Sa 28:9 lies in his path.Ps 140:5
11 Terrorsver 14; S Job 6:4; 20:25; 24:17; Ps 55:4; 88:15; Isa 28:19; Jer 15:8; La 2:22 startle him on every sideS Job 15:21Ps 31:13Jer 6:25; 20:3 11 Job 15:21 11 and dogver 18Job 20:8Isa 22:18 his every step. 11 Job 20:8
12 CalamityJob 21:17 is hungryIsa 8:219:20; 65:13 for him; 12 Isa 8:21 12 disasterJob 31:3 is ready for him when he falls.Job 15:23
13 It eats away parts of his skin;Nu 12:12 13 death's firstborn devours his limbs.Zec 14:12 13 Zec 14:12
14 He is torn from the security of his tentS Job 8:22 14 Job 8:22 14 and marched off to the kingJob 15:24 of terrors.S ver 11
15 Fire resides[c] Or Nothing he had remains in his tent;ver 18; Job 20:26 15 burning sulfurS Ge 19:24Ps 11:6 is scattered over his dwelling. 15 Ps 11:6
16 His roots dry up belowIsa 5:24Hos 5:12Hos 9:1-16Am 2:9 16 Isa 5:24; Am 2:9 16 and his branches wither above.S Ge 27:28; S Job 8:12; S 15:30Mal 4:1 16 Mal 4:1
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;S Dt 32:26 17 he has no nameDt 9:14; Ps 9:5; 69:28; Pr 10:7; Isa 14:22 in the land.Job 24:20Ps 34:16; Pr 2:2210:7Isa 49:15 17 Ps 34:16; Pr 10:7
18 He is driven from light into darknessS Job 5:14 18 Job 5:14 18 and is banishedS ver 11 from the world.S Job 11:20; 30:8
19 He has no offspringPs 37:28; Isa 1:4; 14:20Jer 22:30 or descendantsPs 21:10; 109:13Isa 14:22 among his people, 19 Isa 14:22; Jer 22:30 19 no survivorS 2Ki 10:11; S Eze 17:8 where once he lived.Job 27:14-15
20 Men of the west are appalledPs 22:6-7; Isa 52:14; 53:2-3; Eze 27:35 at his fate;Ps 37:13; Jer 46:2150:27,31Eze 7:7 20 Ps 37:13; Jer 50:27 20 men of the east are seized with horror.
21 Surely such is the dwellingJob 21:28 of an evil man;Isa 57:20 21 such is the placeS Job 7:10 of one who knows not God."S Job 4:21Jer 9:31Th 4:5 21 1Th 4:5 Job 19
1 Job
1 Then Job replied:
2 "How long will you tormentJob 13:25 me 2 Job 13:25 2 and crushJob 6:9 me with words?
3 Ten timesS Ge 31:7 now you have reproachedJob 20:3 me; 3 shamelessly you attack me.
4 If it is true that I have gone astray, 4 my errorJob 6:24 remains my concern alone. 4 Job 6:24
5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above mePs 35:26; 38:1655:12 5 Ps 35:26; 38:16; 55:12 5 and use my humiliation against me,
6 then know that God has wronged meS Job 6:29Job 27:2 6 Job 27:2 6 and drawn his netS Job 18:8 around me.S Job 10:3 6 Job 18:8
7 "Though I cry, 'I've been wronged!' I get no response;Job 30:20Ps 22:2 7 Job 30:20 7 though I call for help,Job 30:24,28; 31:35; Ps 5:2 there is no justice.S Job 9:24; Hab 1:2-4 7 Job 9:24; Hab 1:2-4
8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;Job 3:23La 3:7Hos 2:6 8 Job 3:23; La 3:7 8 he has shrouded my paths in darkness.Job 3:26; 23:1730:26Ecc 6:4; Isa 59:9; Jer 8:15; 14:19; La 3:2 8 Job 30:26
9 He has strippedS Job 12:17 me of my honorGe 43:28; Ex 12:42; Ps 15:4; 50:23; Pr 14:31 9 Job 12:17 9 and removed the crown from my head.S Job 2:8; 29:14Ps 89:39,44; La 5:16 9 Ps 89:39,44; La 5:16
10 He tears me downS Job 12:14 on every side till I am gone; 10 Job 12:14 10 he uproots my hopeS Job 7:6 like a tree.S Job 14:7Job 24:20 10 Job 7:6; 24:20
11 His angerJob 16:9 burns against me; 11 Job 16:9 11 he counts me among his enemies.S Job 13:24 11 Job 13:24
12 His troops advance in force;S Job 16:13 12 Job 16:13 12 they build a siege rampS Job 16:10Job 30:12 against me 12 Job 30:12 12 and encamp around my tent.S Job 3:23
13 "He has alienated my brothersPs 69:8 from me; 13 Ps 69:8 13 my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.ver 19Job 16:742:11Ps 31:11; 38:1188:8 13 Job 16:7; Ps 88:8
14 My kinsmen have gone away; 14 my friendsver 19; S 2Sa 15:12; Job 12:4; 16:20; Ps 88:18; Jer 20:10; 38:22 have forgotten me. 14 Ps 88:18
15 My guestsGe 14:14 and my maidservantsEcc 2:7 count me a stranger; 15 they look upon me as an alien.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer, 16 though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife; 17 I am loathsomePs 38:5 to my own brothers.
18 Even the little boysS 2Ki 2:23 scorn me; 18 2Ki 2:23 18 when I appear, they ridicule me.S Job 16:10
19 All my intimate friendsS ver 14; S Job 6:14Ps 55:12-13 detest me;Job 30:10Ps 38:11 19 Ps 38:11; 55:12-13 19 those I love have turned against me.S ver 13; Jn 13:18 19 Jn 13:18
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;S Job 2:5Job 33:21Ps 102:5 20 Job 33:21; Ps 102:5 20 I have escaped with only the skin of my teeth.[d] Or only my gums
21 "Have pity on me, my friends,S Job 6:14 have pity, 21 Job 6:14 21 for the hand of God has struckS Jdg 2:15; S Job 4:5; S 10:3; La 3:1 me.
22 Why do you pursueS Job 13:2516:11 me as God does?ver 6 22 Job 13:25; 16:11 22 Will you never get enough of my flesh?S 2Ch 28:9Ps 14:4; 27:269:26Pr 30:14; Isa 53:4 22 Ps 69:26
23 "Oh, that my words were recorded, 23 that they were written on a scroll,S Ex 17:14; S Ps 40:7; S Isa 8:1Isa 30:8 23 Isa 30:8
24 that they were inscribed with an iron toolJer 17:1 on[e] Or and lead, 24 or engraved in rock forever!S Job 16:18
25 I know that my Redeemer[f] Or defenderS Ex 6:6; S Lev 25:25Ps 68:578:35Pr 23:11Isa 41:1443:1444:6,24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:26; 54:5; 59:20; 60:16Jer 50:34 lives,S 1Sa 14:39Job 16:19 25 Job 16:19; Ps 78:35; Isa 43:14 25 and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.[g] Or upon my grave
26 And after my skin has been destroyed, 26 yet[h] Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then in[i] Or / apart from my flesh I will see God;S Nu 12:8Ps 17:15S Mt 5:8; 1Co 13:12; 1Jn 3:2 26 Mt 5:8; 1Co 13:12; 1Jn 3:2
27 I myself will see him 27 with my own eyesLk 2:30—I, and not another. 27 How my heart yearnsPs 42:1; 63:1; 84:2Ps 73:26 within me! 27 Ps 73:26
28 "If you say, 'How we will houndS Job 13:25 him, 28 Job 13:25 28 since the root of the trouble lies in him,[j] Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts me '
29 you should fear the sword yourselves; 29 for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,Job 15:22 29 Job 15:22 29 and then you will know that there is judgment.[k] Or / that you may come to know the Almighty "Job 22:4Job 27:13-23Ps 1:5; 9:758:11; Ecc 3:17; 11:9; 12:14 29 Job 22:4; Ps 1:5
