Job Chapter 9 Review

 

Chapter 9

Job 9:1 KJV  Then Job answered and said, Job 9:2 KJV  I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

We’re told that Job is answering, but we’re not certain precisely who he is responding to, and which words.  It makes most sense that he is responding to Bildad, but that may not be.

Who can stand before God, and claim righteousness?

Romans 3:23 KJV  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Job 9:3 KJV  If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

Foreshadowing God’s questioning of Job in chapter 38, who can stand against God?  Who could answer one of a thousand questions from Him?

Job 9:4 KJV  He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

Omniscient, Omnipotent is our God.  Who can withstand Him?

Job 9:5-10 KJV

Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

A list of God’s amazing powers.

Job 9:11 KJV  Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

God is a Spirit, and therefore not sensed by man.

Job 9:12 KJV  Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

As a beast or predator carries away its prey, who can stop Him.  Who can question His actions?

Job 9:13 KJV  If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

The ‘if’ does not appear in the Hebrew, and does not contribute to clear understanding.  

How fascinating.  The Hebrew word here translated ‘proud’ is Strong’s H7295 (see also H7294, H7293), Rahab, not the same as the harlot of that name who aided Joshua in the conquest of Jericho, but having the same meaning as her name. . . proud, boastful, referencing as a synonym for Egypt.  All who resist God. . . helpers of pride, will fall.  None can resist Him.

Job 9:14 KJV  How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

With all His majesty and power described in the preceding verses, how could I answer Him?  My words would fail me in His presence. 

Job 9:15 KJV  Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

Even if I were without sin, how could I answer God’s questions or accusations?  I would submit to God in any circumstance.

Job 9:16 KJV  If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

If I had the courage  to call unto to God. . . I could not imagine that He would hear and respond to me. 

Job 9:17 KJV  For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. 

We can accuse Job of denying his deserving what has transpired like Job’s friends, but remember what God Himself said of Job:

Job 1:8 KJV  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

No, Job wasn’t absolutely without fault, but even in God’s eyes Job deserved special recognition as an example as a perfect and upright man.  Job isn’t bragging when he says God multiplieth his wounds ‘without cause’.  He did his best to live his life as righteously as possible, and for that reason he was used as an example to satan.  I believe Job is justified in feeling ill used.  It is clear, the disasters that happened to him and their timing were well beyond random chance.

Imagine your feeling as a child, your mother says you’ve been such a good boy, I’m going to ground you for two weeks and cancel your birthday party as an example to your brother and sister who have been naughty.  Who wouldn’t feel greatly sorry for themselves for such misuse?

Job 9:18 KJV  He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. 

He gives me no chance to catch my breath, because of all this I am filled with bitterness.

Job 9:19 KJV  If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

There is no comparison between us.  He is strong.  I am weak.  There can be no contest of strength between us, and if I want to plead my case before Him, who will get me an appointment on His calendar?  

Job 9:20 KJV  If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. 

If I defend myself as perfect, then I prove myself prideful, and therefore full of sin.  Nothing that comes out of my mouth can do anything but convict me.  Who can claim righteousness before the one and only one who is truly righteous?

Job 9:21 KJV  Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

If I thought I were perfect, before God my soul would be revealed for the wickedness within it, and I would hate my life.

In the previous 5 verses 17-21, Job speaks of what would have, might have happened if Job had called upon God in verse 16.  These are not things which actually occurred to him.

Job 9:22 KJV  This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

Job’s friends have maintained that destruction comes to the wicked only.  Job disagrees with them, and puts forth the truth that bad things happen to good people.

Job 9:23 KJV  If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

Strong’s H3932 translated here as ‘laugh’, in other instances rendered:

derision ( 2 ) laugh ( 3 ) 

mock ( 1 ) mocked ( 2 ) 

mockest ( 1 ) mocketh ( 3 ) 

on ( 1 ) scorn ( 4 ) 

stammering ( 1 )

Job indeed oversteps here.  None of the possible meanings, soften  what Job here accuses God of. . . mock. . . derision. . . scorn. Of those who undergo the scourge.  Strong’s H7752, means indeed scourge, whip.  Jesus underwent the scourge, lethal if not constrained, and it surely was nothing to be laughed at.  Job has gone too far here.

Job 9:24 KJV  The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

Wow. . .Job states that God has given the entire world to evil.  And He. . . God. . .hides justice and doing right from even the judges of man on earth.  Job is growing more and more bitter.  His accusations against God are unveiled

Job 9:25 KJV  Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

A post as in when messages were  sent in stages. . . posts by fast runners or horses.  His days have seemed to pass by quickly.  

Job 9:26 KJV  They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

Job uses three different fast examples to describe his fleeing days. . . a fast runner, swift ships, and the flight of an eagle on attack.

Job 9:27 KJV  If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

Job attempts to get past the trauma of his losses.  He imagines himself being able to forget, and grow beyond his depression, but it returns.

Job 9:28 KJV  I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

Job is fearful of the magnitude of his anguish, and the effect it is having in his relationship with God.  Job recognizes that he has exceeded propriety and there may be consequences for that.

Job 9:29 KJV  If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

I am guilty.  My friends consider me guilty.  God has apparently judged me as guilty.  Why should I then make any attempt to defend myself, and clear my name.

Job 9:30 KJV  If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

If I wash myself with water from melting snow. . . not water from a river or puddle, but water from pristine snow.  Strong's H1253, vegetable lye. . . extremely strong soap of cleansing.

Job 9:31 KJV  Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

If (in the previous verse) I attempted to cleanse myself, God would throw me into a filthy roadside ditch, possibly functioning as an open sewer, where I would be so filthy that my own clothes would hate to cover me.

Job 9:32 KJV  For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Job 9:33 KJV  Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

The longing of mankind in the Old Testament, they had no mediator between God and man.  Job’s wish is fulfilled with God robing Himself with flesh, enduring the same temptations that we endure. . . Job’s cry has now been realized.

Job 9:34 KJV  Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: Job 9:35 KJV  Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

This passage is based on the premise, if Job could speak freely without the burden of oppression that he is under, then he could speak freely without fear of correction and retribution from God, but He is God, and I am man who can speak freely to Him?