LO, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

1Loe, mine eye hath seene all this, mine eare hath heard and vnderstood it.

2What yee know, the same doe I know also, I am not inferiour vnto you.

3Surely I would speake to the Almighty, & I desire to reason with God.

4But ye are forgers of lies, yee are all Physicians of no value.

5O that you would altogether hold your peace, & it should be your wisdome.

6Heare now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

7Wil you speake wickedly for God? and talke deceitfully for him?

8Will ye accept his person? Will yee contend for God?

9Is it good that hee should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, doe ye so mocke him?

10He will surely reprooue you, if yee doe secretly accept persons.

11Shall not his excellencie make you afraid? and his dread fall vpon you?

12Your remembrances are like vnto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

13Hold your peace, let me alone that I may speake, and let come on me what will.

14Wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

15Though hee slay mee, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintaine mine owne wayes before him.

16Hee also shall be my saluation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

17Heare diligently my speach, and my declaration with your eares.

18Behold now, I haue ordered my cause, I know that I shall be iustified.

19Who is hee that will plead with me? for now if I hold my tongue, I shall giue vp the ghost.

20Only doe not two things vnto me: then will I not hide my selfe from thee.

21Withdrawe thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make mee afraid.

22Then call thou, and I will answere: or let me speake, and answere thou mee.

23How many are mine iniquities and sinnes? make mee to knowe my transgression, and my sinne.

24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemie?

25Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the drie stubble?

26For thou writest bitter things against mee, and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth.

27Thou puttest my feete also in the stockes, and lookest narrowly vnto all my pathes; thou settest a print vpon the heeles of my feete.

28And hee, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that is moth-eaten.

II == Job 12:3

 

III == Job 23:3 ; 31:35

 

IV == Job 6:21 ; 16:2

V == Prov 17:28

 

 

VII == Job 17:5 ; 32:21 ; 36:4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV == 1st Sam 28:21 ; Job 18:4 ; Ps 119:109

XV == Job 27:5 ; Ps 23:4 ; Prov 14:32

 

 

 

 

XIX == Job 33:6 ; Isa 50:8

 

XX == Job 9:34 ; 33:7

XXI == Ps 39:10

 

 

 

 

 

XXIV == Deut 32:20 ; 32:42 ; Ruth 1:21 ; Job 16:9 ; 19:11 ; 33:10 ; Ps 13:1 ; 44:24 ; 88:14 ; Isa 8:17 ; Lam 2:5

XXV ==Isa 42:3

XXVI == Job 20:11 ; Ps 25:7

XXVII == Job 33:11

1 Lo, all this my eye has seen; my ear has heard and perceived it.

2 What you know, I also know; I fall not short of you.

3 But I would speak with the Almighty; I wish to reason with God.

4 You are glossing over falsehoods and offering vain remedies, every one of you!

5 Oh, that you would be altogether silent! This for you would be wisdom.

6 Hear now the rebuke I shall utter and listen to the reproof from my lips.

7 Is it for God that you speak falsehood? Is it for him that you utter deceit?

8 Is it for him that you show partiality? Do you play advocate on behalf of God?

9 Will it be well when he shall search you out? Would you impose on him as one does on men?

10 He will openly rebuke you if even in secret you show partiality.

11 Surely will his majesty affright you and the dread of him fall upon you.

12 Your reminders are ashy maxims, your fabrications are mounds of clay.

13 Be silent, let me alone! that I may speak and give vent to my feelings.

14 I will carry my flesh between my teeth, and take my life in my hand.

15 Slay me though he might, I will wait for him; I will defend my conduct before him.

16 And this shall be my salvation, that no impious man can come into his presence.

17 Pay careful heed to my speech, and give my statement a hearing.

18 Behold, I have prepared my case, I know that I am in the right.

19 If anyone can make a case against me, then I shall be silent and die.

20 These things only do not use against me, then from your presence I need not hide:

21 Withdraw your hand far from me, and let not the terror of you frighten me.

22 Then call me, and I will respond; or let me speak first, and answer me.

23 What are my faults and my sins? My misdeeds and my sins make known to me!

24 Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?

25 Will you harass a wind-driven leaf, or pursue a withered straw?

26 For you draw up bitter indictments against me, and punish in me the faults of my youth.

27 You put my feet in the stocks; you watch all my paths and trace out all my footsteps.

28 Though he wears out like a leather bottle, like a garment that the moth has consumed?

v 1-4. Job had heard their comments which added nothing to his own knowledge. Their assumptions were lies, as of quack doctors, so Job would take his case to God.

 

 

v 5-12. These three could show more wisdom by keeping still and listening to Job pleading with God. They were inadequate arbitrators, because God could see deceit in their accusing Job. In fact, God would reprove them for their tactics of being unjust with Job that they might gain favor with God. Their incompetent counsel was like proverbs of ashes and a defense wall of crumbling clay, worthless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 13-19. Job is going to speak out to God regardless of the consequences. Even if God would slay Job, he is determined to make his defense before him. He is not a hypocrite and believes God will vindicate him, but he would be glad to die if he was proven wrong. We may not have used v 15 in it’s true context in the past, but it is still worth our confidence, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

 

 

 

 

v 20-28. Job asks God not to strike him dead or keep him in terror for his defense, and is willing to ask or answer questions. He is concerned that God does not reveal his sins but keeps silent as though Job were an enemy. He feels he is being driven like a leaf or chaff, and wonders if it is for some forgotten sin of youth that he suffers. (But his sins had been confessed and forgiven. As that moment of courage subsides, he drops back into the despair of rotting away as an old garment.