Chapter 13

1 Job reproveth his friends of partiality. 14 He professeth his confidence in God: 20 and intreateth to know his own sins, and God’s purpose in afflicting him.

1. Mine eye hath seen. Verses 1 and 2 are closely connected with ch. 12, forming the natural termination to the first section of Job’s argument that God is absolutely sovereign in the affairs of men.

3. Speak to the Almighty. Zophar had expressed the wish that God might appear and speak against Job (ch. 11:5). Job would welcome the opportunity to talk things over with God.

4. Forgers of lies. Literally, “plasterers of lies.”

Physicians of no value. They were like physicians who go forth to visit the sick, but can do nothing for them.

5. Your wisdom. See Prov. 17:28. If it be thought that Job is somewhat impatient, it must be remembered that he is confronted by three opponents, all eager to catch him in a fault, and far from mild in their reprimands.

7. For God. This phrase stands at the beginning of the Hebrew sentence, thereby indicating that it is to receive special emphasis. “For God will you maintain unjust principles?” How often unjust things have been said and done, professedly to advance the interests of God

For him. Placed, in the Hebrew, at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis, like the phrase, “for God,” above.

8. Accept his person. Literally, “lift up his faces,” a Hebrew idiom for showing partiality. Job is saying, in effect, “Will you, from partiality to God, maintain unjust principle, and defend positions that are really untenable?” Job felt that his friends were injuring him, while endeavoring to vindicate God. He felt that they were acting out of mere servility to God, without an adequate understanding of the issues involved.

Contend for God. Will ye, like an unjust judge, be biased in favor of one of the parties in a dispute?

9. Search you out. Would you be able to stand the scrutiny of God?

Mocketh another. Do you think you can deceive God as you would deceive a fellow man? God is too great and wise to be deceived by flattery or by a show of reverence.

10. He will surely reprove. This prediction was later fulfilled (see ch. 42:7).

Accept persons. That is, show partiality (see on v. 8). In no circumstance is it right to show partiality, regardless of the person involved. The exact truth is to be sought after, and judgment arrived at accordingly.

11. Make you afraid. Job warns his friends of the exaltation and loftiness of God. He feels that they are exposing themselves to divine wrath by their wrong ideas.

12. Remembrances. Literally, “memorials,” here memorial sentences, pithy sayings or maxims. The quotations from the wise men of old are worth no more than ashes.

Bodies. Heb. gabbim, anything curved, hence applied to the back of a man (Ps. 129:3). Other meanings are “mound” (Eze. 16:24, 31, 39), “a convex projection [of a shield],” translated “bosses” (Job 15:26), or bulwarks, breastworks, as probably here. Job seems to be ridiculing the arguments of his friends, which he characterizes as breastworks of clay.

13. Hold your peace. There is a suggestion here of an attempted interruption. Job is asking for the privilege of being permitted to go on and finish his speech, let come what would. In the Hebrew the pronoun “I” is stressed, meaning “and I [not you] will speak.”

14. Take my flesh in my teeth. This is an obscure passage. The figure is thought by some to be taken from the practice of animals of carrying their prey in their teeth. Such an exposed position of the prey provokes other animals to attempt a seizure, which often results in a quarrel, and the possible loss of the prey. According to this interpretation, Job is stating that he feels his statements are leading him into danger, but he is determined to follow through, come what may.

Others point out that the clause is best explained by comparing it with the second line of the verse, “and put my life in mine hand.” This line seems to carry the idea of a calculated risk.

Still others believe that the expression is reminiscent of a primitive notion that when a man dies his soul passes out of his body through his mouth or nostrils. This would make the text equivalent to, “I am about to die.” This interpretation is far-fetched, and out of harmony with the context.

The idea of a calculated risk seems the most probable meaning of the clause. Job recognizes that he is arguing with God. He is aware of his weakness. Yet he persists in stating the case that he feels is right, regardless of the consequences. The verse reflects the moral daring of Job.

15. Trust in him. It is possible to translate the Hebrew of the first half of this verse in two different ways: (1) as here, and (2) “behold he will kill me, I have no hope.” The difference resides in the spelling of the Hebrew word loХ, translated “in him.” LoХ almost invariably means “not,” being the common Hebrew adverb of negation. To get the translation “in him,” the spelling would normally be lo. However, the KJV rendering is supported by the LXX, Vulgate, Syriac, and the Targums. Either the translators of the ancient versions had before them in their Hebrew text lo, or they regarded loХ as at times equivalent to lo. Other texts where loХ, “not,” is apparently written lo, “to him,” or its equivalent, are Ex. 21:8; Lev. 11:21; 25:30; 1 Sam. 2:3; 2 Sam. 16:18.

Accepting the wording of the KJV, we have the first rung in the ladder by which Job emerged from the abyss of despair. “From the depths of discouragement and despondency Job rose to the heights of implicit trust in the mercy and the saving power of God. Triumphantly he declared: ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him’” (PK 163, 164).

Maintain mine own ways. Job repeats the resolve of vs. 13 and 14 to argue his case.

16. He also shall be. The LXX for this line reads, “This shall turn to me for salvation.”

Hypocrite. Heb. chaneph, a profane, irreligious, and godless man. The LXX translates the clause: “for fraud shall have no entrance before him.”

17. Hear. This text underscores what job has said in the previous verses. He wants his friends to be aware of his trust in God as well as his intention to voice his complaint.

18. Ordered my cause. That is, “I have prepared my pleadings.”

Justified. Or, “declared to be righteous,” “vindicated.”

19. If I hold my tongue. “I must talk or I will die.” Ever since Job’s friends accused him of wickedness, he has insisted on the privilege of pleading his case before God. Things have now reached a point at which he must either speak or expire.

20. Do not two things. Job asks for two favors: (1) relief from suffering for a time at least (v. 21); (2) relief from mental and spiritual terrors (v. 21). Without the absence of physical pain and mental anguish Job feels that he would not be able to plead his case fully or fairly.

22. Let me speak. Job was ready to take the part either of the defendant or the plaintiff in his trial with God.

23. How many? Job does not claim absolute perfection, but he does maintain that his sins do not measure with his suffering. He calls upon God to enumerate his sins.

24. Hidest thou thy face? There may have been a dramatic pause following v. 23, while Job awaited God’s answer regarding his sins. When God failed to answer, Job exclaimed, “Wherefore hidest thou thy face?” On the other hand Job may have merely complained that God did not accede to his requests of v. 21.

Holdest me. That is, reckonest me.

25. Break a leaf. Job compares himself to two of the least substantial and worthless objects imaginable. He cannot understand why God should frighten and pursue one so insignificant.

26. Writest. Job refers to making a record of the charges that God brought against him.

Of my youth. Job regards his affliction as the result of the sins of his youth, since he has no sins of his mature years that would incur such divine displeasure.

27. Stocks. A primitive means of punishment and imprisonment.

Lookest narrowly. Literally, “watchest.”

Settest a print. Job would be confined to certain limits. God set bounds for his activity. Job is like a man imprisoned and guarded, without freedom.

28. Rotten thing. Job refers to the frailty of himself and all mankind (see v. 25). His use of the third person, “he,” in referring to himself intensifies the sense of insignificance. This verse is logically connected with ch. 14, which develops the idea of the frailty of man.

Ellen G. White comments

11  MH 434

15   CT 317; Ed 156; ML 328; 6T 157; 7T 275

15, 16  PK 164