Job 23

HCSB

Job 23

Job’s Reply to Eliphaz

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1} Then Job answered:

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2}

Today also my complaint is bitter.^(a)^(A)
His^(b) hand is heavy despite my groaning.

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3}

If only I knew how to find Him,
so that I could go to His throne.

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I would plead my case before Him^(B)
and fill my mouth with arguments.

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I would learn how^(c) He would answer me;
and understand what He would say to me.

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6}

Would He prosecute^(C) me forcefully?
No, He will certainly pay attention to me.

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Then an upright man could reason^(D) with Him,
and I would escape from my Judge^(E) forever.

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If I go east, He is not there,
and if I go west, I cannot perceive Him.^(F)

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When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him;
when He turns south, I cannot find Him.

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Yet He knows the way I have taken;^(d)
when He has tested me,^(G) I will emerge as pure gold.

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My feet have followed in His tracks;
I have kept to His way^(H) and not turned aside.

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12}

I have not departed from the commands of His lips;
I have treasured^(e) the words^(I) of His mouth
more than my daily food.

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But He is unchangeable; who can oppose Him?
He does what He desires.^(J)

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He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me,
and He has many more things like these in mind.^(f)

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Therefore I am terrified^(K) in His presence;
when I consider this, I am afraid of Him.

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God has made my heart faint;^(L)
the Almighty has terrified me.

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Yet I am not destroyed^(g) by the darkness,^(M)
by the thick darkness that covers my face.

Footnotes:

a. Job 23:2: Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads rebellion

b. Job 23:2: LXX, Syr; MT reads My

c. Job 23:5: Lit the words

d. Job 23:10: Lit way with me

e. Job 23:12: LXX, Vg read treasured in my bosom

f. Job 23:14: Lit these with Him

g. Job 23:17: Or silenced

Cross references:

A. Job 23:2: Job 7:11; Job 10:1; Job 21:4

B. Job 23:4: Job 5:8; Job 13:18; Job 35:14

C. Job 23:6: Job 13:19; Job 33:13; Isaiah 45:9

D. Job 23:7: Job 13:3; Job 13:15; Job 15:3

E. Job 23:7: Genesis 18:25; Isaiah 33:22; Jeremiah 11:20

F. Job 23:8: Job 9:11; Job 35:14

G. Job 23:10: Psalm 17:3; Psalm 66:10; 1 Peter 1:7

H. Job 23:11: Job 17:9; Psalm 17:5; Psalm 44:18

I. Job 23:12: Job 6:10; Job 22:22; Psalm 119:102-103; Psalm 119:111

J. Job 23:13: Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 14:27; Daniel 4:35

K. Job 23:15: Job 4:14; Job 22:10; Job 23:15

L. Job 23:16: Deuteronomy 20:3; Isaiah 7:4; Jeremiah 51:46

M. Job 23:17: Job 19:8; Job 29:3; Job 30:26