Job 23:2-17

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“Even today my ^(A)complaint is rebellion;
^(a)His hand is ^(B)heavy despite my groaning.

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“Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!

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“I would ^(C)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.

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“I would learn the words which He would ^(b)answer,
And perceive what He would say to me.

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“Would He contend with me by ^(D)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.

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“There the upright would ^(E)reason with Him;
And I ^(c)would be ^(F)delivered forever from my Judge.

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“Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I ^(G)cannot perceive Him;

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When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;
He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.

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“But He knows the ^(d)way I take;
When He has ^(H)tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

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“My foot has ^(I)held fast to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.

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“I have not departed from the command of His lips;
I have treasured the ^(J)words of His mouth ^(e)more than my ^(f)necessary food.

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“But He is unique and who can turn Him?
And what His soul desires, that He does.

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“For He performs what is appointed for me,
And many such decrees are with Him.

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“Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence;
When I consider, I am terrified of Him.

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“It is God who has made my ^(K)heart faint,
And the Almighty who has dismayed me,

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But I ^(L)am not silenced by the darkness,
Nor ^(M)deep gloom which covers me.

Footnotes:

a. Job 23:2: ['So with Gr and Syr; M.T. ', My]

b. Job 23:5: ['Lit ', answer me]

c. Job 23:7: ['Or ', bring forth my justice forever]

d. Job 23:10: ['Lit ', way with me]

e. Job 23:12: ['Or with some versions, ', in my breast]

f. Job 23:12: ['Lit ', prescribed portion]

Cross references:

A. Job 23:2: Job 7:11

B. Job 23:2: Job 6:2; Job 6:3; Psalm 32:4

C. Job 23:4: Job 13:18

D. Job 23:6: Job 9:4

E. Job 23:7: Job 13:3

F. Job 23:7: Job 13:16; Job 23:10

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

H. Job 23:10: Job 7:18; Psalm 7:9; Psalm 11:5; Psalm 66:10; Zechariah 13:9; 1 Peter 1:7

I. Job 23:11: Job 31:7; Psalm 17:5; Psalm 44:18

J. Job 23:12: Job 6:10; Job 22:22

K. Job 23:16: Deuteronomy 20:3; Job 27:2; Jeremiah 51:46

L. Job 23:17: Job 10:18; Job 10:19

M. Job 23:17: Job 19:8