Job 23
Holman Christian Standard Bible  Par ▾ 

Job’s Reply to Eliphaz

1Then Job answered:

2Today also my complaint is bitter. a  b

Hisc hand is heavy despite my groaning.

3If only I knew how to find Him,

so that I could go to His throne.

4I would plead my case before Himd

and fill my mouth with arguments.

5I would learn how e He would answer me;

and understand what He would say to me.

6Would He prosecutef me forcefully?

No, He will certainly pay attention to me.

7Then an upright man could reasong with Him,

and I would escape from my Judgeh forever.

8If I go east, He is not there,

and if I go west, I cannot perceive Him. i

9When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him;

when He turns south, I cannot find Him.

10Yet He knows the way I have taken; j

when He has tested me, k I will emerge as pure gold.

11My feet have followed in His tracks;

I have kept to His wayl and not turned aside.

12I have not departed from the commands of His lips;

I have treasuredm the wordsn of His mouth

more than my daily food.

13But He is unchangeable; who can oppose Him?

He does what He desires. o

14He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me,

and He has many more things like these in mind. p

15Therefore I am terrifiedq in His presence;

when I consider this, I am afraid of Him.

16God has made my heart faint; r

the Almighty has terrified me.

17Yet I am not destroyeds by the darkness, t

by the thick darkness that covers my face.


Footnotes:
a. 23:2 Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads rebellion
b. 23:2 Jb 7:11; 10:1; 21:4
c. 23:2 LXX, Syr; MT reads My
d. 23:4 Jb 5:8; 13:18; 35:14
e. 23:5 Lit the words
f. 23:6 Jb 13:19; 33:13; Is 45:9
g. 23:7 Jb 13:3,15; 15:3
h. 23:7 Gn 18:25; Is 33:22; Jr 11:20
i. 23:8 Jb 9:11; 35:14
j. 23:10 Lit way with me
k. 23:10 Ps 17:3; 66:10; 1Pt 1:7
l. 23:11 Jb 17:9; Ps 17:5; 44:18
m. 23:12 LXX, Vg read treasured in my bosom
n. 23:12 Jb 6:10; 22:22; Ps 119:102-103,111
o. 23:13 Ps 115:3; Is 14:27; Dn 4:35
p. 23:14 Lit these with Him
q. 23:15 Jb 4:14; 22:10; 23:15
r. 23:16 Dt 20:3; Is 7:4; Jr 51:46
s. 23:17 Or silenced
t. 23:17 Jb 19:8; 29:3; 30:26
Job 22
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