Job 19:28
New International Version
“If you say, ‘How we will hound him, since the root of the trouble lies in him,’

New Living Translation
“How dare you go on persecuting me, saying, ‘It’s his own fault’?

English Standard Version
If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’ and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’

Berean Standard Bible
If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’

King James Bible
But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

New King James Version
If you should say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’— Since the root of the matter is found in me,

New American Standard Bible
“If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’ And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find?’

NASB 1995
“If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’ And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find?’

NASB 1977
“If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’ And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find?’

Legacy Standard Bible
If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’ ‘And the root of the matter is found in him?’

Amplified Bible
“If you say, ‘How shall we [continue to] persecute him?’ And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find [since we claim the root of these afflictions is found in him]?’

Christian Standard Bible
If you say, “How will we pursue him, since the root of the problem lies with him? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If you say, “How will we pursue him, since the root of the problem lies with him?”

American Standard Version
If ye say, How we will persecute him! And that the root of the matter is found in me;

Contemporary English Version
My friends, you think up ways to blame and torment me, saying I brought it on myself.

English Revised Version
If ye say, How we will persecute him! seeing that the root of the matter is found in me;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"You say, 'We will persecute him! The root of the problem is found in him.'

Good News Translation
"How can we torment him?" You looked for some excuse to attack me.

International Standard Version
"When you're thinking about asking yourselves, 'How will we pursue him, since the root of the problem is with him?'

Majority Standard Bible
If you say, ?Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,?

NET Bible
If you say, 'How we will pursue him, since the root of the trouble is found in him!'

New Heart English Bible
If you say, 'How we will persecute him, because the root of the matter is found in him.'

Webster's Bible Translation
But ye would say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

World English Bible
If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’ because the root of the matter is found in me,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
But you say, Why do we pursue after him? And the root of the matter has been found in me.

Young's Literal Translation
But ye say, 'Why do we pursue after him?' And the root of the matter hath been found in me.

Smith's Literal Translation
For ye shall say, Why shall we pursue after him and the root of the word was found in me?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Why then do you say now: Let us persecute him, and let us find occasion of word against him?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Why then do you now say: “Let us pursue him, and let us find a basis to speak against him?”

New American Bible
But you who say, “How shall we persecute him, seeing that the root of the matter is found in him?”

New Revised Standard Version
If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’ and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him’;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For you will say, Why did we persecute him? For a good report will follow me and vindicate me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For you say: ‘why do we persecute him?’ For The Good Word has found occasion against me
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
If ye say: 'How we will persecute him!' Seeing that the root of the matter is found in me;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But if ye shall also say, What shall we say before him, and so find the root of the matter in him?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job: My Redeemer Lives
27I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me! 28If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’ 29then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”…

Cross References
James 5:9
Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!

1 Peter 4:4
Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you.

Matthew 12:36
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

Romans 14:10-12
Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. / It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.” / So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Matthew 7:1-2
“Do not judge, or you will be judged. / For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Luke 6:37
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

John 7:24
Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”

Psalm 50:21
You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.

Psalm 94:7-11
They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.” / Take notice, O senseless among the people! O fools, when will you be wise? / He who affixed the ear, can He not hear? He who formed the eye, can He not see? ...

Proverbs 24:12
If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

Isaiah 29:15-16
Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?” / You have turned things upside down, as if the potter were regarded as clay. Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pottery say of the potter, “He has no understanding”?


Treasury of Scripture

But you should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

Why

Job 19:22
Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

Psalm 69:26
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

seeing, etc.

1 Kings 14:13
And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

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Job 19
1. Job, complaining of his friends' cruelty,
6. shows there is misery enough in him to feed their cruelty
21. He craves pity
23. He believes the resurrection














If you say
This phrase introduces a hypothetical statement, suggesting a dialogue or accusation from Job's friends. In the Hebrew text, the word "say" (אָמַר, 'amar) is often used to denote speech or thought, indicating the intent or reasoning behind the words. This sets the stage for a confrontation or challenge, reflecting the ongoing tension between Job and his friends. It highlights the accusatory nature of their dialogue, where words are not just communication but weapons in a spiritual and moral battle.

How shall we persecute him
The word "persecute" (רָדַף, radaph) in Hebrew conveys a sense of pursuing or harassing with intent to harm. This reflects the intensity of the friends' misguided zeal to correct Job, believing they are justified in their actions. Historically, persecution has been a recurring theme for the righteous, as seen throughout Scripture. This phrase underscores the friends' misunderstanding of Job's plight, as they assume his suffering is due to personal fault rather than a test of faith.

since the root of the matter
The "root" (שֹׁרֶשׁ, shoresh) symbolizes the fundamental cause or origin of an issue. In this context, it suggests that Job's friends believe the core problem lies within Job himself. Biblically, roots often represent foundational truths or sins that need addressing. This phrase implies a deep-seated issue, reflecting the friends' belief that Job's suffering is self-inflicted due to hidden sin, a common but flawed theological perspective in ancient times.

lies with him
The phrase "lies with him" indicates possession or responsibility. In Hebrew, the preposition (בּוֹ, bo) can mean "in" or "with," suggesting that the friends believe Job is the source of his own troubles. This reflects a misunderstanding of divine justice, where suffering is not always a direct result of personal sin. Theologically, this challenges the simplistic retribution principle, inviting readers to consider the complexity of suffering and divine sovereignty.

(28) Seeing the root of the matter.--This verse is variously understood, according as "the root of the matter" is interpreted of the cause of suffering or the essence of piety. "For ye say, How we will persecute him, and that the root of the matter is found in me." The Authorised Version takes the other view. It seems preferable to render, "For ye say, What is a persecuted man to Him (why should He persecute any man without cause?), and therefore the root of the matter (i.e., the cause of the afflictions) is, i.e., must be found in me."

Verse 28. - But ye should say, Why persecute we him? rather, if ye shall say How shall we persecute him? That is to say, "If, after what I have said, ye continue bitter against me, and take counsel together as to the best way of persecuting me, then, seeing the root of the matter (i.e. the essence of piety) is found in me, be ye afraid," etc.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you say,
תֹ֭אמְרוּ (ṯō·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘How
מַה־ (mah-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

shall we persecute
נִּרְדָּף־ (nir·dāp̄-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 7291: To pursue, chase, persecute

him,
ל֑וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

since the root
וְשֹׁ֥רֶשׁ (wə·šō·reš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8328: A root

of the matter
דָּ֝בָ֗ר (dā·ḇār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

lies
נִמְצָא־ (nim·ṣā-)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

with him?’
בִֽי׃ (ḇî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Poetry: Job 19:28 If you say 'How we will persecute (Jb)
Job 19:27
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