Old Testament Commentary - Job 9

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 9 Job acknowledges the justice and greatness of God, and concludes that man cannot contend against him.
1 THEN Job answered and said, 2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just ^awith God? 3 If he will ^acontend with him, he cannot answer him ^bone of a thousand.		2^a IE before 3^a Eccl. 6:10; Isa. 45:9; Ether 4:8 ^b OR one time in
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath ^ahardened himself against him, and hath prospered? 5 ^aWhich removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. 6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.		4^a TG Hardheartedness 5^a OR Who
7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and ^asealeth up the stars. 8 Which alone ^aspreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. 9 Which maketh Arcturus, ^aOrion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. 10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.		7^a IE from shining 8^a Ps. 104:2; Isa. 40:22; 2 Ne. 8:13 9^a TG Astronomy
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. 12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What ^adoest thou? 13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.		12^a Rom. 9:20-21; Moses 1:4
14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? 15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication ^ato my judge. 16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.		15^a OR before my accuser
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. 18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. 19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. 21 Though I were perfect, ^ayet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. 22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He ^adestroyeth the perfect and the wicked^a.	22^a He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked All are appointed unto death, the destruction of the temporay physical mortal. That is physical death and all who followed after Adam and Eve into this world will so be eventually 'destroyed' and die. There is no escaping that fate for everyone from the innocent perfect babe to the most wicked of fiend. We all must once die so as to pass on through to the next phase and stage of our progression.	21^a HEB I regard not myself 22^a Mal. 3:14-18
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will ^alaugh at the trial of the innocent^a. 24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof, if not, where, and who is he? 25 Now my days are swifter than a ^apost: they flee away, they see no good. 26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.	^a he will laugh [mock] at the trial of the innocent I don't know if we have the proper word for the 'light aspect' that the 'trial' of the innocent will be in the course of sudden or untimely death, whether it be by scourge, calamity, or some other form of destructive force. As all must come to earth and past through the probation, even so it is to be understood that the 'first mortality' of man is but the first part of the probation and to pass through it as an innocent is a light thing or it is not as 'taxing' a matter as it may seem from the perspective of God. The second part comes in the time of the Millennium, that 1,000 year period of time when all do still remain in various stages from being born, twinkled, resurrected, or detained in the spirit prison. We of a 'mortal' mind may think variously concerning such 'innocent death' but the Lord has a muh broader perspective on the whole of the matter before us. And all will be fair and just in the end.	23^a HEB mock 25^a HEB runner
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: 28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; 31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33 Neither is there any ^adaysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not ^ahis fear terrify me: 35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.		33^a OR arbiter between 34^a HEB the dread of him