Job 23
New American Standard Bible 2020
Job Says He Longs for God
1Then Job responded,2“Even today my 1complaint is rebellion; 2His hand is 3heavy despite my groaning.3Oh that I knew how to find Him, That I might come to His home!4I would 4present my case before Him And fill my mouth with arguments.5I would learn the words which He would 5answer, And perceive what He would tell me.6Would He contend with me by 6the greatness of His power? No, surely He would pay attention to me.7There the upright would 7argue with Him; And I 8would be 9free of my Judge forever.
8“Behold, I go forward but He is not there, And backward, but I 10cannot perceive Him;9When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him; He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.10But He knows the 11way I take; When He has 12put me to the test, I will come out as gold.11My foot has 13held on to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.12I have not 14failed the command of His lips; I have treasured the 15words of His mouth 16more than my 17necessary food.13But He is unique, and who can 18make Him turn? Whatever His soul desires, He does it.14For He carries out what is destined for me, And many such destinies are with Him.15Therefore, I would be terrified at His presence; When I consider this, I am frightened of Him.16It is God who has made my 19heart faint, And the Almighty who has terrified me,17But I 20am not destroyed by darkness, Nor by 21deep gloom which covers me.
Notes
- 1. Job 23:2 Job 7:11 ↩
- 2. Job 23:2 As in LXX and Syriac; MT My ↩
- 3. Job 23:2 Job 6:2, 3; Ps 32:4 ↩
- 4. Job 23:4 Job 13:18 ↩
- 5. Job 23:5 Lit answer me ↩
- 6. Job 23:6 Job 9:4 ↩
- 7. Job 23:7 Job 13:3 ↩
- 8. Job 23:7 Or bring forth my justice forever ↩
- 9. Job 23:7 Job 13:16; 23:10 ↩
- 10. Job 23:8 Job 9:11; 35:14 ↩
- 11. Job 23:10 Lit way with me ↩
- 12. Job 23:10 Job 7:18; Ps 7:9; 11:5; 66:10; Zech 13:9; 1 Pet 1:7 ↩
- 13. Job 23:11 Job 31:7; Ps 17:5; 44:18 ↩
- 14. Job 23:12 Lit ceased from ↩
- 15. Job 23:12 Job 6:10; 22:22 ↩
- 16. Job 23:12 Or with some ancient versions, in my breast ↩
- 17. Job 23:12 Lit prescribed portion ↩
- 18. Job 23:13 Or deprive Him of anything ↩
- 19. Job 23:16 Deut 20:3; Job 27:2; Jer 51:46 ↩
- 20. Job 23:17 Job 10:18, 19 ↩
- 21. Job 23:17 Job 19:8 ↩
Commentaries on Job 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries