Tyndale Open Study NotesJob 9

Job answered Bildad by describing God's universal and legal power. His speech resembles a complex legal case.

It includes:

1. A summons and response (9:3, 14–16, 19b, 32).

2. The risk of proving himself guilty (9:20).

3. A "mediator" (9:33–34).

4. A question of accusation (9:12).

5. A legal sentence (9:22).

6. A declaration of guilt (9:28–30).

If one wished to contend with God: Job later wished to meet God in court (13:3, 15, 23; 23:4).

When God moves mountains or shakes the earth, it shows his presence as:

• One who gives laws (Exodus 19:18).

• One who judges (Jeremiah 4:24).

• One who rescues (Psalm 18:7; Isaiah 13:13; 29:6).

• Job 38:32 mentions the Bear. It is often identified as "Arcturus." It might also refer to the constellations (star patterns) "Ursa Minor" or "Leo."

• the Pleiades is a group of seven stars, referenced at 38:31 and Amos 5:8.

the helpers of Rahab: Job described the power of demons as mythical sea monsters that represented chaos. This kind of imagery appears in other parts of the Bible as well (26:12; Psalm 89:11; Isaiah 51:9).

with a tempest: The words translated as “with a tempest” (bis’arah) might also mean besa‘arah (“for a hair,” meaning “for the smallest thing”). This would parallel "without cause."

Job was truly blameless, and he consistently claimed this during the debate (1:1, 7; 2:3; 23:11–12; 27:5; 31:1–40).

The word "You" shows this is a prayer, even though, "O God," is not plainly stated in Hebrew.

wash myself: Job talked about using the strongest soap (lye) to represent removing all sin (1:5; compare Psalm 26:6; Matthew 27:24).

• The pit can refer to the place of dead people, suggesting the "corruption" of death (17:14; 33:18).

• The dirty clothes representing being guilty contrast with the clean clothes representing being innocent (Zechariah 3:3–5; see Isaiah 61:10; 64:6; Revelation 19:8).

A mediator does not judge God and man. Instead, the mediator helps bring them together (see 16:19–21).