Job 10-13 - Prayer Tents

Job Frames His Plea to God

10"I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. My bitter soul must complain.H5315H5354H2416H5800H7879H1696H4751H5315 2I will say to God, 'Don't simply condemn me—tell me the charge you are bringing against me.H559H433H7561H3045H7378 3What do you gain by oppressing me? Why do you reject me, the work of your own hands, while smiling on the schemes of the wicked?H2895H6231H3988H3018H3709H3313H6098H7563 4Are your eyes like those of a human? Do you see things only as people see them?H5869H1320H7200H582H7200 5Is your lifetime only as long as ours? Is your life so shortH3117H3117H582H8141H1397H3117 6that you must quickly probe for my guilt and search for my sin?H1245H5771H1875H2403 7Although you know I am not guilty, no one can rescue me from your hands.H1847H7561H5337H3027 8"'You formed me with your hands; you made me, yet now you completely destroy me.H3027H6087H6213H3162H5439H1104 9Remember that you made me from dust—will you turn me back to dust so soon?H2142H6213H2563H7725H6083H7725 10You guided my conception and formed me in the womb.H5413H2461H7087H1385 11You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together.H3847H5785H1320H7753H6106H1517 12You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by your care.H6213H2416H2617H6486H8104H7307 13'Yet your real motive—your true intent—H6845H3824H3045 14was to watch me, and if I sinned, you would not forgive my guilt.H2398H8104H5352H5771 15If I am guilty, too bad for me; and even if I'm innocent, I can't hold my head high, because I am filled with shame and misery.H7561H480H6663H5375H7218H7649H7036H7202H7200H6040 16And if I hold my head high, you hunt me like a lion and display your awesome power against me.H1342H6679H7826H7725H6381 17Again and again you witness against me. You pour out your growing anger on me and bring fresh armies against me.H2318H5707H7235H3708H5978H2487H6635 18"'Why, then, did you deliver me from my mother's womb? Why didn't you let me die at birth?H3318H7358H1478H5869H7200 19It would be as though I had never existed, going directly from the womb to the grave.H2986H990H6913 20I have only a few days left, so leave me alone, that I may have a moment of comfortH3117H4592H2308H2308H7896H7896H1082H4592 21before I leave—never to return—for the land of darkness and utter gloom.H3212H7725H776H2822H6757 22It is a land as dark as midnight, a land of gloom and confusion, where even the light is dark as midnight.'"H776H5890H652H6757H5468H3313H652

Zophar’s First Response to Job

11Then Zophar the Naamathite replied to Job.H6030H6691H5284H559 2"Shouldn't someone answer this torrent of words? Is a person proved innocent just by a lot of talking?H7230H1697H6030H376H8193H6663 3Should I remain silent while you babble on? When you mock God, shouldn't someone make you ashamed?H907H2790H4962H2790H3932H3637 4You claim, 'My beliefs are pure,' and 'I am clean in the sight of God.'H559H3948H2134H1249H5869 5If only God would speak; if only he would tell you what he thinks!H199H5414H433H1696H6605H8193 6If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!H5046H8587H2451H3718H8454H3045H433H5382H5771 7"Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty?H2714H4672H433H4672H7706H8503 8Such knowledge is higher than the heavens—and who are you? It is deeper than the underworld—what do you know?H1363H8064H6466H6013H7585H3045 9It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea.H4055H752H776H7342H3220 10If God comes and puts a person in prison or calls the court to order, who can stop him?H2498H5462H6950H7725 11For he knows those who are false, and he takes note of all their sins.H3045H7723H4962H7200H205H995 12An empty-headed person won't become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child.H5014H376H3823H120H3205H6501H5895 13"If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer!H3559H3820H6566H3709 14Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you.H205H3027H7368H5766H7931H168 15Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear.H5375H6440H3971H3332H3372 16You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away.H7911H5999H2142H4325H5674 17Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning.H2465H6965H6672H5774H1242 18Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.H982H3426H8615H2658H7901H983 19You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help.H7257H2729H7227H2470H6440 20But the wicked will be blinded. They will have no escape. Their only hope is death."H5869H7563H3615H6H4498H8615H4646H5315

Job’s Fourth Speech: A Response to Zophar

12Then Job spoke again.H347H6030H559 2"You people really know everything, don't you? And when you die, wisdom will die with you!H551H5971H2451H4191 3Well, I know a few things myself—and you're no better than I am. Who doesn't know these things you've been saying?H1571H3824H5307H3644 4Yet my friends laugh at me, for I call on God and expect an answer. I am a just and blameless man, yet they laugh at me.H7814H7453H7121H433H6030H6662H8549H7814 5People who are at ease mock those in trouble. They give a push to people who are stumbling.H3559H4571H7272H3940H937H6248H7600 6But robbers are left in peace, and those who provoke God live in safety—though God keeps them in his power.H168H7703H7951H7264H410H987H3027H433H935 7"Just ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.H199H7592H929H3384H5775H8064H5046 8Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you.H7878H776H3384H1709H3220H5608 9For they all know that my disaster has come from the hand of the LORD.H3045H3027H3068H6213 10For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.H3027H5315H2416H7307H376H1320 11The ear tests the words it hears just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.H241H974H4405H2441H2938H400 12Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.H3453H2451H753H3117H8394 13"But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.H2451H1369H6098H8394 14What he destroys cannot be rebuilt. When he puts someone in prison, there is no escape.H2040H1129H5462H376H6605 15If he holds back the rain, the earth becomes a desert. If he releases the waters, they flood the earth.H6113H4325H3001H7971H2015H776 16Yes, strength and wisdom are his; deceivers and deceived are both in his power.H5797H8454H7683H7686 17He leads counselors away, stripped of good judgment; wise judges become fools.H3212H3289H7758H8199H1984 18He removes the royal robe of kings. They are led away with ropes around their waist.H6605H4148H4428H631H4975H232 19He leads priests away, stripped of status; he overthrows those with long years in power.H3212H3548H7758H5557H386 20He silences the trusted adviser and removes the insight of the elders.H5493H8193H539H3947H2940H2205 21He pours disgrace upon princes and disarms the strong.H8210H937H5081H7503H4206H650 22"He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; he brings light to the deepest gloom.H1540H6013H2822H3318H216H6757 23He builds up nations, and he destroys them. He expands nations, and he abandons them.H7679H1471H6H7849H1471H5148 24He strips kings of understanding and leaves them wandering in a pathless wasteland.H5493H3820H7218H5971H776H8582H8414H1870 25They grope in the darkness without a light. He makes them stagger like drunkards.H4959H2822H216H8582H7910

Job Wants to Argue His Case with God

13"Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand.H5869H7200H241H8085H995 2I know as much as you do. You are no better than I am.H1847H3045H5307 3As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God himself.H199H1696H7706H2654H3198H410 4As for you, you smear me with lies. As physicians, you are worthless quacks.H199H2950H8267H7495H457 5If only you could be silent! That's the wisest thing you could do.H5414H2790H2790H2451 6Listen to my charge; pay attention to my arguments.H8085H8433H7181H7379H8193 7"Are you defending God with lies? Do you make your dishonest arguments for his sake?H1696H5766H410H1696H7423 8Will you slant your testimony in his favor? Will you argue God's case for him?H5375H6440H7378H410 9What will happen when he finds out what you are doing? Can you fool him as easily as you fool people?H2895H2713H582H2048H2048 10No, you will be in trouble with him if you secretly slant your testimony in his favor.H3198H3198H5643H5375H6440 11Doesn't his majesty terrify you? Doesn't your fear of him overwhelm you?H7613H1204H6343H5307 12Your platitudes are as valuable as ashes. Your defense is as fragile as a clay pot.H2146H4912H665H1354H1354H2563 13"Be silent now and leave me alone. Let me speak, and I will face the consequences.H2790H1696H5674 14Yes, I will take my life in my hands and say what I really think.H5375H1320H8127H7760H5315H3709 15God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him.H2005H6991H3176H3198H1870H6440 16But this is what will save me—I am not godless. If I were, I could not stand before him.H3444H2611H935H6440 17"Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out.H8085H8085H4405H262H241 18I have prepared my case; I will be proved innocent.H6186H4941H3045H6663 19Who can argue with me over this? And if you prove me wrong, I will remain silent and die.H7378H2790H1478

Job Asks How He Has Sinned

20"O God, grant me these two things, and then I will be able to face you.H6213H8147H5641H6440 21Remove your heavy hand from me, and don't terrify me with your awesome presence.H7368H3709H7368H367H1204 22Now summon me, and I will answer! Or let me speak to you, and you reply.H7121H6030H1696H7725 23Tell me, what have I done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin.H5771H2403H3045H6588H2403 24Why do you turn away from me? Why do you treat me as your enemy?H5641H6440H2803H341 25Would you terrify a leaf blown by the wind? Would you chase dry straw?H6206H5929H5086H7291H3002H7179 26"You write bitter accusations against me and bring up all the sins of my youth.H3789H4846H3423H5771H5271 27You put my feet in stocks. You examine all my paths. You trace all my footprints.H7760H7272H5465H8104H734H2707H8328H7272 28I waste away like rotting wood, like a moth-eaten coat.H7538H1086H899H6211H398