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Identify the explicit claims before importing later doctrine or assumptions.
JOB • CHAPTER 13
Job 13
Innocent suffering, divine justice, friendship, protest, wisdom, the limits of human explanation, and God's response from the whirlwind.
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Job 13
WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE
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1
“Behold, my eye has seen all this.
My ear has heard and understood it.
My ear has heard and understood it.
2
What you know, I know also.
I am not inferior to you.
I am not inferior to you.
3
“Surely I would speak to the Almighty.
I desire to reason with God.
I desire to reason with God.
4
But you are forgers of lies.
You are all physicians of no value.
You are all physicians of no value.
5
Oh that you would be completely silent!
Then you would be wise.
Then you would be wise.
6
Hear now my reasoning.
Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7
Will you speak unrighteously for God,
and talk deceitfully for him?
and talk deceitfully for him?
8
Will you show partiality to him?
Will you contend for God?
Will you contend for God?
9
Is it good that he should search you out?
Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
10
He will surely reprove you
if you secretly show partiality.
if you secretly show partiality.
11
Shall not his majesty make you afraid,
and his dread fall on you?
and his dread fall on you?
12
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes.
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13
“Be silent!
Leave me alone, that I may speak.
Let come on me what will.
Leave me alone, that I may speak.
Let come on me what will.
14
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth,
and put my life in my hand?
and put my life in my hand?
15
Behold, he will kill me.
I have no hope.
Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
I have no hope.
Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
16
This also will be my salvation,
that a godless man will not come before him.
that a godless man will not come before him.
17
Listen carefully to my speech.
Let my declaration be in your ears.
Let my declaration be in your ears.
18
See now, I have set my cause in order.
I know that I am righteous.
I know that I am righteous.
19
Who is he who will contend with me?
For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
20
“Only don’t do two things to me,
then I will not hide myself from your face:
then I will not hide myself from your face:
21
withdraw your hand far from me,
and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
22
Then call, and I will answer,
or let me speak, and you answer me.
or let me speak, and you answer me.
23
How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
24
Why do you hide your face,
and consider me your enemy?
and consider me your enemy?
25
Will you harass a driven leaf?
Will you pursue the dry stubble?
Will you pursue the dry stubble?
26
For you write bitter things against me,
and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:
and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:
27
You also put my feet in the stocks,
and mark all my paths.
You set a bound to the soles of my feet,
and mark all my paths.
You set a bound to the soles of my feet,
28
though I am decaying like a rotten thing,
like a garment that is moth-eaten.
like a garment that is moth-eaten.
WISDOM
Where this chapter fits
Job belongs to Israel's wisdom/poetic tradition, where literary form matters as much as historical setting.
Chapter numbers were added long after the biblical books were written.
Read this chapter together with what comes immediately before and after it.
ANCIENT TEXT, MODERN QUESTIONS
Historical claims should be compared with historical evidence.
Scientific claims should be compared with science.
Moral claims should be examined morally.
Theological claims require theological and philosophical argument.
QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING
Don't skip the hard parts.
What kind of literature is this?
Narrative, poetry, prophecy, law, letters, wisdom, and apocalypse communicate differently.
What historical evidence matters?
Ask whether names, places, institutions, events, customs, and chronology can be independently investigated.
What are the strongest competing interpretations?
Compare serious Jewish, Christian, academic, and skeptical readings rather than caricatures.
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