Job — Chapter 19
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1Then Job answered:
2“How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?
3Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.
4Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone.
5If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,
6then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.
7Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.
8He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.
9He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.
10He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.
11His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies.
12His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and encamp around my tent.
13He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.
14My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.
15My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.
16I call for my servant, but he does not answer, though I implore him with my own mouth.
17My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family.
18Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.
19All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.
20My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.
22Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?
23I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book,
24by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.
25But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.
26Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
27I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!
28If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’
29then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
1Then Job answered and said,
2How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
3These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
4And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
6Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
7Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
11He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
12His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
13He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
14My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
16I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
17My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.
18Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
19All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
22Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
24That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
28But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
29Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
1Then Job answered and said,
2How long will ye vex my soul, And break me in pieces with words?
3These ten times have ye reproached me: Ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.
4And be it indeed that I have erred, Mine error remaineth with myself.
5If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach;
6Know now that God hath subverted me [in my cause], And hath compassed me with his net.
7Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry for help, but there is no justice.
8He hath walled up my way that I cannot pass, And hath set darkness in my paths.
9He hath stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.
10He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone; And my hope hath he plucked up like a tree.
11He hath also kindled his wrath against me, And he counteth me unto him as [one of] his adversaries.
12His troops come on together, And cast up their way against me, And encamp round about my tent.
13He hath put my brethren far from me, And mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
14My kinsfolk have failed, And my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.
16I call unto my servant, and he giveth me no answer, [Though] I entreat him with my mouth.
17My breath is strange to my wife, And my supplication to the children of mine own mother.
18Even young children despise me; If I arise, they speak against me.
19All my familiar friends abhor me, And they whom I loved are turned against me.
20My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, And I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; For the hand of God hath touched me.
22Why do ye persecute me as God, And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24That with an iron pen and lead They were graven in the rock for ever!
25But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth, And at last he will stand up upon the earth:
26And after my skin, [even] this [body], is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God;
27Whom I, even I, shall see, on my side, And mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger. My heart is consumed within me.
28If ye say, How we will persecute him! And that the root of the matter is found in me;
29Be ye afraid of the sword: For wrath [bringeth] the punishments of the sword, That ye may know there is a judgment.
1Then Job answered:
2“How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?
3These ten times you have been reproaching me; you are not ashamed to attack me.
4But even if it were true that I have erred, my error remains solely my concern!
5If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and plead my disgrace against me,
6know then that God has wronged me and encircled me with his net.
7“If I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I receive no answer; I cry for help, but there is no justice.
8He has blocked my way so I cannot pass and has set darkness over my paths.
9He has stripped me of my honor and has taken the crown off my head.
10He tears me down on every side until I perish; he uproots my hopelike an uprooted tree.
11Thus his anger burns against me, and he considers me among his enemies.
12His troops advance together; they throw up a siege ramp against me, and they camp around my tent.
13“He has put my relatives far from me; my acquaintances only turn away from me.
14My kinsmen have failed me; my friends have forgotten me.
15My guests and my servant girls consider me a stranger; I am a foreigner in their eyes.
16I summon my servant, but he does not respond, even though I implore him with my own mouth.
17My breath is repulsive to my wife; I am loathsome to my brothers.
18Even youngsters have scorned me; when I get up, they scoff at me.
19All my closest friends detest me; and those whom I love have turned against me.
20My bones stick to my skin and my flesh; I have escaped alive with only the skin of my teeth.
21Have pity on me, my friends, have pity on me, for the hand of God has struck me.
22Why do you pursue me like God does? Will you never be satiated with my flesh?
23“O that my words were written down! O that they were written on a scroll!
24O that with an iron chisel and with lead they were engraved in a rock forever!
25As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth.
26And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God,
27whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another. My heart grows faint within me.
28If you say, ‘How we will pursue him, since the root of the trouble is found in him!’
29Fear the sword yourselves, for wrath brings the punishment by the sword, so that you may know that there is judgment.”
1Then Job answered,
2“How long will you torment me, and crush me with words?
3You have reproached me ten times. You aren’t ashamed that you attack me.
4If it is true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.
5If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;
6know now that God has subverted me, and has surrounded me with his net.
7“Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard. I cry for help, but there is no justice.
8He has walled up my way so that I can’t pass, and has set darkness in my paths.
9He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. My hope he has plucked up like a tree.
11He has also kindled his wrath against me. He counts me among his adversaries.
12His troops come on together, build a siege ramp against me, and encamp around my tent.
13“He has put my brothers far from me. My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
14My relatives have gone away. My familiar friends have forgotten me.
15Those who dwell in my house and my maids consider me a stranger. I am an alien in their sight.
16I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer. I beg him with my mouth.
17My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.
18Even young children despise me. If I arise, they speak against me.
19All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me.
20My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh. I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21“Have pity on me, have pity on me, you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.
22Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23“Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24That with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
25But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.
26After my skin is destroyed, then in my flesh shall I see God,
27Whom I, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. “My heart is consumed within me.
28If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’ because the root of the matter is found in me,
29be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.”
Summary
Job asks his friends how much longer they will torment and crush him with words, insisting that even if he had truly erred, that would be his concern alone and not grounds for their contempt (vv. 1-6). He describes feeling as though God himself has wronged him, blocking his path, stripping away his honor, tearing him down like an uprooted tree, and treating him as an enemy surrounded by siege troops (vv. 7-12). Job catalogs his total isolation — abandoned by relatives, friends, servants, and even his own wife and children, reduced to skin and bones, and begs his friends to show pity since God's hand alone has struck him (vv. 13-22). In the book's climactic declaration, Job wishes his words were permanently engraved in rock, then affirms that he knows his Redeemer lives and will stand on the earth at the last, and that even after his body is destroyed he will see God with his own eyes (vv. 23-29).
Authorship & Background
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik identifies vv.25-27 as the climax of Job's entire theological journey. The progression from arbiter (9:33) to witness (16:19) to Redeemer (19:25) shows faith growing through suffering, not merely surviving it. Guzik notes the Hebrew "goel" (redeemer/kinsman-redeemer) implies one who has the RIGHT and OBLIGATION to redeem — like Boaz for Ruth. Job's Redeemer is not merely willing but obligated by relationship to vindicate him. Guzik also emphasizes the physicality of v.26: "in my flesh I shall see God" — this is bodily resurrection, not disembodied spiritual existence.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- BibleProject: bibleproject.com On the whole book: the speech from the whirlwind, and why it answers Job the way it does.
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Job -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Human Abandonment Isn't Divine Abandonment (vv.13-19) — Job catalogs how his wife, brothers, servants, friends, and even children have turned against him, leaving him utterly alone among people. When every earthly support fails you, can you still trust that God has not abandoned you the way people have?
- Faith Worth Preserving in Writing (vv.23-24) — Job wants his words about God permanently inscribed in rock, treating a moment of clarity in the darkness as something worth protecting for the future. When you have a moment of real conviction in a hard season, do you capture it so you can return to it later?
- "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" (v.25) — From total loss and isolation, Job declares not a hope but a certainty that his Redeemer lives and will one day stand on the earth. Can you say you know your Redeemer lives, or does your faith stay at the level of merely hoping it's true?
- Seeing God Face to Face (v.27) — Job insists he will see God personally and directly, not through anyone else's account, even after his body is destroyed. Does the hope of one day seeing God yourself change how you endure what feels unbearable now?