Job — Chapter 19
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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's reply to Bildad's second speech — describes his total alienation from family and friends, then reaches the book's climactic declaration of faith: 'I know that my redeemer liveth.'
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.
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.
- Charles Spurgeon: "'I know that my redeemer liveth!' Out of the depths comes the greatest confession of faith ever uttered by mortal man. Note the circumstances: abandoned by friends, cursed by his wife, covered in sores, scraping himself with pottery in an ash heap, told by his closest companions that God is punishing him for hidden sin — and from THIS position he declares: 'I KNOW that my Redeemer LIVETH.' Not 'I hope' or 'I think' or 'perhaps' — but I KNOW. This is faith that has been driven down to bedrock and found it solid. Strip away everything else and faith remains — not as a luxury but as the last and most essential thing."
Reflection
- 1. "I know that my redeemer liveth" (v.25). This is the sentence that justifies the entire book. From total loss, total isolation, total pain — faith declares what it cannot see. Do you know this? Not "do you hope" or "do you believe in theory" — do you KNOW that your Redeemer lives? This is the faith that survives everything.
- 2. Faith reaches its highest point in the lowest place (vv.20-25). It is from the ash heap, not the palace, that Job makes his greatest declaration. You do not need favorable circumstances to possess the deepest faith. Sometimes the worst external conditions produce the most authentic internal conviction.
- 3. You will see God for yourself (v.27). Not through a mediator's report, not through theological abstraction, not secondhand — "mine eyes shall behold, and not another." You will personally, bodily, directly see God. This is the Christian hope: face-to- face communion. Everything between now and then is temporary.
- 4. Total human abandonment does not equal divine abandonment (vv.13-22). Every human relationship failed Job. Wife, brothers, servants, friends, children of his household — all gone. But the Redeemer lives. When every earthly support collapses, the vertical relationship remains. Loneliness is painful, but it is not the same as being forsaken by God.
- 5. Record your faith declarations (vv.23-24). Job wanted his words written in rock permanently. Why? Because declarations of faith made in darkness are worth preserving. When you have a moment of clarity in suffering — write it down. You will need it later when the darkness returns. Job's words WERE preserved — and they have sustained millions for three thousand years.