1 Then Job answered, 2 “Even today my complaint is rebellious. His hand is heavy in spite of my groaning. 3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat! 4 I would set my cause in order before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would tell me. 6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No, but he would listen to me. 7 There the upright might reason with him, so I should be delivered forever from my judge. 8 “If I go east, he is not there. If I go west, I can’t find him. 9 He works to the north, but I can’t see him. He turns south, but I can’t catch a glimpse of him. 10 But he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I will come out like gold. 11 My foot has held fast to his steps. I have kept his way, and not turned away. 12 I haven’t gone back from the commandment of his lips. I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. 13 But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? What his soul desires, even that he does. 14 For he performs that which is appointed for me. Many such things are with him. 15 Therefore I am terrified at his presence. When I consider, I am afraid of him. 16 For God has made my heart faint. The Almighty has terrified me. 17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.
Job · World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
Job 23 World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
Cross references (16)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 2 Job 10:1; Job 7:11; Psalm 32:4; Job 6:2–3; Psalm 77:2–9
- 3 Job 16:21; Job 31:35–37; Hebrews 4:6; Jeremiah 14:7; Job 13:3
- 4 Job 13:18; Daniel 9:18–19; Job 37:19; Genesis 18:25–32; Joshua 7:8–9
- 5 1 Corinthians 4:3–4; Job 13:22–23; Job 10:2; Job 42:2–6
- 6 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Job 13:21; Job 9:33–34; Ezekiel 20:35; Job 9:19
- 7 Job 13:3; Isaiah 1:18; Romans 8:1; Jeremiah 12:1; Jeremiah 3:5
- 8 Psalm 10:1; Job 9:11; Job 35:14; 1 Timothy 6:16; Psalm 13:1–3
- 9 Isaiah 8:17; Psalm 89:46
- 10 James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:7; James 1:2–4; Psalm 139:1–3; Zechariah 13:9
- 11 Psalm 44:18; 2 Peter 2:20–22; Psalm 17:5; Psalm 125:5; Romans 2:7
- 12 Jeremiah 15:16; Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:103; John 4:34; Psalm 19:9–10
- 13 Psalm 115:3; Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 46:10; Daniel 4:35; Job 12:14
- 14 1 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Psalm 97:2; Romans 11:33; Isaiah 40:27–28
- 15 Psalm 119:120; Job 31:23; Psalm 77:3; Job 10:15; Job 23:3
- 16 Psalm 22:14; Job 27:2; Isaiah 6:5; Psalm 88:16; Deuteronomy 20:3
- 17 Job 19:8; Isaiah 57:1; 2 Kings 22:20; Job 18:6; Job 22:11
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Place there is none; we go both "backward" and "forward," and there is no place.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)