Job 13--Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God

Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God
13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
    my ear has heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.
3 But I would speak to the Almighty,
    and I desire to argue my case with God.
4 As for you, you whitewash with lies;
    worthless physicians are you all.
5 Oh that you would keep silent,
    and it would be your wisdom!
6 Hear now my argument
    and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you speak falsely for God
    and speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will you show partiality toward him?
    Will you plead the case for God?
9 Will it be well with you when he searches you out?
    Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man?
10 He will surely rebuke you
    if in secret you show partiality.
11 Will not his majesty terrify you,
    and the dread of him fall upon you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
    your defenses are defenses of clay.

​13 “Let me have silence, and I will speak,
    and let come on me what may.
14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
    and put my life in my hand?
15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him;
    yet I will argue my ways to his face.
16 This will be my salvation,
    that the godless shall not come before him.
17 Keep listening to my words,
    and let my declaration be in your ears.
18 Behold, I have prepared my case;
    I know that I shall be in the right.
19 Who is there who will contend with me?
    For then I would be silent and die.
20 Only grant me two things,
    then I will not hide myself from your face:
21 withdraw your hand far from me,
    and let not dread of you terrify me.
22 Then call, and I will answer;
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.
23 How many are my iniquities and my sins?
    Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24 Why do you hide your face
    and count me as your enemy?
25 Will you frighten a driven leaf
    and pursue dry chaff?
26 For you write bitter things against me
    and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 You put my feet in the stocks
    and watch all my paths;
    you set a limit for the soles of my feet.
28 Man wastes away like a rotten thing,
    like a garment that is moth-eaten.

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We can tell in this verse that Job has really had enough (but we're not anywhere close to done yet, there are about 25 more chapters to go).  Job tells his friends first that he's not stupid and knows what they are trying to "teach" him.  Then he reminds them that the only person who should speak for God's intentions is God Himself, which is why he wants to speak directly to God.  And finally, Job tells them they are horrible "doctors" if they think they are trying to provide any kind of therapy or healing and they just need to go back to being silent.  That should have been the end of it if his friends were as wise as they claimed to be, but they now have an agenda and are out to prove that Job is not the goody-two-shoes that he claims to be and they feel they must defend God's reputation (as they know and understand God).

Job goes so far as to essentially call them false prophets, saying that they are speaking falsely and deceitfully in God's name.  We know what God commanded of false prophets in the Law, but it's unclear if such capital punishment had been established at this point--still, that charge is quite severe and it seems that God says the same thing about them later when He finally does speak.  God reminds them that they too are going to be judged by God and He will be impartial when judging them (I think the implication here is Job asking them if they intend to bribe God).  Job says they will not be able to to lie to Him or deceive him like they clearly try to do to other men.  Job understands that in the day to judgment, God will rebuke them, but little does Job know that God is going to show up and rebuke them much sooner than that.

Job also understands that his friends lack a true fear of the Lord and that the the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Therefore, no matter how wisdom they claim to have, they are not wise and professing themselves to be wise, they have made themselves fools.  Their arguments are as weak and defenseless as brittle pottery that will be broken and crushed when God shows up.

Job then continues and tells them to be quiet so that he can speak.  He asks why he would want to devour himself?  He does not want to see himself destroyed and he would repent if he thought he had done something wrong and that would stop this.  He asks them again to listen to him because he is ready to argue his case and he knows that he is innocent.

Job has two requests before he says he's done (but he's not, he will respond again after they refuse to comply with his request).  First, they should not act or speak in a way that is threatening so that Job need not fear them.  Second is that they have a peaceable conversation where each takes his turn (my guess is that it was starting to get a little uncivil and Job is having to lay down some "ground rules" for moving forward).

Job then challenges them to tell him exactly what sin he is guilty of--in legal terms he asks for the indictment to be read so that he can answer the charges.  He reminds them that he is not their enemy and it appears they are making mention of sins that Job did in the past which he has already made atonement for and for which he has been forgiven--yet they want put him in bondage and make those things his identity.  Job knows better.

Then Job concludes that he is rotting away and is like the living dead.  Like a garment that has been destroyed and eaten by moths and is useless.  That is how he feels and I'm sure the contempt and scorn of his friends doesn't help the situation at all.  What kinds of friends are these that speak such harsh and bitter words in the face of such trial and tribulation?  Just be silent and weep with the man like you did in the beginning--that's all he wants (and for God, not man, to speak to and answer him)!