Font Size
Job 17-20
English Standard Version
Job 17-20
English Standard Version
Job Continues: Where Then Is My Hope?
17 “My spirit is broken; my days are (A)extinct;
(B)the graveyard is ready for me.
2 Surely there are mockers about me,
and my eye dwells on their (C)provocation.
3 “Lay down a pledge for me with you;
who is there who will put up (D)security for me?
4 Since you have closed their hearts to understanding,
therefore you will not let them triumph.
5 He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property—
the (E)eyes of his children will fail.
6 “He has made me (F)a byword of the peoples,
and I am one before whom men spit.
7 My (G)eye has grown dim from vexation,
and all my members are like (H)a shadow.
8 The upright are (I)appalled at this,
and the innocent stirs himself up against the godless.
9 Yet the righteous holds to his way,
and he who has (J)clean hands grows stronger and stronger.
10 But you, (K)come on again, all of you,
and I shall not find a wise man among you.
11 My (L)days are past; my plans are broken off,
the desires of my heart.
12 They (M)make night into day:
‘The light,’ they say, ‘is near to the darkness.’[a]
13 If I hope for (N)Sheol as (O)my house,
if I make my bed in darkness,
14 if I say to the pit, ‘You are my father,’
and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
15 where then is my hope?
Who will see my hope?
16 Will it go down to the bars of (P)Sheol?
Shall we (Q)descend together (R)into the dust?”[b]
Bildad Speaks: God Punishes the Wicked
18 Then (S)Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you (T)hunt for words?
Consider, and then we will speak.
3 Why are we counted as (U)cattle?
Why are we stupid in your sight?
4 You who (V)tear yourself in your anger,
shall the earth be forsaken for you,
or (W)the rock be removed out of its place?
5 “Indeed, (X)the light of the wicked is put out,
and the flame of his fire does not shine.
6 The light is (Y)dark in his tent,
and his lamp above him is put out.
7 His strong steps are shortened,
and his (Z)own schemes throw him down.
8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet,
and he walks on its mesh.
9 (AA)A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare lays hold of him.
10 A rope is hidden for him in the ground,
a trap for him in the path.
11 (AB)Terrors frighten him on every side,
and chase him at his heels.
12 His strength is famished,
and calamity is (AC)ready for his stumbling.
13 It consumes the parts of his skin;
(AD)the firstborn of death consumes his limbs.
14 He is torn from the tent in which he trusted
and is brought to (AE)the king of terrors.
15 In his tent dwells that which is none of his;
(AF)sulfur is scattered over his habitation.
16 His (AG)roots dry up beneath,
and his branches (AH)wither above.
17 His (AI)memory perishes from the earth,
and he has no name in the street.
18 (AJ)He is thrust from light into darkness,
and driven out of the world.
19 He has no (AK)posterity or progeny among his people,
and no survivor where he used to live.
20 They of the west are appalled at his (AL)day,
and (AM)horror seizes them of the east.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous,
such is the place of him who (AN)knows not God.”
Job Replies: My Redeemer Lives
19 Then Job answered and said:
2 “How long will you torment me
and break me in pieces with words?
3 These (AO)ten times you have cast reproach upon me;
are you not ashamed to wrong me?
4 And even if it be true that I have erred,
my error remains with myself.
5 If indeed you (AP)magnify yourselves against me
and make my disgrace an argument against me,
6 know then that God has (AQ)put me in the wrong
and closed his net about me.
7 Behold, I (AR)cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered;
I call for help, but there is no justice.
8 He has (AS)walled up my way, so that I cannot pass,
and he has set darkness upon my paths.
9 He has (AT)stripped from me my glory
and taken the (AU)crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side, and I (AV)am gone,
and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.
11 He has kindled his wrath against me
and (AW)counts me as his adversary.
12 His (AX)troops come on together;
they have (AY)cast up their siege ramp[c] against me
and encamp around my tent.
13 “He has put my (AZ)brothers far from me,
and (BA)those who knew me are wholly estranged from me.
14 My relatives (BB)have failed me,
my close (BC)friends have forgotten me.
15 The guests (BD)in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger;
I have become a foreigner in their eyes.
16 I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer;
I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy.
17 My breath is strange to my (BE)wife,
and I am a stench to the children of (BF)my own mother.
18 Even young (BG)children despise me;
when I rise they talk against me.
19 All my (BH)intimate friends abhor me,
and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My (BI)bones stick to my skin and to my flesh,
and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends,
for the hand of God has (BJ)touched me!
22 Why do you, like God, (BK)pursue me?
Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?
23 “Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were (BL)inscribed in a book!
24 Oh that with an iron (BM)pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For I (BN)know that my (BO)Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the (BP)earth.[d]
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in[e] my flesh I shall (BQ)see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not (BR)another.
My heart (BS)faints within me!
28 If you say, ‘How we will (BT)pursue him!’
and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’[f]
29 be afraid of the sword,
for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
that you may know there is (BU)a judgment.”
Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer
20 Then (BV)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Therefore my (BW)thoughts answer me,
because of my haste within me.
3 I hear censure that insults me,
and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
4 Do you not know this from of old,
(BX)since man was placed on earth,
5 (BY)that the exulting of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 (BZ)Though his height mount up to the heavens,
and his head reach to the clouds,
7 he will perish forever like his own (CA)dung;
those who have seen him will say, (CB)‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away like (CC)a dream and not be found;
he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 (CD)The eye that saw him will see him no more,
nor will his place any more behold him.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
and his hands will (CE)give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his (CF)youthful vigor,
but it will lie (CG)down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
though he hides it (CH)under his tongue,
13 though he is loath to let it go
and holds it in his mouth,
14 yet his food is turned in his stomach;
it is the venom of (CI)cobras within him.
15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
(CJ)the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17 He will not look upon (CK)the rivers,
the streams flowing with (CL)honey and (CM)curds.
18 He will (CN)give back the fruit of his toil
and will not (CO)swallow it down;
from the profit of his trading
he will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor;
he has seized a house that he did not build.
20 “Because he (CP)knew no (CQ)contentment in his belly,
(CR)he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.
21 There was nothing left after he had eaten;
therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress;
the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.
23 To fill his belly to the full,
God[g] will send his burning anger against him
and rain it upon him (CS)into his body.
24 (CT)He will flee from an iron weapon;
(CU)a bronze arrow will strike (CV)him through.
25 It (CW)is drawn forth and comes out of his body;
(CX)the glittering point comes out of his (CY)gallbladder;
(CZ)terrors come upon him.
26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures;
(DA)a fire not fanned will devour him;
what is left in his tent will be consumed.
27 (DB)The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
and the earth will rise up against him.
28 The possessions of his house will be carried away,
dragged off in the day of God's[h] wrath.
29 (DC)This is the wicked man's portion from God,
(DD)the heritage decreed for him by God.”
Footnotes
Job 17-20
New International Version
Job 17-20
New International Version
17 1 My spirit(A) is broken,
my days are cut short,(B)
the grave awaits me.(C)
2 Surely mockers(D) surround me;(E)
my eyes must dwell on their hostility.
3 “Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.(F)
Who else will put up security(G) for me?(H)
4 You have closed their minds to understanding;(I)
therefore you will not let them triumph.
5 If anyone denounces their friends for reward,(J)
the eyes of their children will fail.(K)
6 “God has made me a byword(L) to everyone,(M)
a man in whose face people spit.(N)
7 My eyes have grown dim with grief;(O)
my whole frame is but a shadow.(P)
8 The upright are appalled at this;
the innocent are aroused(Q) against the ungodly.
9 Nevertheless, the righteous(R) will hold to their ways,
and those with clean hands(S) will grow stronger.(T)
10 “But come on, all of you, try again!
I will not find a wise man among you.(U)
11 My days have passed,(V) my plans are shattered.
Yet the desires of my heart(W)
12 turn night into day;(X)
in the face of the darkness light is near.(Y)
13 If the only home I hope for is the grave,(Z)
if I spread out my bed(AA) in the realm of darkness,(AB)
14 if I say to corruption,(AC) ‘You are my father,’
and to the worm,(AD) ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
15 where then is my hope—(AE)
who can see any hope for me?(AF)
16 Will it go down to the gates of death?(AG)
Will we descend together into the dust?”(AH)
Bildad
18 Then Bildad the Shuhite(AI) replied:
2 “When will you end these speeches?(AJ)
Be sensible, and then we can talk.
3 Why are we regarded as cattle(AK)
and considered stupid in your sight?(AL)
4 You who tear yourself(AM) to pieces in your anger,(AN)
is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
Or must the rocks be moved from their place?(AO)
5 “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;(AP)
the flame of his fire stops burning.(AQ)
6 The light in his tent(AR) becomes dark;(AS)
the lamp beside him goes out.(AT)
7 The vigor(AU) of his step is weakened;(AV)
his own schemes(AW) throw him down.(AX)
8 His feet thrust him into a net;(AY)
he wanders into its mesh.
9 A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare(AZ) holds him fast.(BA)
10 A noose(BB) is hidden for him on the ground;
a trap(BC) lies in his path.(BD)
11 Terrors(BE) startle him on every side(BF)
and dog(BG) his every step.
12 Calamity(BH) is hungry(BI) for him;
disaster(BJ) is ready for him when he falls.(BK)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;(BL)
death’s firstborn devours his limbs.(BM)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent(BN)
and marched off to the king(BO) of terrors.(BP)
15 Fire resides[a] in his tent;(BQ)
burning sulfur(BR) is scattered over his dwelling.
16 His roots dry up below(BS)
and his branches wither above.(BT)
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;(BU)
he has no name(BV) in the land.(BW)
18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness(BX)
and is banished(BY) from the world.(BZ)
19 He has no offspring(CA) or descendants(CB) among his people,
no survivor(CC) where once he lived.(CD)
20 People of the west are appalled(CE) at his fate;(CF)
those of the east are seized with horror.
21 Surely such is the dwelling(CG) of an evil man;(CH)
such is the place(CI) of one who does not know God.”(CJ)
Job
19 Then Job replied:
2 “How long will you torment(CK) me
and crush(CL) me with words?
3 Ten times(CM) now you have reproached(CN) me;
shamelessly you attack me.
4 If it is true that I have gone astray,
my error(CO) remains my concern alone.
5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me(CP)
and use my humiliation against me,
6 then know that God has wronged me(CQ)
and drawn his net(CR) around me.(CS)
7 “Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(CT)
though I call for help,(CU) there is no justice.(CV)
8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(CW)
he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(CX)
9 He has stripped(CY) me of my honor(CZ)
and removed the crown from my head.(DA)
10 He tears me down(DB) on every side till I am gone;
he uproots my hope(DC) like a tree.(DD)
11 His anger(DE) burns against me;
he counts me among his enemies.(DF)
12 His troops advance in force;(DG)
they build a siege ramp(DH) against me
and encamp around my tent.(DI)
13 “He has alienated my family(DJ) from me;
my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(DK)
14 My relatives have gone away;
my closest friends(DL) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(DM) and my female servants(DN) count me a foreigner;
they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
I am loathsome(DO) to my own family.
18 Even the little boys(DP) scorn me;
when I appear, they ridicule me.(DQ)
19 All my intimate friends(DR) detest me;(DS)
those I love have turned against me.(DT)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;(DU)
I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.[b]
21 “Have pity on me, my friends,(DV) have pity,
for the hand of God has struck(DW) me.
22 Why do you pursue(DX) me as God does?(DY)
Will you never get enough of my flesh?(DZ)
23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,(EA)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool(EB) on[c] lead,
or engraved in rock forever!(EC)
25 I know that my redeemer[d](ED) lives,(EE)
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[e]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet[f] in[g] my flesh I will see God;(EF)
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes(EG)—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns(EH) within me!
28 “If you say, ‘How we will hound(EI) him,
since the root of the trouble lies in him,[h]’
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,(EJ)
and then you will know that there is judgment.[i]”(EK)
Zophar
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(EL) replied:
2 “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.(EM)
3 I hear a rebuke(EN) that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4 “Surely you know how it has been from of old,(EO)
ever since mankind[j] was placed on the earth,
5 that the mirth of the wicked(EP) is brief,
the joy of the godless(EQ) lasts but a moment.(ER)
6 Though the pride(ES) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(ET)
and his head touches the clouds,(EU)
7 he will perish forever,(EV) like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(EW)
8 Like a dream(EX) he flies away,(EY) no more to be found,
banished(EZ) like a vision of the night.(FA)
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.(FB)
10 His children(FC) must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.(FD)
11 The youthful vigor(FE) that fills his bones(FF)
will lie with him in the dust.(FG)
12 “Though evil(FH) is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,(FI)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
and lets it linger in his mouth,(FJ)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;(FK)
it will become the venom of serpents(FL) within him.
15 He will spit out the riches(FM) he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomit(FN) them up.
16 He will suck the poison(FO) of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.(FP)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers(FQ) flowing with honey(FR) and cream.(FS)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;(FT)
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.(FU)
19 For he has oppressed the poor(FV) and left them destitute;(FW)
he has seized houses(FX) he did not build.
20 “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;(FY)
he cannot save himself by his treasure.(FZ)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.(GA)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;(GB)
the full force of misery will come upon him.(GC)
23 When he has filled his belly,(GD)
God will vent his burning anger(GE) against him
and rain down his blows on him.(GF)
24 Though he flees(GG) from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.(GH)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors(GI) will come over him;(GJ)
26 total darkness(GK) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire(GL) unfanned will consume him(GM)
and devour what is left in his tent.(GN)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.(GO)
28 A flood will carry off his house,(GP)
rushing waters[k] on the day of God’s wrath.(GQ)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.”(GR)
Footnotes
- Job 18:15 Or Nothing he had remains
- Job 19:20 Or only by my gums
- Job 19:24 Or and
- Job 19:25 Or vindicator
- Job 19:25 Or on my grave
- Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
- Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from
- Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts me
- Job 19:29 Or sword, / that you may come to know the Almighty
- Job 20:4 Or Adam
- Job 20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.