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My Redeemer Lives

19 Then Job answered and said,

“How long will you torment my soul
And crush me with words?
These ten times you have dishonored me;
You are not ashamed that you wrong me.
[a]Even if I have truly erred,
My error lodges with me.
If truly you (A)magnify yourselves against me
And argue my disgrace to me,
Know then that (B)God has wronged me
And has closed (C)His net around me.

“Behold, (D)I cry, ‘Violence!’ but I get no answer;
I shout for help, but there is no justice.
He has (E)walled up my way so that I cannot pass,
And He has put (F)darkness on my paths.
He has (G)stripped my honor from me
And removed the (H)crown from my head.
10 He (I)breaks me down on every side, and I am gone;
And He has uprooted my (J)hope (K)like a tree.
11 He has also (L)kindled His anger against me
And (M)counted me as His adversary.
12 His (N)troops come together,
And (O)build up their [b]way against me
And camp around my tent.

13 “He has (P)removed my brothers far from me,
And my (Q)acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14 My relatives have failed,
And my (R)familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who sojourn in my house and my maidservants count me a stranger.
I am a foreigner in their sight.
16 I call to my servant, but he does not answer;
I have to implore him with my mouth.
17 My breath is [c]offensive to my wife,
And I am loathsome to my own brothers.
18 Even young children reject me;
I rise up, and they speak against me.
19 All the men of my (S)counsel abhor me,
And those I love have turned against me.
20 My (T)bone clings to my skin and my flesh,
And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.
21 Pity me, pity me, O you my friends,
For the (U)hand of God has smitten me.
22 Why do you (V)persecute me as God does,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?

23 “Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were (W)inscribed in a book!
24 That with an iron stylus and lead
They were engraved in the rock forever!
25 As for me, I know that (X)my [d]Redeemer lives,
And [e]at the last He will rise up over the dust of this world.
26 Even after my skin [f]is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall (Y)behold God,
27 Whom I [g]myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.
My [h]heart (Z)faints [i]within me!
28 If you say, ‘How shall we (AA)persecute him?’
‘And the root of the matter is found in [j]him?’
29 Then be afraid of (AB)the sword for yourselves,
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
So that you may know (AC)there is judgment.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:4 Or Indeed, I have truly erred
  2. Job 19:12 Siegework
  3. Job 19:17 Lit strange
  4. Job 19:25 Or Vindicator, Defender; lit kinsman
  5. Job 19:25 Lit after, cf. Job 19:26
  6. Job 19:26 Lit which they have cut off
  7. Job 19:27 Or on my side
  8. Job 19:27 Lit kidneys
  9. Job 19:27 Lit in my loins
  10. Job 19:28 Lit me

Job

19 Then Job replied:

“How long will you torment(A) me
    and crush(B) me with words?
Ten times(C) now you have reproached(D) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error(E) remains my concern alone.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me(F)
    and use my humiliation against me,
then know that God has wronged me(G)
    and drawn his net(H) around me.(I)

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(J)
    though I call for help,(K) there is no justice.(L)
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(M)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(N)
He has stripped(O) me of my honor(P)
    and removed the crown from my head.(Q)
10 He tears me down(R) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope(S) like a tree.(T)
11 His anger(U) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.(V)
12 His troops advance in force;(W)
    they build a siege ramp(X) against me
    and encamp around my tent.(Y)

13 “He has alienated my family(Z) from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(AA)
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends(AB) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(AC) and my female servants(AD) 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(AE) to my own family.
18 Even the little boys(AF) scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.(AG)
19 All my intimate friends(AH) detest me;(AI)
    those I love have turned against me.(AJ)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;(AK)
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.[a]

21 “Have pity on me, my friends,(AL) have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck(AM) me.
22 Why do you pursue(AN) me as God does?(AO)
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?(AP)

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,(AQ)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool(AR) on[b] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!(AS)
25 I know that my redeemer[c](AT) lives,(AU)
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[d]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet[e] in[f] my flesh I will see God;(AV)
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes(AW)—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns(AX) within me!

28 “If you say, ‘How we will hound(AY) him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,[g]
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,(AZ)
    and then you will know that there is judgment.[h](BA)

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:20 Or only by my gums
  2. Job 19:24 Or and
  3. Job 19:25 Or vindicator
  4. Job 19:25 Or on my grave
  5. Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
  6. Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from
  7. Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts me
  8. Job 19:29 Or sword, / that you may come to know the Almighty

Job Replies: My Redeemer Lives

19 Then Job answered and said:

“How long will you torment me
    and break me in pieces with words?
These (A)ten times you have cast reproach upon me;
    are you not ashamed to wrong me?
And even if it be true that I have erred,
    my error remains with myself.
If indeed you (B)magnify yourselves against me
    and make my disgrace an argument against me,
know then that God has (C)put me in the wrong
    and closed his net about me.
Behold, I (D)cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered;
    I call for help, but there is no justice.
He has (E)walled up my way, so that I cannot pass,
    and he has set darkness upon my paths.
He has (F)stripped from me my glory
    and taken the (G)crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side, and I (H)am gone,
    and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.
11 He has kindled his wrath against me
    and (I)counts me as his adversary.
12 His (J)troops come on together;
    they have (K)cast up their siege ramp[a] against me
    and encamp around my tent.

13 “He has put my (L)brothers far from me,
    and (M)those who knew me are wholly estranged from me.
14 My relatives (N)have failed me,
    my close (O)friends have forgotten me.
15 The guests (P)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 (Q)wife,
    and I am a stench to the children of (R)my own mother.
18 Even young (S)children despise me;
    when I rise they talk against me.
19 All my (T)intimate friends abhor me,
    and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My (U)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 (V)touched me!
22 Why do you, like God, (W)pursue me?
    Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?

23 “Oh that my words were written!
    Oh that they were (X)inscribed in a book!
24 Oh that with an iron (Y)pen and lead
    they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For I (Z)know that my (AA)Redeemer lives,
    and at the last he will stand upon the (AB)earth.[b]
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
    yet in[c] my flesh I shall (AC)see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself,
    and my eyes shall behold, and not (AD)another.
    My heart (AE)faints within me!
28 If you say, ‘How we will (AF)pursue him!’
    and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’[d]
29 be afraid of the sword,
    for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
    that you may know there is (AG)a judgment.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:12 Hebrew their way
  2. Job 19:25 Hebrew dust
  3. Job 19:26 Or without
  4. Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts in me