Job 23
The Message
Job’s Defense
I’m Completely in the Dark
23 1-7 Job replied:
“I’m not letting up—I’m standing my ground.
My complaint is legitimate.
God has no right to treat me like this—
it isn’t fair!
If I knew where on earth to find him,
I’d go straight to him.
I’d lay my case before him face-to-face,
give him all my arguments firsthand.
I’d find out exactly what he’s thinking,
discover what’s going on in his head.
Do you think he’d dismiss me or bully me?
No, he’d take me seriously.
He’d see a straight-living man standing before him;
my Judge would acquit me for good of all charges.
8-9 “I travel East looking for him—I find no one;
then West, but not a trace;
I go North, but he’s hidden his tracks;
then South, but not even a glimpse.
10-12 “But he knows where I am and what I’ve done.
He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I’ll pass the test with honors.
I’ve followed him closely, my feet in his footprints,
not once swerving from his way.
I’ve obeyed every word he’s spoken,
and not just obeyed his advice—I’ve treasured it.
13-17 “But he is singular and sovereign. Who can argue with him?
He does what he wants, when he wants to.
He’ll complete in detail what he’s decided about me,
and whatever else he determines to do.
Is it any wonder that I dread meeting him?
Whenever I think about it, I get scared all over again.
God makes my heart sink!
God Almighty gives me the shudders!
I’m completely in the dark,
I can’t see my hand in front of my face.”
Job 23
New King James Version
Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments
23 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Even today my (A)complaint is bitter;
[a]My hand is listless because of my groaning.
3 (B)Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
6 (C)Would He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me.
7 There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 “Look,(D) I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10 But (E)He knows the way that I take;
When (F)He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 (G)My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the (H)commandment of His lips;
(I)I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my [b]necessary food.
13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change?
And whatever (J)His soul desires, that He does.
14 For He performs what is (K)appointed for me,
And many such things are with Him.
15 Therefore I am terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am afraid of Him.
16 For God (L)made my heart weak,
And the Almighty terrifies me;
17 Because I was not (M)cut off [c]from the presence of darkness,
And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.
Job 23
English Standard Version
Job Replies: Where Is God?
23 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Today also my (A)complaint is bitter;[a]
my (B)hand is heavy on account of my groaning.
3 Oh, (C)that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his (D)seat!
4 I would (E)lay my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know what he would answer me
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he (F)contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; he would pay attention to me.
7 There an upright man could argue with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 “Behold, (G)I go forward, but he is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive him;
9 on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;
he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
10 But he (H)knows (I)the way that I (J)take;
when he has (K)tried me, I shall come out as gold.
11 My foot (L)has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have (M)not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
I have (N)treasured the words of his mouth more than my (O)portion of food.
13 But he is unchangeable,[b] and (P)who can turn him back?
What he (Q)desires, that he does.
14 For he will complete what he (R)appoints for me,
and many such things are (S)in his mind.
15 Therefore I am terrified at his presence;
when I consider, I am in dread of him.
16 God has made my (T)heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me;
17 yet I am not silenced because of the darkness,
nor because thick darkness covers my face.
Job 23
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Job’s Reply to Eliphaz
23 Then Job answered:
2 Today also my complaint is bitter.[a](A)
His[b] hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 If only I knew how to find him,
so that I could go to his throne.
4 I would plead my case before him(B)
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn how[c] he would answer me;
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he prosecute(C) me forcefully?
No, he would certainly pay attention to me.
7 Then an upright man could reason(D) with him,
and I would escape from my Judge[d](E) for ever.
8 If I go east, he is not there,
and if I go west, I cannot perceive him.(F)
9 When he is at work to the north, I cannot see him;
when he turns south, I cannot find him.
10 Yet he knows the way I have taken;[e]
when he has tested me,(G) I will emerge as pure gold.
11 My feet have followed in his tracks;
I have kept to his way(H) and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands from his lips;
I have treasured[f] the words(I) from his mouth
more than my daily food.
13 But he is unchangeable; who can oppose him?
He does what he desires.(J)
14 He will certainly accomplish what he has decreed for me,
and he has many more things like these in mind.[g]
15 Therefore I am terrified(K) in his presence;
when I consider this, I am afraid of him.
16 God has made my heart faint;(L)
the Almighty has terrified me.
17 Yet I am not destroyed[h] by the darkness,(M)
by the thick darkness that covers my face.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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