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Job’s Eighth Speech: A Response to Eliphaz

23 Then[a] Job answered and said,

“Even today my complaint is bitter;
my hand is heavy in addition to my groaning.
O that[b] I knew and that I might find him;
O that I might come to his dwelling.
I would lay my case before him,[c]
and I would fill my mouth with arguments.
I want to know the words with which he would answer me,
and I want to understand what he would say to me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his strength?
No, but he himself[d] would give heed to me.
There an upright person could reason with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 23:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 23:3 Literally “Who shall give”
  3. Job 23:4 Literally “to his face”
  4. Job 23:6 Emphatic personal pronoun

Job’s Reply to Eliphaz

23 Then Job answered:

Today also my complaint is bitter.[a](A)
His[b] hand is heavy despite my groaning.
If only I knew how to find Him,
so that I could go to His throne.
I would plead my case before Him(B)
and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would learn how[c] He would answer me;
and understand what He would say to me.
Would He prosecute(C) me forcefully?
No, He will certainly pay attention to me.
Then an upright man could reason(D) with Him,
and I would escape from my Judge(E) forever.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads rebellion
  2. Job 23:2 LXX, Syr; MT reads My
  3. Job 23:5 Lit the words