19. UMBREIT takes these as the words of God, translating, "What availeth the might of the strong?" "Here (saith he) behold! what availeth justice? Who will appoint me a time to plead?" (So :-). The last words certainly apply better to God than to Job. The sense is substantially the same if we make "me" apply to Job. The "lo!" expresses God's swift readiness for battle when challenged. read more
4. Job’s first reply to Bildad chs. 9-10"From this point on, the emphasis in the discussion is on the justice of God; and the image that is uppermost in Job’s mind is that of a legal trial." [Note: Wiersbe, pp. 22-23.] read more
The arbitrary actions of God 9:13-24Rahab (lit. pride, Job 9:13) was a name ancient Near Easterners used to describe a mythical sea monster that was symbolic of evil. Such a monster, also called Leviathan (Job 7:12), was a major character in the creation legends of several ancient Near Eastern peoples, including the Mesopotamians and the Canaanites. The Israelites also referred to Egypt as Rahab because of its similarity to this monster (cf. Job 26:12; Psalms 87:4; Psalms 89:10; Isaiah 30:7;... read more
Job’s Second Speech (Job 9, 10)Job 9, 10 are, perhaps, in their religious and moral aspects the most difficult in the book.Driver in his ’Introduction to the Literature of the OT.’ analyses them as follows:—’Job as well as his friends believes suffering to be a mark of God’s displeasure for some grave sin. Job, however, is conscious that he has not so sinned. Hence the terrible dilemma in which he finds himself and which forces him to the conclusion that God, though He knows him to be innocent... read more
(19) If I speak of strength.—All this is the most uncompromising acknowledgment of the absolute inability of man to stand in judgment before God. The whole of this is so very abrupt and enigmatical that it is extremely difficult to be sure of the argument, though naturally the general drift of it is obvious enough. “If it were a trial of strength—Who is Almighty?—and if it was a matter of judgment, is He not judge and court together? and what authority that He would acknowledge could give me... read more
Job 9:10-11 He is always equally present with us: but we are so much taken up with sensible things, that, Lo, He goeth by us, and we see Him not; He passeth on also, but we perceive Him not. Devotion is retirement from the world He has made, to Him alone: it is to withdraw from the avocation of sense, to employ our attention wholly upon Him as upon an object actually present, to yield ourselves up to the influence of the Divine presence. Butler. References. IX. 20. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol.... read more
X.THE THOUGHT OF A DAYSMANJob 9:1-35; Job 10:1-22Job SPEAKSIT is with an infinitely sad restatement of what God has been made to appear to him by Bildad’s speech that Job begins his reply. Yes, yes; it is so. How can man be just before such a God? You tell me my children are overwhelmed with destruction for their sins. You tell me that I, who am not quite dead as yet, may have new prosperity if I put myself into right relations with God. But how can that be? There is no uprightness, no... read more
CHAPTERS 9-10 Job Answers Bildad 1. The supremacy and power of God (Job 9:1-10 ) 2. How then can Job meet Him? (Job 9:11-21 ) 3. He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked (Job 9:22-24 ) 4. Confession of weakness and the need of a daysman (Job 9:25-35 ) 5. Murmuring against God (Job 10:1-17 ) 6. Welcoming death (Job 10:18-22 ) Job 9:1-10 . The final words of Bildad seemed to have had a momentary soothing effect upon Job. Of a truth it is so. But here is the question, How can a man be... read more
9:19 If [I speak] of strength, lo, [he is] {n} strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time [to plead]?(n) After he has accused his own weakness, he continues to justify God and his power. read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Job 9:19
Job 9:19. If I speak of strength— If we were to plead by strength, he is most strong; if by law, or judgment, who shall bear testimony for me? Houbigant. The meaning is, says Heath, "If I think to right myself by force, it is in vain; for he is infinitely stronger than I: if I choose to decide our dispute by law, who hath authority to call us before him?" read more