Reflections on Job 13

 Job 13 (Contemporary English Version)

1. I know and understand every bit of this.
2. None of you are smarter than I am; there's nothing you know that I don't.
3. But I prefer to argue my case with God All-Powerful--
4. you are merely useless doctors, who treat me with lies.
5. The wisest thing you can do is to keep quiet
6. and listen to my argument.
7. Are you telling lies for God
8. and not telling the whole truth when you argue his case?
9. If he took you to court, could you fool him, just as you fool others?
10. If you were secretly unfair, he would correct you,
11. and his glorious splendor would make you terrified.
12. Your wisdom and arguments are as delicate as dust.
13. Be quiet while I speak, then say what you will.
14. I will be responsible for what happens to me.
15. God may kill me, but still I will trust him and offer my defense.
16. This may be what saves me, because no guilty person would come to his court.
17. Listen carefully to my words!
18. I have prepared my case well, and I am certain to win.
19. If you can prove me guilty, I will give up and die.
20. I ask only two things of you, my God, and I will no longer hide from you--
21. stop punishing and terrifying me!
22. Then speak, and I will reply; or else let me speak, and you reply.
23. Please point out my sins, so I will know them.
24. Why have you turned your back and count me your enemy?
25. Do you really enjoy frightening a fallen leaf?
26. Why do you accuse me of horrible crimes and make me pay for sins I did in my youth?
27. You have tied my feet down and keep me surrounded;
28. I am rotting away like cloth eaten by worms.

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As Job continued to speak he again lashed out at his friends telling them they hadn't said anything he had not heard before. Their so-called memorable sayings were merely "proverbs of ash." (13:12) Plus, their words were coated in lies and they themselves were "worthless doctors." (13:4) They would express more wisdom by their silence than by speaking. Rather than defending himself with the friends, Job preferred to go directly to God and plead his case, and so he did.

In pleading his case before God, Job was demonstrating his confidence in God and even stated that his hope was in God. He remained a person of faith. Satan's challenge with God remained in God's favor. As Job began his defense, he pledged to be silent if God were to indict him. Yet, to this point God had been both absent and silent. So Job also requested that God no longer hide from him as if he were an enemy but rather state the iniquities and sins he had committed to justify his suffering. Surely they didn't go back to his youth but he didn't know of any more recently. Job was wearing out like a moth-eaten garment. He wanted resolution. Surely in his condition he didn't warrant God's attention to this degree.