Job's Oath of Innocence
Study note
Job makes a solemn vow by the living God -- even though God has denied him justice and made his soul bitter. As long as he has breath, his lips will not speak wickedness and his tongue will not utter lies. He will never agree that his friends are right. He will hold on to his righteousness and never let it go. His conscience will not accuse him as long as he lives.
1 Job kept on speaking and said, Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2 'I swear by the living God, who has denied me fairness, and by the Almighty, who has filled my soul with bitterness,' As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
3 'that as long as there is breath in my body, as long as the spirit God gave me fills my lungs,' All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
4 'my lips will refuse to say anything wicked, and my tongue will never twist the truth.' My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 'I will never agree that you are right about me! Until my dying breath, I will not abandon my integrity.' God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
6 'I will grip my righteousness and refuse to let it go. My own conscience will not accuse me for as long as I live.' My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
The Fate of the Wicked
Study note
Job describes the fate of the wicked and the godless. What hope do they have when God takes away their life? Will God listen to their cry when trouble comes? Even if their children multiply, they are destined for the sword. Their widows will not mourn for them. Though they pile up silver like dust, the righteous will wear what they stored. Terror overtakes them. The east wind carries them away. People will clap their hands and hiss them out of their place.
7 'May anyone who opposes me receive the same fate as the wicked. May those who stand against me be treated like the unrighteous.' Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
8 'What hope does a godless person have when God finally pulls the plug and takes their life away?' For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
9 'When trouble crashes down on them, will God pay attention to their cries?' Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
10 'Will they enjoy being close to the Almighty? Will they bother calling on God day after day?' Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
11 'Let me teach you something about the power of God. I am not going to keep secret what the Almighty has in mind.' I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
12 'Look, every one of you has seen these things firsthand. So why do you keep spouting off this worthless nonsense?' Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?
13 'This is what God has set aside for wicked people — what cruel people will get from the Almighty:' This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
14 'If they end up with lots of children, those children are just headed for the sword. Their offspring will never have enough food to eat.' If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 'Whatever children survive will be killed by disease and buried, and their widows will not even shed a tear.' Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
16 'Even if the wicked stack up silver high as a mountain and pile up clothing like heaps of clay,' Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
17 'they can stack it all they want, because it is the righteous who will end up wearing those clothes. The innocent will split up all that silver.' He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
18 'The house a wicked person builds is as weak as a moth's cocoon. It is as shaky as a little hut a watchman puts together.' He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.
19 'The rich person goes to sleep wealthy, but it is for the very last time. The moment they open their eyes, everything has vanished.' The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
20 'Terror washes over them like a flash flood. A nighttime storm rips them away.' Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
21 'An east wind picks them up and carries them off for good. It sweeps them right out of where they lived.' The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.
22 'The wind pounds them without showing an ounce of mercy while they scramble desperately to get away from its force.' For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
23 'People clap their hands when they see it happen and hiss them right out of where they used to stand.' Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.