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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Job 9</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/job/9.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc//job/9-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/job/">Job</a> > Job 9</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../job/8.htm" title="Job 8">◄</a> Job 9 <a href="../job/10.htm" title="Job 10">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/job/9.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/job/9.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/job/9.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/job/9.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/job/9.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/job/9.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/job/9.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Job: How Can I Contend with God?<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Then Job answered: <A name="3"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>“Yes, I know that it is so, <p class="indent2"> but how can a mortal be righteous before God? <A name="4"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>If one wished to contend with God,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> <p class="indent2"> he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. <A name="5"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. <p class="indent2"> Who has resisted Him and prospered? <A name="6"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>He moves mountains without their knowledge <p class="indent2"> and overturns them in His anger. <A name="7"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>He shakes the earth from its place, <p class="indent2"> so that its foundations tremble. <A name="8"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>He commands the sun not to shine;<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> <p class="indent2"> He seals off the stars. <A name="9"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>He alone stretches out the heavens <p class="indent2"> and treads on the waves of the sea. <A name="10"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, <p class="indent2"> of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. <A name="11"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>He does great things beyond searching out, <p class="indent2"> and wonders without number. <A name="12"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; <p class="indent2"> were He to move, I would not recognize Him. <A name="13"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>If He takes away,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> who can stop Him? <p class="indent2"> Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’ <A name="14"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>God does not restrain His anger; <p class="indent2"> the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him. <A name="15"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>How then can I answer Him <p class="indent2"> or choose my arguments against Him? <A name="16"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>For even if I were right, I could not answer. <p class="indent2"> I could only beg my Judge for mercy. <A name="17"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>If I summoned Him and He answered me, <p class="indent2"> I do not believe He would listen to my voice. <A name="18"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>For He would crush me with a tempest <p class="indent2"> and multiply my wounds without cause. <A name="19"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>He does not let me catch my breath, <p class="indent2"> but overwhelms me with bitterness. <A name="20"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>If it is a matter of strength, <p class="indent2"> He is indeed mighty! <p class="indent1"> If it is a matter of justice, <p class="indent2"> who can summon Him<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span>? <A name="21"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; <p class="indent2"> if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">e</a></span> <A name="22"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; <p class="indent2"> I despise my own life. <A name="23"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>It is all the same, and so I say, <p class="indent2">‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ <A name="24"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>When the scourge brings sudden death, <p class="indent2"> He mocks the despair of the innocent. <A name="25"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; <p class="indent2"> He blindfolds its judges. <p class="indent2"> If it is not He, then who is it? <A name="26"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>My days are swifter than a runner; <p class="indent2"> they flee without seeing good. <A name="27"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>They sweep by like boats of papyrus, <p class="indent2"> like an eagle swooping down on its prey. <A name="28"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint <p class="indent2"> and change my expression and smile,’ <A name="29"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>I would still dread all my sufferings; <p class="indent2"> I know that You will not acquit me. <A name="30"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Since I am already found guilty, <p class="indent2"> why should I labor in vain? <A name="31"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>If I should wash myself with snow<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">f</a></span> <p class="indent2"> and cleanse my hands with lye, <A name="32"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>then You would plunge me into the pit, <p class="indent2"> and even my own clothes would despise me. <A name="33"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, <p class="indent2"> that we can take each other to court. <A name="34"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>Nor is there a mediator between us, <p class="indent2"> to lay his hand upon us both. <A name="35"></a><p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>Let Him remove His rod from me, <p class="indent2"> so that His terror will no longer frighten me. <p class="indent1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/9-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>Then I would speak without fear of Him. <p class="indent2"> But as it is, I am on my own.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">3</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Or <i>If God wished to contend with someone</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">7</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> Or <i>rise</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">12</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> Or <i>snatches someone in death</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">19</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> See LXX; Hebrew <i>me</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">20</span> <span class="footnotesbot">e</span> Or <i>He would declare me guilty</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">30</span> <span class="footnotesbot">f</span> Or <i>soap</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. 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