Job 19

In Job 19, Job responds to his friends, who continue to accuse him of wrongdoing. He laments his suffering, feeling abandoned by everyone, including God. However, toward the end of the chapter, Job expresses a profound statement of faith, affirming his belief in a Redeemer and in his future vindication after death. This chapter highlights the depth of Job's pain but also his enduring hope.

Job 19:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “How long will you torment my soul, And break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times you have reproached me; You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.
4 And if indeed I have erred, My error remains with me.
5 If indeed you exalt yourselves against me, And plead my disgrace against me,

Job begins by addressing his friends' persistent accusations. He feels emotionally crushed by their harsh words, which he describes as torment. He accuses them of repeatedly reproaching him without any evidence of wrongdoing and suggests that even if he had sinned, it is between him and God, not for them to judge. He points out that they seem to take pleasure in his misfortune, adding to his anguish.

Job 19:6-12 (NKJV)
6 Know then that God has wronged me, And has surrounded me with His net.
7 “If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard. If I cry aloud, there is no justice.
8 He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass; And He has set darkness in my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side, And I am gone; My hope He has uprooted like a tree.
11 He has also kindled His wrath against me, And He counts me as one of His enemies.
12 His troops come together And build up their road against me; They encamp all around my tent.

Job turns his attention to God, feeling as though God has entrapped him in an inescapable net of suffering. Despite his pleas for justice, he feels unheard, as if God has blocked all his paths and left him in darkness. Job perceives that God has stripped him of honor and dignity and sees himself as being broken down, like a tree uprooted. In his despair, he believes God is treating him as an enemy, surrounding him with overwhelming forces that further intensify his suffering.

Job 19:13-19 (NKJV)
13 “He has removed my brothers far from me, And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14 My relatives have failed, And my close friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants, Count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call my servant, but he gives no answer; I beg him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife, And I am repulsive to the children of my own body.
18 Even young children despise me; I arise, and they speak against me.
19 All my close friends abhor me, And those whom I love have turned against me.

Job expresses the depth of his isolation, stating that even his family and friends have abandoned him. His own household treats him like a stranger, and even his servants no longer respond to him. Job's physical condition is so dire that even his wife and children find him repulsive. He feels despised by society, even by children who should have no cause to judge him. His lament paints a picture of complete rejection by everyone he once loved and trusted.

Job 19:20-22 (NKJV)
20 My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has struck me!
22 Why do you persecute me as God does, And are not satisfied with my flesh?

Job describes his physical suffering, emphasizing how close to death he feels, with only a thin margin of life left. He pleads for compassion from his friends, pointing out that God has already struck him, and there is no need for them to add to his misery. Job is bewildered by their lack of mercy, as they seem to take pleasure in his suffering rather than offering the comfort he desperately needs.

Job 19:23-27 (NKJV)
23 “Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;
26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,
27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Amid his suffering, Job expresses a desire for his words to be preserved for future generations, perhaps anticipating his vindication. Then, in one of the most remarkable declarations of faith in the Bible, Job affirms that he knows his Redeemer lives. He believes that even after death, he will see God face to face. Despite his current agony, Job clings to this hope of future redemption and restoration, which gives him comfort.

Job 19:28-29 (NKJV)
28 If you should say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’— Since the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be afraid of the sword for yourselves; For wrath brings the punishment of the sword, That you may know there is a judgment.”

Job concludes by warning his friends that if they continue to accuse him unjustly, they themselves should fear God's judgment. He reminds them that there is a divine justice that will deal with their wrongful accusations. Job, confident in his eventual vindication, warns them that they, too, will face consequences for their harsh treatment of him.