Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.
- BSB Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.
- NKJV But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.
- NASB ¶“But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to argue with God.
- NLT As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God himself.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Job would rather plead his case directly before God than argue with his friends. He longs to reason with the Almighty Himself.
Overview
Turning from his friends, Job expresses his deepest desire: to speak to the Almighty and reason with God. Rather than debating men who misjudge him, he appeals to the only true Judge. This longing for a direct hearing before God foreshadows the mediator humanity needs, supplied in Christ, through whom believers draw near to God with confidence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Isa 41:21Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.
- Isa 1:18–20Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
- Job 9:3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
- Job 13:22Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
- Job 31:35Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
- Mic 6:2Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
- Job 9:14–15How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
- Job 11:5But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;
- Job 13:15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
- Jer 12:1–2Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
- Job 9:34–35Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
- Job 23:3–7Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 13:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.