Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
Parallel translations
- WEB But he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I shall come out like gold.
- KJV But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
- NKJV But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
- NASB “But He knows the way I take; When He has put me to the test, I will come out as gold.
- NLT “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
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
Though Job cannot find God, he is confident that God knows his path, and when tested he will emerge like refined gold. His faith shines at its brightest here.
Overview
This is one of the great confessions of faith in the book. Even unable to perceive God, Job trusts that God fully knows his way and is refining him through trial, so he will come forth as pure gold. The image of testing by fire to purify faith reappears in 1 Peter 1:7. Job grasps that suffering can be God's refining purpose, not merely punishment, a hope fulfilled in the One who works all things for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Jas 1:12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- 1 Pet 1:7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Jas 1:2–4Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
- Ps 139:1–3For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
- Zech 13:9This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”
- Prov 17:3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
- Ps 66:10For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.
- Ps 17:3You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil; I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.
- Heb 11:17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,
- Mal 3:2–3But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.
- Deut 8:2Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments.
- Job 1:11–12But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
- Ps 1:6For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
- 2 Tim 2:19Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
- 2 Kgs 20:3“Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
- John 21:17Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
- Job 42:5–8My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You.
- Job 2:5–6But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
- Gen 18:19For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
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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 23:10 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
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