There the upright might reason with him, so I should be delivered forever from my judge.
Parallel translations
- KJV There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
- BSB Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
- NKJV There the upright could reason with Him, And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
- NASB “There the upright would argue with Him; And I would be free of my Judge forever.
- NLT Honest people can reason with him, so I would be forever acquitted by my judge.
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 is sure that an upright person could reason with God and be acquitted forever by his Judge. He trusts that a fair trial would clear his name.
Overview
Job affirms his confidence that, before a just God, the upright would be vindicated and delivered from condemnation. This longing for permanent acquittal before the divine Judge anticipates the gospel doctrine of justification, where the believer is declared righteous forever, not by his own integrity but through Christ (Rom 8:1, 33-34).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Job 13:3“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.
- Rom 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
- Isa 1:18“Come now, and let us reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
- Rom 8:33–34Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies.
- Job 9:15Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
- Jer 3:5“‘Will he retain his anger forever? Will he keep it to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken and have done evil things, and have had your way.”
- Rom 3:19–22Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
- Jer 12:1You are righteous, Yahweh, when I contend with you; yet I would reason the cause with you: why does the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they at ease who deal very treacherously?
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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 23:7 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.