Job 9:19
If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Job isn't just saying God is powerful; he's highlighting the complete absence of any legal recourse. He asks, "who will summon God to court?" implying there's no higher authority to bring Him to trial or even set a date to hear Job's case, underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty.
Job is in the thick of his despair, grappling with the overwhelming reality of God's power and justice, and questioning if he even has a chance in any kind of legal or physical contest. He's not just saying he's losing; he's articulating why any attempt to argue his case or stand against God is utterly futile, as God's might and right are unassailable.
Job feels trapped. Whether he relies on his own power or God's justice, he sees no way to win. What does this reveal about God's immense power?
Job opens this verse with a hypothetical scenario: 'If it is a contest of strength...' He immediately concedes that in any trial of sheer power, God is overwhelmingly superior.
The Almighty's Might
Human strength, influence, or even wisdom is utterly insignificant when compared to God's power. He isn't just 'strong'; in the original Hebrew, the word suggests 'most strong' or 'most mighty'. There's no earthly force that can challenge or match Him. Job recognizes that trying to contend with God on the basis of physical or even political power is a losing battle from the start.
Unchallenged Sovereignty
This isn't just about muscle; it's about ultimate sovereignty. God's power means He operates on a level far beyond human comprehension or control. Job's statement highlights that any attempt to 'out-muscle' God or stand against His will is not only futile but also misguided.
Job longs for fairness, but even in the realm of justice, he finds no recourse. What makes seeking justice from God so complex?
Job shifts from strength to justice. He asks, 'If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?' This question reveals a deep frustration with his situation.
The Unapproachable Judge
Job understands that in human courts, there's a process: witnesses are called, lawyers plead cases, and a judge presides. But who can summon God? Who can compel Him to appear in a human court or appoint a time for a legal hearing where Job could present his case? There is no higher authority to appeal to, no one to act as a mediator or defense attorney for Job against God.
The Problem of Divine Justice
This isn't to say God is unjust. The commentaries suggest Job feels God's justice is so absolute and His standard so high that his own righteousness, however sincere, cannot stand before Him. He's not just looking for a fair trial; he's grappling with the reality that he can't even get his case in a way that would vindicate him. He feels trapped between God's overwhelming power and His perfect, unyielding justice.
Understand the original words
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
Refers to a legal case, a dispute, or a trial between parties. It encompasses the principles of equity, rightness, and the administration of law, often highlighting the struggle for vindication.
This passage echoes Job's sentiment by highlighting God's immense power in creation, underscoring the futility of any human claim to strength against the Almighty.
Romans 3:23Just as Job feels he cannot stand before God in judgment, this New Testament verse states that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, making a human plea based on perfect righteousness impossible.
Ecclesiastes 8:7This verse speaks to the uncertainty of earthly judgment and the inability of humans to fully grasp or control outcomes, aligning with Job's feeling that he cannot summon God or a judge to settle their dispute.
Jeremiah 49:19This prophetic passage uses similar imagery, asking who will arise like a lion against the stronghold of Babylon, creating a parallel to Job's rhetorical question about who could possibly stand against God or summon Him to judgment.
Psalm 145:3While Job expresses despair over God's power and justice, this psalm offers a counterpoint by declaring God's greatness and unsearchable majesty, reminding us of the awe and reverence due to such a powerful and just Being.
clarkeJob 9:19: "If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?"
If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong - Human wisdom, power, and influence avail nothing before him. Who shall set me a time - מי יועידני mi yoideni, "Who would be a witness for me?" or, Who would dare to appear in my behalf? Almost all the terms in this part of the speech of Job, Job 9:11-24, are forensic or juridical, and are taken from legal processes and pleadings in their gates o…
barnesJob 9:19: "If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?"
If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong - There has been a considerable variety in the interpretation of this passage. The meaning seems to be this. It refers to a judicial contest, and Job is speaking of the effect if he and God were to come to a trial, and the cause were to be settled before judges. He is urging reasons why he would have no hope of success in such a case. He says, ther…
Job isn't just saying God is powerful; he's highlighting the complete absence of any legal recourse. He asks, "who will summon God to court?" implying there's no higher authority to bring Him to trial or even set a date to hear Job's case, underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty.
Job is in the thick of his despair, grappling with the overwhelming reality of God's power and justice, and questioning if he even has a chance in any kind of legal or physical contest. He's not just saying he's losing; he's articulating why any attempt to argue his case or stand against God is utterly futile, as God's might and right are unassailable.
Job is in the thick of his despair, grappling with the overwhelming reality of God's power and justice, and questioning if he even has a chance in any kind of legal or physical contest. He's not just saying he's losing; he's articulating why any attempt to argue his case or stand against God is utterly futile, as God's might and right are unassailable.
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"If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?" — Job isn't just saying God is powerful; he's highlighting the complete absence of any legal recourse. He asks, "who will summon God to court?" implying there's no higher authority to bring Him to tria…
