Job 9:33
There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Job 9:33
There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Job's cry reveals a deep human longing for an impartial judge, someone who could stand between him and the Almighty to ensure fairness. The phrase "lay his hand on us both" suggests a desire for someone with the authority to control both parties and render a definitive, just ruling, highlighting the overwhelming power imbalance Job felt. This verse isn't just a complaint about his suffering, but a stark portrayal of feeling utterly alone and unable to plead his case against an omnipotent God.
Job is in the midst of an intense lament, feeling overwhelmed by God's power and his own apparent guilt. He's argued extensively with his friends, who believe his suffering is a direct result of hidden sin, but Job insists on his innocence. In this chapter, Job is grappling with the unbearable thought that there's no one to mediate or arbitrate between him and an all-powerful, seemingly unapproachable God, making any hope of a fair hearing feel impossible.
Job cries out for someone to stand between him and God. What kind of figure is he looking for, and why can't he find one?
Job uses the term 'daysman' (or 'arbiter,' 'umpire,' 'mediator') to describe someone who could stand between him and God to settle their dispute.
A Judge Without Peer
Job's Desperate Need
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Job feels the crushing weight of God's power. What does this verse reveal about his perspective on facing the Almighty alone?
Job's cry reveals a profound sense of isolation and despair in his struggle with God.
The Odds Are Stacked
A Glimpse of Future Hope?
Understand the original words
mokiyach · Hebrew Noun
One who settles a dispute or reconciles parties; an intermediary or umpire who stands between two sides to bring about an equitable resolution.
Job's lament expresses a profound human need for a mediator or arbiter who can stand between humanity and God, acknowledging the vast power disparity. While Job saw no such figure in his time, this yearning foreshadows the later Christian understanding of Jesus Christ as the unique Mediator.
~2000 BC - 500 BC
Ancient Near Eastern Legal Customs
Cultures in the ancient Near East had established legal procedures and customs for resolving disputes, including the use of arbiters or judges. These practices involved specific rituals and expectations for those who mediated between parties. Some traditions included symbolic actions like laying hands on parties involved to signify authority and control.
c. 500 BC— this verse
Job's Existential Crisis
The Book of Job is traditionally dated to a period of ancient Israelite history. Job, a righteous man, faces immense suffering and questions the justice of God, seeking a way to plead his case or find resolution with the Almighty.
c. 500 BC - 400 BC
The Babylonian Exile and Return
While Job's story is likely older, its final composition may have occurred during or after the Babylonian Exile. This period saw profound reflection on God's justice and faithfulness amidst national catastrophe and restoration.
This passage directly addresses the concept of a mediator between God and humanity, which is Job's central longing in his cry for a 'daysman'.
Hebrews 8:6It explains Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant, highlighting the unique role He plays in bridging the gap between God and His people, a role Job desperately sought.
Isaiah 42:1-4This prophecy describes a servant who will bring justice and establish God's ways on earth, mirroring Job's desire for an impartial arbiter to set things right between him and God.
Luke 1:72-74These verses speak of God's mercy and deliverance through a rescuer, echoing Job's hope for someone to intervene on his behalf and bring about reconciliation.
barnesJob 9:33: "Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both."
Neither is there any daysman - Margin, One that should argue, or, umpire. The word daysman in English means " "an umpire or arbiter, a mediator." Webster. Why such a man is called a daysman I do not know. The Hebrew word rendered "daysman" מוכיח môkı̂yach is from יכח yâkach, not used in the Qal, to be before, in front of; and then to appear, to be clear, or manifest; and in the Hiphil, to cause to be…
cambridgeJob 9:33: "Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both."
33 . any daysman ] i. e. any umpire, or, arbiter. The word possibly comes from the Lat. diem dicere , to fix a day for hearing a cause. For what art thou That mak’st thyself his dayes-man to prolong The vengeance prest? Spenser, Fae. Q . ii. 8. 28. (Wright, Bible Word-Book .) lay his hand ] i. e. impose his authority on both, and do justice between the two. There is no prophecy of the incarnation in these…
Job's cry reveals a deep human longing for an impartial judge, someone who could stand between him and the Almighty to ensure fairness. The phrase "lay his hand on us both" suggests a desire for someone with the authority to control both parties and render a definitive, just ruling, highlighting the overwhelming power imbalance Job felt. This verse isn't just a complaint about his suffering, but a stark portrayal of feeling utterly alone and unable to plead his case against an omnipotent God.
Job is in the midst of an intense lament, feeling overwhelmed by God's power and his own apparent guilt. He's argued extensively with his friends, who believe his suffering is a direct result of hidden sin, but Job insists on his innocence. In this chapter, Job is grappling with the unbearable thought that there's no one to mediate or arbitrate between him and an all-powerful, seemingly unapproachable God, making any hope of a fair hearing feel impossible.
Job is in the midst of an intense lament, feeling overwhelmed by God's power and his own apparent guilt. He's argued extensively with his friends, who believe his suffering is a direct result of hidden sin, but Job insists on his innocence. In this chapter, Job is grappling with the unbearable thought that there's no one to mediate or arbitrate between him and an all-powerful, seemingly unapproachable God, making any hope of a fair hearing feel impossible.
"There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both." — Job's cry reveals a deep human longing for an impartial judge, someone who could stand between him and the Almighty to ensure fairness. The phrase "lay his hand on us both" suggests a desire for some…
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