the Third Week after Easter
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New Living Translation
Job 13:15
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Even if he kills me, I will hope in him.I will still defend my ways before him.
Behold, he will kill me; I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.
Even if God kills me, I have hope in him; I will still defend my ways to his face.
Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face!
"Even though He kills me; I will hope in Him. Nevertheless, I will argue my ways to His face.
"Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.
Behold, he will kill me; I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
Loe, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, and I will reprooue my wayes in his sight.
Though He slay me,I will hope in Him.Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.
Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.
God may kill me, but still I will trust him and offer my defense.
Look, he will kill me — I don't expect more, but I will still defend my ways to his face.
Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him.
I will continue to trust God even if he kills me. But I will defend myself to his face.
Though he slay me, yet will I look for him; because my ways are before him.
I've lost all hope, so what if God kills me? I am going to state my case to him.
Look, though he kill me, I will hope in him; however, I will defend my ways before him.
Behold, He will cut me off; I will not wait, but I will justify my ways before His face.
Lo, there is nether coforte ner hope for me, yf he wil slaye me. But yf I shewe and reproue myne owne wayes in his sight,
Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.
Truly, he will put an end to me; I have no hope; but I will not give way in argument before him;
Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but I will argue my ways before Him.
Though hee slay mee, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintaine mine owne wayes before him.
Lo, though he slay me, yet wyl I trust in him: but I wyll reproue myne owne wayes in his sight.
Though the Mighty One should lay hand upon me, forasmuch as he has begun, verily I will speak, and plead before him.
Though he slay me, yet will I wait for him: nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.
Yhe, thouy God sleeth me, Y schal hope in hym; netheles Y schal preue my weies in his siyt.
Look, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.
Though he shall slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain my own ways before him.
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
Even though He would kill me, yet I will trust in Him. I will argue my ways to His face.
See, he will kill me; I have no hope; but I will defend my ways to his face.
Lo! he may slay me, yet , for him, will I wait, - Nevertheless, my ways - unto his face, will I show to be right:
Although he should kill me, I will trust in him: but yet I will reprove my ways in his sight.
Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope; yet I will defend my ways to his face.
Lo, He doth slay me -- I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.
"Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
he slay me: Job 13:18, Job 19:25-28, Job 23:10, Psalms 23:4, Proverbs 14:32, Romans 8:38, Romans 8:39
but I will: Job 10:7, Job 16:17, Job 16:21, Job 23:4-7, Job 27:5, Job 31:31-37, Job 40:2, Job 40:4, Job 40:5, Job 40:8, 1 John 3:20
maintain: Heb. prove, or argue
Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 30:6 - David 2 Kings 18:5 - trusted Job 2:3 - holdeth Job 4:6 - thy confidence Job 14:14 - will I wait Job 17:15 - my hope Job 19:7 - no judgment Job 31:37 - declare Job 32:1 - righteous Job 35:15 - because Job 38:3 - for Psalms 39:7 - hope Psalms 42:5 - hope Psalms 62:8 - Trust Psalms 71:14 - But Psalms 73:26 - flesh Psalms 138:7 - Though I walk Proverbs 3:5 - Trust Isaiah 50:10 - let Lamentations 3:24 - therefore Daniel 3:18 - be it Jonah 2:1 - out Habakkuk 3:18 - I will rejoice Matthew 15:28 - Jesus 1 Corinthians 13:7 - endureth 2 Corinthians 1:12 - our rejoicing Galatians 6:4 - prove James 5:11 - Ye
Cross-References
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord , who had appeared to him.
So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned.
(Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.)
From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before.
This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the Lord again.
So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.)
Finally Abram said to Lot, "Let's not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives!
The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I'll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I'll go to the left."
So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain.
So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, "I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River—
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him,.... There is a double reading of these words; the "Keri", or marginal reading, is לו, "in him", which we follow; the "Cetib", or textual reading, is לא, "not", which many follow, and render the words, "lo, he will slay me, I shall not hope"; or, "I have no hope", or "do not expect" m that is, any other than to be slain or die; and this agrees with various expressions of his elsewhere, that he had no hope of any long continuance of life, or of restoration to health and outward happiness again, but expected to die quickly; see Job 6:11;
but I will maintain mine own ways before him; or "to his face" n; though I die on the spot instantly, I will stand by it, and make it appear that the ways I have walked in are right, that I have behaved as a sincere upright man, a man fearing God, and eschewing evil; a character which God himself has given of me, and I have not forfeited it: "I will argue" or "prove" o it before him, as it may be rendered; that my life and conversation has been agreeable to my profession of him; that my ways have been according to his revealed will, and my walk as becoming the character I bear; and this I will maintain and support as long as I live; I will never depart from this sentiment, or let go my integrity to my latest breath; see Job 27:5; but the marginal reading seems best, "yet will I trust in him" p? verily I will, though I am under cutting and slaying providences, under sore afflictions, which may be called killing and slaying, or death itself; though there is an addition of them, one affliction upon another, and sorrow upon sorrow; though I am killed continually, all the day long, or die by inches; yea, though in the article of death itself, yet even then "will I trust" and hope: God only is the object of trust and confidence, and not a creature, or any creature enjoyment, or creature act; and great encouragement there is to trust in him, seeing in him is everlasting strength, to fulfil his promises, to help in time of need, and to save with an everlasting salvation; he is to be trusted in at all times, in times of affliction, temptation, desertion, and death itself: it may be rendered q, "I will hope in him", since there is mercy and plenteous redemption with him, and he delights in those that hope in his mercy; his eye is upon them, and his heart is towards them: or "I will wait for him", or "expect him" r; wait for deliverance by him, wait all the days of his appointed time, till his change come; wait for the hope of righteousness by faith, expect all needful grace from him now, and eternal glory and happiness hereafter: "but" notwithstanding his trust was alone in God for time and eternity, yet, says he, "I will maintain mine own ways before him"; that I am not an hypocrite, or have behaved as a bad man; but have acted under the influence of grace, according to his mind and will revealed.
m "Non sperabo", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus. So Cocceius, Schultens, Gussetius, p. 420. n אל-פניו "ad facies ejus", Montanus, Bolducius; so Vatablus, Schultens. o אוכוח "arguam", Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius, Schmidt, Schultens; "probabo", Piscator. p "An non sperem in eum?" so some in Munster; so Junius & Tremellius, Beza, Codurcus. q "In eo tamen sperabo", Schmidt, Piscator, Michaelis. r "Ipsum expectabo", Drusius.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Though he slay me - “God may so multiply my sorrows and pains that I cannot survive them. I see that I may be exposed to increased calamities, yet I am willing to meet them. If in maintaining my own cause, and showing that I am not a hypocrite Job 13:16, it should so happen that my sufferings should be so increased that I should die, yet I will do it.” The word “slay,” or “kill,” here refers to temporal death. It has no reference to punishment in the future world, or to the death of the soul. It means merely that Job was determined to maintain his cause and defend his character, though his sufferings should be so increased that life would be the forfeit. Such was the extent of his sufferings, that he had reason to suppose that they would terminate in death; and yet notwithstanding this, it was his fixed purpose to confide in God; compare the notes at Job 19:25-27. This was spoken in Job’s better moments, and was his deliberate and prevailing intention. This deliberate purpose expresses what was really the character of the man, though occasionally, when he became impatient, he gave utterance to different sentiments and feelings. We are to look to the prevailing and habitual tenor of a man’s feelings and declared principles, in order to determine what his character is, and not to expressions made under the influence of temptation, or under the severity of pain. On the sentiment here expressed, compare Psalms 23:4; Proverbs 14:32.
Yet will I trust in him - The word used here (יחל yâchal) means properly to wait, stay, delay; and it usually conveys the idea of waiting on one with an expectation of aid or help. Hence, it means to hope. The sense here is, that his expectation or hope was in God; and if the sense expressed in our common version be correct, it implies that even in death, or after death, he would confide in God. He would adhere to him, and would still feel that beyond death he would bless him.
In him - In God. But there is here an important variation in the reading. The present Hebrew is לא lo' - “not.” The Qeriy or marginal reading, is with a ו (v) - “in him.” Jerome renders it as if it were לו lô - “in ipso,” that is, in him. The Septuagint followed some reading which does not now appear in any copies of the Hebrew text, or which was the result of mere imagination: “Though the Almighty, as he hath begun, may subdue me - χειρώσεται cheirōsetai - yet will I speak, and maintain my cause before him.” The Chaldee renders it, אצלי קדמוי - I will pray before him; evidently reading it as if it were לו lô, “in him.” So the Syriac, in him. I have no doubt, therefore, that this was the ancient reading, and that the true sense is retained in our common version though Rosenmuller, Good, Noyes, and others, have adopted the other reading, and suppose that it is to be taken as a negative.
Noyes renders it,” Lo! he slayeth me, and I have no hope!” Good, much worse, “Should he even slay me, I would not delay.” It may be added, that there are frequent instances where לא lo' and לו lô are interchanged, and where the copyist seems to have been determined by the sound rather than by a careful inspection of the letters. According to the Masoretes, there are fifteen places where לא lo', “not,” is written for לו lô, “to him.” Exodus 21:8; Leviticus 11:21; Leviticus 25:30; 1 Samuel 2:3; 2 Samuel 16:18; Psalms 100:4; Psalms 139:16; Job 13:15; Job 41:4; Ezra 4:2; Proverbs 19:7; Proverbs 26:2; Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 63:9. On the other hand, לו lô is put for לא lo' in 1 Samuel 2:16; 1 Samuel 20:2; Job 6:21. A mistake of this kind may have easily occurred here. The sentiment here expressed is one of the noblest that could fall from the lips of man. It indicates unwavering confidence in God, even in death.
It is the determination of a mind to adhere to him, though he should strip away comfort after comfort, and though there should be no respite to his sorrows until he should sink down in death. This is the highest expression of piety, and thus it is the privilege of the friends of God to experience. When professed earthly friends become cold toward us, our love for them also is chilled. Should they leave and forsake us in the midst of suffering and want, and especially should they leave us on a bed of death, we should cease to confide in them. But not so in respect to God. Such is the nature of our confidence in him, that though he takes away comfort after comfort, though our health is destroyed and our friends are removed, and though we are led down into the valley and the shadow of death, yet still we never lose our confidence in him. We feel that all will yet be well. We look forward to another state, and anticipate the blessedness of another and a better world.
Reader, can you in sincerity lift the eye toward God, and say to him, “Though Thou dost slay me, though comfort after comfort is taken away, though the waves of trouble roll over me, and though I go down into the valley of the shadow of death, yet i will trust in thee; - Thine I will be even then, and when all is dark I will believe that God is right, and just, and true, and good, and will never doubt that he is worthy of my eternal affection and praise?” Such is religion. Where else is it found but in the views of God and of his government which the Bible reveals. The infidel may have apathy in his sufferings, the blasphemer may be stupid, the moralist or the formalist may be unconcerned; but that is not to have confidence in God. That results from religion alone.
But I will maintain mine own ways before him - Margin, “prove,” or “argue.” The sense is, I will “vindicate” my ways, or myself. That is, I will maintain that I am his friend, and that I am not a hypocrite. His friends charged him with insincerity. They were not able, Job supposed, to appreciate his arguments and to do justice to him. He had, therefore, expressed the wish to carry his cause directly before God Job 13:3; and he was assured that he would do justice to his arguments. Even should he slay him, he would still stand up as his friend, and would still maintain that his calamities had not come upon him, as his friends supposed, because he was a hypocrite and a secret enemy of his Maker.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 13:15. Though he slay me — I have no dependence but God; I trust in him alone. Should he even destroy my life by this affliction, yet will I hope that when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. In the common printed Hebrew text we have לא איחל lo ayachel, I will NOT hope; but the Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee have read לו lo, HIM, instead of לא lo NOT; with twenty-nine of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and the Complutensian and Antwerp Polyglots. Our translators have followed the best reading. Coverdale renders the verse thus: Lo, there is nether comforte ner hope for me, yf he wil slaye me.
But I will maintain mine own ways — I am so conscious of my innocence, that I fear not to defend myself from your aspersions, even in the presence of my Maker.
