Job 16

Job Replies: Miserable Comforters Are You

1 Then Job answered and said:

2 "I have heard many such things;
a Miserable 1 comforters are you all! 3 Shall 2 words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer? 4 I also could speak as you do,
If your soul were in my soul's place.
I could heap up words against you,
And b shake my head at you; 5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.

6 "Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
And if I remain silent, how am I eased? 7 But now He has c worn me out;
You d have made desolate all my company. 8 You have shriveled me up,
And it is a e witness against me;
My leanness rises up against me
And bears witness to my face. 9 f He tears me in His wrath, and hates me;
He gnashes at me with His teeth;
g My adversary sharpens His gaze on me. 10 They h gape at me with their mouth,
They i strike me reproachfully on the cheek,
They gather together against me. 11 God j has delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked. 12 I was at ease, but He has k shattered me;
He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces;
He has l set me up for His target, 13 His archers surround me.
He pierces my 3 heart and does not pity;
He pours out my gall on the ground. 14 He breaks me with wound upon wound;
He runs at me like a 4 warrior. 15 "I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
And m laid my 5 head in the dust. 16 My face is 6 flushed from weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although no violence is in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.

18 "O earth, do not cover my blood,
And n let my cry have no resting place!
19 Surely even now o my witness is in heaven,
And my evidence is on high. 20 My friends scorn me;
My eyes pour out tears to God. 21 p Oh, that one might plead for a man with God,
As a man pleads for his 7 neighbor! 22 For when a few years are finished,
I shall q go the way of no return.

  1. Cross References
    Job 13:4
    But you forgers of lies, You are all worthless physicians.
    Job 21:34
    How then can you comfort me with empty words, Since falsehood remains in your answers?
  2. Cross References
    Psalms 22:7
    All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying.
    Psalms 109:25
    I also have become a reproach to them; When they look at me, they shake their heads.
    Lamentations 2:15
    All who pass by clap their hands at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem: " Is this the city that is called 'The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth'?
    Zephaniah 2:15
    This is the rejoicing city That dwelt securely, That said in her heart, "I am it, and there is none besides me." How has she become a desolation, A place for beasts to lie down! Everyone who passes by her Shall hiss and shake his fist.
    Matthew 27:39
    And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads
  3. Cross References
    Job 7:3
    So I have been allotted months of futility, And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
  4. Cross References
    Job 16:20
    My friends scorn me; My eyes pour out tears to God.
    Job 19:13 - 15
    He has removed my brothers far from me, And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
  5. Cross References
    Job 10:17
    You renew Your witnesses against me, And increase Your indignation toward me; Changes and war are ever with me.
  6. Cross References
    Job 10:16
    If my head is exalted, You hunt me like a fierce lion, And again You show Yourself awesome against me.
    Job 10:17
    You renew Your witnesses against me, And increase Your indignation toward me; Changes and war are ever with me.
    Job 19:11
    He has also kindled His wrath against me, And He counts me as one of His enemies.
    Hosea 6:1
    Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
  7. Cross References
    Job 13:24
    Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy?
    Job 33:10
    Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy.
  8. Cross References
    Psalms 22:13
    They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.
    Psalms 35:21
    They also opened their mouth wide against me, And said, "Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.
  9. Cross References
    Isaiah 50:6
    I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My c...
    Lamentations 3:30
    Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes h...
    Micah 5:1
    Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of tr...
    Matthew 26:67
    Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and ot...
    Mark 14:65
    Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfol...
    Luke 22:63
    Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat ...
    Acts 23:2
    And the high priest Ananias commanded those who...
  10. Cross References
    Job 1:15
    "when the Sabeans raided them and took them away - indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"
    Job 1:17
    While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!
  11. Cross References
    Job 9:17
    For He crushes me with a tempest, And multiplies my wounds without cause.
  12. Cross References
    Job 7:20
    Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?
    Lamentations 3:12
    He has bent His bow And set me up as a target for the arrow.
  13. Cross References
    Job 30:19
    He has cast me into the mire, And I have become like dust and ashes.
    Psalms 7:5
    Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
  14. Cross References
    Job 27:9
    Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him?
    Psalms 66:18
    If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 31:50
    "If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us - see, God is witness between you and me!"
    Romans 1:9
    For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.
    Philippians 1:8
    For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
    1 Thessalonians 2:5
    For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness - God is witness.
  16. Cross References
    Job 31:35
    Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my mark. Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, That my Prosecutor had written a book!
    Ecclesiastes 6:10
    Whatever one is, he has been named already, For it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
    Isaiah 45:9
    Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' Or shall your handiwork say, 'He has no hands'?
    Romans 9:20
    But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?
  17. Cross References
    Job 10:21
    Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, To the land of darkness and the shadow of death.
    Ecclesiastes 12:5
    Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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