Logos Bible Study

Job 9:28–35

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28I still dreadw all my sufferings,

for I know you will not hold me innocent.x

29Since I am already found guilty,

why should I struggle in vain?y

30Even if I washed myself with soapz

and my handsa with cleansing powder,b

31you would plunge me into a slime pitc

so that even my clothes would detest me.d

32“He is not a mere mortale like me that I might answer him,f

that we might confront each other in court.g

33If only there were someone to mediate between us,h

someone to bring us together,i

34someone to remove God’s rod from me,j

so that his terror would frighten me no more.k

35Then I would speak up without fear of him,l

but as it now stands with me, I cannot.m

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Cross references

  1. wSee Job 3:25
  2. xSee Ex 34:7; See Job 7:21
  3. ySee ver 3, See 15; Ps 37:33
  4. zMal 3:2
  5. aJob 17:9; 31:7; Isa 1:15
  6. bJob 14:4, 17; 33:9; Isa 1:18; Jer 2:22; Hos 13:12
  7. cPs 35:7; 40:2; 51:9; Jer 2:22; Na 3:6; Mal 2:3
  8. dSee Job 7:20; 34:9; 35:3; Ps 73:13
  9. eSee Nu 23:19
  10. fSee ver 3; Ro 9:20
  11. gPs 143:2; Ecc 6:10
  12. hSee 1 Sa 2:25
  13. iSee ver 19
  14. jJob 21:9; Ps 39:10; 73:5
  15. kSee Job 6:4; 7:14; 33:7; Ps 32:4
  16. lSee Job 7:11
  17. mJob 7:15; 13:21

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

I become afraid of all my suffering,

for I know you will not hold me innocent.

I shall be condemned;

why then do I labor in vain?

If I wash myself with snow

and cleanse my hands with lye,

yet you will plunge me into a pit,

and my own clothes will abhor me.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him,

that we should come to trial together.

There is no arbiter between us,

who might lay his hand on us both.

Let him take his rod away from me,

and let not dread of him terrify me.

Then I would speak without fear of him,

for I am not so in myself.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I would still live in terror of all my pains.

I know you will not acquit me.

Since I will be found guilty,

why should I struggle in vain?

If I wash myself with snow,

and cleanse my hands with lye,

then you dip me in a pit of mud,

and my own clothes despise me!

For he is not a man like me, that I can answer him,

that we can take each other to court.

There is no mediator between us,

to lay his hand on both of us.

Let him take his rod away from me

so his terror will no longer frighten me.

Then I would speak and not fear him.

But that is not the case; I am on my own.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

I would still dread all the pain,

for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.

Whatever happens, I will be found guilty.

So what’s the use of trying?

Even if I were to wash myself with soap

and clean my hands with lye,

you would plunge me into a muddy ditch,

and my own filthy clothing would hate me.

“God is not a mortal like me,

so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.

If only there were a mediator between us,

someone who could bring us together.

The mediator could make God stop beating me,

and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.

Then I could speak to him without fear,

but I cannot do that in my own strength.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

I become afraid of all my sufferings;

I know that you do not consider me innocent.

If I shall be declared guilty,

why then should I labor in vain?

If I wash myself with soap,

and I cleanse my hands with lye,

then you plunge me into the slime pit,

and my clothes abhor me.

“For he is not a mortal like me that I can answer him,

that we can come to trial together.

There is no arbiter between us

that he might lay his hand on both of us.

May he remove his rod from me,

and let his dread not terrify me;

then I would speak and not fear him,

for in myself I am not fearful.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

I am afraid of all my sorrows,

I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

If I be wicked,

Why then labour I in vain?

If I wash myself with snow water,

And make my hands never so clean;

Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch,

And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him,

And we should come together in judgment.

Neither is there any daysman betwixt us,

That might lay his hand upon us both.

Let him take his rod away from me,

And let not his fear terrify me:

Then would I speak, and not fear him;

But it is not so with me.

Public Domain