Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 23:7
There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered forever from my judge.
7. This verse, as rendered in the A.V., seems to mean that in such circumstances ( Job 23:3-6) a righteous man might plead his cause before God. Rather the words run literally, then a righteous man would be pleading with him, i. e. then it would appear that the man who pleads with Him (i. e. Job) is righteous. This sense fits into the parallelism of the second clause.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
There the righteous might dispute with him – One who is conscious of his integrity might carry his cause there, with the assurance that he would be heard, and that justice would be done him. There can be no doubt that Job here refers to himself, though. he speaks in the third person, and advances this as a general proposition.
So shall I be delivered forever from my judge – From him who would judge or condemn me ( mshaphaty). He does not here refer to God, as if he would be delivered from him, but to anyone who would attempt to judge and condemn him, as his friends had done. The meaning is, that having, as he confidently expected he would, obtained the verdict of God in his favor, he would be ever after free from condemnation. The decision would be final. There was no higher tribunal, and no one would dare to condemn him afterward. This shows his consciousness of integrity. It may be applied to ourselves – to all. If we can obtain, at the last day, when our cause shall be brought before God, the divine verdict in our favor, it will settle the matter forever. No one, after that, will condemn us; never again shall our character or conduct be put on trial. The divine decision of that day will settle the question to all eternity. How momentous, then, is it that we should so live as to be acquitted in that day, and to have an eternal sentence in our favour!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. There the righteous might dispute with him] nochach, might argue or plead. To dispute with God sounds very harsh.
So should I be delivered for ever] Mr. Good translates: “And triumphantly should I escape from my condemnation.” The Hebrew word lanetsach may as well be translated to victory as for ever: and in this sense the Vulgate understood the words: Proponat aequitatem contra me; et perveniat ad victoriam judicium meum. “He would set up equity against me; and would lead on my cause to victory.” Coverdale renders thus: – But let hym give me like power to go to lawe, then am I sure to wynne my matter. Nothing less than the fullest conviction of his own innocence could have led Job to express himself thus to the Judge of quick and dead!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
There; at that throne of grace, as it is called, Heb 4:16, where God lays aside his majesty and power, and judgeth according to his wonted grace and clemency.
The righteous; such as I do and dare avow myself to be, to wit, in sincerity, though not in perfection. Might dispute with him; humbly and modestly propounding the grounds of their confidence, and the evidences of their righteousness. So; upon such a fair and equal hearing.
From my judge; either,
1. From the severe censures of all corrupt and partial judges, such as you my friends are. Or rather,
2. From the damnatory sentence of God; for he is not only pleading before him, but also with him. He would give sentence for me, and against himself. This and some such expressions of Job cannot be excused from reverence towards God, and too great a confidence in himself; for which therefore God sharply reproves him hereafter, and Job abhorreth himself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. Thererather, “Then”:if God would “attend” to me (Job23:6).
righteousthat is, theresult of my dispute would be, He would acknowledge me asrighteous.
deliveredfromsuspicion of guilt on the part of my Judge.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
There the righteous might dispute with him,…. That is, at his seat, either at his mercy seat, where even God allows sinners to come and reason with him, for pardoning grace and mercy, upon the foot of his own declarations and promises, and the blood and sacrifice of his son, Isa 1:18; or at his judgment seat, pleading the righteousness of Christ, which is fully satisfactory to law and justice. Job most probably means himself by the righteous or upright man, being conscious to himself of his sincerity and integrity; and relying on this, he feared not to appear before God as a Judge, and reason his case before him, dispute the matter with him, and in his presence, which was in controversy between him and his friends, whether he was an hypocrite or a sincere good man:
so should I be delivered for ever from my Judge; either from those who judged harsely of him, and were very censorious in the character they gave of him; and from all their condemnation of him, and calumnies and charges they fastened on him; or “from him that judgest me” f, from anyone whatever that should wrongly judge him, friend or foe; or rather from God himself, his Judge, from whom he should depart acquitted; and so Mr. Broughton renders the words, “so should I be quit for ever by my Judge”; for, if God justifies, who shall condemn? such an one need not regard the condemnations of men or devils; being acquitted by God he is for ever instilled, and shall never enter into condemnation; God’s acquittance is a security from the damnatory sentence of others.
f “a judicante me”, Beza, Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius, Vatablus, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) There the righteous might dispute.He has learnt this marvellous truth, which the Gospel has so effectually brought to light, that it is God the Saviour who is Himself the refuge from God the Judge (Joh. 12:47); and then, in the solemn conviction of His presence, he makes use of the most sublime language expressive of it, being assured, though He may hide Himself with the express purpose of not interfering in his cause, yet that all things work together for good to them that love Him (Rom. 8:28), and that when his time of trial is over, he himself will come forth like gold. Jobs case teaches us that if an innocent man is falsely accused, Gods honour is vindicated and maintained by his holding fast his conviction of innocence rather than by his yielding to the pressure of adversity and owning to sins he has not committed, or relaxing his hold on innocence by yielding to irritability.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Might dispute , pleads, the Niphal form of the verb. With the same preposition, , the Hiphil form is also rendered plead in Job 16:21, which see. The passage before us reads, literally, A righteous one there pleads with Him, which, to say the least, “suggests the thought of the Great Intercessor. It is, too, not altogether foreign to the book.” T. Lewis. See Excursus 4. Delivered from So should I be forever acquitted by my judge. God’s judgment would prove final; his words of absolution would be without repeal. When God did appear, his self-confidence, now so conspicuous, merged itself in the profoundest self-abasement. Job 40:4.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(7) There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered forever from my judge.
How beautiful is this, with an eye to JESUS? There indeed, in JESUS’S strength, and JESUS’S righteousness, as the Redeemer and Surety of his people, the poor believer might even plead with GOD, on the score of righteousness; for in JESUS, as the sinner’s surety, the law of GOD hath received, and GOD’S perfect acknowledgment of it is recorded in Scripture, full, nay double equivalent, for all its righteous demands. Isa 40:1-2 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 23:7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
Ver. 7. There the righteous might dispute with him ] There for then; sc. when God shall put strength into him; the upright or honest man (who draweth near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Jesus Christ, Heb 10:22 ) might dispute with God, but not unless he have that advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just one, to appear in the presence of God for him, Heb 9:24 , as the lawyer appeareth for his client, to put by and non suit all accusations, to plead his cause, and to justify him by the only merit of his righteousness and obedience. All St Paul’s care was to be found in Christ when sought for by the justice of God; not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, Phi 3:9 ; for sordet in conspectu iudicis, quod fulget in conspectu operantis (Aug.), “that which is highly esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God,” Luk 16:15 . They only may dispute with God, that is, in a humble and laudable manner plead with him, as did Jacob, Gen 32:24 , and Jeremiah, Jer 12:1 , who partake of Christ’s righteousness imputed and imparted; opposing to the appearances of God’s wrath the firm persuasion of his grace, by the seal of his Spirit, Et O quam hoc non est omnium! This is few men’s happiness.
So should I be delivered for ever from my judge
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
There: Isa 1:18, Jer 3:5, Jer 12:1
so should: Job 9:15, Rom 3:19-22, Rom 8:1, Rom 8:33, Rom 8:34
Reciprocal: Jdg 11:27 – the Judge Job 9:14 – choose Job 22:4 – will he enter Job 31:28 – an Job 32:1 – righteous Job 34:23 – that he Luk 12:58 – give
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 23:7. There At that throne of grace, where God lays aside his majesty and power, and judges according to his wonted grace and clemency; the righteous Such as I trust I am in sincerity and truth; might dispute with him Humbly and modestly propound the grounds of their confidence and the evidences of their righteousness. So Upon such a fair and equal hearing; should I be delivered from my judge From the severe censures of all corrupt and partial judges, such as my friends are, or rather, from the condemnatory sentence of God; for he is supposed to be pleading, not only before God, but with him. This and some such expressions of Job cannot be excused from irreverence toward God, and too great confidence in himself; for which, therefore, God afterward reproves him, and Job abhors himself.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
23:7 {d} There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
(d) When he of his mercy has given strength to maintain their cause.