Job 13:8

KJV

Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

KJV (with Strong's)

Will ye accept {H5375} his person {H6440}? will ye contend {H7378} for God {H410}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Do you need to take his side and plead God's case for him?

Berean Standard Bible

Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?

American Standard Version

Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 13:8 captures Job's direct challenge to his friends, questioning their integrity and the true nature of their defense of God. He accuses them of showing partiality towards God, akin to flattering a human judge, rather than speaking truth based on factual understanding. Job implies that their arguments, though presented as zealous for God, are in fact a misrepresentation of divine justice and character, highlighting the critical importance of truthfulness and integrity, even when defending theological positions.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is part of Job's third major discourse (chapters 12-14), where he directly confronts his three friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Following their repeated accusations that his suffering must be due to hidden sin, Job shifts from lament to a sharp rebuttal of their flawed theology. In [Job 13](/job/13 "Job 13 - Job's Rebuttal to His Friends"), Job expresses his disdain for their "worthless proverbs" ([Job 13:12](/job/13-12 "Job 13:12 - Worthless Proverbs")) and calls them "physicians of no value" ([Job 13:4](/job/13-4 "Job 13:4 - Physicians of No Value")). He longs to present his case directly to God ([Job 13:3](/job/13-3 "Job 13:3 - Job's Desire to Speak to God")), believing God would hear him justly, unlike his friends who presume to speak for God but do so with partiality and false premises. Job 13:8 specifically challenges their method of argument, implying they are more interested in appearing pious than in discerning truth.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in the land of Uz, a region likely east of Edom, suggesting a patriarchal, pre-Mosaic era. The cultural context revolves around the prevailing belief in divine retribution: that righteousness leads to prosperity and wickedness to suffering. This worldview forms the bedrock of the friends' arguments. In ancient Near Eastern judicial settings, "accepting a person" (or "lifting up the face") was a well-understood concept referring to showing favoritism or partiality, often for a bribe or due to social status, which was explicitly condemned in Israelite law (e.g., [Deuteronomy 1:17](/deuteronomy/1-17 "Deuteronomy 1:17 - No Partiality in Judgment")). Job leverages this common understanding to critique his friends' theological "judgment" of him, suggesting they are applying a similar partiality in their defense of God against him.
* **Key Themes:** Job 13:8 contributes significantly to several key themes in the book. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **false wisdom and misrepresentation of God**. The friends, despite their good intentions, operate under a flawed theological framework that ultimately misrepresents God's character and justice, as God Himself later confirms ([Job 42:7](/job/42-7 "Job 42:7 - God's Rebuke of the Friends")). Secondly, it underscores the theme of **integrity in discourse and truth-telling**, even in theological debate. Job argues that defending God through deceit or flawed reasoning is not true service, emphasizing that God does not require human lies or partiality to uphold His righteousness ([Job 13:7](/job/13-7 "Job 13:7 - Will You Speak Deceitfully for God?")). Lastly, the verse touches upon the theme of **divine justice and human understanding**, questioning whether humans can truly comprehend God's complex ways or presume to speak for Him without full knowledge, a theme that culminates in God's speeches from the whirlwind in [Job 38-41](/job/38 "Job 38 - The Lord Answers Job").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Accept (Hebrew, _nasa'_):** The verb נָשָׂא (_nasa'_) means "to lift, carry, bear." In the phrase "accept his person" (נָשָׂא פָנִים, _nasa' panim_), it literally means "to lift up the face." This idiom signifies showing favor, partiality, or respect to someone, often unjustly, by overlooking their faults or judging them based on their status rather than on merit or truth. It implies a bias that distorts justice.
* **Contend (Hebrew, _rib_):** The verb רִיב (_rib_) means "to strive, contend, dispute, plead a cause." It refers to engaging in a legal or verbal dispute. Job questions not *whether* they should contend for God, but *how* they are doing so. He implies their method of contention is flawed because it is based on partiality and false premises, rather than a genuine, truthful defense of God's character.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Will ye accept his person?":** This rhetorical question challenges the friends' approach to defending God. Job accuses them of showing partiality towards God, not in a positive sense of reverence, but in a negative sense of flattering Him or aligning with a simplistic, rigid view of His justice, thereby misrepresenting His true character. It's as if they are trying to curry favor with God by condemning Job, rather than seeking the truth of the situation.
* **"will ye contend for God?":** This second rhetorical question probes the integrity of their arguments. Job acknowledges their stated aim is to "contend for God," to defend His righteousness. However, he questions whether their method of contention is legitimate or truly honors God, given their partiality and reliance on false assumptions about Job's sin and God's ways. He implies that a defense based on falsehood or bias is no defense at all.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs **Rhetorical Questions** to challenge the friends' motivations and methods directly. By posing these questions, Job forces them (and the reader) to consider the underlying assumptions and integrity of their arguments, rather than merely accepting their stated intentions. The use of the idiom "accept his person" is a form of **Figurative Language**, specifically **Idiom**, drawing on a common legal and social understanding of partiality. This idiom serves as a powerful **Analogy**, comparing the friends' theological defense of God to a biased judicial proceeding, thereby highlighting the injustice and flawed nature of their accusations against Job. The verse also exhibits **Parallelism** in its two clauses, where the second clause ("will ye contend for God?") elaborates on the nature of the partiality implied in the first ("Will ye accept his person?"), creating a cohesive and impactful challenge.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 13:8 profoundly challenges the notion that zeal for God justifies any means, particularly those involving partiality or misrepresentation. It underscores a crucial theological principle: God's righteousness does not require human falsehood or biased defense. True defense of God's character must be rooted in truth, integrity, and a humble acknowledgment of the limits of human understanding. The friends' error was not their desire to defend God, but their presumption to know God's mind perfectly and their willingness to condemn Job based on a flawed, rigid theological framework rather than seeking genuine understanding or showing compassion. This verse serves as a powerful warning against theological arrogance and the dangers of defending God with arguments that are not fully truthful or just.

* [Deuteronomy 10:17](/deuteronomy/10-17 "Deuteronomy 10:17 - God Shows No Partiality")
* [Proverbs 24:23](/proverbs/24-23 "Proverbs 24:23 - Partiality in Judgment is Not Good")
* [James 2:1-4](/james/2-1 "James 2:1-4 - Warning Against Partiality")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 13:8 offers a timeless and piercing challenge to believers across generations: how do we truly "contend for God" in a manner that honors Him and reflects His character? It calls us to rigorous self-examination, urging us to ensure that our defense of theological truths is always grounded in integrity, humility, and a genuine pursuit of truth, rather than in rigid dogma, personal bias, or a desire to appear righteous. We must guard against the temptation to condemn others based on incomplete information or a simplistic understanding of divine justice. Instead, we are called to compassion, careful discernment, and a willingness to acknowledge the mystery of God's ways. This verse reminds us that God does not need our lies or our partiality to uphold His glory; He desires our truthfulness and our justice. Our witness for God is most potent when it is characterized by unwavering honesty and a profound respect for the dignity of others, even in disagreement.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I be tempted to "accept the person" of God, or of certain theological positions, in a way that leads to partiality or misjudgment of others?**
* **Am I ever guilty of defending God or my faith with arguments that are not entirely truthful, compassionate, or humble?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper understanding of God's character that allows for the complexities of suffering and avoids simplistic explanations?**
* **What does it mean to "contend for God" in a way that truly honors Him and reflects His justice and love in today's world?**

### FAQ
**What does "accept his person" mean in this context?**

Answer: In Job 13:8, "accept his person" translates the Hebrew idiom _nasa' panim_ (נָשָׂא פָנִים), which literally means "to lift up the face." This phrase, particularly in a judicial or argumentative context, signifies showing favoritism, partiality, or undue deference to someone based on their status, perceived authority, or simply to curry favor, rather than judging a matter based on truth and facts. Job is accusing his friends of showing such partiality towards God, not out of genuine reverence, but in a way that distorts justice and misrepresents God's character by condemning Job without full understanding. It implies they are more concerned with appearing to be on God's side than with discerning the truth of Job's situation, a practice explicitly condemned in biblical law and wisdom literature (e.g., [Deuteronomy 1:17](/deuteronomy/1-17 "Deuteronomy 1:17 - Judges Must Not Show Partiality") and [Proverbs 24:23](/proverbs/24-23 "Proverbs 24:23 - Partiality in Judgment is Not Good")).

**Why does Job challenge his friends' "contending for God"?**

Answer: Job challenges his friends' "contending for God" because he believes their defense of God is fundamentally flawed and based on false premises. While their stated intention is to uphold God's righteousness, Job sees their arguments as misrepresenting God's true character and justice. They rigidly adhere to the doctrine of immediate retribution, assuming Job's immense suffering must be due to hidden sin. Job argues that in their zeal to defend God, they are resorting to deceit, partiality, and a narrow understanding of divine ways. He implies that God does not need human lies or flawed logic to be defended, and that such a defense actually dishonors Him. This foreshadows God's own rebuke of the friends in [Job 42:7](/job/42-7 "Job 42:7 - God's Rebuke to Eliphaz"), where He states, "You have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." Job's challenge highlights the importance of integrity and truthfulness, even in theological discourse.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 13:8 directly addresses the integrity of human defense of God, it finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The friends' flawed attempt to "contend for God" by condemning an innocent man stands in stark contrast to God's ultimate self-vindication and revelation in Christ. Jesus perfectly embodied truth and integrity, never needing to resort to partiality or falsehood to defend God's character. He is the ultimate revelation of God's justice and mercy, demonstrating that God's ways are far more complex and redemptive than human retribution theology could conceive. Unlike Job's friends who misjudged and condemned, Jesus, the [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), took upon Himself the condemnation due to humanity, thereby truly vindicating God's righteousness and love without any compromise of truth. His life, death, and resurrection reveal a God who does not need human partiality to be glorified, but rather a God who, in His infinite wisdom and love, provides a perfect, righteous way for humanity to be reconciled to Him, not through human arguments or accusations, but through divine sacrifice. The New Testament consistently portrays Jesus as the one who perfectly reveals the Father ([John 14:9](/john/14-9 "John 14:9 - Whoever Has Seen Me Has Seen the Father")), and whose defense of God's character is not through human reasoning but through His very being and redemptive work, demonstrating that [God is love](/1_john/4-8 "1 John 4:8 - God Is Love") and [justifies the ungodly](/romans/4-5 "Romans 4:5 - God Justifies the Ungodly").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 24:23

¶ These [things] also [belong] to the wise. [It is] not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

Malachi 2:9

Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

Job 34:19

[How much less to him] that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all [are] the work of his hands.

Exodus 23:2

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to [do] evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest [judgment]:

Exodus 23:3

Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.

Job 32:21

Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.

Leviticus 19:15

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: [but] in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.