TRV
Translation
King James Version
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
Complete Jewish Bible
that he would arbitrate between a man and God, just as one does for his fellow human being.
American Standard Version
That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor!
World English Bible Messianic
that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!
Young's Literal Translation
And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.
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In the KJVVerse 13,260 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 16 verses 17–22
17 ¶ Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Job's condition was very deplorable; but had he nothing to support him, nothing to comfort him? Yes, and he here tells us what it was.
I. He had the testimony of his conscience for him that he had walked uprightly, and had never allowed himself in any gross sin. None was ever more ready than he to acknowledge his sins of infirmity; but, upon search, he could not charge himself with any enormous crime, for which he should be made more miserable than other men, Job 16:17.
1.He had kept a conscience void of offence, (1.) Towards men: "Not for any injustice in my hands, any wealth that I have unjustly got or kept." Eliphaz had represented him as a tyrant and an oppressor. "No," says he, "I never did any wrong to any man, but always despised the gain of oppression." (2.) Towards God: Also my prayer is pure; but prayer cannot be pure as long as there is injustice in our hands, Isa 1:15. Eliphaz had charged him with hypocrisy in religion, but he specifies prayer, the great act of religion, and professes that in that he was pure, though not from all infirmity, yet from reigning and allowed guile: it was not like the prayers of the Pharisees, who looked no further than to be seen of men, and to serve a turn.
2.This assertion of his own integrity he backs with a solemn imprecation of shame and confusion to himself if it were not true, Job 16:18. (1.) If there were any injustice in his hands, he wished it might not be concealed: O earth! cover thou not my blood, that is, "the innocent blood of others, which I am suspected to have shed." Murder will out; and "let it," says Job, "if I have ever been guilty if it," Gen 4:10, Gen 4:11. The day is coming when the earth shall disclose her blood (Isa 26:21), and a good man as far from dreading that day. (2.) If there were any impurity in his prayers, he wished they might not be accepted: Let my cry have no place. He was willing to be judged by that rule, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, Psa 66:18. There is another probable sense of these words, that he does hereby, as it were, lay his death upon his friends, who broke his heart with their harsh censures, and charges the guilt of his blood upon them, begging of God to avenge it and that the cry of his blood might have no place in which to lie hid, but might come up to heaven and be heard by him that makes inquisition for blood.
II. He could appeal to God's omniscience concerning his integrity, Job 16:19. The witness in our own bosoms for us will stand us in little stead if we have not a witness in heaven for us too; for God is greater than our hearts, and we are not to he our own judges. This therefore is Job's triumph, My witness is in heaven. Note, It is an unspeakable comfort to a good man, when he lies under the censure of his brethren, that there is a God in heaven who knows his integrity and will clear it up sooner or later. See Joh 5:31, Joh 5:37. This one witness is instead of a thousand.
III. He had a God to go to before whom he might unbosom himself, Job 16:20, Job 16:21. See here, 1. How the case stood between him and his friends. He knew not how to be free with them, nor could he expect either a fair hearing with them or fair dealing from them. "My friends (so they call themselves) scorn me; they set themselves not only to resist me, but to expose me; they are of counsel against me, and use all their art and eloquence" (so the word signifies) "to run me down." The scorns of friends are more cutting than those of enemies; but we must expect them, and provide accordingly. 2. How it stood between him and God. He doubted not but that, (1.) God did now take cognizance of his sorrows: My eye pours out tears to God. He had said (Job 16:16) that he wept much; here he tells us in what channel his tears ran, and which way they were directed. His sorrow was not that of the world, but he sorrowed after a godly sort, wept before the Lord, and offered to him the sacrifice of a broken heart. Note, Even tears, when sanctified to God, give ease to troubled spirits; and, if men slight our grief, this may comfort us, that God regards them. (2.) That he would in due time clear up his innocency (Job 16:21): O that one might plead for a man with God! If he could but now have the same freedom at God's bar that men commonly have at the bar of the civil magistrate, he doubted not but to carry his cause, for the Judge himself was a witness to his integrity. The language of this wish is like that in Isa 50:7, Isa 50:8, I know that I shall not be ashamed, for he is near that justifies me. Some give a gospel sense of this verse, and the original will very well bear it; and he will plead (that is, there is one that will plead) for man with God, even the Son of man for his friend, or neighbour. Those who pour out tears before God, though they cannot plead for themselves, by reason of their distance and defects, have a friend to plead for them, even the Son of man, and on this we must bottom all our hopes of acceptance with God.
IV. He had a prospect of death which would put a period to all his troubles. Such confidence had he towards God that he could take pleasure in thinking of the approach of death, when he should be determined to his everlasting state, as one that doubted not but it would be well with him then: When a few years have come (the years of number which are determined and appointed to me) then I shall go the way whence I shall not return. Note, 1. To die is to go the way whence we shall not return. It is to go a journey, a long journey, a journey for good and all, to remove from this to another country, from the world of sense to the world of spirits. It is a journey to our long home; there will be no coming back to out state in this world nor any change of our state in the other world. 2. We must all of us very certainly, and very shortly, go this journey; and it is comfortable to those who keep a good conscience to think of it, for it is the crown of their integrity.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–22. Public domain.
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Gregory the DialogistAD 604
30. We acknowledge indeed always that we are sinners, yet often, when laid under the rod, we do not know for what sin in particular we are stricken, and we sift ourselves with minute examining, that if we might in any way be able we might trace out the cause of our being struck; and whereas this is for the most part hidden from us, our blindness becomes a load upon us, and we are the more pained at what we are suffering. But anyone that ‘comes to judgment with his neighbour,’ both says what he thinks, and knows what answer is made in return, and strikes a blow where he will, and knows from what quarter he is struck. But he that is smitten with the visitation of God, while he knows indeed that he is beaten, but knows not why he is beaten, as it were himself says what he thinks, but does not know what may be said against him; seeing that he himself indeed groans under the rod, but God does not declare openly for what cause of vengeance He strikes him. Therefore it is said now, Oh! that a man were so judged with God, as a son of man is judged with his neighbour! As if it were expressed in plain words; ‘As in all, that I say, I am heard, so would that I heard all that is said concerning me.’ Which, nevertheless, can never be brought about in this life, in that there is a great obstruction before the eyes of our heart, against our beholding the subtle nature of God, even our mere frailty by itself; but we shall then see Him with clearness by Whom we are now searchingly beheld, when this frailty laid aside, we attain to the grace of the interior contemplation, of which Paul saith, For then shall I know, as also I am known. [1 Cor. 13, 12] Hence blessed Job, seeing that that knowledge can never be in the fullest way perfected here, groans indeed over the blindness of the present life; yet consoles himself by the shortness thereof.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
MORALS ON THE BOOK OF JOB 13.28-31
Yet this voice may together with blessed Job suitably apply to each one of us as well; for every person who aims at human praises in what he does, seeks a “witness” on earth. But he that is eager to please almighty God by his deeds takes into account that he has a “witness in heaven.” It often happens that inconsiderate people find fault with even the very best things in us; but one who “has a witness in heaven” has no need to fear human reproofs. Hence it is further added, “My friends are full of words; my eye pours out tears to God.” For what is denoted by the eye but the intent of the heart? As it is written, “If your eye is good, your whole body shall be full of light.” For when anything is done with a good intention, the enacting of that intention gains no favor in the sight of God. And so when friends are full of words, that is, when the very same persons deny they are joined with us in faith, “the eye” must “pour out tears to God,” so that the whole bent of our heart may run out into the piercing of interior love and lift itself up to the things of the interior. Being forced back by external reproaches, it is driven to turn back within, lest it should vanish.… As if it were expressed in plain words, “As in all that I say, I am heard, so would that I heard all that is said concerning me.” But this can never be brought about in this life, because there is a great obstruction before the eyes of our heart, blocking from our sight the subtle nature of God, even our mere frailty by itself. But we shall then see him with clarity by whom we are now searchingly beheld. When this frailty is laid aside, we will receive that grace of inward contemplation of which Paul says, “For then shall I know, as also I am known.” Hence blessed Job, seeing that that knowledge can never be in the fullest way perfected here, groans indeed over the blindness of the present life, yet consoles himself by life’s brevity, saying, “For when a few years have come, I shall go the way from which I shall not return.” Everything that passes is short, even though it should seem slow in being finished, but in the way of death we “go and do not return by it,” not because we are not brought back by rising again to the life of the flesh but because we do not come again to the labors of this mortal life or to earn rewards by our labors.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 16:21 encapsulates Job's profound and desperate yearning for an intermediary, an advocate who could stand between him and God. In the throes of immense suffering, feeling unjustly accused by his friends and seemingly attacked by the Almighty Himself, Job cries out for a fair hearing. He longs for someone to plead his case with God, just as one would arbitrate a dispute between neighbors. This poignant verse powerfully conveys his deep sense of isolation, his unwavering conviction of innocence, and his fervent plea for a just and relational encounter with the divine.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Job 16 is situated within Job's third cycle of speeches (chapters 12-17), where he confronts the inadequate and often accusatory counsel of his friends. Having just vividly described God as his relentless assailant, tearing him in anger and making him a target of divine wrath (Job 16:9-14), Job pivots from lamenting God's perceived hostility to expressing a desperate longing for an impartial arbiter. This verse immediately precedes his declaration of a "witness in heaven" and an "advocate on high" (Job 16:19), suggesting a nascent hope or an appeal to a higher court, even as he feels utterly alone and without earthly recourse. It marks a shift from purely expressing anguish to articulating a specific, albeit seemingly impossible, solution to his predicament.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Near Eastern societies, the concept of an arbiter, mediator, or "daysman" was fundamental for resolving disputes, particularly when a significant power imbalance existed or when parties could not reach an agreement. Job's plea in Job 16:21 deeply reflects this ingrained cultural understanding of legal and relational processes. He desires that God would engage with him not merely as an omnipotent, inscrutable sovereign, but as a party in a dispute, subject to the same principles of fairness, accessibility, and mediated justice that would govern a disagreement between human neighbors. This highlights his profound yearning for a relational and equitable form of divine justice, rather than arbitrary power.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully articulates the theme of human helplessness and vulnerability before overwhelming divine power, especially when that power appears arbitrary or punitive. It underscores Job's desperate longing for vindication and justice, as he firmly believes his suffering is undeserved and seeks a means to prove his innocence before God. The verse also introduces the profound human need for intercession and advocacy, a theme that resonates throughout the biblical narrative, from Moses interceding for Israel after the golden calf incident (Exodus 32:11-14) to the prophetic calls for a righteous judge. Job's cry for a mediator serves as a poignant, albeit unwitting, foreshadowing of the ultimate divine solution to humanity's inherent separation from God, a problem deeply explored in passages like Isaiah 59:1-2.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 16:21 employs several powerful literary devices that amplify its emotional and theological weight. The primary device is Apostrophe, as Job directly addresses an absent or abstract entity (the desired "one") with an impassioned plea, underscoring his profound isolation and the depth of his yearning for intervention. Simile is central to the verse, comparing the desired divine pleading to the familiar human act of pleading for a neighbor. This comparison highlights Job's desire for a relatable, accessible form of justice from God, mirroring human legal and relational norms. The verse is imbued with Pathos, evoking deep sympathy for Job's suffering and his desperate need for vindication, as his cry is born out of intense anguish and a profound sense of injustice. Finally, there is an element of Dramatic Irony, as Job's cry for a mediator unknowingly foreshadows the ultimate divine Mediator, Jesus Christ, a truth far beyond his comprehension at this moment in his suffering.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job's poignant cry for an advocate in Job 16:21 encapsulates a universal human longing for someone to bridge the chasm between finite humanity and an infinite, holy God. It speaks to the inherent human need for vindication and justice, especially when suffering appears inexplicable or unjust. Theologically, this verse highlights the profound problem of human access to God in the face of sin and perceived divine judgment, setting the stage for the ultimate biblical solution to this dilemma. It reveals a deep-seated human intuition that direct, unmediated access to God is fraught with peril, and that an intermediary is necessary for true reconciliation and understanding, particularly when one feels unjustly accused or condemned by the divine.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job's desperate plea in Job 16:21 resonates deeply with the human experience of feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, or unjustly treated, whether by circumstances, others, or even a perceived divine silence. It reminds us that in our moments of profound suffering and confusion, the desire for an advocate—someone to stand in our corner, articulate our pain, and vouch for our integrity—is a fundamental human need. This verse invites us to acknowledge our own limitations in approaching God on our own terms, especially when burdened by sin, doubt, or a sense of injustice. It prompts us to consider where we place our hope for justice and vindication, and how we respond when those hopes seem unmet or when God's ways appear inscrutable. Ultimately, it directs us to the profound comfort and security found in the truth that our deepest need for an intercessor has been perfectly and eternally fulfilled in Christ, transforming our desperate cries into confident prayers.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did Job believe in a future advocate or mediator?
Answer: While Job expressed a profound longing for an intermediary, as seen in Job 16:21 and earlier in Job 9:33, his understanding of such a figure was likely rooted in the ancient Near Eastern concept of an arbiter or "daysman" who could stand between two disputing parties. He yearned for someone to bridge the gap between himself and God, to ensure a fair hearing and a just resolution to his perceived divine conflict. There's no clear indication that he had a prophetic foresight of a specific, divine-human mediator like Jesus Christ in the New Testament sense. His hope was more of a desperate, immediate need for someone to intervene in his present suffering and perceived injustice. However, his cry beautifully foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment of this universal human need, even if he did not fully comprehend its future, Christological form.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's desperate cry for an advocate in Job 16:21 finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Job longed for a human standard of justice to be applied to his divine predicament, a "daysman" who could stand between him and God. Unbeknownst to him, this deep human need for an intercessor would be met by the only one capable of bridging the infinite chasm between a holy God and sinful humanity: Jesus, who is both fully God and fully man. The New Testament declares unequivocally that there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus. He is our great High Priest, who is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Unlike the temporary and imperfect human arbiters Job envisioned, Christ's advocacy is eternal, perfect, and based on His atoning sacrifice. He understands our weaknesses, having been tempted in every way, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). When we stumble, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. Thus, Job's ancient, poignant plea echoes through time, pointing prophetically to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and stands eternally as our perfect, compassionate, and righteous Intercessor, ensuring our access to God and the ultimate vindication of His people.