Job 17:3

KJV

Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who [is] he [that] will strike hands with me?

KJV (with Strong's)

Lay down {H7760} now, put me in a surety {H6148} with thee; who is he that will strike {H8628} hands {H3027} with me?

Complete Jewish Bible

Be my guarantor, yourself! Who else will put up a pledge for me?

Berean Standard Bible

Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor?

American Standard Version

Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself; Who is there that will strike hands with me?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 17:3 captures Job's profound despair and his audacious, yet deeply theological, plea to God. Feeling utterly isolated and unjustly afflicted, he implores the Almighty to act as his guarantor or advocate, seeking a binding divine pledge to vindicate his integrity against both his human accusers and what he perceives as God's own adversarial hand. This desperate cry for divine surety highlights Job's unwavering conviction in his righteousness concerning the specific charges leveled against him, even as he grapples with the inscrutable nature of his suffering.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 17:3 is situated within Job's third cycle of speeches (chapters 15-21), specifically following Eliphaz's second speech and preceding Bildad's third. In this section, Job continues to lament his suffering and the failure of his friends to offer genuine comfort or understanding. His words are characterized by a deep sense of betrayal and a growing boldness in directly addressing God. The immediate verses leading up to 17:3 describe Job's physical deterioration and his friends' mocking glances, intensifying his feeling of abandonment. His plea for a "surety" in verse 3 is a direct response to his perceived lack of human support and his desperate need for divine intervention in what he views as a legal dispute. He feels his "spirit is broken" and his "days are extinct" [Job 17:1](/job/17-1 "Job 17:1 - Job's Broken Spirit"). This verse marks a pivotal moment where Job, having exhausted human avenues, turns directly to God for a resolution, even if it means challenging God Himself.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The language of Job 17:3 is steeped in ancient Near Eastern legal and commercial practices. The concept of a "surety" (Hebrew: *'ārab*) and "striking hands" (Hebrew: *tāqaʿ kāph*) refers to a solemn, binding agreement or pledge, often made in the presence of witnesses, to guarantee a debt, fulfill a promise, or stand as security for another. This custom was widespread, as evidenced in various ancient legal texts and biblical proverbs (e.g., [Proverbs 6:1-5](/proverbs/6-1 "Proverbs 6:1-5 - Warning Against Surety")). For Job to ask God to "put me in a surety with thee" is to invoke this legal framework, essentially asking God to enter into a binding covenant or to act as a guarantor for Job's integrity, even against God's own apparent judgment. This highlights Job's understanding of God not just as an omnipotent ruler, but also as one who operates within a framework of justice and covenant, albeit one that Job finds perplexing in his current circumstances.

* **Key Themes:** Job 17:3 powerfully encapsulates several overarching themes in the Book of Job. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **divine justice and human suffering**, as Job grapples with the apparent contradiction between his blameless life and his extreme affliction. He is not merely seeking comfort but a just verdict. Secondly, the verse highlights Job's profound **isolation and the failure of human wisdom**. His friends, the supposed comforters, have become his tormentors, reinforcing his loneliness and driving him to seek a higher court. Thirdly, and most significantly, it introduces the theme of a **divine advocate or mediator**. Job's longing for a "surety" or one who will "strike hands" with him foreshadows the universal human need for an intercessor between a holy God and sinful humanity, a need that is ultimately met in the person of Christ. This cry for a divine champion echoes Job's earlier longing for an "umpire" or "mediator" [Job 9:33](/job/9-33 "Job 9:33 - Job's Desire for an Umpire"), demonstrating his persistent faith that God, despite appearing as his adversary, is also his only hope for vindication.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Surety (Hebrew, _'ārab'_):** This verb means "to pledge," "to guarantee," "to act as security," or "to become surety for." In ancient Near Eastern legal contexts, it referred to taking on the responsibility for another's debt or obligation. Job's use of this term is audacious; he is not asking God to find a guarantor for him, but for God Himself to *become* his guarantor, to pledge His own integrity on Job's behalf. It implies a demand for God to commit to a fair process or to affirm Job's innocence.
* **Strike hands (Hebrew, _tāqaʿ kāph'_):** This idiomatic expression literally means "to clap the hand" or "to strike the palm." It was a customary action in the ancient world to seal a binding agreement, a contract, or a pledge. It signified a solemn, public commitment, often involving legal or financial obligations. By asking, "who is he that will strike hands with me?", Job is lamenting the absence of anyone, human or divine, willing to enter into such a binding agreement to stand with him or vouch for his integrity in his perceived legal dispute with God and his friends.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee;":** Job directly addresses God, using imperative verbs ("Lay down," "put"). "Lay down" (Hebrew: *sûmāh*) can mean "appoint," "establish," or "place." Job is demanding that God Himself establish or appoint Job's case, taking on the role of his guarantor or pledge-holder. This is a bold, almost confrontational, request, asking God to commit to a specific course of action or to vouch for Job's integrity in the face of the accusations. Job is seeking a binding divine commitment to ensure a just outcome.
* **"who [is] he [that] will strike hands with me?":** This is a rhetorical question that underscores Job's profound isolation and despair. Having asked God to be his surety, he then immediately questions if anyone, even God, would truly enter into such a binding agreement with him. It highlights his perceived abandonment by all, including God, whom he paradoxically appeals to as his only hope. The question conveys his sense that no one is willing to stand by him, to make a solemn pledge on his behalf, or to offer him vindication.

#### Literary Devices
Job 17:3 employs several powerful literary devices to convey Job's emotional and spiritual state. The most prominent is **Rhetorical Question**, "who is he that will strike hands with me?", which emphasizes Job's profound isolation and the perceived absence of any advocate. This question is not seeking an answer but expressing despair and a sense of abandonment. **Legal Metaphor** is central, as Job frames his suffering as a legal dispute, using terms like "surety" and "strike hands." This metaphor transforms his lament into a demand for justice and a fair hearing, reflecting his conviction that he is innocent of the specific charges of sin leveled against him. The **Direct Address** to God ("Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee") is a form of **Apostrophe**, where Job speaks directly to an absent or unresponsive entity (God), highlighting his desperate need for divine engagement. Finally, the verse contains a strong element of **Irony**, as Job, feeling God is his adversary, simultaneously appeals to God as his only potential guarantor.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 17:3 powerfully articulates humanity's deep-seated need for an advocate, particularly when facing overwhelming adversity or perceived injustice. Job's cry for God to be his "surety" reveals a profound theological insight: only God Himself can truly vindicate, mediate, and provide ultimate security in the face of suffering and accusation. This longing transcends Job's immediate circumstances, pointing to a universal human condition where we often feel alone and in need of a divine champion to stand between us and the consequences of sin, or even between us and the inscrutable ways of God. It highlights the tension between God's apparent distance and His ultimate role as the source of all justice and truth.

* [Job 9:33](/job/9-33 "Job 9:33 - Job's Desire for an Umpire")
* [Psalm 73:23-24](/psalms/73-23 "Psalm 73:23-24 - God's Sustaining Presence")
* [Isaiah 53:11](/isaiah/53-11 "Isaiah 53:11 - The Servant's Vindication")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 17:3 offers a profound space for reflection on our own experiences of suffering, injustice, and isolation. It grants us permission to bring our raw, even seemingly irreverent, questions and demands directly to God. Job's audacious plea for God to be his guarantor reminds us that even when God's ways are inscrutable, and even when we feel God is against us, He remains the ultimate source of justice and our only true hope for vindication. This verse challenges us to trust in God's character, even when His actions are incomprehensible, and to persist in prayer, laying bare our deepest anxieties and desires for fairness. It also calls us to consider our role as comforters to others, learning from the failures of Job's friends, and striving to offer empathy and presence rather than simplistic theological answers. Ultimately, Job's cry for a divine surety resonates with the universal human longing for a mediator who can bridge the gap between our finite understanding and God's infinite wisdom, and between our brokenness and His perfect righteousness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you feel misunderstood or unjustly accused, prompting a longing for vindication?**
* **How does Job's bold, direct address to God challenge or affirm your own approach to prayer in times of distress?**
* **When human support fails, and God's presence feels distant, where do you typically turn for a sense of security or justice?**
* **How does the concept of a divine "surety" or "advocate" speak to your deepest spiritual needs?**

### FAQ
**Why does Job ask God to be his "surety" if he feels God is afflicting him?**

Answer: This is a central paradox in the Book of Job. Job's request for God to be his "surety" (Hebrew: *'ārab*) is not a sign of confusion but a profound theological statement. He believes in his integrity regarding the specific accusations of sin from his friends and even from God's perceived judgment. By asking God to be his guarantor, Job is essentially demanding that God Himself vouch for Job's blamelessness or at least commit to a fair process. It's a legal challenge: "If I am truly guilty, then show me; but if not, then you, God, must stand with me and vindicate me." This audacious plea demonstrates Job's deep faith in God's ultimate justice, even when God's actions seem contradictory to that justice. He is appealing from God's perceived wrath to God's ultimate character, believing that only God can truly resolve the cosmic legal dispute he finds himself in, as he also expresses in his desire for an umpire in [Job 9:33](/job/9-33 "Job 9:33 - Job's Desire for an Umpire").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's desperate cry for a divine "surety" in Job 17:3, lamenting that no one will "strike hands" with him, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Job's longing for a mediator, an advocate who would stand between him and God, is a profound foreshadowing of the New Covenant. We, like Job, are in need of a guarantor, not because of specific accusations against our integrity, but because of our inherent sinfulness and the righteous demands of a holy God. The Law, through its inability to provide perfect righteousness, condemned humanity, leaving us without a "surety." However, Christ became our ultimate **Surety** and **Mediator**, the one who "struck hands" with God on our behalf. He is the one [mediator between God and mankind](/1_timothy/2-5 "1 Timothy 2:5 - The One Mediator"), who, through His perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection, secured our peace with God. He is our [advocate with the Father](/1_john/2-1 "1 John 2:1 - Jesus Christ, the Righteous Advocate"), who intercedes for us, guaranteeing our standing before God. Unlike Job, who found no one to strike hands with him, believers in Christ have a High Priest who [sympathizes with our weaknesses](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Our Sympathetic High Priest") and has entered into the very presence of God on our behalf, securing an [eternal redemption](/hebrews/9-12 "Hebrews 9:12 - Christ's Eternal Redemption"). Thus, Job's ancient lament points directly to the person and work of Jesus, who fully and finally answers humanity's deepest cry for a divine guarantor.

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

Isaiah 38:14

Like a crane [or] a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail [with looking] upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

Hebrews 7:22

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Proverbs 11:15

¶ He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it]: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

Genesis 43:9

I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

Psalms 119:122

Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.

Genesis 44:32

For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

Job 9:33

Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, [that] might lay his hand upon us both.