TRV
Translation
King James Version
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
Complete Jewish Bible
"You may take a superior attitude toward me and cite my disgrace as proof against me;
Berean Standard Bible
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,
American Standard Version
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach;
World English Bible Messianic
If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;
Geneva Bible (1599)
But in deede if ye will aduance your selues against me, and rebuke me for my reproche,
Young's Literal Translation
If, truly, over me ye magnify yourselves, And decide against me my reproach;
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In the KJVVerse 13,303 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 19 verses 1–7
1 ¶ Then Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
Job's friends had passed a very severe censure upon him as a wicked man because he was so grievously afflicted; now here he tells them how ill he took it to be so censured. Bildad had twice begun with a How long (Job 8:2, Job 18:2), and therefore Job, being now to answer him particularly, begins with a How long too, Job 19:2. What is not liked is commonly thought long; but Job had more reason to think those long who assaulted him than they had to think him long who only vindicated himself. Better cause may be shown for defending ourselves, if we have right on our side, than for offending our brethren, though we have right on our side. Now observe here,
I. How he describes their unkindness to him and what account he gives of it. 1. They vexed his soul, and that is more grievous than the vexation of the bones, Psa 6:2, Psa 6:3. They were his friends; they came to comfort him, pretended to counsel him for the best; but with a great deal of gravity, and affectation of wisdom and piety, they set themselves to rob him of the only comfort he had now left him in a good God, a good conscience, and a good name; and this vexed him to his heart. 2. They broke him in pieces with words, and those were surely hard and very cruel words that would break a man to pieces: they grieved him, and so broke him; and therefore there will be a reckoning hereafter for all the hard speeches spoken against Christ and his people, Jde 1:15. 3. They reproached him, (Job 19:3), gave him a bad character and laid to his charge things that he knew not. To an ingenuous mind reproach is a cutting thing. 4. They made themselves strange to him, were shy of him now that he was in his troubles, and seemed as if they did not know him (Job 2:12), were not free with him as they used to be when he was in his prosperity. Those are governed by the spirit of the world, and not by any principles of true honour or love, who make themselves strange to their friends, or God's friends, when they are in trouble. A friend loves at all times. 5. They not only estranged themselves from him, but magnified themselves against him (Job 19:5), not only looked shy of him, but looked big upon him, and insulted over him, magnifying themselves to depress him. It is a mean thing, it is a base thing, thus to trample upon those that are down. 6. They pleaded against him his reproach, that is, they made use of his affliction as an argument against him to prove him a wicked man. They should have pleaded for him his integrity, and helped him to take the comfort of that under his affliction, and so have pleaded that against his reproach (as St. Paul, Co2 1:12); but, instead of that, they pleaded his reproach against his integrity, which was not only unkind, but very unjust; for where shall we find an honest man if reproach may be admitted for a plea against him?
II. How he aggravates their unkindness. 1. They had thus abused him often (Job 19:3): These ten times you have reproached me, that is, very often, as Gen 31:7; Num 14:22. Five times they had spoken, and every speech was a double reproach. He spoke as if he had kept a particular account of their reproaches, and could tell just how many they were. It is but a peevish and unfriendly thing to do so, and looks like a design of retaliation and revenge. We better befriend our own peace by forgetting injuries and unkindnesses than by remembering them and scoring them up. 2. They continued still to abuse him, and seemed resolved to persist in it: "How long will you do it?" Job 19:2, Job 19:5. "I see you will magnify yourselves against me, notwithstanding all I have said in my own justification." Those that speak too much seldom think they have said enough; and, when the mouth is opened in passion, the ear is shut to reason. 3. They were not ashamed of what they did, Job 19:3. They had reason to be ashamed of their hard-heartedness, so ill becoming men, of their uncharitableness, so ill becoming good men, and of their deceitfulness, so ill becoming friends: but were they ashamed? No, though they were told of it again and again, yet they could not blush.
III. How he answers their harsh censures, by showing them that what they condemned was capable of excuse, which they ought to have considered. 1. The errors of his judgment were excusable (Job 19:4): "Be it indeed that I have erred, that I am in the wrong through ignorance or mistake," which may well be supposed concerning men, concerning good men. Humanum est errare - Error cleaves to humanity; and we must be willing to suppose it concerning ourselves. It is folly to think ourselves infallible. "But be it so," said Job, "my error remaineth with myself," that is, "I speak according to the best of my judgment, with all sincerity, and not from a spirit of contradiction." Or, "If I be in an error, I keep it to myself, and do not impose it upon others as you do. I only prove myself and my own work by it. I meddle not with other people, either to teach them or to judge them." Men's errors are the more excusable if they keep them to themselves, and do not disturb others with them. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself. Some give this sense of these words: "If I be in an error, it is I that must smart for it; and therefore you need not concern yourselves: nay, it is I that do smart, and smart severely, for it; and therefore you need not add to my misery by your reproaches." 2. The breakings out of his passion, though not justifiable, yet were excusable, considering the vastness of his grief and the extremity of his misery. "If you will go on to cavil at every complaining word I speak, will make the worst of it and improve it against me, yet take the cause of the complaint along with you, and weigh that, before you pass a judgment upon the complaint, and turn it to my reproach: Know then that God has overthrown me," Job 19:6. Three things he would have them consider: - (1.) That his trouble was very great. He was overthrown, and could not help himself, enclosed as in a net, and could not get out. (2.) That God was the author of it, and that, in it, he fought against him: "It was his hand that overthrew me; it is in his net that I am enclosed; and therefore you need not appear against me thus. I have enough to do to grapple with God's displeasure; let me not have yours also. Let God's controversy with me be ended before you begin yours." It is barbarous to persecute him whom God hath smitten and to talk to the grief of one whom he hath wounded, Psa 69:26. (3.) That he could not obtain any hope of the redress of his grievances, Job 19:7. He complained of his pain, but got no ease - begged to know the cause of his affliction, but could not discover it - appealed to God's tribunal for the clearing of his innocency, but could not obtain a hearing, much less a judgment, upon his appeal: I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard. God, for a time, may seem to turn away his ear from his people, to be angry at their prayers and overlook their appeals to him, and they must be excused if, in that case, they complain bitterly. Woe unto us if God be against us!
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
FRAGMENTS ON JOB 13.15, 29
"And if I—let us suppose—had done things that should not have been done, even if I had been in such a condition, was it not necessary just the same that you felt ashamed while seeing my afflictions, disease, worms and loss of goods? But you approach me without commiserating with me and without feeling any sympathy for my adversities."
John ChrysostomAD 407
COMMENTARY ON JOB 19:3B-6A
Job says this as a concession. He always acts in this manner, by multiplying his concessions. He does not allow the discussion to languish on the same point but begins his fight again. Let us admit, he says, that you reprove my words for being foolish, vain and inopportune. You, nonetheless, had no reason to insult me, even if things were so, but it was necessary to respect my distress, to fear him who had struck me, to forgive because of the greatness of my misfortunes.“But alas! Since you magnify yourselves against me and insult me with reproach,” he says, “know then that it is the Lord that has troubled me.” What do these words mean? That it is necessary to have respect and fear? In my opinion, Job wants to suggest in this passage that if he was suffering so much, it was not because of his faults—in fact, if God strikes one, does one always suffer because of his faults? Not Job, and not many others—but in order to be tested and to achieve more victories.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
33. But perhaps we shall consider these words more thoroughly, if we point out how they apply to the friends of blessed Job personally in a special sense. For they, when they saw the righteous man smitten, ought to have turned back into their own deepest interior, and not to have persecuted blessed Job with words of upbraiding, but to have bewailed their own case; seeing that, if he was so stricken, who served as he did, with what vengeance did they deserve to be smitten, who had not served like him? And it is rightly said to them, Ye are set up against me; as if it were said to them in plainer terms; ‘Ye who ought by occasion of my being smitten to have been set up against your own selves,’ this being the order of such setting up on the side of goodness, viz. that we be first set up against ourselves, and afterwards against the wicked. For he that is set up against the good, is blown out in pride. Thus we are set up against ourselves, when, reviewing our own evil deeds, we smite ourselves with the severe avenging of penance, when we do not spare ourselves at all in our sins, and are not biassed by any fond thoughts towards ourselves, who, if we first rigidly follow up our evil things in ourselves, it is likewise fair, that we should be set up against the evil in others too for their good, and that the evil which we punish in ourselves, we should subdue in others too, by charging it home to them.
34. But this sort of setting up the wicked know nothing of, because they leave themselves, and attack the good; they incline themselves towards themselves, in their secret heart, by the softness of fond flattering, and they are set up against the lives of good men by the severity of harshness, whence it is now rightly said to the friends of blessed Job swelling against him under his scourge, Ye are set up against me: i.e. ‘Your own selves, that deserve to be rebuked, ye leave, and me ye rebuke with severe sentences.’ For he that does not judge himself first, is ignorant what to judge right in another; and if perchance he did know by the hearing what to judge right, yet he is not able to judge rightly the merits of another, who has no rule of judging supplied him by the consciousness of his own innocence. Hence it is that it is said to certain persons dealing deceitfully, when they brought an adulteress to receive punishment; He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. [John 8, 7] For they went for the punishing of others’ sins, and they had left their own behind; and so they are called back to their conscience within them, that they should first correct their own faults, and then reprove those of others. It is hence that, when the tribe of Benjamin was deep sunk in the guilt of carnal sin, all Israel banded together would have avenged that wickedness, yet was once and again itself smitten down in the conflict of war; but on the Lord being consulted whether they should go to take vengeance, it was commanded them. [Judges 20] The People, that went according to the bidding of God’s voice, fell both once and again, and then at length effectually smiting the sinning tribe, almost wholly extirpated it. How is it that it is first kindled to the revenge of sin, and yet afterwards itself brought down; but that those are to be chastised first themselves, by whose means the sins of others are chastised; that they may themselves now come cleansed through vengeance, who are forward to chastise the evil of others? Whence it follows that when the vengeance of God’s inquest is at rest towards us, our own conscience should reprove its own self, and by its own act lift itself up against self, to sorrows of penance, neither being set up towards the good, and humble towards itself, but unbending towards itself, and bowed low towards all the good. Thus to proud men administering reproof, it is rightly said; Ye are set up against me, and ye charge me with my reproaches. All persons that are set up, account temporal afflictions to be a grievous reproach, and they think every individual to be the more despised by God, in proportion as they see him scourged with the rod of affliction. For they look for nothing in principles, they look for nothing in practices; but whomsoever they see to be stricken in this life, they imagine to be already condemned by God’s sentence; whence it is well said on this occasion by the voice of blessed Job;
And ye charge me with my reproaches.
35. In that they, who knew him to be righteous before his strokes, were now judging him to be unrighteous by the mere fact of his being stricken, and hence it very often happens that Heretics, because they see persons within the bosom of Holy Church suffering affliction; (for it is written of God, And scourgeth every son whom He receiveth [Heb. 12, 6];) fancy that the sorrows of the faithful arise from nothing but sin, and themselves they for this reason conclude to be righteous, because being left in the thoughts of their evil ways, lacking the rod, they have become hardened.
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 19:5 captures Job's profound anguish and sense of betrayal as he confronts his friends, who, instead of offering comfort, exacerbate his suffering through their judgmental accusations. He perceives their arguments as a self-exalting act, where they leverage his misery and "reproach"—his shamed and afflicted state—as evidence to condemn him, thus adding insult to his already unbearable injury. This verse vividly portrays the pain of being misunderstood and falsely accused by those expected to provide solace.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 19:5 effectively employs several literary devices to convey Job's profound distress. The primary device is Irony, as the friends, who initially came to comfort Job, instead become his accusers, turning solace into torment. This reversal of expectation amplifies Job's sense of betrayal. There is also a strong element of Pathos, as Job's words are designed to evoke pity and understanding for his plight, highlighting the emotional cruelty of his friends' actions. The phrase "magnify yourselves against me" can be seen as a form of Hyperbole, reflecting Job's intense feeling that his friends are not just disagreeing but are actively asserting their superiority and making his suffering an occasion for their own self-aggrandizement. Finally, the concept of "pleading against me my reproach" uses Metonymy, where "reproach" stands in for the suffering and disgrace that is the cause of the reproach, emphasizing how his very condition is being weaponized against him.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 19:5 serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers of human judgment and the limitations of a rigid, retributional theology. It challenges us to consider how we approach those who suffer, urging us towards empathy and humility rather than quick, self-righteous pronouncements. The friends' actions illustrate the human tendency to "magnify" one's own understanding or perceived righteousness, often at the expense of another's dignity and pain. This verse underscores that true wisdom often involves silence, compassion, and a willingness to sit with mystery, rather than offering simplistic answers or condemning the afflicted. It implicitly points to a deeper, more profound understanding of God's ways that transcends human logic and suffering, a truth Job himself will ultimately grasp.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 19:5 offers a powerful and enduring lesson on the nature of true compassion and the perils of judgment. In our own lives, we are often quick to analyze, diagnose, and even condemn those who are suffering, particularly when their circumstances challenge our preconceived notions of how God works. This verse calls us to examine our hearts: do we approach others with a spirit of humility and empathy, seeking to understand their pain, or do we, like Job's friends, "magnify ourselves" by asserting our own wisdom or theological frameworks, thereby "pleading reproach" against them? The profound isolation Job experiences reminds us that our words have immense power to either heal or wound. True comfort involves bearing witness to another's pain, offering a compassionate presence, and resisting the urge to offer simplistic explanations or attribute blame. It challenges us to be careful listeners and humble servants, recognizing that sometimes the most profound act of love is simply to weep with those who weep, without judgment or accusation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Job's friends accuse him instead of comforting him?
Answer: Job's friends operated under a strict retribution theology, a common belief in the ancient Near East that suffering was always a direct consequence of sin. Because Job was suffering immensely, they concluded he must have committed some grave, hidden sin. Their "comfort" was therefore an attempt to get Job to confess his sin so that God would restore him. They believed they were upholding divine justice, but in doing so, they failed to offer true empathy or acknowledge the possibility of innocent suffering, which was beyond their theological framework. Their approach is a stark contrast to the divine perspective revealed later in the book, particularly in Job 42.
What does "magnify yourselves" mean in this context?
Answer: To "magnify yourselves" in Job 19:5 means that Job's friends were exalting their own wisdom, their own understanding of God's ways, and their own perceived righteousness above Job's suffering. They were not humbly seeking to understand Job's perspective or the mystery of his pain, but rather asserting their theological superiority and using Job's plight as an opportunity to demonstrate their own "correct" understanding of justice. It implies a self-important, even arrogant, posture that prioritizes their intellectual framework over compassionate human connection.
How does Job 19:5 relate to the overall message of the Book of Job?
Answer: Job 19:5 is crucial because it encapsulates the central conflict between Job's lived experience of innocent suffering and his friends' rigid, flawed theology. It highlights the inadequacy of human wisdom to comprehend divine mysteries and the pain caused by false accusation. This verse sets the stage for Job's ultimate vindication by God, who rebukes the friends for not speaking rightly about Him, as recorded in Job 42:7. It underscores the book's message that God's justice and wisdom transcend human understanding and that suffering is not always a direct punishment for sin.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 19:5, with its depiction of an innocent man suffering false accusation and the cruel judgment of his supposed comforters, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Job, though righteous, was still a sinner; yet he was accused and his "reproach" was pleaded against him. Jesus, however, was truly innocent, "who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth," as affirmed in 1 Peter 2:22. Yet, He was the ultimate innocent sufferer, falsely accused by religious leaders who magnified themselves against Him, pleading His supposed "reproach" before Pilate and the crowds, as detailed in Mark 14:55-59. He bore the ultimate "reproach" of humanity, becoming sin for us and enduring the shame of the cross, so that we might be reconciled to God, as explained in Hebrews 12:2. Unlike Job's friends, who offered condemnation, Jesus is our compassionate High Priest who understands our weaknesses and intercedes for us, as beautifully described in Hebrews 4:15. Job's desperate hope in a Redeemer who would stand upon the earth, declared in Job 19:25, is perfectly realized in Christ, who not only bore our reproach but also triumphed over sin and death, offering true comfort and eternal vindication to all who believe.