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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 23:1–7. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Job is confident that he has wrong done him by his friends, and therefore, ill as he is, he will not give up the cause, nor let them have the last word. Here,
I.He justifies his own resentments of his trouble (Job 23:2):
Even to day, I own, my complaint is bitter; for the affliction, the cause of the complaint, is so. There are wormwood and gall in the affliction and misery; my soul has them still in remembrance and is embittered by them, Lam 3:19, Lam 3:20. Even to day is my complaint counted rebellion (so some read it); his friends construed the innocent expressions of his grief into reflections upon God and his providence, and called them rebellion. "But," says he, "I do not complain more than there is cause; for my stroke is heavier than my groaning. Even today, after all you have said to convince and comfort me, still the pains of my body and the wounds of my spirit are such that I have reason enough for my complaints, if they were more bitter than they are." We wrong God if our groaning be heavier than our stroke, like froward children, who, when they cry for nothing, have justly something given them to cry for; but we do not wrong ourselves though our stroke be heavier than our groaning, for little said is soon amended.
II.He appeals from the censures of his friends to the just judgment of God; and this he thought was an evidence for him that he was not a hypocrite, for then he durst not have made such an appeal as this. St Paul comforted himself in this, that he that judged him was the Lord, and therefore he valued not man's judgment (Co1 4:3, Co1 4:4), but he was willing to wait till the appointed day of decision came; whereas Job is impatient, and passionately wishes to have the judgment-day anticipated, and to have his cause tried quickly, as it were, by a special commission. The apostle found it necessary to press it much upon suffering Christians patiently to expect the Judge's coming, Jam 5:7-9.
1.He is so sure of the equity of God's tribunal that he longs to appear before it (Job 23:3): O that I knew where I might find him! This may properly express the pious breathings of a soul convinced that it has by sin lost God and is undone for ever if it recover not its interest in his favour. "O that I knew how I might recover his favour! How I might come into his covenant and communion with him!" Mic 6:6, Mic 6:7. It is the cry of a poor deserted soul. "Saw you him whom my soul loveth? O that I knew where I might find him! O that he who has laid open the way to himself would direct me into it and lead me in it!" But Job here seems to complain too boldly that his friends wronged him and he knew not which way to apply himself to God to have justice done him, else he would go even to his seat, to demand it. A patient waiting for death and judgment is our wisdom and duty, and, if we duly consider things, that cannot be without a holy fear and trembling; but a passionate wishing for death or judgment, without any such fear and trembling, is our sin and folly, and ill becomes us. Do we know what death and judgment are, and are we so very ready for them, that we need not time to get readier? Woe to those that thus, in a heat, desire the day of the Lord, Amo 5:18.
2.He is so sure of the goodness of his own cause that he longs to be opening it at God's bar (Job 23:4): "I would order my cause before him, and set it in a true light. I would produce the evidences of my sincerity in a proper method, and would fill my mouth with arguments to prove it." We may apply this to the duty of prayer, in which we have boldness to enter into the holiest and to come even to the footstool of the throne of grace. We have not only liberty of access, but liberty of speech. We have leave,
(1.)To be particular in our requests, to order our cause before God, to speak the whole matter, to lay before him all our grievances, in what method we think most proper; we durst not be so free with earthly princes as a humble holy soul may be with God.
(2.)To be importunate in our requests. We are allowed, not only to pray, but to plead, not only to ask, but to argue; nay, to fill our mouths with arguments, not to move God (he is perfectly apprized of the merits of the cause without our showing), but to move ourselves, to excite our fervency and encourage our faith in prayer.
3.He is so sure of a sentence in favour of him that he even longed to hear it (Job 23:5): "I would know the words which he would answer me," that is, "I would gladly hear what God will say to this matter in dispute between you and me, and will entirely acquiesce in his judgment." This becomes us, in all controversies; let the word of God determine them; let us know what he answers, and understand what he says. Job knew well enough what his friends would answer him; they would condemn him, and run him down. "But" (says he) "I would fain know what God would answer me; for I am sure his judgment is according to truth, which theirs is not. I cannot understand them; they talk so little to the purpose. But what he says I should understand and therefore be fully satisfied in."
III.He comforts himself with the hope that God would deal favourably with him in this matter, Job 23:6, Job 23:7.
Note, It is of great use to us, in every thing wherein we have to do with God, to keep up good thoughts of him. He believes,
1.That God would not overpower him, that he would not deal with him either by absolute sovereignty or in strict justice, not with a high hand, nor with a strong hand: Will he plead against me with his great power? No. Job's friends pleaded against him with all the power they had; but will God do so? No; his power is all just and holy, whatever men's is. Against those that are obstinate in their unbelief and impenitency God will plead with his great power; their destruction will come from the glory of his power. But with his own people, that love him and trust in him, he will deal in tender compassion.
2.That, on the contrary, he would empower him to plead his own cause before God: "He would put strength in me, to support me and bear me up, in maintaining my integrity." Note, The same power that is engaged against proud sinners is engaged for humble saints, who prevail with God by strength derived from him, as Jacob did, Hos 12:3. See Psa 68:35.
3.That the issue would certainly be comfortable, Job 23:7. There, in the court of heaven, when the final sentence is to be given, the righteous might dispute with him and come off in his righteousness. Now, even the upright are often chastened of the Lord, and they cannot dispute against it; integrity itself is no fence either against calamity or calumny; but in that day they shall not be condemned with the world, though God may afflict by prerogative. Then you shall discern between the righteous and the wicked (Mal 3:18), so vast will be the difference between them in their everlasting state; whereas now we can scarcely distinguish them, so little is the difference between them as to their outward condition, for all things come alike to all. Then, when the final doom is given, "I shall be delivered for ever from my Judge," that is, "I shall be saved from the unjust censures of my friends and from that divine sentence which is now so much a terror to me." Those that are delivered up to God as their owner and ruler shall be for ever delivered from him as their judge and avenger; and there is no flying from his justice but by flying to his mercy.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
We bewail our sins when we begin to weigh them. We weigh them the more exactly when more anxiously we bewail them. By our lamentations it rises up more perfectly in our hearts that the severity of God threatens those who commit sin. What will be those reproofs on the children of perdition, what terror, what the abhorrence of the unappeasable majesty? Great things shall the Lord then, being angry, declare to the lost, as great as he permits them of justice to undergo.…Who else except the Mediator between God and humankind, the man Christ Jesus, is denoted by the title of “equity”? Concerning whom it is written, “Who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness.” And whereas this same righteousness came into this world against the ways of sinners, we get the better of our old enemy, by whom we were held captive. So let him say, “I do not want him to contend with me with great power or oppress me with the weight of his mightiness. Let him judge me justly, and my judgment will come to victory.” In other words, for the correction of my ways let him send his incarnate Son. Then by the sentence of my absolution, I will turn out as a victor over the plotting foe.
If the only begotten Son of God had so remained invisible in the strength of divine nature as not to have admitted anything derived from our weakness, when could weak people ever have found the access of grace to him? For the weight of his greatness, being considered, would rather have oppressed than aided things. Yet he agreed with us by assuming our weakness, that he might elevate us to his own abiding strength.
33. An elect person if he did not know God, assuredly would not love Him. But it is one thing to ‘know’ by faith, and another to know by His own Form, one thing to find by trustfulness, another to find Him by contemplation. In consequence whereof it is brought to pass that Him Whom they know by faith, all of the Elect long to see by His own Form as well. With the love of Whom they burn and glow because the honey of His sweetness they already taste of in the mere certainty of their faith. Which that person in the country of the Gerasenes cured of the devils well represents, who wishes to depart with Jesus; but by the Master of health it is, told him, Return to thine own house, and show what great things God hath done unto thee. [Luke 8, 39] For on him that loves delay is still imposed, that by the longing of love delayed the title to rewarding may be heightened. And so to us Almighty God is made sweet in miracles, and yet in His own loftiness remains hidden from our eyes, that both by showing something of Himself, He may by secret inspiration set us on fire in the love of Him, and yet by hiding the gloriousness of His Majesty may increase the force of that love of Him by the heat of longing desire. For except the holy man sought to see This Being in His Majesty, surely he would not bring in the words, that I might come even to His seat? For what is the ‘seat’ of God but those angelical Spirits, who as Scripture testifies are called ‘Thrones?’ He then that desires to ‘come to the seat of God,’ what else does he long for but to be among the Angelic spirits, that no failing moments of the periods of time he henceforth be liable to, but rise up to abiding glory in the contemplation of eternity.
34. Which words nevertheless are likewise appropriate to the righteous whilst placed in this life. For when they see any thing done against their wish and desire, they have recourse to the hidden judgments of God, that therein they may read that that is not irregularly ordered within, which seems to pass irregularly without. For when they behold with the eyes of faith the Creator of all things, ruling over the Angelical Spirits, then they ‘come to His seat.’ And whereas they observe that He, Who rules the Angels in a wonderful manner, does not dispose of man in any way contrary to justice, then indeed the principles of cases they see to be as just as they are, whilst the cases themselves externally seem to be unjust. And whereas they do this with humility, they often lay blame to themselves in their will, and their own wishes they sometimes judge in themselves, whilst they ponder that those things are better which the Creator appoints.
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Summary
Job 23:3 encapsulates Job's profound spiritual anguish and his desperate, fervent yearning for a direct, personal encounter with God amidst his inexplicable suffering and the relentless, unfounded accusations of his friends. Overwhelmed by the perceived injustice and the silence of the heavens, Job articulates an intense desire to locate the Almighty and present his case directly before God's ultimate seat of judgment, confident that such an audience would bring not only vindication and clarity but also a revelation of the divine purpose behind his profound afflictions.
Context
Literary Context
Job 23 is situated within the third and final cycle of dialogues between Job and his three friends, specifically serving as Job's impassioned response to Eliphaz's harsh and accusatory speech in Job 22. While his friends consistently adhere to the rigid retribution principle, asserting that Job's immense suffering must be a direct consequence of hidden sin, Job steadfastly maintains his innocence and refuses to confess to transgressions he has not committed. This chapter marks a pivotal moment where Job shifts from directly refuting their specific charges to articulating his deep spiritual distress and his persistent, almost obsessive, longing for a divine audience. He laments God's apparent elusiveness, noting that God seems absent from every direction he searches (Job 23:8-9). Despite this perceived hiddenness, Job expresses unwavering confidence that if he could indeed stand before God, he would be justified and emerge from his trials as pure gold (Job 23:10).
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Job is set in the land of Uz, a non-Israelite location often associated with regions east of Edom or in northern Arabia, suggesting a patriarchal, pre-Mosaic period. The cultural milieu is deeply embedded in the ancient Near East, where wisdom literature frequently grappled with complex questions of divine justice, human suffering, and the nature of righteousness. The concept of a divine court or a king's judgment seat was a familiar and powerful trope, signifying the ultimate authority where petitions were heard, grievances addressed, and verdicts rendered. Job's profound desire to "come even to his seat" is deeply rooted in this cultural understanding of seeking justice and vindication from the highest possible authority. The prevailing theological framework of the time, championed by Job's friends, was the "retribution principle," which posited a direct and immediate correlation between an individual's righteousness and their prosperity, and conversely, between their wickedness and their suffering—a simplistic yet dominant belief that Job's experience profoundly challenges and ultimately expands upon throughout the book.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully encapsulates several central themes that permeate the Book of Job. Firstly, it highlights the profound problem of suffering (theodicy), as Job grapples with pain that defies conventional explanation and challenges traditional understandings of divine justice. Secondly, it underscores the theme of divine hiddenness or God's apparent silence, a recurring motif throughout Job's laments, where he feels God is distant, elusive, and unresponsive despite his earnest search (Job 23:8-9). Thirdly, the verse demonstrates the remarkable integrity and persistence of Job's faith; even in the depths of despair, confusion, and perceived abandonment, he does not turn away from God but relentlessly seeks Him, holding onto the belief in God's ultimate righteousness and the possibility of vindication (Job 13:15). Finally, it emphasizes Job's fervent desire for justice and vindication, as he longs for a direct, personal encounter with God to plead his case and receive a fair hearing, convinced that he will be found innocent.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
While nâthan primarily means "to give" (H5414), it is used idiomatically in this context to express an intense, almost desperate longing or fervent wish. The phrase "Oh that" (often rendered as "Who will give?") conveys a profound yearning for something that is currently unattainable or beyond human power to achieve. In Job's context, it signifies not a casual wish, but a deep, agonizing desire for a specific situation—a direct encounter with God—to come about, highlighting the perceived insurmountable barrier between him and the Divine.
This word (H8499) refers to "something arranged or fixed, i.e. a place; seat." While it can denote a simple seat, in the context of approaching God, it carries the profound connotation of a throne or a seat of authority, power, and judgment. It signifies the place where a king, judge, or sovereign sits to render decisions, administer justice, and exercise ultimate rule. Job's desire to come to God's "seat" is not merely to find Him anywhere, but specifically to His place of ultimate authority, where he can present his legal case and receive a divine verdict or explanation for his suffering.
Verse Breakdown
"Oh that I knew where I might find him!"
This clause expresses Job's profound spiritual distress and his desperate yearning for a tangible, direct encounter with God. It highlights God's apparent hiddenness or elusiveness from Job's perspective, despite Job's fervent desire for His presence. Job is not questioning God's existence or sovereignty, but rather His accessibility and the reason for His silence in the face of his overwhelming and inexplicable suffering. This is a raw cry of anguish, born from a deep sense of abandonment, confusion, and the pressing need for divine interaction.
"[that] I might come [even] to his seat!"
This second clause clarifies the specific purpose of Job's desired encounter. He does not merely wish to locate God in any general sense; he longs to approach God's throne of judgment or place of ultimate authority. This signifies his desire for a formal, legal hearing—a divine court where he can present his case, plead his innocence, and receive a just verdict. It underscores his unwavering belief in God's ultimate justice and his conviction that a direct audience would either vindicate him or provide the understanding and clarity he so desperately seeks regarding his afflictions.
Literary Devices
The verse is powerfully imbued with Pathos, effectively conveying Job's deep sorrow, profound frustration, and desperate longing, thereby evoking profound sympathy from the reader. His opening cry, "Oh that I knew," functions as an Exclamation, forcefully expressing intense emotion and a fervent, almost impossible wish for a direct divine encounter. The phrase "his seat" serves as a potent Metonymy, where the physical object (the throne or seat) stands in for the abstract concept of God's ultimate authority, judgment, and sovereign presence. This also creates vivid Imagery, painting a picture of a petitioner humbly yet determinedly approaching a divine monarch's throne, seeking justice and resolution. The entire verse is a quintessential example of a Lament, a common biblical genre where the suffering individual pours out their heart to God, often questioning divine ways while simultaneously seeking solace and resolution from the very God who seems distant.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 23:3 articulates a profound and universal human longing for divine encounter, particularly in moments of inexplicable suffering, injustice, or profound confusion. It starkly highlights the tension between God's sovereign control and His perceived hiddenness or silence, a theological mystery that pervades not only the Book of Job but also much of biblical thought regarding the problem of evil and suffering. Job's desperate desire for a direct audience with God, to present his case and receive vindication, reflects a deep-seated human need for justice, clarity, and meaning in a world often marked by chaos and pain. This passage powerfully affirms that even in the depths of despair, true faith continues to seek God, holding fast to the belief in His ultimate righteousness and the possibility of divine intervention or revelation.
Reflection and Application
Job's poignant cry in Job 23:3 resonates deeply with the human experience of feeling lost, misunderstood, or abandoned in the face of overwhelming trials. It validates the raw, honest expression of our deepest longings, frustrations, and even accusations to God. When life's circumstances defy explanation, and God seems silent or distant, this verse reminds us that it is not only permissible but often necessary to voice our yearning for His presence and understanding. Job's persistent search, even without immediate answers, encourages us to maintain our faith and continue seeking God, trusting that His justice and goodness will ultimately prevail, even if His ways remain mysterious to us. Our desire for a "seat" of justice can be met in prayer, bringing our petitions and laments before the God who hears and who invites us into His presence, knowing that He is both sovereign and compassionate, even when His purposes are veiled.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Job want to "find" God and "come to his seat"?
Job's fervent desire to "find" God and "come to his seat" stems from the profound and inexplicable suffering he endures, coupled with the relentless, unhelpful theological accusations of his friends. Job believes his pain is unjust and that his friends' arguments—that his suffering is a direct consequence of hidden sin—are false. Therefore, Job longs for a direct, personal audience with God, the ultimate Judge and Sovereign. He desires to present his case, plead his innocence, and receive a divine verdict or explanation for his affliction. His yearning for God's "seat" (or throne of judgment) signifies his desire for a formal, legal hearing where he can be vindicated and gain clarity. He trusts that God, being ultimately just, would either declare him righteous or reveal the purpose of his trials. This is not a desire to escape God, but to engage with Him directly on the matter of his suffering and integrity, as he believes only God can provide the true answers and justice he seeks. This longing highlights the universal human need for divine accountability and the resolution of cosmic injustice, themes powerfully explored throughout the Book of Job.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job's desperate cry to "find" God and "come even to his seat" finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Job longed for a direct audience with the divine judge, a mediator who could bridge the infinite gap between humanity and God. Yet, the New Testament reveals that through Christ, the very Son of God, humanity now has confident and direct access to the Father. Jesus is the Word made flesh, the visible manifestation of the invisible God whom Job yearned to find. He is also our Great High Priest, who has passed through the heavens, making it possible for us to draw near with confidence to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace in time of need. Job sought a judgment seat, but Christ's finished work transforms it into a throne of grace, where our advocate pleads our case, not for the vindication of our own righteousness, but for the imputation of His perfect righteousness. Thus, Job's ancient longing is not merely answered but profoundly surpassed in the person and work of Jesus, who is both the God we seek and the way to His presence, the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and provides eternal access to the Father's presence, as promised in John 14:6.