Job 19

1 Then Job [a patriarch famous for his patience] answered [replied, made a response, and said] [and spoke, to dwell, to give an answer]: word study 2 “How long [till when, until what point] will you torment [vex, afflict] me and crush [break, bruise] me with your words [speech, utterances, words that have power]? word study 3 Ten [a decade, a multitude of] times now you have reproached [humiliated, insulted] me; you shamelessly [without guilt, impudently] mistreat [wrong, deal hardly with] me. word study 4 Even if I have truly [assuredly, without a doubt] gone astray [erred, made a mistake, wandered], my error [mistake, wrongdoing, transgression] concerns [remains with, is mine alone] me alone [myself, personally]. word study 5 If indeed [truly, surely] you would exalt [magnify, make great] yourselves above me and use [plead, decide against me with] my disgrace [reproach, shame] against me, word study 6 then [at this point, now] understand that it is God [Eloah, the one true deity] who has wronged [perverted, twisted] me and drawn [set, surrounded] His net [a fortress or stronghold] around me [upon, above, and enclosing me]. word study 7 Though I cry out [with a loud voice, in distress], ‘Violence [cruelty, injustice]!’ I get no response [am not heard, receive no answer]; though I call for help [shout aloud, cry for aid], there is no justice [fairness, righteous judgment]. word study 8 He has [completely] blocked my way [path, journey] so I cannot pass [cross over, transition]; He has [completely] veiled [hedged up, walled off] my paths [roads, journey] with [in, surrounded by] darkness [spiritual gloom, misery]. word study 9 He has stripped [taken away, removed] me of my honor [glory, reputation] and removed [taken, turned aside] the crown from my head [the topmost part of the body]. word study 10 He tears [breaks down, destroys] me down on every side [around, surrounding me] until I am gone [lost, removed]; He uproots [plucks up, removes] my hope [expectancy, confidence] like a tree [a strong and firm object]. word study 11 His anger [furious wrath, burning indignation] burns [is kindled, is ignited] against me, and He counts [reckons, considers] me among [as one of, like] His enemies [adversaries, those who oppose Him]. word study 12 His troops [armies, bands of soldiers] advance together [unitedly, as one]; they construct [build, raise up] a ramp [siege ramp, way] against me and encamp [set up camp, pitch their tents] around [surrounding, encompassing] my tent [tabernacle, dwelling place]. word study 13 He has removed [taken far away, driven off] my brothers [close relatives, friends] from me; my acquaintances [those who know me, familiar friends] have abandoned [estranged, become strangers to] me. word study 14 My kinsmen [nearest relatives, family members] have failed [ceased to support, forsaken] me, and my friends [familiar friends, close companions] have forgotten [dismissed from memory, overlooked] me. word study 15 My guests [sojourners, temporary dwellers] and maidservants [female slaves, servants] count me as a stranger [an alien, foreigner]; I am a foreigner [unfamiliar, unknown] in their sight [before their eyes, in their presence]. word study 16 I call [cry out, summon] for my servant [slave, attendant], but he does not answer [respond, give reply], though I implore [beg, entreat] him with my own mouth [lips, voice]. word study 17 My breath [spirit, the breath of life] is repulsive [strange, a stranger to] to my wife [woman, female companion], and I am loathsome [disgusting, an abomination] to my own family [children of my own body, sons of my mother’s womb]. word study 18 Even [young, insignificant] little boys [sucklings, young children] scorn [despise, reject] me; when I appear [rise, stand up], they deride [speak against, ridicule] me. word study 19 All [every one of, without exception] my best friends [intimate companions, closest associates] despise [abhor, turn against] me, and those I love [have affection for, cherish] have turned [been overturned, completely reversed] against me. word study 20 My skin [clinging to my body] and flesh [the body or a person] cling [cleave, stick closely] to my bones [the substance or essence of something]; I have escaped [been delivered, slipped away to safety] by the skin [barely, with nothing to spare] of my teeth [the slightest margin]. word study 21 Have pity [show kindness, be gracious] on me, my friends [neighbors, companions], have pity [show compassion, sympathy], for [because, since] the hand [power, direction] of God [Eloah, the one true God] has struck [touched, reached] me. word study 22 Why do you persecute [pursue, chase after] me as God [the Almighty, having divine power] does? Will you never get enough [be satisfied, glut yourselves] of my flesh [my body, my person]? word study 23 I wish [long to see, desire deeply] that my words [speech, utterances] were recorded [written down, inscribed] and inscribed [engraved, decreed] in a book [scroll, written document], word study 24 by an iron [strong metal] stylus [writing instrument, like a pen] on lead [heavy metal, used for durability], or chiseled [cut, carved, hewn] in stone [rock, boulder, eternal monument] forever [perpetuity, eternity, without end]. word study 25 But I know [am certain, have confidence] that my Redeemer [kinsman, vindicator] lives [is alive, has life], and in the end [last day, final time] He will stand [rise, take His place] upon [on, above] the earth [dust, land]. word study 26 Even after my skin [has been destroyed by worms, is eaten away] has been destroyed, yet in my flesh [my body, my mortal being] I will see God [Eloah, the one true deity, my Creator]. word study 27 I [myself, personally] will see Him [with my own eyes, clearly] for myself; my eyes [the windows of my soul] will behold Him, and not [but intimately] as a stranger [one unknown or unacquainted]. How my heart [the center of my being, my emotions] yearns [longs, is consumed with desire] within me [in my innermost self]! word study 28 If you say [to yourselves], ‘Let us persecute [pursue, chase after] him, since the root [source, foundation] of the matter [affair, thing] lies [is found, exists] with him [in him, within him],’ word study 29 then you should fear [be in awe of, dread] the sword [cutting instrument] yourselves, because wrath [intense anger, rage] brings punishment [retribution, consequence] by the sword, so that you may know [ascertain, understand] there is a judgment [legal suit, divine verdict].” word study