Chapter Overview
Summary
Job 13 continues Job's response with a turn TOWARD-DIRECT-CONTEST WITH-GOD. Verse 15 — 'though he slay me, I will hope in him' (KJV-tradition) — is one of the Bible's most-quoted faith-declarations, though the Hebrew has a textual-difficulty (qere/ketiv) that opens-different-readings. Verse 16 — 'this also shall be my salvation' — is echoed at Philippians 1:19.
Notable Variants
13:15 'though he slay me, I will hope in him' — qere/ketiv textual-debate; 13:16 'this shall be my salvation' → Philippians 1:19 verbatim-from-LXX (touto moi apobēsetai eis sōtērian); 13:23 'how many are my iniquities and sins?' — direct-question-to-God.
Structural Notes
MT Job 13 = LXX Job 13. 28 verses.
Look — my eye has seen all of this; my ear has heard and understood it.
'Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it' tracks MT.
What you know, I know just as well. I am not inferior to you.
'What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you' tracks MT.
But I want to speak to the Almighty. I desire to argue my case before God.
'But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God' tracks MT. ARGUE-MY-CASE-WITH-GOD — Job's-court-petition. The book builds toward chapter 38's divine-response.
But you — you smear on lies. You are all worthless healers.
'As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all' tracks MT. WHITEWASH-WITH-LIES — Ezekiel 13:10–15 (whitewashed wall) parallel.
If only you would be completely silent — that would be your wisdom!
'Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom!' tracks MT. SILENCE-AS-WISDOM. Proverbs 17:28 ('even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise') parallel.
Hear now my argument; listen to the pleading of my lips.
'Hear now my argument and listen to the pleadings of my lips' tracks MT.
Will you speak dishonestly on God's behalf? Will you tell lies for him?
'Will you speak falsely for God and speak deceitfully for him?' tracks MT. ANTI-FALSE-DEFENSE-OF-GOD — God does not need lies-in-his-defense.
Will you show partiality on his behalf? Will you argue God's case for him?
'Will you show partiality toward him? Will you plead the case for God?' tracks MT.
Will it go well for you when he examines you? Do you think you can deceive him the way you deceive a mortal?
'Will it be well with you when he searches you out? Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man?' tracks MT.
He will surely rebuke you if you secretly show partiality.
'He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality' tracks MT.
Will not his majesty terrify you? Will not his dread fall upon you?
'Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you?' tracks MT.
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ash. Your defenses are defenses of clay.
'Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay' tracks MT.
Be silent before me. Let me speak. Then let whatever happens happen to me.
'Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may' tracks MT.
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hands?
'Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand?' tracks MT.
Even if he kills me, I will wait for him — but I will argue my ways to his face.
Masoretic (WLC)
הֵן יִקְטְלֵנִי לוֹ אֲיַחֵל אַךְ־דְּרָכַי אֶל־פָּנָיו אוֹכִיחַ
Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face
Septuagint (LXX)
ἐάν με χειρώσηται ὁ δυνάστης ἐπεὶ καὶ ἦρκται ἦ μὴν λαλήσω καὶ ἐλέγξω ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ
Though the Mighty One subdue me, since he has begun, yes, I will speak and reprove before him
FAMOUS QERE/KETIV TEXTUAL-DEBATE. The MT has a qere/ketiv: ketiv (written) lo' ('not' — 'though he slay me, I will not hope') vs. qere (read) lo ('to/in him' — 'though he slay me, I will hope in him'). The KJV-tradition follows the qere ('I will hope in him'); modern-critical-translations sometimes preserve the ketiv ('I have no hope').
LXX'S DIVERGENT READING. The LXX renders neither qere nor ketiv but a free-paraphrase: 'though the Mighty One [should subdue] me, since he has begun, I will speak and reprove before him.' The LXX emphasizes Job's-determination-to-speak rather than his-trust. The KJV-tradition's beloved-rendering follows the qere reading; the LXX takes a third-direction.
DEVOTIONAL-USE. The KJV-tradition's 'though he slay me, yet will I trust in him' has become one of the most-quoted faith-declarations in Christian history — appearing in countless hymns and devotional-works.
This itself will be my vindication — that no godless person would dare come before him.
Masoretic (WLC)
גַּם־הוּא־לִי לִישׁוּעָה כִּי־לֹא לְפָנָיו חָנֵף יָבוֹא
This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him
Septuagint (LXX)
καὶ τοῦτό μοι ἀποβήσεται εἰς σωτηρίαν οὐ γὰρ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ δόλος εἰσελεύσεται
This also will turn out for my salvation, for no deceit will come before him
PHILIPPIANS 1:19 ECHO. Paul at Philippians 1:19 writes: 'I know that THIS WILL TURN OUT FOR MY DELIVERANCE (touto moi apobēsetai eis sōtērian) through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.' Paul's wording matches Job 13:16 LXX VERBATIM. Paul, writing from prison, identifies-his-situation with Job's — finding-deliverance through-trial. The Pauline-Job typology: the apostle-as-righteous-sufferer-being-vindicated.
Whether Paul's quotation is conscious-citation or unconscious-allusion is debated, but the verbal-overlap is exact. The phrase functions like an OT-talisman embedded in Pauline-self-understanding.
Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration reach your ears.
'Keep listening to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears' tracks MT.
Look — I have prepared my case. I know that I will be vindicated.
'Behold, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be in the right' tracks MT. PREPARED-MY-CASE legal-imagery.
Who will bring charges against me? If anyone can, I will fall silent and die.
'Who is there who will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die' tracks MT.
Only grant me two things, and then I will not hide from your face:
'Only grant me two things, then I will not hide myself from your face' tracks MT.
Take your hand off me, and stop terrifying me with your dread.
'Withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me' tracks MT.
Then you call and I will answer, or let me speak and you respond to me.
'Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you reply to me' tracks MT.
How many are my crimes and sins? Show me my transgression and my sin.
'How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin' tracks MT. MAKE-ME-KNOW-MY-SIN — direct petition for divine-self-disclosure of-charge.
Why do you hide your face and treat me as your enemy?
'Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy?' tracks MT.
Will you terrorize a wind-driven leaf? Will you chase dry stubble?
'Will you frighten a driven leaf and pursue dry chaff?' tracks MT.
You write bitter charges against me and make me inherit the sins of my youth.
'For you write bitter things against me and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth' tracks MT.
You put my feet in the stocks and watch my every path. You carve a mark around the soles of my feet.
'You put my feet in the stocks and watch all my paths; you set a limit for the soles of my feet' tracks MT.
Meanwhile he wastes away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths.
'Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten' tracks MT. MOTH-EATEN GARMENT — Matthew 6:19's 'where moth and rust destroy' echoes.