Job 9:14 (KJV)

What does Job 9:14 mean?

Job 9:14 expresses Job’s feeling that, if it is so hard for anyone to stand before God, then he himself has even less chance of answering God or choosing the right words to argue his case. Job is overwhelmed by the idea of reasoning or defending himself before such a powerful and wise God.

In this verse, Job is speaking to his friends, reflecting on the impossibility of contending with God in a debate or legal sense. The context is Job’s suffering and his struggle to understand why he is afflicted. Job’s words show his humility and sense of smallness, recognizing that he cannot hope to justify himself or argue successfully before God.

The Hebrew behind Job 9:14

• The word "answer" (עָנָה, ‘anah) often means to respond or reply, especially in a legal or formal setting. Here, it highlights Job’s sense that he cannot even begin to respond to God’s questions or charges.
• The phrase "choose out" (בָּחַר, bachar) means to select or carefully pick. Job feels unable to even select the right words, showing his awareness of how inadequate any human argument would be before God.
• The word "words" (דָּבָר, davar) refers to spoken things, statements, or arguments. Job’s mention of words emphasizes the challenge of finding anything to say that could stand up in God’s presence.

Why Job 9:14 matters

• This verse clears up the idea that Job is arrogant or defiant; instead, Job is deeply aware of his limits and the impossibility of arguing with God.
• Job 9:14 connects to the wider passage by showing Job’s ongoing struggle to make sense of his suffering and his relationship with God, setting the stage for his later pleas and questions.
• The verse highlights the gap between human understanding and God’s wisdom, a theme that runs throughout the book of Job and shapes the entire conversation between Job and his friends.