Job 17 3

Job 17:3 kjv

Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

Job 17:3 nkjv

"Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself. Who is he who will shake hands with me?

Job 17:3 niv

"Give me, O God, the pledge you demand. Who else will put up security for me?

Job 17:3 esv

"Lay down a pledge for me with you; who is there who will put up security for me?

Job 17:3 nlt

"You must defend my innocence, O God,
since no one else will stand up for me.

Job 17 verses

Job 17 3 Meaning

Job 17:3 is Job's fervent and audacious plea to God to act as a guarantor for his innocence. Feeling unjustly afflicted and seeing God as his adversary, Job challenges God to enter a binding legal agreement, making God Himself the surety who will testify on Job's behalf, or at least establish the terms of a fair trial. The latter part of the verse underscores his profound isolation, implying that no one else can or will stand as his guarantor in this divine dispute. It expresses his desperate longing for an impartial arbiter or a covenant of vindication with the Almighty.

Job 17 3 Context

Job 17:3 stands as a pivotal expression within Job's desperate monologue in chapters 16 and 17. In these chapters, Job shifts from debating his friends to directly addressing God. He vehemently asserts his innocence against the accusations of his companions and what he perceives as God's arbitrary oppression. Job is convinced he is dying and seeks vindication before death claims him. He feels completely abandoned by his friends, whom he likens to deceitful brooks, and by God, who he sees as tormenting him without cause (Job 16:7-14). He longs for an ultimate, undeniable declaration of his uprightness. This verse highlights his audacious challenge: rather than a human arbiter, he demands that God Himself become the legal guarantor of his innocence, effectively asking God to pledge on Job's behalf against His own (God's) accusations or apparent judgment. He despairs that no one in the physical realm can act as such a surety, reinforcing his profound isolation and unique appeal to the Divine.

Job 17 3 Word analysis

• Lay down: The Hebrew verb is śîm (שִׂים), meaning "to set, place, put, establish." Here, it carries the nuance of presenting something formally, setting forth a proposal or term, especially in a legal or covenantal sense. It's a command, an urgent request, as if demanding a formal proceeding.
• I pray: The particle nāʾ (נָא) accompanies the imperative, indicating an earnest plea or request. Despite the boldness of his demand, Job still expresses it as a supplication, revealing his awareness of addressing the Almighty.
• a pledge: The Hebrew term is ʿeᵊrōḇ (עָרַב), a Piel participle meaning "one who guarantees," or "one who pledges." In a legal context, it signifies a surety, a guarantor who vouches for another's solvency, appearance in court, or integrity. Job is asking for a literal legal bond.
• for me: lî (לִי) - clarifies the beneficiary of the pledge. Job wants the guarantee for himself.
• with yourself: ʾettĕḵā (אֶתְּךָ) - This is the profound paradox and audacity of Job's plea. He addresses God directly ("with You"), asking God to act as a guarantor for Job with God Himself. Job asks God to be both his adversary and his surety, demonstrating his profound belief in his own innocence and his ultimate trust in God's justice, even while questioning God's actions. It’s an appeal to God's own character and nature.
• Who is there: mî (מִי) - A rhetorical question that conveys Job's utter despair and isolation. It emphasizes the lack of any human capable or willing to stand between Job and God as a guarantor in this unique divine lawsuit.
• that will strike hands: The verb is yitqaʿ (יִתְקַע), Hiphil imperfect of tāqaʿ (תָּקַע), meaning "to strike, clap, blow." "Striking hands" (tāqaʿ kapp) is a well-known ancient Near Eastern idiom for sealing a formal agreement, covenant, or financial transaction, especially to become surety or confirm a promise. It represents a legally binding act.
• with me?: lî (לִי) - Reaffirms Job's need for a binding partner in this desperate, solitary legal situation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Lay down, I pray, a pledge for me with yourself": This phrase embodies the core of Job's desperate legal challenge. Job requests God to commit Himself to a binding agreement on Job's behalf. The idea of God acting as a pledge for Job with Himself (God) reveals Job's radical demand for ultimate vindication, stemming from his unshakeable conviction of his righteousness. It is an appeal from Job's perceived unjust tormentor to the ultimate standard of justice residing within God.
• "Who is there that will strike hands with me?": This rhetorical question highlights Job's immense isolation and the futility of seeking human assistance in his plight. He understands the unique nature of his struggle with God; no human is capable of entering such a weighty legal covenant on his behalf against God. This emphasizes his desperate need for divine intervention, as only God can be the ultimate guarantor in such a cosmic dispute.

Job 17 3 Bonus section

• The irony in Job's request is profound: he demands that God provide a guarantor for him against God's own actions. This highlights Job's perceived cosmic unfairness and his inability to find an arbiter in his divine lawsuit.
• The phrase "strike hands" (tāqaʿ kapp) indicates not just an agreement, but often a binding, risky one. For Job, it represents his ultimate wager on God's character.
• Job's plea anticipates the resolution of the book, where God eventually does "answer" and vindicate Job, though not in the legalistic manner Job initially demands. God's ultimate "surety" comes through His sovereign revelation.
• This verse encapsulates Job's shift from merely protesting to actively challenging God within a framework of legal responsibility, demonstrating a raw and unfiltered form of faith.

Job 17 3 Commentary

Job 17:3 captures the peak of Job's audacious faith amidst profound suffering and perceived divine injustice. It is a plea for God to act against the apparent trajectory of His own actions towards Job. The legal language—"pledge," "strike hands"—underscores Job's view of his suffering as a legal dispute, one in which he requires vindication. His unique request for God to be his guarantor to Himself speaks to an underlying conviction in God's ultimate justice, even while raging against the present circumstances. It reflects Job's profound spiritual wrestling: despite his despair, he refuses to give up on God, instead appealing directly to His divine character. This desperate yearning for an ultimate guarantor foreshadows the role of Christ as the true mediator and guarantor of a better covenant (Heb 7:22), who indeed stands between God and humanity to secure our vindication.