Job 19 7

Job 19:7 kjv

Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.

Job 19:7 nkjv

"If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard. If I cry aloud, there is no justice.

Job 19:7 niv

"Though I cry, 'Violence!' I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.

Job 19:7 esv

Behold, I cry out, 'Violence!' but I am not answered; I call for help, but there is no justice.

Job 19:7 nlt

"I cry out, 'Help!' but no one answers me.
I protest, but there is no justice.

Job 19 verses

Job 19 7 Meaning

Job 19:7 conveys Job's profound agony and sense of divine abandonment. He proclaims that despite his urgent, distressed cries regarding the "violence" he endures, God gives him no answer, and despite his appeal, no justice or righteous judgment is forthcoming. This highlights Job's perception that God is silent and is failing to act justly on his behalf, turning a deaf ear to his desperate pleas.

Job 19 7 Context

Job chapter 19 stands as a pivotal moment in the book of Job, representing a peak of Job's despair and a shift in his discourse. Having endured successive rounds of accusations and comfortless advice from his three friends, Job is utterly bereft. He sees himself as forsaken not just by his friends and family (vv. 8-10, 13-19) but, more profoundly, by God Himself. This verse directly follows his heart-wrenching plea for his words to be inscribed, a testament to his desire for future vindication (vv. 23-24). Job, while maintaining his innocence against his friends' retribution theology, also feels God is attacking him. The historical and cultural context for the original audience involves understanding the common ancient Near Eastern belief in divine justice and retribution, where suffering was generally seen as punishment for sin. Job's experience profoundly challenges this paradigm, as he, a righteous man, experiences extreme suffering and perceives a lack of justice from the very source he expected it from—God. His lament echoes ancient legal proceedings where the oppressed would cry out for a judge to hear their case and deliver justice.

Job 19 7 Word analysis

• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinneh): An interjection signaling emphatic attention, often used to introduce a surprising, dramatic, or significant statement. It emphasizes Job's astonishment and the shocking nature of his predicament.

• I cry out (צָעַק - tsa'aq): To shout, cry aloud, often in distress, agony, or appeal for help. This term is frequently used in the Old Testament for the cry of the oppressed or those facing injustice (e.g., Ex 2:23; Deut 22:27; Judg 10:12), seeking divine or human intervention.

• 'Violence!' (חָמָס - ḥamas): More than mere physical force, ḥamas denotes a deeper sense of injustice, wrongdoing, cruelty, or oppressive harm. Job perceives that he is suffering "violence" not necessarily from human assailants (though that might be implied in the attacks) but as a victim of unjust treatment, even from God or allowed by God. This indicates a wrongful act that breaches established order or covenant.

• but I get no answer (וְלֹא אֵעָנֶה - və-lo' 'e'aneh): From the verb עָנָה (‘anah), meaning "to answer, respond, attend to, be heard." This phrase highlights God's perceived silence, His failure to respond to Job's plea, and by extension, His apparent indifference or lack of concern. For Job, a lack of divine answer means a lack of validation or relief.

• I call aloud (אֲשַׁוַּע - 'ashavva'): Related to the root שׁוע (shava') meaning "to cry for help, appeal, supplicate." It suggests a more formal or urgent appeal, often in a legal sense, a desperate plea for an intervener or judge.

• but there is no justice (וְאֵין מִשְׁפָּט - və-’ein mishpat): Mishpat refers to justice, judgment, ordinance, or the act of delivering a right verdict. Its absence signifies that the divine court (which Job feels he is in) is not operating according to its own righteous standards on his behalf. Job's call for justice remains unheard and ungranted.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "I cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I get no answer": This pairing illustrates the tragic irony of Job's situation. He, an innocent and righteous man, identifies himself as a victim of egregious ḥamas and desperately cries out for a hearing, yet encounters deafening silence from the very One who is supposed to uphold justice. This emphasizes God's perceived withdrawal and the human anguish of unheard suffering.
  • "I call aloud, but there is no justice": This reiterates the first clause with an added legal dimension. Job is not just crying, but he is pleading his case, seeking righteous judgment from his Divine Judge. The lack of mishpat underscores that the foundational principle of fairness seems to be missing in his experience, implying that God Himself is failing to administer proper judgment for His creation. This highlights the heart of the "problem of evil" or theodicy that the book of Job grapples with.

Job 19 7 Bonus section

The concept of mishpat (justice) in the Hebrew Bible often carries the meaning of restoring right relationships and defending the vulnerable. When Job says "no justice," he implies not just an abstract principle, but the concrete act of divine intervention to re-establish what is right concerning him. His despair indicates that he feels excluded from the very divine order he expected to benefit from. This verse serves as a crucial theological turning point, moving Job closer to his later pronouncement of an earthly redeemer who will vindicate him (Job 19:25). It also foregrounds the persistent tension within biblical theology between God's ultimate righteousness and the sometimes-inexplicable reality of suffering and apparent injustice in the world. The perceived absence of God's "answer" and "justice" forms the central "complaint" (Hebrew: riv) that Job brings against God, echoing the lawsuit metaphor pervasive in the book.

Job 19 7 Commentary

Job 19:7 is the distilled essence of Job's torment: the experience of profound, unmerited suffering compounded by God's apparent silence and refusal to render justice. Job, stripped of everything, is convinced he is being subjected to "violence"—a grave injustice—and desperately seeks an audience with God to present his case. His cries are not simply whimpers of pain, but the vigorous legal petitions of one demanding a fair hearing from a supposedly just sovereign. The twin outcomes of "no answer" and "no justice" reveal Job's deep conviction that God is either absent, indifferent, or actively complicit in his suffering. This verse profoundly expresses the universal human anguish when righteous individuals perceive themselves to be unfairly afflicted and their desperate prayers appear to hit a silent ceiling. It challenges simplistic theological explanations for suffering, forcing the reader to confront the mystery of divine justice and timing in the face of human pain. Practically, this verse speaks to believers who, like Job, endure dark nights of the soul, where God seems distant and their cries for relief or vindication go unanswered. It acknowledges the validity of such deep, agonizing questioning within faith, though ultimately, the Book of Job points towards God's sovereignty and wisdom beyond human comprehension.