Job 27 2

Job 27:2 kjv

As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;

Job 27:2 nkjv

"As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,

Job 27:2 niv

"As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,

Job 27:2 esv

"As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,

Job 27:2 nlt

"I vow by the living God, who has taken away my rights,
by the Almighty who has embittered my soul ?

Job 27 verses

Job 27 2 Meaning

Job 27:2 is Job's solemn oath, swearing by the living God that he speaks truth regarding his integrity. In this bitter declaration, he paradoxically attributes his unjust suffering directly to God, stating that God has withheld his vindication and caused him profound emotional and spiritual anguish. It highlights Job's deep despair and his radical honesty in confronting God, while simultaneously reaffirming God's absolute sovereignty and presence, even over his own bitter experience.

Job 27 2 Context

Job 27:2 opens what scholars generally consider Job's final extended discourse (chapters 27-31). This particular verse initiates a solemn oath, intensifying the pronouncements that follow. After a long period of intense debate with his friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—who have now fallen silent, Job takes center stage to deliver his concluding argument.

In this phase, Job asserts his unwavering commitment to his integrity, despite the overwhelming evidence (from his friends' perspective and his own experience) that he must be guilty of great sin. He refuses to concede that his suffering is just punishment, upholding his righteousness and denying any hidden transgression. The historical-cultural context for such an oath in ancient Near Eastern society was extremely grave; invoking God's living name signified the utmost seriousness and truthfulness of one's statement. An oath of this magnitude placed the speaker under divine curse if found false. Job is placing his life on the line to affirm his honesty, while simultaneously issuing his most direct complaint against God regarding his plight.

Job 27 2 Word analysis

• As God lives, (חַי־אֵ֤ל - ḥay-ʾēl):

  • חַי (ḥay): "Lives," "living." This is a profound affirmation of God's existence and active presence. It's not "if God lives," but "since God lives."
  • אֵל (ʾēl): "God," the generic but potent term for the Divine, implying power and majesty.
  • Significance: This phrase is a common oath formula in the ancient Near East, here specifically invoking the "Living God." It serves as a strong declaration of the truthfulness of Job's subsequent words. The paradox is striking: Job invokes the very God whom he then accuses. It speaks to Job's profound, albeit anguished, faith that God is real, active, and present in his suffering.

• who has taken away my right, (הֵסִ֣יר מִשְׁפָּטִ֑י - hesir mishpaṭi):

  • הֵסִיר (hesir): "Has taken away," "removed," "caused to cease." The verb suggests an active, deliberate action.
  • מִשְׁפָּטִ֑י (mishpaṭi): "My right," "my justice," "my vindication." This term refers to the equitable application of law or divine justice. Job believes he has a case (a "right" to a just hearing and outcome) that has been withheld or removed.
  • Significance: This is Job's central complaint. He perceives that God, despite being the source of justice, has denied his personal vindication. This isn't a theological claim that God is unjust in nature, but Job's desperate, agonizing personal experience of feeling unjustly treated by a sovereign God. It's a bold accusation from a man convinced of his own innocence.

• And the Almighty (וְשַׁדַּ֖י - wəšadday):

  • וְ (wə): "And," connecting the two parts of the oath and complaint.
  • שַׁדַּי (Shaddai): "Almighty," "All-sufficient." This name for God emphasizes His overwhelming power, sovereignty, and self-sufficiency. It's frequently used in the Book of Job and is the primary divine name in patriarchal narratives of Genesis, often associated with covenant blessings and powerful provision.
  • Significance: By using "Shaddai," Job acknowledges God's supreme power. He's not denying God's might, but expressing his bitter experience under that mighty hand. It intensifies the complaint: the most powerful Being has actively caused his suffering, not just permitted it. This emphasizes the magnitude of his perceived injustice.

• who has embittered my soul, (הִמַּ֣ר נַפְשִׁ֑י - himmar napshiy):

  • הִמַּר (himmar): "Has made bitter," "has grieved," "has dealt bitterly with." The verb expresses a direct action causing deep emotional or spiritual distress.
  • נַפְשִׁי (napshiy): "My soul," "my life," "my inner being," "myself." In Hebrew thought, nephesh encompasses the whole person – emotions, desires, vital essence.
  • Significance: This reveals the profound internal torment Job experiences, beyond mere physical pain. God is seen as the direct source of his deep anguish and sorrow. It conveys a sense of crushing despair and the poisoning of his inner spirit, a personal and spiritual bitterness that consumes him. This direct accusation against God underscores Job's extreme suffering and desperate honesty.

Job 27 2 Bonus section

• This verse stands as a powerful testament to the permissible range of human lament and wrestling with God in Scripture. Job's raw honesty in articulating his anguish and perceived injustice is presented within the biblical narrative without divine rebuke for the expression itself, even if his understanding was limited.
• The use of El and Shaddai for God emphasizes different aspects of His character (majesty, power, self-sufficiency) even as Job accuses Him, suggesting Job's theological understanding remains intact despite his bitter complaint. He isn't blaming a generic deity, but his God, the God he knows.
• Job's solemn oath here contrasts sharply with his friends' previous attempts to impose their narrow theological framework on him. Job stands firm on his personal experience and integrity, willing to swear before the Living God regarding his conviction.

Job 27 2 Commentary

Job 27:2 is a profound and poignant expression of Job's deep spiritual struggle. It is a sworn oath, the strongest possible declaration in his cultural context, affirming his integrity. What makes it breathtaking is that the God by whom he swears is simultaneously the very one Job accuses of injustice. This paradox highlights Job's unshakeable, albeit tortured, faith: he cannot deny God's existence or sovereignty, even as he experiences what he perceives as a divine act of wrongdoing against him.

His accusation that God "has taken away my right" reflects his profound conviction of innocence and his demand for vindication. Job is not saying God is inherently unjust, but rather that in his particular case, he has been denied what is due to him according to God's own standards of justice. This feeling of being wronged by the ultimate Judge creates immense tension. Furthermore, his statement that the "Almighty... has embittered my soul" speaks to the pervasive and profound nature of his suffering, extending beyond the physical to consume his entire inner being. It is an honest, raw cry from the depths of despair, directly laying the responsibility for his anguish at the feet of an all-powerful God. This verse encapsulates the unique blend of radical complaint and steadfast allegiance that defines Job's character. He does not abandon God, even when he perceives God to be his oppressor.