Job 9 23

Job 9:23 kjv

If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

Job 9:23 nkjv

If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent.

Job 9:23 niv

When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.

Job 9:23 esv

When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent.

Job 9:23 nlt

When a plague sweeps through,
he laughs at the death of the innocent.

Job 9 verses

Job 9 23 Meaning

Job 9:23 expresses Job’s profound despair and perception of divine injustice. He laments that when overwhelming calamity or disaster strikes suddenly, particularly those who are innocent, God appears to treat their suffering and trials with indifference, derision, or even a callous lack of concern, as if laughing at their plight. It conveys a deep struggle with understanding God’s apparent non-intervention or seeming cruelty in the face of unmerited suffering.

Job 9 23 Context

Job 9:23 is part of Job's first response to Bildad (chapters 9-10). Bildad had just reiterated the traditional view that God always punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous, implying Job's suffering must be due to some sin. In Chapter 9, Job acknowledges God’s overwhelming power and might (verses 1-12), recognizing that no human can contend with Him. However, he immediately shifts to the troubling implication of such absolute power – if God is all-powerful, His actions seem inscrutable and even unfair to Job. Job asserts that God's power is so absolute that He can act indiscriminately, afflicting the blameless as well as the wicked (9:22). Verse 23 deepens this accusation, expressing Job’s perception that God does not merely allow suffering for the innocent but seemingly takes a callous stance towards their "trial," viewing it with amusement or indifference. This statement reflects Job's profound spiritual crisis and his wrestling with the problem of evil and divine justice, specifically the paradox of the righteous suffering while the wicked prosper, directly challenging the prevailing simplistic theological framework of his friends.

Job 9 23 Word analysis

• אִם (Im): "If," "Though," "When" This conditional or concessive particle often implies a given reality. Here, it functions more like "When" or "Indeed, if." It points to an observed phenomenon: Job isn't merely hypothesizing; he sees this as an undeniable truth in the world.
• שֹׁוֹט (shot): "scourge," "whip," "calamity," "plague" Literally a whip used for beating, symbolizing severe and swift affliction. Figuratively, it refers to a widespread, devastating disaster or an instrument of punishment. It emphasizes the painful, indiscriminate, and overwhelming nature of the suffering that strikes.
• יָמִית (yamit): "he slays," "he kills" (from מות - mut/to die) This is a Hifil (causative) form, meaning "He causes to die" or "He kills." It attributes direct divine agency to the calamity. Job sees God as the one actively bringing about or permitting this destructive force.
• פִּתְאֹם (pit'om): "suddenly," "unexpectedly," "at once" Highlights the immediate, without warning, and shocking nature of the disaster. It underscores the victim's lack of preparedness and the swift, overwhelming onset of suffering, increasing the sense of injustice.
• לְמַסַּת (l'massat): "at the trial of," "at the distress/misfortune of," "at the testing of" (from מסה - massa) From massa, meaning a test, trial, proof, or experience of hardship. It can also imply a "temptation." It indicates that the suffering of the innocent is a test or a grievous ordeal. Job recognizes the "trial" aspect but objects to God's response to it.
• נְקִאִים (n'qi'im): "innocent ones," "blameless ones," "clean ones" (plural of נָקִי - naqi) This is the critical element. Job specifically states innocent people are affected. This word refutes the friends' core argument that suffering is always a direct result of sin. Job, from the start (and affirmed by God in Job 1:1, 8), maintains his innocence from grave transgressions that would merit such punishment.
• יִשְׂחָק (yishak): "he laughs," "he scoffs," "he mocks" This is the most jarring anthropomorphism in the verse. To "laugh" can indicate joy, scorn, or indifference. In this context, it suggests derision, mockery, or an uncaring, callous indifference towards the acute suffering and testing of the innocent. It reflects Job’s agonizing perception of God's seemingly cruel or aloof attitude, deeply offending his sense of justice and fairness.

• "If the scourge slays suddenly" (אִם־שֹׁוֹט יָמִית פִּתְאֹם): This phrase emphasizes the brutal, unexpected, and overwhelming nature of divine action. It portrays God as an agent who unleashes devastating, swift, and indiscriminate judgment, striking down individuals without warning, akin to a lethal plague. This immediate, comprehensive destruction is not limited to the guilty, reinforcing Job’s observation that calamity touches all.
• "he will laugh at the trial of the innocent" (לְמַסַּת נְקִאִים יִשְׂחָק): This phrase captures the raw agony of Job's perception of God. It highlights Job’s profound feeling of cosmic injustice. For God, the Judge of all the earth, to "laugh" at the trials (intense suffering, testing, or misfortune) of innocent individuals implies a profound disinterest, coldness, or even mockery towards their plight. It is a severe anthropopathic expression of Job's bewildered despair, presenting God as callous and uncaring rather than merciful or just, and serves as the painful crux of his argument against the traditional theology of his friends.

Job 9 23 Bonus section

The anthropomorphism of God "laughing" (yishak) is unique in the book of Job, representing the pinnacle of Job’s distress and his most radical critique of God. While the Psalms sometimes depict God laughing at the wicked (e.g., Psa 2:4; 37:13; 59:8), Job twists this image: God, in his view, laughs at the innocent in their trial. This inverted imagery reveals Job's deep theological confusion and the intense spiritual battle within him, where God’s perceived actions seem utterly contradictory to what a just God should do. It serves to illustrate the absolute despair and questioning of God’s character that suffering can provoke in a righteous heart. This profound statement from Job highlights the often inexplicable nature of suffering and stands in stark contrast to later biblical revelations that portray God as compassionate and intimately involved with His suffering people. The resolution of the book of Job doesn't refute God's omnipotence but reframes the purpose and perception of suffering, teaching that human understanding of divine justice is limited.

Job 9 23 Commentary

Job 9:23 represents the zenith of Job's theological wrestling, exposing the harsh realities of suffering that challenge simplistic notions of divine justice. Job, speaking from the depths of his profound pain and bewildering circumstances, asserts that God, in His absolute sovereignty, deals with the innocent and the wicked with what appears to be indiscriminate ferocity. The image of God "laughing" at the trials of the innocent is a desperate human expression, not a dogmatic theological statement, conveying Job's profound sense of cosmic betrayal. He views God's omnipotence as potentially capricious or even cruel, especially when innocent individuals face sudden, inexplicable devastation. This verse powerfully articulates the 'problem of evil' from the victim's anguished perspective, arguing against the idea that suffering is always a direct result of personal sin. It underscores Job’s primary dilemma: how can an all-powerful, righteous God allow—and even appear to mock—the unmerited suffering of the blameless? It reveals Job’s conviction that human suffering is not neatly correlated with guilt, shattering the simplistic cause-and-effect worldview presented by his friends.