Job 27:5
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I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Job had sometimes complained of his friends that they were so eager in disputing that they would scarcely let him put in a word: "Suffer me that I may speak;" and, "O that you would hold your peace!" But now, it seems, they were out of breath, and left him room to say what he would. Either they were themselves convinced that Job was in the right or they despaired of convincing him that he was in the wrong; and therefore they threw away their weapons and gave up the cause. Job was too hard for them, and forced them to quit the field; for great is the truth and will prevail. What Job had said (Job 26:1-14) was a sufficient answer to Bildad's discourse; and now Job paused awhile, to see whether Zophar would take his turn again; but, he declining it, Job himself went on, and, without any interruption or vexation given him, said all he desired to say in this matter. I. He begins with a solemn protestation of his integrity and of his resolution to hold it fast (Job 27:2-6). II. He expresses the dread he had of that hypocrisy which they charged him with (Job 27:7-10). III. He shows the miserable end of wicked people, notwithstanding their long prosperity, and the curse that attends them and is entailed upon their families (Job 27:11-23).
Open source ↗27:5-6 Job considered it profane and reprehensible to concede that his friends were right. Condemning the innocent, as they were doing to him, was an abomination (Exod 23:7; Prov 6:16-19; 17:15).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”
Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has.
If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court to be judged, so that the innocent may be acquitted and the guilty condemned.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.
And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.