Job Maintains His Integrity

Job stands firm on his innocence in this passage and explains that there is no point for him to defend his innocence if it was not true. He goes on then to describe what happens to a hypocrite, showing that there is no point for him to be one.

In v2, he still attributes the calamities to God, but we also see his stubborness that he will not curse God or speak anything against the Almighty. In v6, he stresses his righteousness, not so much self-righteousness, but a knowledge that he did not bring punishment on himself. If Job was a hypocrite, he would not call on God, nor delight in him, hoping that his friends would understand this. FRom v14-23, Job describes how a hypocrite may seem to prosper on one hand, but often on the other hand, he will lose those benefits.

It's not clear how Job is arguing this since previously he rejected his friends assumption that the calamities befall Job because of his wickedness. In that case, Job pointed out that it wasn't his wickedness. In the passage here, Job seems to indicate that he understands that for hypocrites, their prosperity is not permanent. It appears that Job was trying to explain at length that if he was a hypocrite, he would accept it and that he wouldn't be crying out to God as he is doing now.


Job 27

 1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
 2 “As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
 3 As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils,
 4 My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.
 5 Far be it from me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
 6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.
 7 “May my enemy be like the wicked, And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
 8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life?
 9 Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him?
 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God?
 11 “I will teach you about the hand of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
 12 Surely all of you have seen it; Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?
 13 “This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty:
 14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
 15 Those who survive him shall be buried in death, And their[a] widows shall not weep,
 16 Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay—
 17 He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, And the innocent will divide the silver.
 18 He builds his house like a moth,[b] Like a booth which a watchman makes.
 19 The rich man will lie down, But not be gathered up;[c] He opens his eyes, And he is no more.
 20 Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night.
 21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; It sweeps him out of his place.
 22 It hurls against him and does not spare; He flees desperately from its power.
 23 Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.