Job 5:8
New International Version
“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him.

New Living Translation
“If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him.

English Standard Version
“As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause,

Berean Standard Bible
However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him—

King James Bible
I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

New King James Version
“But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause—

New American Standard Bible
“But as for me, I would seek God, And I would make my plea before God,

NASB 1995
“But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God;

NASB 1977
“But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God;

Legacy Standard Bible
“But as for me, I would seek God, And I would set my cause before God,

Amplified Bible
“As for me, I would seek God and inquire of Him, And I would commit my cause to God;

Christian Standard Bible
However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and would present my case to him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and would present my case to Him.

American Standard Version
But as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause;

Contemporary English Version
Job, if I were you, I would ask God for help.

English Revised Version
But as for me, I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"But I would seek God's help and present my case to him.

Good News Translation
If I were you, I would turn to God and present my case to him.

International Standard Version
"Now as for me, I would seek God if I were you; I would commit my case to God.

Majority Standard Bible
However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him?

NET Bible
"But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would set forth my case.

New Heart English Bible
"But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,

Webster's Bible Translation
I would seek to God, and to God would I commit my cause:

World English Bible
“But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Yet I inquire for God, "" And for God I give my word,

Young's Literal Translation
Yet I -- I inquire for God, And for God I give my word,

Smith's Literal Translation
But I will seek to God, and to God set my cause:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore I will pray to the Lord, and address my speech to God:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, because of this, I will beg the Lord, and place my eloquence before God.

New American Bible
In your place, I would appeal to God, and to God I would state my plea.

New Revised Standard Version
“As for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But as for me. I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
However, I shall seek for God, and to God I shall put my word
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Nevertheless I will beseech the Lord, and will call upon the Lord, the sovereign of all;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Eliphaz Continues: God Blesses those who Seek Him
7Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. 8However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him— 9the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.…

Cross References
Psalm 37:5
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; / in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.

Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? / Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? / Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ...

Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. / And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Psalm 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah

Jeremiah 33:3
Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. / And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.

Psalm 91:15
When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.

Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. / Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ...

Isaiah 26:3-4
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You. / Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.


Treasury of Scripture

I would seek to God, and to God would I commit my cause:

seek.

Job 8:5
If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

Job 22:21,27
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee…

Genesis 32:7-12
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; …

unto God.

Psalm 37:5
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

2 Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

1 Peter 2:23
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

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Job 5
1. Eliphaz shows that the end of the wicked is misery;
6. that man is born to trouble;
8. that God is to be regarded in affliction;
17. the happy end of God's correction.














However, if I were you
This phrase introduces a shift in perspective, as Eliphaz, one of Job's friends, offers his advice. The Hebrew root here suggests a personal and empathetic approach, indicating that Eliphaz is attempting to put himself in Job's position. Historically, this reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of offering counsel based on personal experience and wisdom. Eliphaz's words are meant to be comforting, though they may come across as presumptive, given Job's suffering.

I would appeal to God
The word "appeal" is derived from the Hebrew verb "darash," which means to seek or inquire. This implies a proactive and earnest seeking of God's presence and intervention. In the context of the Old Testament, appealing to God was a common practice for those in distress, reflecting a deep-seated belief in God's sovereignty and willingness to hear His people's cries. Eliphaz encourages Job to turn to God as the ultimate source of justice and mercy.

and lay my cause before Him
The phrase "lay my cause" comes from the Hebrew "suwm mishpat," which means to set or present one's case. This legal terminology suggests a courtroom setting where one presents their grievances or needs before a judge. In the ancient world, God was often seen as the ultimate judge, and presenting one's case before Him was an act of faith and trust in His righteous judgment. Eliphaz is urging Job to trust in God's fairness and to believe that God will respond justly to his plight.

Verse 8. - I would seek unto God; rather, as in the Revised Version; but as for me, I would seek etc.; i.e. if the case were mine, if I were afflicted as thou art, I would not betake myself to any of the angels (see ver. 1), but would cast myself wholly upon God. It is necessarily implied that Job had not done so. And unto God would I commit my cause (comp. Psalm 37:5; Proverbs 16:3).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
However,
אוּלָ֗ם (’ū·lām)
Conjunction
Strong's 199: However, on the contrary

if I were you,
אֲ֭נִי (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

I would appeal
אֶדְרֹ֣שׁ (’eḏ·rōš)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

God
אֵ֑ל (’êl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 410: Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty

and lay
אָשִׂ֥ים (’ā·śîm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

my cause
דִּבְרָתִֽי׃ (diḇ·rā·ṯî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1700: A cause, reason, manner

before
וְאֶל־ (wə·’el-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Him
אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT Poetry: Job 5:8 But as for me I would seek (Jb)
Job 5:7
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