Job 16:21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.

◄ Job 16:21 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.

English Standard Version
that he would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbor.

New American Standard Bible
"O that a man might plead with God As a man with his neighbor!

King James Bible
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I wish that someone might arbitrate between a man and God just as a man pleads for his friend.

International Standard Version
crying for him to arbitrate between this man and God; as a human being does with his fellow neighbor.

American Standard Version
That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

Darby Bible Translation
Oh that there were arbitration for a man with +God, as a son of man for his friend!

Young's Literal Translation
And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

16:17-22 Job's condition was very deplorable; but he had the testimony of his conscience for him, that he never allowed himself in any gross sin. No one was ever more ready to acknowledge sins of infirmity. Eliphaz had charged him with hypocrisy in religion, but he specifies prayer, the great act of religion, and professes that in this he was pure, though not from all infirmity. He had a God to go to, who he doubted not took full notice of all his sorrows. Those who pour out tears before God, though they cannot plead for themselves, by reason of their defects, have a Friend to plead for them, even the Son of man, and on him we must ground all our hopes of acceptance with God. To die, is to go the way whence we shall not return. We must all of us, very certainly, and very shortly, go this journey. Should not then the Saviour be precious to our souls? And ought we not to be ready to obey and to suffer for his sake? If our consciences are sprinkled with his atoning blood, and testify that we are not living in sin or hypocrisy, when we go the way whence we shall not return, it will be a release from prison, and an entrance into everlasting happiness.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

21. one—rather, "He" (God). "Oh, that He would plead for a man (namely, me) against God." Job quaintly says, "God must support me against God; for He makes me to suffer, and He alone knows me to be innocent" [Umbreit]. So God helped Jacob in wrestling against Himself (compare Job 23:6; Ge 32:25). God in Jesus Christ does plead with God for man (Ro 8:26, 27).

as a man—literally, "the Son of man." A prefiguring of the advocacy of Jesus Christ—a boon longed for by Job (Job 9:33), though the spiritual pregnancy of his own words, designed for all ages, was but little understood by him (Ps 80:17).

for his neighbour—Hebrew, "friend." Job himself (Job 42:8) pleaded as intercessor for his "friends," though "his scorners" (Job 16:20); so Jesus Christ the Son of man (Lu 23:34); "for friends" (Joh 15:13-15).