Job 23:8–10
Job seeks God and cannot find him, yet trusts that he knows his way
Study it word by word8Look, I go east, and he is not there; and west, and I do not perceive him;
9north, when he works, and I do not catch sight of him; he hides himself in the south, and I do not see him.
10For he knows the way that is with me; he has tested me: like gold I will come forth.
In its context
6Would he contend with me in the greatness of his strength? No; surely he would pay attention to me.
7There an upright man could argue with him, and I would go free forever from my judge.
…
11My foot has held fast to his steps; his way I have kept, and have not turned aside.
12From the commandment of his lips I have not departed; more than my portion I have stored up the sayings of his mouth.
Its words in the original
- קֶדֶםkedem· east, of old
What is in front. Since in Israel one faced where the sun rises, it means "east"; applied to time, "of old", "ancient times".
- אֶהֱלֹךְeheloch· go, walk
Go, walk, come. Figuratively, the way one lives ("walk with God").
- אָחוֹרachor· behind, backward
Backward; the back part.
- אָבִיןavin· understand, discern
Understand, discern: perceive clearly, distinguish, see what ought to be done.
- שְׂמֹאולsemovl· left, north
Left, left hand. Facing the east, the left is the north.
- עֲשֹׂתasot· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- אָחַזachaz· see, look
See, look closely; used above all for what a prophet sees in a vision. Also look for and choose (Exodus 18:21).
- יַעְטֹףyatof· grow faint
Grow faint, be weak; also wrap, cover oneself.
- יָמִיןyamin· right hand, south
Right, right hand. Facing the east, the right is the south. It is also the side of honor and of strength.
- אֶרְאֶהere· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- יָדַעyada· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").
- דֶּרֶךְderech· way
Way, road, journey. Figuratively, the way one lives or acts.
- עִמָּדִimadi· with me
With me, beside me.
- בְּחָנַbechana· test, examine
Test, examine to find out whether something is true or genuine, as metal is tested.
- זָּהָבzahav· gold
Gold.
- אֵצֵאetse· go out, bring out
Go out, come out. In the causative form, "make go out", "bring out", "lead out", "produce".