Job 13:15

Analysis & Commentary

Job's declaration "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" represents one of Scripture's highest expressions of unconditional faith. The Hebrew phrase im yiqteleni lo ayachel (אִם־יִקְטְלֵנִי לוֹ אֲיַחֵל) can be translated "Though he slay me, I will hope in him" or "I will wait for him." The verb qatal (קָטַל) means to kill or slay, acknowledging the possibility that God might take Job's life. Yet the verb yachal (יָחַל) means to wait, hope, or trust with confident expectation—Job commits to trusting God even unto death.

Some Hebrew manuscripts read lo (לֹא, "not") instead of lo (לוֹ, "to him"), yielding "I have no hope," but most English translations follow the Masoretic pointing supporting "yet will I trust in him." The theological statement is profound either way: even if Job has no earthly hope remaining, he will maintain his integrity before God. The second clause "but I will maintain mine own ways before him" uses the verb yakach (יָכַח), meaning to argue, reason, or prove one's case. Job refuses to confess false guilt to satisfy his friends' theology.

This verse encapsulates Job's paradoxical position: he trusts God absolutely while simultaneously demanding vindication. His faith doesn't require understanding God's purposes or receiving explanations for suffering. Job models faith that persists through darkness, confusion, and apparent divine hostility. This anticipates Christ's cry from the cross—"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"—where the Suffering Servant trusts the Father even when feeling abandoned. Hebrews 11's heroes of faith demonstrated similar trust, "not receiving the promises" yet dying in faith.

Historical Context

Job 13 appears in the middle section of the book where Job responds to his friends' accusations. After Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar repeatedly insist Job's suffering proves hidden sin, Job maintains his innocence while expressing willingness to die rather than confess false guilt. This verse forms the climax of Job's defense of his integrity against his friends' relentless accusations.

Ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature generally taught that the righteous prosper and the wicked suffer. Job's situation violated this formula, creating theological crisis. His friends could only maintain their worldview by declaring Job secretly wicked. Job's refusal to accept their diagnosis—even at the cost of social isolation and potential death—demonstrates extraordinary moral courage. In honor-shame cultures, maintaining one's reputation was paramount, yet Job was willing to appear arrogant and stubborn rather than compromise truth.

The historical context of suffering righteous individuals challenged simplistic retribution theology. Later biblical books address this problem (Psalms 37, 73; Habakkuk), but Job confronts it most directly. The verse has sustained persecuted believers throughout church history—martyrs who trusted God while facing execution, believers enduring inexplicable loss without losing faith. Reformers cited Job as a model of trusting God's sovereignty even when His purposes seem inscrutable. The passage teaches that mature faith doesn't depend on immediate vindication or understanding but rests in God's character alone.

Questions for Reflection

• What does it mean to trust God when circumstances make His goodness difficult to see?
• How does Job's willingness to die while maintaining his integrity challenge us in smaller matters of honesty and principle?
• What is the difference between Job's arguing with God and a faithless person's complaint against God?
• How does this verse address the problem of trusting God when prayers seem unanswered and suffering continues?
• In what ways does Job's faith prefigure Christ's trust in the Father even unto death on the cross?