Job 9:33
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Job 9:33
33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
Chapter Context
Job 9 is a wisdom dialogue chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of truth, obedience, righteousness. Written during the patriarchal period (literary composition later), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Ancient wisdom traditions often wrestled with the problem of suffering and divine justice.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-35: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it provides guidance for worship and spiritual devotion. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Job and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Job 9:33
33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
Analysis
Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. Job articulates one of the Old Testament's most profound yearnings—for a mediator between God and humanity. The word "daysman" (mokiach, מוֹכִיחַ) means arbiter, umpire, or mediator—one who can adjudicate disputes between parties. Job recognizes the vast gulf between himself and God: he cannot argue his case before the Almighty as an equal.
"That might lay his hand upon us both" describes the mediator's function—touching both parties to bring reconciliation and establish terms. In ancient Near Eastern legal contexts, a mediator needed authority over both disputants to effect resolution. Job's lament recognizes that no such figure exists who can simultaneously represent human interests to God and divine justice to humanity. The Hebrew emphasizes this absence: "there is not" (eyn, אֵין)—no mediator exists.
This verse is profoundly Christological. Job's longing finds fulfillment in Christ, the one Mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). Christ uniquely can "lay His hand" on both God and humanity because He is fully divine and fully human. As God incarnate, Christ bridges the infinite gap Job perceived, representing us before the Father and revealing the Father to us. Job's ancient cry anticipates the gospel's central message: God Himself has provided the mediator Job desperately needed but could not imagine.
Historical Context
Job 9 records Job's response to Bildad's first speech. Job acknowledges God's power and wisdom but questions how a mortal can be just before God (9:2). The cultural context of ancient Near Eastern law included mediators or arbiters who settled disputes between parties. However, disputes between humans and deities had no such mechanism—gods acted with absolute authority, and humans had no recourse.
This theological problem—the gap between holy God and sinful humanity—runs throughout Scripture. The Mosaic covenant provided priests as mediators, but even they could not fully bridge the divide (Hebrews 7:23-28). The sacrificial system pointed toward the need for ultimate mediation but could not itself provide it (Hebrews 10:1-4).
Early Christian interpretation immediately recognized Job's cry as prophetic of Christ. Church fathers like Augustine and Chrysostom saw this verse as expressing humanity's universal need for a Redeemer who could satisfy divine justice while showing mercy to sinners. The New Testament explicitly answers Job's longing: Christ is the mediator of a new covenant (Hebrews 8:6, 9:15, 12:24), the one who reconciles God and humanity through His death and resurrection.
Reflection
- How does Job's recognition that no mediator exists reveal the impossibility of self-salvation or human merit before God?
- In what ways does Christ fulfill Job's longing for a daysman who can 'lay his hand upon us both'?
- What does Job's cry teach about the human condition—our need for someone to bridge the gap between us and God?
- How does understanding Christ as Mediator deepen appreciation for the Incarnation and atonement?
- What comfort does this passage provide to those who, like Job, feel unable to approach God due to His holiness and their unworthiness?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Job 9:19, 1 Samuel 2:25, Psalms 106:23