“Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard. I cry for help, but there is no justice.
Parallel Translations
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“Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard. I cry for help, but there is no justice.
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Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
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Behold, I cry out: 'Violence!' but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no justice.
Cross-references (17)
Passages linked to Job 19:7 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Lamentations 3:8 Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
- Habakkuk 1:2-3 Yahweh, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save? Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up.
- Job 21:27 “Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
- Job 23:3-7 Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat! I would set my cause in order before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would tell me. Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No, but he would listen to me. There the upright might reason with him, so I should be delivered forever from my judge.
- Job 30:20 I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.
- Job 31:35-36 oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; and I would bind it to me as a crown.
- Job 34:5 For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, God has taken away my right:
- Job 40:8 Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
- Job 9:24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
- Job 9:32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
- Job 10:3 Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?
- Job 10:15-17 If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still will not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction. If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me. You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.
- Job 13:15-23 Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him. This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him. Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears. See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous. Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit. “Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face: withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid. Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me. How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
- Job 16:17-19 Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. “Earth, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest. Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.
- Job 16:21 that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!
- Psalms 22:2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
- Jeremiah 20:8 For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, “Violence and destruction!” because Yahweh’s word has been made a reproach to me, and a derision, all day.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Job 19:7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but…
Job 19:7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but [there is] no judgment.
Ver. 7. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard] Nothing is more natural and usual than for men in misery to cry out for help. Job’s great grief was, that neither God nor man would regard his moans or deliver him out of the net. God did not rescue him, men did not right him or relieve him. His outcry seemeth to be the same in effect with that of Habakkuk the prophet, Hab 1:2-3, "O Lord, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear? even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save? Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are those who raise up strife and contention." "Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously," &c., Job 19:13. Thus Job, but without an answer; as the lion letteth his whelps roar themselves hoarse for hunger, yea, till they are almost dead, before he supplieth them. Sure it is, that God always heareth his Jobs, though he doth not always answer in our time, and in our way. Yea, it is a hearing and an answer of prayer (saith one) that we can pray, though unheard and unanswered.
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I cry aloud] Heb. I set up my note, cam gemitu et ululatu, with groaning and howling. Men never pray so earnestly as in greatest afflictions, Heb 5:7 Hos 12:4; then their prayers, like strong streams in narrow straits, bear down all that stands before them.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain I cry out, to wit, unto God by prayer…
I cry out, to wit, unto God by prayer or appeal.
Of wrong; that I am oppressed, either,
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1. By my friends; or rather,
2. By God, who deals with me according to his sovereign power and exact and rigorous justice, and not with that equity and benignity which he showeth to the generality of men, and hath promised to good men, such as he knoweth me to be.
There is no judgment: God will not hear my cause, nor pass sentence; which I might reasonably expect from him; but he quite neglects me, and hath utterly forsaken me, and left me in the hands of the devil and wicked men. See the like complaints of other good men in the like case of desertion, Psa 13:2; 22:2; 88:15; Lam 3:8; Hab 1:2.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain He hath fenced up my way that I cannot…
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass,.... A metaphor taken from travellers, who not only meet with obstacles and obstructions in their way, which make it difficult; but sometimes with such enclosures and fences, that they are at a full stop, and cannot pass on, and know not what course to steer: the people of God are not inhabitants of this world, but pilgrims, strangers, and sojourners in it, and travellers through it; they are bound for another country, and are travelling to it; and though their way for far most part is indeed troublesome, but generally passable, or made so; yet sometimes not only is their way hedged up with afflictions, and they hedged about with them, that they cannot easily get out, and get through and pass on; and it is with much difficulty, and with being much scratched and torn, they do brush through; but they also at other times find God has built up a wall against them, and enclosed them with hewn stones, and so fenced up their way that they cannot pass on; such difficulties present as seem insurmountable, and they are at a standstill, and know not what way to take; which was now Job's case, see Lam 3:5; and this may not only respect the way of his walk in this world, but his way to God, either to the throne of his grace, or the tribunal of his justice: the way to God, as on a throne of grace, is only through Christ, the living way; which, though more clearly revealed under the Gospel dispensation, and therefore called a new way, yet was known under the former dispensation, and made use of; in which saints may have access to God with boldness and confidence: but sometimes this way seems by unbelief to be fenced up, though it is always open; and especially when God hides his face, and is not to be seen, nor is it known where to find him, and how to come up to his seat; and which also was Job's case, Job 23:3; and whereas he was very desirous of having his cause heard and tried at the tribunal of God, his way was so shut up, that he could not obtain what he so much desired, and knew not therefore how to proceed, and what course to take:
and he hath set darkness in my paths; and was like a traveller in a very dark night, that cannot see his way, and knows not what step to take next; so good men, though they walk not in the ways of darkness, in a moral sense, as unregenerate men do; yet even while they are walking in the good ways of truth and holiness, and while they are passing through this world, God sometimes withdraws the light of his countenance from them, so that they walk in darkness, and have no light, which is very uncomfortable walking; and when God may be said to put darkness into their paths, he not granting them the light of grace and comfort they have sometimes enjoyed; and so it is with them when under such dark dispensations of Providence, as that they cannot see the end of God in leading them in such ways; and then their case is such as it now was Job's; that they cannot see any way of getting out of it; as the Israelites at the Red sea, and Paul and the mariners when in a storm, and all hope of being saved was gone.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Cry - Unto God. Wrong - That I am…
Cry - Unto God. Wrong - That I am oppressed by my friends.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 7. I cry out of wrong] I complain…
Verse 7. I cry out of wrong] I complain of violence and of injustice; but no one comes to my help.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Behold, I cry out of wrong - Margin, or…
Behold, I cry out of wrong - Margin, or “violence.” The Hebrew word (חמס châmâs) means properly violence. The violence referred to is that which was brought upon him by God. It is, indeed, harsh language; but it is not quite sure that he means to complain of God for doing him injustice. God had dealt with him in a severe or violent manner, is the meaning, and he had cried unto him for relief, but had cried in vain.
No judgment - No justice. The meaning is, that he could obtain justice from no one God would not interpose to remove the calamities which he had brought upon him, and his friends would do no justice to his motives and character.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Hear. Jeremias makes the same complaint, Lamentations iii. 8.…
Hear. Jeremias makes the same complaint, Lamentations iii. 8. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain wrong--violence: brought on him by God.
wrong--violence: brought on him by God.
no judgment--God will not remove my calamities, and so vindicate my just cause; and my friends will not do justice to my past character.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 7. Of wrong — Behold, I cry aloud, “Violence!”…
7. Of wrong — Behold, I cry aloud, “Violence!” and am not answered.
Hab_1:2.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 7. This drew from him in his helplessness cries…
7. This drew from him in his helplessness cries of wrong, which were unheeded.
7–12. God’s hostility to him and destructive persecution of him.
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In Job_19:6 the transition is already made to the account of God’s hostility. The picture is sufficiently graphic. First there was the general feeling of being entangled, as a creature snared.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (7) Behold I cry out of wrong.—The description he…
(7) Behold I cry out of wrong.—The description he now gives of himself as persecuted and forsaken by God is necessary to enhance the value of the confession he is about to make. Severely has God dealt with him, but that severity of dealing has only drawn him nearer to God and made him trust the more. He groups together a rich variety of figures to express his desolate condition. He is suffering assault, and can get no protection or redress; he is imprisoned on every side, his hope is torn up like the tree of which he had before spoken (Job_14:7).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Behold, I cry out of wrong; i.e. "I cry…
Behold, I cry out of wrong; i.e. "I cry out that I am wronged." I complain that sufferings are inflicted on me that I have not deserved. This has been Job"s complaint from the first. (Job_3:26 Job_6:29 Job_9:17, 22 10:3, etc.) But I am not heard; i.e. "I am not listened to my cry is not answered." I cry aloud, but there is no judgment; or, no decision sentence." All Job"s appeals to God have elicited no reply from him. He still keeps silence. Job appears from the first to have anticipated such a theophany as ultimately takes place (ch. 38-41) and vindicates his character.
The cry unheard.
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I IT MAY BE REALLY UNHEARD. That is to say, while of course God knows everything, he may not respond, may not heed. Why?
1. Because the cry is not addressed to the true God. The heathen priests on Mount Carmel screamed, "O Baal, hear us!" from morning till evening. "But there was no voice, nor any that answered". (1Ki_18:26) Men have their false gods now, i.e. their false ideas of God. A god who ignores sin, a god who is only amiable compliance, is not the true God. One who addresses such a god will not be heard.
2. Because the cry is not true. It is a formal petition, not a heartfelt prayer. The words may be loud, but the soul is silent. Christ says, "When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking". (Mat_6:7)
3. Because the cry is not trustful. We may cry to God in wild despair; the prayer may be wrung out of an agony of the soul; it may be just the expression of a natural instinct; but it may carry with it no real confidence in God. The Divine response is according to our faith.
4. Because the cry is not accompanied by penitence. If we hold to our sin we cannot be saved from our trouble. While we excuse ourselves before God we make his ear deaf to our call. Nothing so effectually seals the gates of prayer as an impenitent heart.
5. Because the pity sought from God is not given to a brother man. The prayer of the selfish is not heard. Every time we repeat the Lord"s Prayer we remind ourselves that our trespasses are forgiven in proportion as we forgive those who trespass against us. This is the one, the only thing in the prayer that Christ selected for emphatic comment, adding, "If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses". (Mat_6:15)
II IT MAY BE ONLY APPARENTLY UNHEARD.
1. Because there is no audible response. Our voice goes out into the silence. We strain our ears for one word of reply, but no sound reaches us. Though we spread out our hands and cry aloud, the calm heavens are still and apparently irresponsive. But, then, we are foolish if we expect an answer that shall be audible to our bodily ears, for God is a Spirit. Moreover, if we trust him, we should not think that he does not hear when he does not speak. Silence is not deafness.
2. Because there is no immediate relief. At present all seems as it was before we prayed. Does it not appear as though the cry had been wasted on the air? We have to learn patience. It may be well that the trial should last a little longer. In the end God will deliver his suffering children who trust themselves to him, but he may not give them sudden and immediate relief.
3. Because the response is not what we expected. God will not be dictated to. He will use his own judgment in his reply to us. He may give the very thing we ask for. But if that be not fitting he will reply in some other way. Assuredly he will reply. Therefore we must take a wider view of his action, and be prepared to receive God"s response in new and unlooked-for forms. Instead of removing the trouble he may give strength to bear it, Instead of prosperity he may give peace. Then we have no right to think our cry lost and neglected. It is heard. W.F.A.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Job continues to speak to his three friends.
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See, I cry out
"Pay attention, because what I am about to say is both true and important: I cry out"
Violence!
This is a cry for help. This can be stated clearly. AT: "Violence! Help!" or "Help! I am being attacked!" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
I call out for help
"I shout for help" or "I cry for help"
but there is no justice
The abstract noun "justice" can be translated with a phrase that makes the meaning clear. AT: "but no one protects me from those who do me wrong" (See: Abstract Nouns and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
He has walled up ... darkness in my path
Job uses these images to describe how God has made him feel helpless and hopeless. (See: Metaphor)
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass
"God has put a wall on the road that I am walking on" or "He has blocked the way so I cannot keep going"
He has stripped ... the crown from my head
Job uses these images to say that God has taken his good reputation, wealth, and dignity away from him. (See: Metaphor)
He has stripped me of my glory
Job speaks of his glory as if it were a robe that God has taken away. AT: "He has taken away my glory" (See: Metaphor)
he has taken the crown from my head
The crown refers to Job's dignity or honor. AT: "he has taken away my dignity and honor" or "it is as though he has taken my crown off my head" (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
call
just
darkness
glory
crown
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 19:7 Help! (literally Violence!): Cp. Jer 20:8; Hab 1:2-3.…
19:7 Help! (literally Violence!): Cp. Jer 20:8; Hab 1:2-3. • no one answers: See Ps 22:2; Lam 3:8; Hab 1:2-3.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.