Job 16:21

Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.

You turn things upside down! Should the potter be thought to be like clay; that the thing made should say about him who made it, “He didn’t make me;” or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding?”

yet I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

He believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness.

Didn’t you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the offspring of Abraham your friend forever?

“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,

Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’

Far be it from me that I should justify you. Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

Why do you strive against him, because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?

The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

But now, Yahweh, you are our Father. We are the clay and you our potter. We all are the work of your hand.

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

With him, I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see Yahweh’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”

Since then, there has not arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face,

would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for Yahweh’s hand has gone out against me.”

But Yahweh’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.

Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?

Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.

For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me. You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies. Your right hand will save me.

“House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter?” says Yahweh. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”

Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for he said, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.”

Moses rose up with Joshua, his servant, and Moses went up onto God’s Mountain.

When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is the noise of war in the camp.”

The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, ‘Curse David;’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”

You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.

where then is my hope? as for my hope, who will see it?

I would set my cause in order before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

But he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I will come out like gold.

Behold, my terror will not make you afraid, neither will my pressure be heavy on you.

Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous.

That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.

Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of his people and their leaders: “It is you who have eaten up the vineyard. The plunder of the poor is in your houses.

Should an ax brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood.

Produce your cause,” says Yahweh. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified, or let them hear, and say, “That is true.”

When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.

Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies.

Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.

Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart from the Tent.

They will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you Yahweh are among this people; for you Yahweh are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.

Yahweh spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the middle of the fire,

They said to him, “Hold your peace, put your hand on your mouth, and go with us. Be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?”

They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there.

Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will release his hand from you, from your gods, and from your land.

David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.

and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

If a man dies, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come.

Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.

Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat!

There the upright might reason with him, so I should be delivered forever from my judge.

I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.

oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!

“Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?

“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of Armies!”

Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.

Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh, his God, out of the fish’s belly.

The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf.

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.

He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.”

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.

See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.

Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me.

“Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard. I cry for help, but there is no justice.

Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?

For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.

“Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer.

Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Declare your case, that you may be justified.

Woe to him who strives with his Maker— a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’ or your work, ‘He has no hands?’

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”

So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.