Job 13:8 Meaning and Explanation
“Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Job asks whether his friends are showing favoritism to God by arguing His side unfairly.
What Does Job 13:8 Mean?
Job presses the question further. To 'accept his person' is to show partiality, as a corrupt judge favors one party. He asks whether his friends imagine they are doing God a service by taking His side in a biased, unfair way.
The irony is sharp: God needs no partial advocates. Favoritism, even toward the Almighty, is still a corruption of justice. Job exposes how easily defenders of God can slip into special pleading that the God of truth never asked for. The Lord judges without partiality and desires the same integrity in those who speak for Him. To argue honestly is reverence; to argue with rigged scales, even in God's name, is not.
Job 13:8 in the Original Language
panim (פָּנִים), 'person' or 'face' -- 'to lift the face' is a Hebrew idiom for showing partiality or favoritism.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 13:8
What does Job 13:8 mean?
Job asks whether his friends are showing favoritism to God by arguing His side unfairly.