Celestial Debate
Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. Job 13:15 NASB
Argue – Before we look at the vocabulary, take a moment to read the Chabad translation:
Behold, let Him kill me, I will hope for Him; but I will prove my ways to His face. Chabad
Did you notice that the English renders the final phrase idiomatically while the Chabad Hebrew renders it literally (“to His face”)? Did you also see the change from “argue” to “prove”? And the alteration from “though He slay” to “Let Him kill”? Each one of these subtle changes affects the emotional overtone of the verse. Think about that for just a moment.
Then look at the actual Hebrew. Do you see that the written text is different than the vocalized text? We need to ask, “Why?”
הֵ֣ן יִ֖קְטְלֵנִי ל֣וֹ (כתיב לֹ֣א) אֲיַחֵ֑ל אַךְ־דְּ֜רָכַ֗י אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אוֹכִֽיחַ
The first verb, qāṭal (to slay), is an imperfect, an unfinished action. This provides the reason for treating it as a hypothetical. The second verb, yāḥal (to hope, wait), is also an imperfect, a continuing, unfinished action. Job expresses the possibility that even if God should kill him, he will not lose hope.
However . . . Here the particle ʾak can be translated “nevertheless,” but it is usually untranslated as if it were simply for emphasis. You can think of it as the Hebrew exclamation point.
This particle primarily conveys emphasis and often is not translated. When it is translated, the sense is either an emphatic affirmative (Gen 26:9; 29:14; Ex 31:13; Jer 19:9; Lam 2:16 etc.) or an emphatic restrictive (Gen 7:23; 9:4; 18:32; Ex 12:16; Lev 11:4; Num 22:20; Josh 22:19; I Sam 8:9, etc.).
At times either sense fits in the context, and translators differ in how they read it.
Many times no translation is preferable to either of the above alternatives. Only emphasis is intended, i.e. “Jacob was just gone out” (Gen 27:30); “the first day” (Ex 12:15); “on the tenth day” (Lev 23:27); “if the young men have kept themselves from women” (I Sam 21:4 [H 5]); “do not fret to do evil” (Ps 37:8).[1]
What is the feeling in Job’s statement? Unwavering commitment! Not just to his hope in God but also to his intention to plead his case. Transcendence and sovereignty will not deter him from entering the celestial court—even if it kills him. Here is a powerful attestation to the free will choices of humanity. Questioning—even questioning the deity—is not prohibited nor instantly punished. Ask! Ask again! No question is a prohibited question. We may not like the answer and we may suffer consequences, but we are not told to shut up and bear it. In fact, this verb (yākaḥ) is also an imperfect. Questioning is a continuing, unfinished action. The umbrella of meanings includes “decide, judge, prove, rebuke, reprove, correct.”[2] Isn’t it necessary to view questioning in this broader context? Questions lead to decisions, require judgments, often involve rebuke and reproof, and produce correction. Questions might just be the most valuable part of any conversation, especially a conversation with God.
Topical Index: yākaḥ, argue, ʾak, emphasis, qāṭal, slay, Job 13:15
[1] Scott, J. B. (1999). 84 אַך. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 39). Moody Press.
[2] Gilchrist, P. R. (1999). 865 יָכַח. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 376). Moody Press.
Faithfulness is the substance of commitment; it entails holding and sustaining an abiding assurance of trust— a firm belief and confidence in the truth, reliability, and ability of whom one trusts to deliver that for which he is entrusted.
But it does not deny the one entrusting of seeking such assurance by questioning… for questions do indeed “lead to decisions, require judgments, often involve rebuke and reproof, and produce correction. Questions might just be the most valuable part of any conversation, especially a conversation with God.”
And conversation is an active dynamic of exchange in any functional relationship— it is categorically in the relationship of one created to attest the distinction of his Creator.
It is only in union with Christ that an abiding assurance of faith is conveyed— for he is the one whose confidence in the truth, reliability, and ability of God was sustained so as to deliver that with which he was entrusted… moreover, even he presented questioning in conversation as Son with Father.
And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you! Take away this cup from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36) And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which is translated, “My God, my God, ⌊why⌋ have you forsaken me?”) (Mark 15:34)
Deus nudus absconditus (“a naked hidden God”)
Questioning is important primarily because it grounds knowledge of God, and his ways, in himself; and thereby points individual human beings away from themselves as the reference point for thinking about themselves and their salvation. It provides ground for people to quit thinking from an inward turn into themselves, and allows people to truly repent and allow their thinking to be oriented by God’s life for them in Christ.