How Can a Mortal Be Righteous before God?: Job’s response to Bildad’s speech moves the discussion in a new direction. Up to this point in the book Job has largely been addressing the extremity of his suffering and raising the agonizing question as to how a righteous person can be allowed to suffer so horrendously. Now, however, in response to Bildad’s suggestion that the resolution of Job’s suffering lies in his willingness to “look to God and plead with the Almighty” (8:5), Job begins to consider the possibility of such a confrontation with the divine and its prospects for redress of his situation. To say the least, Job is pessimistic.

9:1–2  Job begins by acknowledging that Bildad’s assertions are true. What is it about Bildad’s comments that Job affirms here? The most likely antecedent s…