Job 23:3
New International Version
If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling!

New Living Translation
If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court.

English Standard Version
Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat!

Berean Standard Bible
If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.

King James Bible
Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

New King James Version
Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!

New American Standard Bible
“Oh that I knew how to find Him, That I might come to His home!

NASB 1995
“Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!

NASB 1977
“Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!

Legacy Standard Bible
Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!

Amplified Bible
“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might [even] come to His seat!

Christian Standard Bible
If only I knew how to find him, so that I could go to his throne.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If only I knew how to find Him, so that I could go to His throne.

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But who makes it possible for me to arrive unto his seat?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Who would then know that I might find him, and come to an end of the matter?

Contemporary English Version
If I knew where to find God, I would go there

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and come even to his throne?

English Revised Version
Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"If only I knew where I could find God! I would go where he lives.

Good News Translation
How I wish I knew where to find him, and knew how to go where he is.

International Standard Version
If only I knew where to find him, I would visit him where he has taken his seat.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come even to His seat!

Literal Standard Version
O that I had known—and I find Him, | I come to His seat,

Majority Standard Bible
If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.

New American Bible
Would that I knew how to find him, that I might come to his dwelling!

NET Bible
O that I knew where I might find him, that I could come to his place of residence!

New Revised Standard Version
Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling!

New Heart English Bible
Oh that I knew where I might find him. That I might come even to his seat.

Webster's Bible Translation
Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

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

Young's Literal Translation
O that I had known -- and I find Him, I come in unto His seat,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job Longs for God
2“Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning. 3If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat. 4I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.…

Cross References
Job 23:2
"Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Job 23:4
I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Oh that

Job 13:3
Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

Job 16:21
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

Job 40:1-5
Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, …

where

Isaiah 55:6,7
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: …

2 Corinthians 5:19,20
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation…

Hebrews 4:6
Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

that I might

Job 31:35-37
Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book…

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Dwelling Find Seat
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Dwelling Find Seat
Job 23
1. Job longs to appear before God
6. in confidence of his mercy
8. God, who is invisible, observes our ways
11. Job's innocence
13. God's decree is immutable














(3) Oh that I knew where I might find him.--The piteous complaint of a man who feels that God is with him for chastisement, but not for healing.

Verse 3. - Oh that I knew where I might find him! This is the cry of the desolate human soul, feeling its need of God, and yet not knowing how to approach him. God seems to be very far removed from us. He is in heaven, and we are on earth; nay, he is in the highest heaven, or outside it, walking on its circumference (Job 22:14). How are we to approach near to him, so near as to be sure that he can hear us? How are we to "find" him? So, in all ages, has the human heart gone out to God, aspiring towards him, seeking after him, but, for the most part, baffled and disappointed. Job, like most other men in the olden times, though he has faith in God, though he serves him and prays to him, has yet the feeling that he is remote, distant, well-nigh inaccessible. It needed revelation to let man know that God is not far off, but very near to each one of us; that "in him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). That I might come even to his seat! Job's idea of bridging the distance between himself and God is that he should rise to the region where God is, not that God should condescend to come down to him. He wishes to "come to God's seat" - to that awful throne in the heaven of heavens, where God sitteth, surrounded by his hosts of angels, dealing out justice and judgment to mortal men (comp. Psalm 9:4, 7; Psalm 11:4; Psalm 45:6; Isaiah 6:1).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If only
מִֽי־ (mî-)
Interjection
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

I knew
יָ֭דַעְתִּי (yā·ḏa‘·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3045: To know

where to find Him,
וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ (wə·’em·ṣā·’ê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

so that I could go
אָ֝ב֗וֹא (’ā·ḇō·w)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

His seat.
תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃ (tə·ḵū·nā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8499: Arrangement, preparation, fixed place


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OT Poetry: Job 23:3 Oh that I knew where I might (Jb)
Job 23:2
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