Midrash sobre Jó 13:15

R. Hamnuna said: "What means the passage (Ecc. 8, 1.) Who is like the wise? And who knoweth (as well) the explanation of a thing? i. e., who is like the Holy One, praised be He! who knoweth how to compromise 'between two righteous men, between (King) Hezekiah and Isaiah? Hezekiah said, Isaiah ought to come to me for we find that Elijah went to Ahab, as it is said (I Kings 18, 2.) And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab; and Isaiah said Hezekiah ought to come to me (to pay me a visit), just as we find that Jehoram, the son of Ahab went to Elisha. What did the Holy One, praised be He! do? He brought affliction on Hezekiah, and then said to Isaiah: 'Go and visit the sick,' as it is said (Isaiah, 38, 1.) In those days Hezekiah fell sick unto death; and there came unto him Isaiah, the son of Amotz, the Prophet, and said to him: Thus hath the Lord said. Give thy charge to thy house for thou Shalt die and not live." What is meant by Thou shalt die and not live? [if he will die, he will surely not live]. Thou shalt die in this world, and thou shalt not live in the world to come. "Why so severe a punishment?" asked Hezekiah. "Because," said Isaiah, "thou hast not married." "Aye," said Hezekiah, "it was because I foresaw through the Divine Spirit, that bad children will come forth from me." "What have you to do with, the secret of the Almighty? Whatever you are commanded to do, you ought to fulfill, and whatever pleases the Holy One, praised be He! let Him do." "If so,"' said Hezekiah, "then give me thy daughter, Perhaps thy merits combined with mine will prove effective to bring forth good children." "But," said Isaiah, "it has already been decreed that you must die." "Aye, son of Amotz," exclaimed Hezekiah, "finish thy prophecy and go forth! for thus have I a tradition from the house of my father's father (David): 'Even if the sword already touches the throat, yet should a man not refrain from praying for mercy.' " It has been taught that R. Jochanan and R. Elazar both say, "Even if the sword already touches the throat, yet should a man not refrain from praying for mercy, as it is said (Job 13, 15.) Lo, though he slay me yet will I trust in Him (Ib. b)." Soon after this it is said Then did Hezekiah turn his fare toward the Kir, and prayed to the Lord (Is. 38, 2). What is meant by Kir? R. Simon b. Lakish said: "It means from the chamber of his heart, as it is said (Jer. 4, 19.) My bowels, my bowels! I am shaken at the very chambers (Kiroth), of my heart." R. Levi said: "It means concerning the chamber; he (Hezekiah) said before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the Universe, if for the Shunamith who prepared only one little chamber [for Elisha], Thou hast saved the life of her son, then how much more [should you help me], for the sake of my father (Solomon) who covered the whole Temple with silver and gold?' " Remember now, that I have walked before Thee in truth and with an undivided heart and have done what is worthy in thine eyes (Ib.). What means And have done what is worthy in thine eyes? R. Juda in the name of Rab said: "He was always careful to say the Eighteen Benedictions immediately after the benediction of Ge-ula." R. Levi said: "He hid the book of remedies [so that the sick should pray to God to invoke His mercy, and not depend merely on medicinal help]."

(Deut. 2:3:) YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF GOING ABOUT. This text is related (to Ps. 37:7): BE SILENTLY ATTENTIVE TO THE LORD, AND WAIT PATIENTLY (hitholel, as if from HLL) FOR HIM. What is the meaning of TO THE LORD?¹⁴Cf. Deut. R. 1:17. Accept the judgment upon yourselves; yes, even if you become slain (rt.: HLL) for the name of the Holy One, just as it is stated (in Job 13:15): {<EVEN> IF HE SLAYS ME,} [HE MAY WELL SLAY ME;] I WILL WAIT FOR HIM.¹⁵Sic! The Masoretic text reads: HE MAY WELL SLAY ME; I HAVE NO HOPE.

(Fol. 27b) MISHNAH: In this very day R. Joshua b. Hurkanus expounded that Job served the Lord for nothing else but out of love, as it is said (Job. 13, 15) Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him. From this one may still think that Joab was in doubt as whether I shall trust in Him, or shall I not trust in Him. It therefore says, (Ib. 27, 5) Till I die I will not put away mine integrity from me, from which it may be inferred that he served the Lord out of love." R. Joshua then exclaimed: "O Rabban Jochanan b. Zakkai! Who will remove the dust from thy eyes [and make you alive]? For thou hast interpreted all your life-time that Joab served God only out of fear, [of punishment], as it is said (Ib. 1, 1) A man perfect and upright and fearing God, and shunning evil. Behold now that Joshua b. Hurkanus your disciple's disciple inferred that he did it out of love."