Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
I have ordered my cause - literally. "judgment?" - ׁ mı̂shpâṭ . The Septuagint renders it, "I am near ( ̓́ ̓́ engus eimi ) to my judgment," or my trial. The meaning may be, that he had gone through the pleading, and had said what he wished in self-vindication, and he was willing to leave the cause with God, and did not doubt the issue. Or more probably, I think, the word ‛ârake tı̂y should be taken, as the word yāda‛tı̂y is, in the present tense, meaning "I now set in order my cause; I enter on the pleading; I am confident that I shall so present it as to be declared righteous."
I know that I shall be justified - I have no doubt as to the issue. I shall be declared to be an holy man, and not a hypocrite. The word rendered "I shall be justified" ( 'etsâdaq ) is used here in the proper and literal sense of the word justify. It is a term of law; and means, "I shall be declared to be righteous. I shall be shown not to be guilty in the form charged on me, and shall be acquitted or vindicated." This sense is different from that which so often occurs in the Scriptures when applied to the doctrine of the justification of a sinner. Then it means, to treat one AS IF he were righteous, though he is personally guilty and undeserving.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Job 13:18:
Job 13:20
Job 16:21
Job 21:4
Job 34:5
Job 37:19
Psalms 40:5
Isaiah 53:11
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