Job 23:8

Job 23:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
• New International Version (NIV)“But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him;
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Look, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

Context of Job 23:8

6Would God use his great power to argue against me? No! He would listen carefully to me. 7Honest people can explain things to him. So he would judge me in a fair way. He would let me go free. I look for God in the east, but he is not there. I do not find him in the west either. 9When he does his work in the north, I do not see him. When he moves to the south, I still cannot find him anywhere. 10But he knows the way that I live. When he has finished testing me, he will see that I am pure. I will be as pure as gold.

Job 23:8 word by word

הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָח֗וֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Behold, I goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• forwardקֶ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · front: forwardH6924
• and backwardאָחוֹר'âchôr 'âchôr · backH268
• but I cannot perceiveבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995

Cross-references for Job 23:8

• Job 9:11When God passes in front of me, I do not see him. If he moves further away, I do not see where he has gone.
• Psalms 10:1Must you stand so far away, Lord? Why do you hide when there is trouble?
• Psalms 13:1Lord, will you forget about me for ever? When will you remember to come and help me?
• Isaiah 45:15Yes, you are a God who hides yourself! You are Israel's God, our Saviour!
• 1 Timothy 6:16God alone lives for ever. He lives in very bright light that nobody can come near. Nobody has ever seen God. Nobody is able to see him. So we praise him! He will rule for ever with great authority! Amen! This is true.

Commentaries on Job 23:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Behold, I go forward - These two verses paint in vivid colors the distress and anxiety of a soul in search of the favor of God. No means are left untried, no place unexplored, in order to find the object of his research. This is a true description of the conduct of a genuine penitent.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Behold, I go forward - The meaning of these verses is, I go in all directions, but I cannot find God. I am excluded from the trial which I seek, and I cannot bring my cause to his throne. Job expresses his earnest desire to see some visible manifestation of the Deity, and to be permitted to argue his cause in his presence. But he says he sought this in vain. He looked to all points of the compass where he might rationally expect to find God, but all in…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-12Verses 8-12 Job knew that the Lord was every where present; but his mind was in such confusion, that he could get no fixed view of God's merciful presence, so as to find comfort by spreading his case before him. His views were all gloomy. God seemed to stand at a distance, and frown upon him. Yet Job expressed his assurance that he should be brought forth, tried, and approved, for he had obeyed the precepts of God. He had relished and delighted in the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. But I wish in vain. For "behold," &c. forward ... backward--rather, "to the east--to the west." The Hebrew geographers faced the east, that is, sunrise: not the north, as we do. So "before" means east: "behind," west (so the Hindus). Para, "before"--east: Apara, "behind"--west: Daschina, "the right hand"--south: Bama, "left"--north. A similar reference to sunrise appears in the name Asia, "sunrise," Europe, "sunset"; pure Babylonian names, as Rawlinson…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 23:8

• God Continued...
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Bitter
• Complaint
• Forward; Forwardness
• God
• East
• Sun

Commentaries on Job 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings