Job 23:9

Job 23:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
• New International Version (NIV)When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.

Context of Job 23:9

7Honest people can explain things to him. So he would judge me in a fair way. He would let me go free. 8I look for God in the east, but he is not there. I do not find him in the west either. When 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. 11I have always lived in the way that God showed me. I have obeyed him faithfully. I have not turned away from his teaching.

Job 23:9 word by word

שְׂמֹ֣אול בַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ וְלֹא־אָ֑חַז יַעְטֹ֥ף יָ֝מִ֗ין וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• On the left handשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
• where he doth workעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• but I cannot beholdחָזָהchâzâh · to seeH2372
• he hidethעָטַף‛âţaph · to turn asideH5848
• himself on the right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• that I cannot seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200

Cross-references for Job 23:9

• Psalms 89:46Lord, how long will this continue? Will you hide yourself from us for ever? Will your anger continue to burn like a fire?
• Isaiah 8:17I will wait for the Lord to do what he says. He has turned away from the descendants of Jacob. But I will trust him to do what is right.

Commentaries on Job 23:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9On the left hand, where he doth work - In these two verses Job mentions the four cardinal points of the heavens: the East, by the word קדם kedem, which signifies before; the West, by אחור achor, which signifies after, or the back part; the North, by שמאל semol, which signifies the left; and the South, by ימין yamin, which signifies the right. Such is the situation of the world to a man who faces the east; see Genesis 13:9, Genesis 13:11; Genesis 28:14…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9On the left hand - That is, in the North - at the left hand when the face was turned to the East. So the Chaldee, בצפונא - “on the North.” The other versions, the Vulgate, the Septuagint, the Syriac, Castellio, Luther, etc., render it “on the left hand.” The common term among the Hebrews for the “North” is צפון tsâphôn - (from צפן tsâphan - “to hide,” or “conceal”), meaning the hidden, concealed, or dark region, since the ancients regarded the North as…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. 99. Rather, "To the north." work--God's glorious works are especially seen towards the north region of the sky by one in the northern hemisphere. The antithesis is between God working and yet not being beheld: as in Job 9:11, between "He goeth by," and "I see Him not." If the Hebrew bears it, the parallelism to the second clause is better suited by translating, as Umbreit, "doth hide himself"; but then the antithesis to "behold" would be lost. right…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 23:9

• God Continued...
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Left hand
• Bitter
• Complaint
• Hand
• Northward
• 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