Job 9:21

Job 9:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
• New International Version (NIV)“Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life.

Context of Job 9:21

19If I tried to fight God, he is much stronger than I am. And if I ask for justice, who can bring God to court? 20I am right. I have not done anything that is wrong. But my words would say that I am guilty. I have not done anything that is wrong. But it does not matter what happens to me. My life is not important to me. 22The same thing happens to good people and to wicked people. So I say, “God destroys people who are not guilty as well as those who are guilty.” 23When disease comes, people may die suddenly. God laughs at good people who suffer like that.

Job 9:21 word by word

תָּֽם־אָ֭נִי לֹֽא־אֵדַ֥ע נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶמְאַ֥ס חַיָּֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• perfectתָּםtâm · completeH8535
• would I not knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• I would despiseמָאַסmâ'as · to rejectH3988
• my lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416

Cross-references for Job 9:21

• Psalms 139:23Please God, look deep inside me. See what is there in my thoughts.
• Proverbs 28:26If you trust your own thoughts, you are a fool. But if you live in a wise way, you will be safe from danger.
• Jeremiah 17:9A person's own mind deceives him, more than anything else does. Nobody can change it to be better. Nobody completely understands it.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4I am sure in my own mind that I have not done anything wrong. But that does not make me right. Only the Lord himself can judge me.
• 1 John 3:20Even if our thoughts tell us that we have done something wrong, we still will not be afraid of God. We can trust God more than we trust our thoughts. He already knows everything about us.
• Job 7:15I would like someone to stop me breathing! Death would be better than life.

Commentaries on Job 9:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Though I were perfect - Had I the fullest conviction that, in every thought, word, and deed, I were blameless before him, yet I would not plead this; nor would I think it any security for a life of ease and prosperity, or any proof that my days should be prolonged.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Though I were perfect - The same mode of expression occurs here again. “I perfect! I would not know it, or recognize it. If this were my view, and God judged otherwise, I would seem to be ignorant of it. I would not mention it.” Yet would I not know my soul - Or, “I could not know my soul. If I should advance such a claim, it must be from my ignorance of myself.” Is not this true of all the claims to perfection which have ever been set up by man? Do they…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 Job is still righteous in his own eyes, ch. 32:1, and this answer, though it sets forth the power and majesty of God, implies that the question between the afflicted and the Lord of providence, is a question of might, and not of right; and we begin to discover the evil fruits of pride and of a self-righteous spirit. Job begins to manifest a disposition to condemn God, that he may justify himself, for which he is afterwards reproved. Still Job…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Job was truly blameless, and he consistently claimed this during the debate (1:1, 7; 2:3; 23:11–12; 27:5; 31:1–40).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Literally, here (and in Job 9:20), "I perfect! I should not know my soul! I would despise," [that is], "disown my life"; that is, Though conscious of innocence, I should be compelled, in contending with the infinite God, to ignore my own soul and despise my past life as if it were guilty [Rosenmuller].Read the comment

Topics related to Job 9:21

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Doubting
• God
• Perfection

In the dictionaries

• Chamber
• Contend
• Daysman
• Pillar
• Job, Book of

Commentaries on Job 9

• 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