Job 36:21

Job 36:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
• New International Version (NIV)Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Take care; do not turn to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, For you have chosen this rather than affliction.

Context of Job 36:21

19Will your cry for help keep you from distress, Or all the exertions of your strength? 20Do not long for the night, When people vanish in their places. Be careful, do not turn to evil, For you preferred this to misery. 22Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him? 23Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?

Job 36:21 word by word

הִ֭שָּׁמֶר אַל־תֵּ֣פֶן אֶל־אָ֑וֶן כִּֽי־עַל־זֶ֝֗ה בָּחַ֥רְתָּ מֵעֹֽנִי׃Read the interlinear

• Beשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• not turnפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• to evilאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
• For you preferredבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088

Cross-references for Job 36:21

• Psalms 66:18If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear;
• Ezekiel 14:4Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Anyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts in front of his face the stumbling block of his wrongdoing, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will let Myself answer him in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols,
• Matthew 5:29Now if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
• Job 34:7What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water,
• Job 35:3For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to You? What benefit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
• Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we are not in need of an answer to give you concerning this matter.
• Daniel 6:10Now when Daniel learned that the document was signed, he entered his house (and in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously.
• Matthew 13:21yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away.
• Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.
• Acts 5:40They followed his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them.
• Hebrews 11:25choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin,
• 1 Peter 3:17For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
• 1 Peter 4:15Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;

Commentaries on Job 36:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Regard not iniquity - It is sinful to entertain such wishes; it is an insult to the providence of God. He sends affliction; he knows this to be best for thee: but thou hast preferred death to affliction, thereby setting thy wisdom against the wisdom of God. Many in affliction, long for death; and yet they are not prepared to appear before God! What madness is this! If he takes them at their wish, they are ruined for ever. Affliction may be the means of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Take heed, regard not iniquity - That is, be cautious that in the view which you take of the divine government, and the sentiments which you express, you do not become the advocate of iniquity. Elihu apprehended this from the remarks in which he had indulged, and regarded him as having become the advocate of the same sentiments which the wicked held, and as in fact manifesting the same spirit. It is well to put a man who is afflicted on his guard against…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 Elihu shows that Job caused the continuance of his own trouble. He cautions him not to persist in frowardness. Even good men need to be kept to their duty by the fear of God's wrath; the wisest and best have enough in them to deserve his stroke. Let not Job continue his unjust quarrel with God and his providence. And let us never dare to think favourably of sin, never indulge it, nor allow ourselves in it. Elihu thinks Job needed this…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. regard--literally, "turn thyself to." iniquity--namely, presumptuous speaking against God (Job 34:5, and above, see on Job 36:17, 18). rather than--to bear "affliction" with pious patience. Men think it an alleviation to complain against God, but this is adding sin to sorrow; it is sin, not sorrow, which can really hurt us (contrast He 11:25).Read the comment

Topics related to Job 36:21

• Holiness
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Ascribe
• Elihu
• Esteem
• Hang
• God

Commentaries on Job 36

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings