New English Translation
Job 1:21
21He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!”
Job 1:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Context of Job 1:21
19and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!” 20Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!” 22In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety.
Read all of Job 1Job 1:21 word by word
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ עָרֹ֨ם יָצָ֜אתִי מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמִּ֗י וְעָרֹם֙ אָשׁ֣וּב שָׁ֔מָה יְהוָ֣ה נָתַ֔ן וַיהוָ֖ה לָקָ֑ח יְהִ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה מְבֹרָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Nakedעָרוֹם‛ârôm ‛ârôm · nakedH6174
- came I outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: produceH3318
- of my mother’sאֵם'êm · motherH517
- wombבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: wombH990
- shall I returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- thither: the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- hath taken awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- be the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
Cross-references for Job 1:21
- Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”
- Psalms 49:17For he will take nothing with him when he dies; his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.
- Ecclesiastes 5:15Just as he came forth from his mother's womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.
- Ecclesiastes 12:7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God who gave it.
- 1 Timothy 6:7For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either.
- Job 2:10But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said.
- Genesis 30:2Jacob became furious with Rachel and exclaimed, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?”
- Ecclesiastes 5:19To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.
- Lamentations 3:38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that everything comes – both calamity and blessing?
- James 1:17All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.
- Genesis 45:5Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life!
- 2 Samuel 16:12Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”
- 1 Kings 12:15The king refused to listen to the people, because the Lord was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
- Psalms 39:9I am silent and cannot open my mouth because of what you have done.
- Isaiah 42:24Who handed Jacob over to the robber? Who handed Israel over to the looters? Was it not the Lord, against whom we sinned? They refused to follow his commands; they disobeyed his law.
- Isaiah 45:7I am the one who forms light and creates darkness; the one who brings about peace and creates calamity. I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.
Commentaries on Job 1:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Naked came I out of my mother's womb - I had no earthly possessions when I came into the world; I cannot have less going out of it. What I have the Lord gave: as it was his free gift, he has a right to resume it when he pleases; and I owe him gratitude for the time he has permitted me to enjoy this gift. Naked shall I return thither - Whither? Not to his mother's womb surely; nor does he call the earth his mother in this place. In the first clause of the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And said, Naked came I out - That is, destitute of property, for so the connection demands; compare 1 Timothy 6:7; “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” A similar expression also occurs in Pliny, “Hominem natura tanturn nudism.” Nat. Hist. proem. L. vii. Job felt that he was stripped of all, and that he must leave the world as destitute as he entered it. My mother‘s womb - The earth - the universal mother…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-22Verses 20-22 Job humbled himself under the hand of God. He reasons from the common state of human life, which he describes. We brought nothing of this world's goods into the world, but have them from others; and it is certain we can carry nothing out, but must leave them to others. Job, under all his losses, is but reduced to his first state. He is but where he must have been at last, and is only unclothed, or unloaded rather, a little sooner than he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22God and Satan agree to test Job, which causes his troubles and confirms his integrity (1:20–21; 2:10). None of the book's characters ever learn of this council in heaven.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Naked--(1Ti 6:7). "Mother's womb" is poetically the earth, the universal mother (Ec 5:15; 12:7; Psa 139:15). Job herein realizes God's assertion (Job 1:8) against Satan's (Job 1:11). Instead of cursing, he blesses the name of Jehovah (Hebrew). The name of Jehovah, is Jehovah Himself, as manifested to us in His attributes (Is 9:6).Read the comment
Topics related to Job 1:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 1
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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