New English Translation
Job 9:21
21I am blameless. I do not know myself. I despise my life.
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 it is a matter of strength, most certainly he is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, he will say, ‘Who will summon me?’ 20Although I am innocent, my mouth would condemn me; although I am blameless, it would declare me perverse. I am blameless. I do not know myself. I despise my life. 22“It is all one! That is why I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the guilty.’ 23If a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks at the despair of the innocent.
Read all of Job 9Job 9:21 word by word
תָּֽם־אָ֭נִי לֹֽא־אֵדַ֥ע נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶמְאַ֥ס חַיָּֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 9:21
- Psalms 139:23Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns!
- Proverbs 28:26The one who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but the one who walks in wisdom will escape.
- Jeremiah 17:9The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad. Who can understand it?
- 1 Corinthians 4:4For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord.
- 1 John 3:20that if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things.
- Job 7:15so that I would prefer strangling, and death more 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
In the dictionaries
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
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