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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil.

Context of Job 36:21

19Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress? 20Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes. Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction. 22“God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? 23Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?

Job 36:21 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Take heedשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: carefulH8104
• regardפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• not iniquityאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
• for this hast thou chosenבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• rather than afflictionעֳנִי‛ŏnîy · afflictionH6040

Cross-references for Job 36:21

• Psalms 66:18If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
• Ezekiel 14:4Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry.
• Matthew 5:29If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
• Job 34:7Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water?
• Job 35:3Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me, and what do I gain by not sinning?’
• Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.
• Daniel 6:10Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
• Matthew 13:21But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
• Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
• Acts 5:40His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
• Hebrews 11:25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
• 1 Peter 3:17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
• 1 Peter 4:15If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a 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