New King James Version
Job 9:21
21“I am blameless, yet 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 Living Translation (NLT)“I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me— I despise my life.
Context of Job 9:21
19If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court? 20Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse. “I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life. 22It is all one thing; Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’ 23If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight 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 139:23Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;
- Proverbs 28:26He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
- Jeremiah 17:9“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
- 1 Corinthians 4:4For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
- 1 John 3:20For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
- Job 7:15So that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than my body.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries