Job 23:8

Job 23:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
• New International Version (NIV)“But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him;
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Look, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

Context of Job 23:8

6Would he use his great power to argue with me? No, he would give me a fair hearing. 7Honest people can reason with him, so I would be forever acquitted by my judge. I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. 9I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed. 10“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.

Job 23:8 word by word

הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָח֗וֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Behold, I goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• forwardקֶ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · front: forwardH6924
• and backwardאָחוֹר'âchôr 'âchôr · backH268
• but I cannot perceiveבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995

Cross-references for Job 23:8

• Job 9:11“Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him. When he moves by, I do not see him go.
• Psalms 10:1O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
• Psalms 13:1O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?
• Isaiah 45:15Truly, O God of Israel, our Savior, you work in mysterious ways.
• 1 Timothy 6:16He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.

Commentaries on Job 23:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Behold, I go forward - These two verses paint in vivid colors the distress and anxiety of a soul in search of the favor of God. No means are left untried, no place unexplored, in order to find the object of his research. This is a true description of the conduct of a genuine penitent.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Behold, I go forward - The meaning of these verses is, I go in all directions, but I cannot find God. I am excluded from the trial which I seek, and I cannot bring my cause to his throne. Job expresses his earnest desire to see some visible manifestation of the Deity, and to be permitted to argue his cause in his presence. But he says he sought this in vain. He looked to all points of the compass where he might rationally expect to find God, but all in…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-12Verses 8-12 Job knew that the Lord was every where present; but his mind was in such confusion, that he could get no fixed view of God's merciful presence, so as to find comfort by spreading his case before him. His views were all gloomy. God seemed to stand at a distance, and frown upon him. Yet Job expressed his assurance that he should be brought forth, tried, and approved, for he had obeyed the precepts of God. He had relished and delighted in the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. But I wish in vain. For "behold," &c. forward ... backward--rather, "to the east--to the west." The Hebrew geographers faced the east, that is, sunrise: not the north, as we do. So "before" means east: "behind," west (so the Hindus). Para, "before"--east: Apara, "behind"--west: Daschina, "the right hand"--south: Bama, "left"--north. A similar reference to sunrise appears in the name Asia, "sunrise," Europe, "sunset"; pure Babylonian names, as Rawlinson…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 23:8

• God Continued...
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Bitter
• Complaint
• Forward; Forwardness
• God
• East
• Sun

Commentaries on Job 23

• 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