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.
• New International Version (NIV)Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to 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.

Context of Job 36:21

19Could all your wealth or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress? 20Do not long for the cover of night, for that is when people will be destroyed. Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil. 22“Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? 23No one can tell him what to do, or say 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 not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
• Ezekiel 14:4Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the Lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves.
• Matthew 5:29So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, 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 34:7“Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk?
• Job 35:3For you also ask, ‘What’s in it for me? What’s the use of living a righteous life?’
• Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
• Daniel 6:10But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.
• Matthew 13:21But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
• Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
• Acts 5:40The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
• Hebrews 11:25He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.
• 1 Peter 3:17Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
• 1 Peter 4:15If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.

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