Job 7:21

Job 7:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
• New International Version (NIV)Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie in the earth; you will seek me, but I shall not be."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be.”

Context of Job 7:21

19Why won’t you leave me alone, at least long enough for me to swallow! 20If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity? Why make me your target? Am I a burden to you? Why not just forgive my sin and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust and die. When you look for me, I will be gone.”

Job 7:21 word by word

וּמֶ֤ה׀ לֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א פִשְׁעִי֮ וְתַעֲבִ֪יר אֶת־עֲוֹ֫נִ֥י כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה לֶעָפָ֣ר אֶשְׁכָּ֑ב וְשִׁ֖חֲרְתַּ֣נִי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And why dost thou not pardonנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: forgiveH5375
• my transgressionפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
• and take awayעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: bringH5674
• mine iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
• for now shall I sleepשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: be deadH7901
• in the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• and thou shalt seek me in the morningשָׁחַרshâchar · to seekH7836

Cross-references for Job 7:21

• Job 10:14was to watch me, and if I sinned, you would not forgive my guilt.
• Job 13:23Tell me, what have I done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin.
• Isaiah 64:9Don’t be so angry with us, Lord. Please don’t remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people.
• Lamentations 3:42“We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us.
• Lamentations 5:20Why do you continue to forget us? Why have you abandoned us for so long?
• 2 Samuel 24:10But after he had taken the census, David’s conscience began to bother him. And he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, Lord, for doing this foolish thing.”
• Micah 7:18Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.
• Hosea 14:2Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises.
• John 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
• 1 John 1:9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
• 1 John 3:5And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.
• Job 3:13Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace. I would be asleep and at rest.
• Job 17:14What if I call the grave my father, and the maggot my mother or my sister?
• Job 21:32When they are carried to the grave, an honor guard keeps watch at their tomb.
• Ecclesiastes 12:7For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
• Isaiah 26:19But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!

Commentaries on Job 7:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21And why dost thou not pardon - These words are spoken after the manner of men. If thou have any design to save me, if I have sinned, why dost thou not pardon my transgression, as thou seest that I am a dying man; and to-morrow morning thou mayest seek me to do me good, but in all probability I shall then be no more, and all thy kind thoughts towards me shall be unavailing? If I have sinned, then why should not I have a part in that mercy that flows so…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression? - Admitting that I have sinned Job 7:20, yet why dost thou not forgive me? I shall soon pass away from the land of the living. I may be sought but I shall not be found. No one would be injured by my being pardoned - since I am so short-lived, and so unimportant in the scale of being. No one can be benefited by pursuing a creature of a day, such as I am, with punishment. Such seems to be the meaning of this…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 Job reasons with God concerning his dealings with man. But in the midst of this discourse, Job seems to have lifted up his thoughts to God with some faith and hope. Observe the concern he is in about his sins. The best men have to complain of sin; and the better they are, the more they will complain of it. God is the Preserver of our lives, and the Saviour of the souls of all that believe; but probably Job meant the Observer of men, whose…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-21Job cried out to God, saying life was too short (7:6–10). This complaint contrasts with his earlier wish for God to end his life (6:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. for now--very soon. in the morning--not the resurrection; for then Job will be found. It is a figure, from one seeking a sick man in the morning, and finding he has died in the night. So Job implies that, if God does not help him at once, it will be too late, for he will be gone. The reason why God does not give an immediate sense of pardon to awakened sinners is that they think they have a claim on God for it.Read the comment

Topics related to Job 7:21

• Death

In the dictionaries

• Bitterness
• Complain
• Dust
• Preserver
• Terrify
• Wearisome
• Daniel, Book of
• Justice

Commentaries on Job 7

• 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