Job 16:17
Job 16:17 in Multiple Translations
yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.
Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.
Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.
although I have done nothing wrong and my prayer is pure.
Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure.
Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.
although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
Not for any injustice in my hands: also my prayer is pure.
My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
All this has happened to me even though I have not acted violently toward anyone, and I always pray sincerely/honestly to God.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 16:17
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 16:17 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עַ֭ל
לֹא
חָמָ֣ס
בְּ/כַפָּ֑/י
וּֽ/תְפִלָּתִ֥/י
זַכָּֽה
עַ֭ל
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
חָמָ֣ס
châmâç
H2555
violence
N-ms
בְּ/כַפָּ֑/י
kaph
H3709
palm
Prep | N-fd | Suff
וּֽ/תְפִלָּתִ֥/י
tᵉphillâh
H8605
prayer
Conj | N-fs | Suff
זַכָּֽה
zak
H2134
pure
Adj
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 16:17
עַ֭ל
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
חָמָ֣ס
châmâç
H2555
"violence"
N-ms
This word describes violence, injustice, or cruelty, often referring to unfair treatment of others. In Isaiah and Jeremiah, it condemns oppressive behaviors, highlighting the need for justice and fairness. It involves wrongdoing and harm to others.
Definition: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice
Usage: Occurs in 59 OT verses. KJV: cruel(-ty), damage, false, injustice, [idiom] oppressor, unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing), wrong. See also: Genesis 6:11; Proverbs 10:11; Psalms 7:17.
בְּ/כַפָּ֑/י
kaph
H3709
"palm"
Prep | N-fd | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to the palm of the hand, like in Exodus 29 where it describes the priest's hands being filled with offerings. It can also symbolize power or strength, like in Psalm 16. It's about the hand or its shape.
Definition: : palm/hand 1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand 1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand 1b) power 1c) sole (of the foot) 1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects 1d1) of thigh-joint 1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow) 1d3) hollow (of sling) 1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees) 1d5) handles (as bent)
Usage: Occurs in 180 OT verses. KJV: branch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon. See also: Genesis 8:9; 2 Chronicles 6:13; Psalms 7:4.
וּֽ/תְפִלָּתִ֥/י
tᵉphillâh
H8605
"prayer"
Conj | N-fs | Suff
In the Bible, this word means prayer or supplication, often used to describe requests to God. It appears in many Psalms, highlighting the importance of prayer in worship.
Definition: 1) prayer 1a) prayer 1b) pray a prayer 1c) house of prayer 1d) hear prayer 1e) in Ps titles (of poetic or liturgical prayer)
Usage: Occurs in 71 OT verses. KJV: prayer. See also: 2 Samuel 7:27; Psalms 66:19; Psalms 4:2.
זַכָּֽה
zak
H2134
"pure"
Adj
In the Bible, this word means being pure and clean, like a clear conscience. It appears in Psalms and Proverbs, describing a person's moral purity. God values purity and wants His people to be clean.
Definition: 1) clean, pure 1a) pure 1b) pure, clean, righteous (fig.) 2) the pure one (subst)
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: clean, pure. See also: Exodus 27:20; Job 11:4; Proverbs 16:2.
Study Notes — Job 16:17
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 16:17 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 16:17
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 16:17
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 16:17
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 16:17
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 16:17
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 16:17
- Cambridge Bible on Job 16:17
- Barnes' Notes on Job 16:17
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 16:17
- Sermons on Job 16:17
Context — Job Decries His Comforters
15I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.
16My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;
17yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.
18O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest. 19Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 15:8 | The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. |
| 2 | Psalms 66:18–19 | If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer. |
| 3 | Job 27:6–7 | I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me. May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust. |
| 4 | Job 8:5–6 | But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy, if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate. |
| 5 | Job 21:27–28 | Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me. For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’ |
| 6 | Job 15:20 | A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless. |
| 7 | Psalms 44:17–21 | All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten You or betrayed Your covenant. Our hearts have not turned back; our steps have not strayed from Your path. But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals; You have covered us with deepest darkness. If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart? |
| 8 | Isaiah 59:6 | Their cobwebs cannot be made into clothing, and they cannot cover themselves with their works. Their deeds are sinful deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands. |
| 9 | Job 31:1–40 | “I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin? For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high? Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity? Does He not see my ways and count my every step? If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit, let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity. If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands, then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted. If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door, then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her. For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged. For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest. If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me, what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account? Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb? If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail, if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless— though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow— if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak, if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep, if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate, then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket. For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower. If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security, if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much, if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high. If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him— I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse— if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’— but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler— if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart, because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside— (Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown. I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)— if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together, if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job. |
| 10 | Job 15:34 | For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery. |
Job 16:17 Summary
[This verse shows that even though Job is suffering greatly, he knows he has done nothing wrong and is trusting in God's goodness. He is saying that his heart is pure and his hands are clean, much like in Psalms 24:3-4, where the Psalmist asks who can ascend to God's holy hill. Job is affirming his trust in God, even when things don't make sense. He is choosing to remain faithful and honest, even in the midst of great pain.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Job mean by 'my hands are free of violence' in this verse?
Job is declaring that he has not committed any violent acts, and his conscience is clear, much like the Psalmist in Psalms 26:6, who says 'I wash my hands in innocence'
How can Job claim his prayer is pure when he is suffering so greatly?
Job's statement is a testament to his faith and trust in God, even in the midst of suffering, as seen in Psalms 42:1-2, where the Psalmist pours out his heart to God in honesty and transparency
Is Job being arrogant or self-righteous in this verse?
No, Job is not being arrogant, but rather he is affirming his integrity and trust in God's justice, as seen in Job 31:5-6, where he invites God to search his heart
What is the significance of Job's statement in the context of his suffering?
Job's statement highlights the contrast between his own integrity and the unjust suffering he is enduring, as seen in Job 10:7, where he asks God to recall his innocence
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean to have 'hands free of violence' in my own life, and how can I reflect on my actions in light of this verse?
- How can I, like Job, maintain a 'pure prayer' in the midst of difficult circumstances, and what does this say about my trust in God?
- In what ways can I, like Job, affirm my integrity and trust in God's justice, even when faced with unjust treatment or suffering?
- What does this verse reveal about Job's character, and how can I learn from his example in my own walk with God?
Gill's Exposition on Job 16:17
Not for [any] injustice in my hands,.... Came all those afflictions and calamities upon him, which occasioned so much sorrow, weeping, mourning, and humiliation; he does not say there was no sin in
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 16:17
Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. Job here reform to Zophar's implied charge (Job 11:14-15).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 16:17
And all this is not come upon me for any injurious dealing with others by oppression, or deceit, or bribery, wherewith I am implicitly charged, ,20,34; but for other reasons known to God only, for I cannot discover them. Also my prayer is pure; I do not cast off God’ s fear and service, as I am accused to do, . I do still pray and worship God, and my prayer is accompanied with a sincere heart and undefiled conscience: see . So that I have lived inoffensively towards God and towards men; and therefore your assertion is both uncharitable and false, that eminent afflictions are peculiar to ungodly men.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 16:17
Job 16:17 Not for [any] injustice in mine hands: also my prayer [is] pure. Ver. 17. Not for any injustice (Heb. Violence or wrong doing) in my hands] Job could wash his hands of that rapine and bribery wherewith they had injuriously charged him, Job 15:34, and safely say of it, as afterwards Father Latimer did of sedition (3 Serm. before K. Edw.), As for that sin, for aught that I know, methinks I should not need Christ, if I might so say. Some failings there might be in him in doing justice, but no intentions of doing injustice. Also my prayer is pure] As proceeding from a heart washed from wickedness, Jeremiah 4:14, and presented with holy hands, lifted up without wrath or doubting, 1 Timothy 2:8. That he regarded not iniquity in his heart he was well assured, Psalms 66:17. Prayer is the pouring out of the heart; if iniquity be harboured there, prayer will have the scent and savour, and that incense will strike off the hand which offereth it. God requireth that in every place incense be offered unto his name, and a pure offering, Malachi 1:11.
It standeth a man in hand to see that though his work be but mean, yet it be clean; though not fine, yet not foul, soiled, and slubbered with the slur of a rotten heart. An upright man in afflictions is not without his cordial, as is to be seen in Job here, and St Paul, 2 Corinthians 1:12.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 16:17
(17) Not for any injustice.—Literally, for no injustice, just as in Isaiah 53:9 : “because he had done no violence,” should be “not because he had done any violence, or because deceit was in his mouth.”
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 16:17
Verse 17. Not for any injustice] I must assert, even with my last breath, that the charges of my friends against me are groundless. I am afflicted unto death, but not on account of my iniquities. Also my prayer is pure.] I am no hypocrite, God knoweth.
Cambridge Bible on Job 16:17
17. Not for any injustice] i. e. though there is no wrong in my hands, cf. Isaiah 53:9. The first clause denies that he had done anything amiss in action; and the second affirms that his “prayer,” i. e. his whole religious walk with God, was pure. The last words give a reply to the insinuations of Eliphaz, ch. Job 15:4, and the former to his allusion ch. Job 15:34.
Barnes' Notes on Job 16:17
Not for any injustice ... - Still claiming that he does not deserve his sorrows, and that these calamities had not come upon him on account of any enormous sins, as his friends believed.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 16:17
17. Not for injustice — The Hebrew is the same as in Isaiah 53:9. where the words are spoken of Christ.
Sermons on Job 16:17
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Grave Warnings! by David Daniel | David Daniel emphasizes the sacredness of entering the house of the Lord, warning against the dangers of familiarity that can lead to contempt. He urges believers to approach worsh |
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The Giver's Hand by John Henry Jowett | John Henry Jowett emphasizes the importance of offering gifts to the Lord with clean hands, highlighting that God looks at the heart of the giver rather than the gift itself. He st |
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God's Delight by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes that God not only loves His people but also delights in each one of us, taking great pleasure in our lives and well-being. He compares this divine deligh |
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Continue Upright by C.H. Spurgeon | C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the significance of being upright in our lives, as the prayer of the upright is a delight to God, according to Proverbs 15:8. He urges believers to maintai |
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Because You Are God's Beloved Child by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes the power of prayer mixed with faith as the essential response to every aspect of our lives. He highlights the importance of seeking God first, as instru |
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Polycarp, John and Jesus by Peter Hammond | Peter Hammond preaches about the inspiring story of Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, who faced persecution with unwavering faith and courage, refusing to renounce Christ even in the |
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Men Whose Eyes Have Seen the King - Part 7 by T. Austin-Sparks | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the visions of God that Ezekiel saw. The speaker highlights that whenever the Lord takes a new step or movement, He reveals His glory to some |