Job 9:21
Job 9:21 in Multiple Translations
Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.
I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!
Though I were perfite, yet I knowe not my soule: therefore abhorre I my life.
Perfect I am! — I know not my soul, I despise my life.
I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life.
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
“I have not done what is wrong, but that is not important. I despise continuing to remain alive.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 9:21
BAB
Word Study
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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 9:21 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
תָּֽם
אָ֭נִי
לֹֽא
אֵדַ֥ע
נַפְשִׁ֗/י
אֶמְאַ֥ס
חַיָּֽ/י
תָּֽם
tâm
H8535
complete
Adj
אָ֭נִי
ʼănîy
H589
I
Pron
לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
אֵדַ֥ע
yâdaʻ
H3045
to know
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
נַפְשִׁ֗/י
nephesh
H5315
soul
N-cs | Suff
אֶמְאַ֥ס
mâʼaç
H3988
to reject
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
חַיָּֽ/י
chay
H2416
alive
N-mp | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 9:21
תָּֽם
tâm
H8535
"complete"
Adj
This word means being complete or perfect, and is used to describe someone who is morally pure and gentle. In the Bible, it describes people like Job, who was called 'blameless and upright'. It is often translated as 'perfect' or 'upright'.
Definition: 1) perfect, complete 1a) complete, perfect 1a1) one who lacks nothing in physical strength, beauty, etc 1b) sound, wholesome 1b1) an ordinary, quiet sort of person 1c) complete, morally innocent, having integrity 1c1) one who is morally and ethically pure
Usage: Occurs in 14 OT verses. KJV: coupled together, perfect, plain, undefiled, upright. See also: Genesis 25:27; Job 9:21; Psalms 37:37.
אָ֭נִי
ʼănîy
H589
"I"
Pron
This Hebrew word is a simple way of saying 'I' or 'me', often used for emphasis. It is used by people like David in the Psalms to express their thoughts and feelings. The word is a basic part of the Hebrew language.
Definition: I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Usage: Occurs in 803 OT verses. KJV: I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who. See also: Genesis 6:17; Leviticus 19:36; 1 Samuel 25:24.
לֹֽא
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.
אֵדַ֥ע
yâdaʻ
H3045
"to know"
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Usage: Occurs in 874 OT verses. KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. See also: Genesis 3:5; Leviticus 5:4; Judges 21:12.
נַפְשִׁ֗/י
nephesh
H5315
"soul"
N-cs | Suff
The Hebrew word for soul or living being, used in the Bible to describe the essence of a person or animal. It encompasses the ideas of life, breath, and vitality, and is translated as 'soul' or 'creature' in the KJV. This word is central to biblical concepts of humanity and existence.
Definition: 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain
Usage: Occurs in 683 OT verses. KJV: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it. See also: Genesis 1:20; Leviticus 26:43; Judges 18:25.
אֶמְאַ֥ס
mâʼaç
H3988
"to reject"
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
To spurn or reject something is what this Hebrew word means. In Genesis 37:35, it is used to describe how Jacob felt when his sons told him Joseph had died.
Definition: 1) to reject, despise, refuse 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to reject, refuse 1a2) to despise 1b) (Niphal) to be rejected
Usage: Occurs in 69 OT verses. KJV: abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain, (become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, [idiom] utterly, vile person. See also: Leviticus 26:15; Psalms 106:24; Psalms 15:4.
חַיָּֽ/י
chay
H2416
"alive"
N-mp | Suff
In the Bible, this word means life or being alive. It can refer to physical life, like in Genesis 1:20, or spiritual life, like in Psalm 30:5.
Definition: adj 1) living, alive 1a) green (of vegetation) 1b) flowing, fresh (of water) 1c) lively, active (of man) 1d) reviving (of the springtime) Aramaic equivalent: chay (חַי "living" H2417)
Usage: Occurs in 450 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop. See also: Genesis 1:20; Deuteronomy 4:9; 2 Kings 5:16.
Study Notes — Job 9:21
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 9:21 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 9:21
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 9:21
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 9:21
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 9:21
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 9:21
- Cambridge Bible on Job 9:21
- Barnes' Notes on Job 9:21
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 9:21
- Sermons on Job 9:21
Context — Job: How Can I Contend with God?
19If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him ?
20Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
21Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ 23When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 1:1 | There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. |
| 2 | Psalms 139:23–24 | Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting. |
| 3 | Proverbs 28:26 | He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe. |
| 4 | Job 7:21 | Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.” |
| 5 | 1 Corinthians 4:4 | My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. |
| 6 | 1 John 3:20 | Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. |
| 7 | Job 7:15–16 | so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body. I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. |
| 8 | Jeremiah 17:9–10 | The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve. |
Job 9:21 Summary
[Job 9:21 means that even when we feel like we're doing everything right, we can still experience great pain and suffering, and this can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair, as seen in Job's statement that he despises his own life. This verse reminds us that our worth and value come not from our circumstances, but from God's love for us, as seen in Jeremiah 31:3. In the midst of suffering, we can trust that God is still with us, just as Job trusted in God despite his pain, and this trust can help us navigate even the darkest of times, as taught in Romans 8:28.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean when Job says he is blameless, yet despises his own life?
Job is expressing the pain and confusion he feels in the midst of his suffering, feeling that his righteousness has not spared him from hardship, as seen in Job 9:20, and this paradox is also reflected in other scriptures like Psalms 73:13-14 where the psalmist questions the purpose of living a righteous life if the wicked prosper.
Is Job being selfish when he says he has no concern for himself?
In this context, Job is not being selfish, but rather, he is expressing the depth of his despair and hopelessness, feeling that his life has no value or purpose in the face of such intense suffering, a sentiment also echoed in Ecclesiastes 7:15-18 where the Preacher talks about the futility of life.
How can Job say he despises his own life when the Bible teaches that life is precious?
Job's statement is not a rejection of the value of life, but rather an expression of the overwhelming pain and sorrow he is experiencing, similar to what is expressed in Lamentations 3:17 where the prophet feels that his life has been stripped of all joy and peace, and this highlights the complex emotional struggle of those who suffer.
What can we learn from Job's attitude towards his own life?
We can learn that even in the midst of great suffering, it is normal to feel overwhelmed and to question the value of our own lives, but as seen in Job 13:15, Job still trusts in God, and this trust is what ultimately sustains him, a lesson also taught in Jeremiah 29:11 where God promises a future and a hope to those who trust in Him.
Reflection Questions
- What are the times in my life when I have felt like Job, despising my own life and feeling hopeless?
- How do I respond to suffering and hardship, and what can I learn from Job's example?
- What are the ways in which I can cultivate a deeper trust in God, even in the midst of pain and uncertainty?
- How can I balance the desire to make sense of my suffering with the reality that some questions may never have clear answers, and what role does faith play in this balance?
Gill's Exposition on Job 9:21
[Though] I [were] perfect,.... Really and truly so, not conscious of any sin in thought, word, or deed; this is only a case supposed: [yet] would I not know my soul; I would not own myself to be so
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 9:21
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. Though I were perfect, yet would not know my soul - literally (here and in Job 9:20), 'I perfect! I should not know my soul!
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 9:21
i.e. Though God should acquit me in judgment, and pronounce me perfect or righteous, yet would I not know, i.e. regard or value, (as that word is oft used,) my soul, i.e. my life; as the soul frequently signifies, as ,17; and as it is explained in the following branch, where life is put for soul, and despising for not knowing: and so the same thing is repeated in differing words, and the latter clause explains the former, which was more dark and doubtful, according to the usage of sacred Scripture. So the sense is, Though God should give sentence for me, yet I should be so overwhelmed with the dread and terror of the Divine Majesty, that I should be weary of my life. And therefore I abhor the thoughts of contending with my Maker, whereof you accuse me; and yet I have reason to be weary of my life, and to desire death. Or thus, If I say, I am perfect, as the very same Hebrew words are rendered, , i.e. if I should think myself perfect, yet I would not know, i.e. not acknowledge, my soul; I could not own nor plead before God the perfection and integrity of my soul, but would only make supplication to my Judge, as he said, , and flee to his grace and mercy; I would abhor, or reject, or condemn my life, i.e. my conversation. So the sense is, I would not insist upon nor trust to the integrity, either of my soul and heart, or of my life, so as to justify myself before the pure and piercing eyes of the all-seeing God.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 9:21
Job 9:21 [Though] I [were] perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.Ver. 21. Though I were perfect] That is, of an unblameable conversation, yet could not I know mine own soul, that is, those secret sins, Psalms 19:12, those litters of lusts that lurk therein; therefore I despise my life, I have no joy at all of it, but could wish to be out of the world to be rid of these evil inmates, that will not out of doors till the house fall upon the heads of them, till the earthly tabernacle that harboureth them be at once dissolved. Others read and sense the words thus: I am perfect or upright, neither do I know mine own soul, i.e. quicquam perversi anima mea, they allowed sin in my soul; yet I am so afflicted, that I despise my life, as being but a continued death. Aben Ezra reads the verse with an admiration, thus, Perfect I am; and think you that I know not mine own soul! that I am so great a stranger to myself! or that I have so little care of mine own good, as that I despise my life, and walk at all adventures! Tremellius thus, I am upright, whatever you my friends may make of me, neither value I my life or soul in comparison of mine integrity; my life is but a trifle to my conscience, &c.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 9:21
Verse 21. Though 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.
Cambridge Bible on Job 9:21
21. This feeling of being helpless in the hands of an overmastering might, which has no regard to his innocence, drives Job on to a reckless defiance of his adversary, and he will assert his innocence in His face though it should cost him his life. Going back upon the words, “if I were perfect,” he cries, I am perfect, I regard not myself, I despise my life. The phrase, I regard not, care not for, myself, is lit. I know not myself, cf. Genesis 39:6, Psalms 1:6. On the last words cf. ch. Job 7:20. The speaker feels that his bold assertion of his innocence may provoke his adversary altogether to destroy him, but he proclaims his indifference.
Barnes' Notes on Job 9:21
Though 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.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 9:21
Strophe c — The consciousness of his innocence not only leads him to self-assertion, but to a most violent arraignment of God as an unjust judge.
Sermons on Job 9:21
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Job: An Epic in Brokenness) 1. in the Crucible of Suffering by Roy Hession | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the fourth test that Job faced, which was the counsel of his three friends. These friends, who were oriental philosophers, constantly implied |
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Through the Bible - Job - Part 1 by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Job from the book of Job in the Bible. He emphasizes that when God anoints a man's ministry and his work spreads, there will be |
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Sermons on Job #1 (Introduction) by John Calvin | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of serving God in spirit and truth, as stated in John 4:24. He refers to Jeremiah 5:1, where God calls for people who seek tr |
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Corporate Confession and Repentance - Part 1 by Richard Owen Roberts | In this sermon, the preacher begins by describing a scenario of a young girl getting married to an older man, emphasizing the importance of finding the right partner in God's eyes. |
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Learning the Fear of God (Telugu) by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of fearing God and turning away from sin, drawing insights from the book of Job as the first book written by God in the Bible. It highlights t |
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(Christian Leadership) Building the Home and the Church by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that having a cooperative wife is not a requirement to be a prophet of God. He warns against complaining about one's spouse and using them as |
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(Pure Testimony) the Witness of One Man by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the power of one person's influence. He uses the examples of Daniel and Noah to illustrate how even a small group or family can have a signif |