Job 13:2 — Word Study
WLCכְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם יָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־ אָ֑נִי לֹא־ נֹפֵ֖ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּֽם׃
BSAWhat you knowdaʻath [the same things, according to your knowledge] Iʼănîy alsogam knowyâdaʻ■ [am aware of, have understanding] Iʼânôkîy am notlôʼ [by no means, in no way] inferiornâphal [less than, not equal]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם | like knowledge your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| יָדַ֣עְתִּי | I know | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| גַם־ | also | Adverb |
| אָ֑נִי | I | Pronoun |
| לֹא־ | not | Particle |
| נֹפֵ֖ל | [am] falling | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| אָנֹכִ֣י | I | Pronoun |
| מִכֶּֽם׃ | more than you | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. |
| KJV | What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. |
| ASV | What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. |
| YLT | According to your knowledge I have known — also I. I am not fallen more than you. |
| WEB | What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you. |
| BBE | The same things are in my mind as in yours; I am equal to you. |
All translations agree on the meaning of Job's assertion of knowledge.
The sentence has a main clause followed by two subordinate phrases that clarify Job's position.






7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאָנֹכִי
verbיָדַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 13:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Defense Against His Friendsgenerated
Job 13:2 is part of Job's response to his friends who have accused him of wrongdoing. He insists that he possesses the same understanding of God and His ways as they do. This assertion serves to challenge their assumptions about his suffering and to elevate his position in the conversation. Job's claim of knowledge is significant as it reflects his deep engagement with his circumstances and his desire for justice and understanding from God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 12:3 | But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? |
| 2 | Job 15:8–9 | Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself? |
| 3 | Job 34:35 | ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’ |
| 4 | Job 35:16 | So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.” |
| 5 | Job 37:2 | Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָדַ֣עְתִּי, ya.Da'.tigenerated
The word יָדַע (yada`) means 'to know' and encompasses a range of meanings including perception, recognition, and experience. Job uses it here to assert that he is aware of the same truths as his friends, indicating a shared understanding.
This verb is in the perfect tense, first person singular, which emphasizes Job's personal knowledge and experience. It suggests that his knowledge is not just theoretical but is grounded in his own life and suffering.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the core meaning of Job's assertion of knowledge.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is יָדַ֣עְתִּי, I know, which governs the sentence. It is followed by a prepositional phrase that indicates what Job knows, and then a contrasting clause that asserts his equality.
The structure emphasizes Job's claim of knowledge and equality, with the subject אָנֹכִ֣י (I) placed prominently to assert his identity and position.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָדַעְתִּי as οἶδα (oida), which also means 'I know.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence in meaning, emphasizing Job's assertion of knowledge.
The use of οἶδα aligns with the Hebrew's emphasis on personal knowledge and understanding.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 13:2 states that Job knows what his friends know and insists he is not less than they are. This highlights his confidence in his understanding and his position in the discussion.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is asserting that he has the same understanding of God's ways as his friends, challenging their assumptions about his situation.
Job wants to defend his dignity and assert that his suffering does not diminish his understanding or worth.
This verse shows Job's confidence and determination to stand firm in his beliefs despite the accusations from his friends.
Knowledge in this context is crucial for Job as it underlines his relationship with God and his desire for justice.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel confident in my understanding, like Job?
- How can I communicate my thoughts and feelings effectively when facing opposition?
- What does it mean to assert my dignity in difficult conversations?
- How can I seek knowledge and understanding in my own life, as Job did?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist comments on Job's assertion of knowledge, emphasizing his humility in comparison to his friends.
What ye know, the same do I know also; I am not inferior to you. By which same words he made known what exceeding humility he had, who says that he was 'not inferior' to them, whose life by holy living he very far surpassed.Early Church Fathers on Job 13 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 13:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhat ye know, [the same] do I know also,.... Concerning God and his perfections, his sovereignty, holiness, justice, wisdom, power, goodness, c.
Read John Gill on Job 13 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWhat ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 13 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 13:2 What ye know, [the same] do I know also: I [am] not inferior unto you.Ver. 2. What ye know, the same do I know also] Heb. According to your knowledge I also know. This may seem an unseemly boast; which, if his friends had taxed him for, he might have answered, as Paul did in a like case, Ye have compelled me, 2 Corinthians 11:5. The rule is, "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves," Philippians 2:3. Non est tamen prodenda Dei veritas, aut integritas nostra, &c., Nevertheless, no man ought to betray the truth, or his own integrity, lest he should be counted contentious (Merlin in loc.). See Job 12:3…
Read John Trapp on Job 13 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersXIII.(2) I am not inferior unto you.—I fall not short of you. But it is this very sense of the inscrutableness of God’s dealings that makes him long to come face to face with God, and to reason with Him on the first principles of His action. As it is manifestly the traditionally orthodox position that his friends assume, it is refreshing to find that there may be some truth spoken for God by what is not so reckoned, and that more ultimate truth may exist in honest doubt than is sometimes found in the profession of a loosely-held creed. So the Laureate: “There lives more truth in honest doubt, Believe me, than in half the creeds.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 13 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1–2. Looking back to his delineation of the Divine wisdom and might as they dominate among men and in the world (ch. Job 12:7-25), Job says that his knowledge of them is not inferior to that of the friends—a final answer to Zophar, ch. Job 11:6; cf. as to Job 13 :2 Chronicles 12:3.
Read Cambridge on Job 13 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWhat ye know ... - See the note at Job 12:3.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 13 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleSecond division, first section — JOB’S DESIRE TO HIS CAUSE FROM FALSE AND FRIENDS TO GOD, Job 13:1-12.First strophe — Announcing his purpose to appeal to God, Job cannot refrain from a well-deserved
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 13 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
What you know, I know also; I am not inferior to you!
Tyndale line
What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior to you.
I knowe also as much as you knowe: I am not inferiour vnto you.
Strictly literal
What ye know, I know also: I am not inferior to you.
According to your knowledge I have known — also I. I am not fallen more than you.
According to your knowledge I have known—also I. I am not more fallen than you.
As much as ye know, do I also know: I do not fall short compared with you.
What you know, the same I also know; I am not inferior to you.
From the Latin
According to your knowledge I also know: neither am I inferior to you.
Simplified
I know what you know. You're no better than me.
The same things are in my mind as in yours; I am equal to you.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text presents the verse as כְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם יָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־ אָ֑נִי לֹא־ נֹפֵ֖ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּֽם׃. The Septuagint agrees with five of the eight words in the Hebrew text, though the order and structure differ.
כְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם יָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־ אָ֑נִי לֹא־ נֹפֵ֖ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּֽם׃
5 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 13:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
דַּ֫עַת (da`ath) means knowledge, encompassing perception, skill, and moral understanding. It is associated with prophetic knowledge and is noted for its divine aspect, particularly in the context of wisdom literature. The entries highlight its use in various forms of knowledge, including discernment and understanding.
דַּ֫עַת n.f. knowledge
knowledge, perception
= skill (in workmanship)
of proph. knowledge
esp. knowledge with moral quality
knowledge possessed by God
esp. in Wisd Lt = discernment, understanding, wisdom
base
H1847 דַּ֫עַת knowledge . . knowledge, perception
. = skill (in workmanship)
. of proph. knowledge
. esp. knowledge with moral quality
. knowledge possessed by God
. esp. in Wisd Lt = discernment, understanding, wisdom
1847 da`ath dah'-ath
from 3045; knowledge:--cunning, (ig-)norantly, know(-ledge),
(un-)awares (wittingly).
see HEBREW for 03045
דַּ֫עַת (da.at) — knowledge.
1) knowledge
1a) knowledge, perception, skill
1b) discernment, understanding, wisdom
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp2mp
יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
יָדַע 943 vb. know
Qal
know, learn to know
perceive
perceive and see; find out and discern
discriminate, distinguish
know by experience
recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
consider
not know = not expect
know a person, be acquainted with
know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
be skilful in
abs. have knowledge, be wise
Niph.
be made known, be or become known, of things
make oneself known of pers.
be perceived
be instructed
Pi. cause to know
Pu. known
Hiph. make known, declare
Hoph. made known
Hithp. make oneself known
base
H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know
. perceive
. perceive and see; find out and discern
. discriminate, distinguish
. know by experience
. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
. consider
. not know = not expect
. know a person, be acquainted with
. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
. be skilful in
. abs. have knowledge, be wise
. . be made known, be or become known, of things
. make oneself known of pers.
. be perceived
. be instructed
. cause to know
. known
. make known, declare
. made known
. make oneself known
3045 yada` yaw-dah'
a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);
used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,
euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,
care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,
punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted
with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,
(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X
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, + be
learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X
prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man
of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,
יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.
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)
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
גַּם (gam) is an adverb meaning 'also' or 'moreover,' indicating addition or emphasis. It can express various nuances, such as 'even,' 'indeed,' or 'but.' The term is often used in a correlational manner, as in 'both...and.' It appears in contexts that require clarification or reinforcement of a statement.
גַּם 768 adv. denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
base
H1571 גַּם denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
1571 gam gam
by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea,
though; often repeated as correl. both...and:--again, alike,
also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and , but, either...or,
even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover,
nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.
גַּם (gam) — also.
1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea
1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis)
1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative)
1c) even (for stress)
1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax)
1e) also (of correspondence or retribution)
1f) but, yet, though (adversative)
1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case)
2) (TWOT) again, alike
Adv — AdverbHD
ol'-so: In the Greek kai, when it is equivalent to "also" or "even," is always placed before the word or phrase which it is intended to emphasize (e.g. Ac 12:3; 1 Joh 4:21). Mt 6:14 should therefore read, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you also"; Lu 6:13, "Whom also he named apostles"; Heb 8:6, "The mediator of a better covenant also"; and 1Th 4:14, `If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also (we believe that) those who are fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
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)
Part — ParticleHTn
נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
fall, by accident
Esp. of violent death
fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
fig. = experience calamity
fall, of a city
Fall prostrate
fall = prostrate oneself before
fall upon one's neck, in embrace
Fall upon = attack
desert or fall away to, go over to
Fig., of deep sleep
Other idiomatic uses
= lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
cause to fall
Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
Esp. of casting lot
Fig., let drop, cause to fail
cause deep sleep to fall
Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
base
H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident
. . Esp. of violent death
. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
. fig. = experience calamity
. fall, of a city
. . Fall prostrate
. fall = prostrate oneself before
. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
. . Fall upon = attack
. desert or fall away to, go over to
. Fig., of deep sleep
. Other idiomatic uses
. = lie; = lie prostrate
. . cause to fall
. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
. Esp. of casting lot
. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
. cause deep sleep to fall
. Other idioms
. throw, or prostrate oneself
5307 naphal naw-fal'
a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications
(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be
accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide
(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall
(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have
(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay
(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,
lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make
to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.
see HEBREW for 06419
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.
: fall/drop/fail
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before
1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of
1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result
1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to
1a7) to lie, lie prostrate
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate
1b2) to overthrow
1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot
1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)
1b5) to cause to fall
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon
1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself
1d) (Pilel) to fall
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.
: deserting
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singularHVqrmsa
The Hebrew word אָֽנֹכִ֫י (*anokiy*) is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is a variant spelling of אֲנִי (*ani*), which also means 'I.' The entries confirm its use as a personal pronoun without significant disagreement among lexicons.
אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H595 אָֽנֹכִ֫י, אָנֹ֑כִי I
595 'anokiy aw-no-kee'
sometimes {aw-no'-kee}; a primitive pro.; I:--I, me, X
which.
אָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) — I.
I (first pers. sing.)
Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs
כֶם (khem) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural
HR/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2mp
