Job 21:3 — Word Study
WLCשָׂ֭אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג׃
BSABear with menâsâʼ [suffer me, be patient with me] ◂while Iʼânôkîy [the speaker, myself] speakdâbar▸ [communicate, express my thoughts] then, afterʼachar [following, subsequent to] I have spokendâbar [expressed myself, shared my words] you may go on mockinglâʻag▸ [continue, resume, deriding, scoffing at me, with scorn, in ridicule]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שָׂ֭אוּנִי | bear with me | Verb qal imperative second person masculine plural, suffix |
| וְאָנֹכִ֣י | and I | Conjunction, pronoun |
| אֲדַבֵּ֑ר | I will speak | Verb, Piel, imperfect first person common singular |
| וְאַחַ֖ר | and after | Conjunction |
| דַּבְּרִ֣י | have spoken I | Verb piel infinitive construct common, suffix |
| תַלְעִֽיג׃ | you will mock | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect second person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking. |
| KJV | Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on. |
| ASV | Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on. |
| YLT | Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride. |
| WEB | Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on. |
| BBE | Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of mocking — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence structure consists of a main clause followed by two dependent clauses, illustrating the flow of Job's plea and the anticipated response.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאָנֹכִי
verbדָבַר
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 21:3
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 Defensegenerated
Job 21:3 captures Job's plea for his friends to listen as he shares his perspective. He feels that after he has expressed his thoughts, they may continue their mocking. This moment is part of a larger discourse where Job is challenging the assumptions made about his suffering and integrity, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 13:13 | Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may. |
| 2 | Job 33:31–33 | Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. |
| 3 | Job 12:4–5 | I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. |
| 4 | Job 13:9 | Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man? |
| 5 | Job 16:10–20 | They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׂ֭אוּנִי, Sa.'u.nigenerated
The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take. In this context, it is an imperative form, urging others to bear with him, to support him as he speaks. This reflects a request for patience and understanding during a difficult conversation.
The use of the second person masculine plural indicates that Job is addressing a group, asking them collectively to endure his words. This highlights the communal aspect of his plea, as he seeks empathy from those around him.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses Bear with me for שָׂ֭אוּנִי.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of multiple clauses, with the main action centered on the finite verb אֲדַבֵּ֑ר, I will speak. The imperative verb שָׂ֭אוּנִי introduces Job's plea for patience, while the subsequent clauses detail the sequence of his speaking and the anticipated mocking.
The structure indicates a progression: Job first requests attention, then states his intention to speak, and finally anticipates the response from his audience. This flow emphasizes the importance of being heard before judgment.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the word corresponding to שָׂ֭אוּנִי is με, which also conveys the sense of 'with me.' This choice shows a direct appeal for companionship in listening.
The translation reflects a similar understanding of the request for patience, maintaining the relational aspect of Job's plea.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 21:3 shows Job asking his friends to be patient and listen to him before they continue mocking him. He wants them to hear his words and understand his perspective on his suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is asking his friends to be patient and listen to him as he shares his thoughts, indicating that he feels misunderstood.
Job expects that after he shares his perspective, his friends will continue to ridicule him, reflecting their lack of understanding of his situation.
Job's request to speak highlights his desire for a fair hearing and to express his grievances, which he feels are not being acknowledged.
This verse is part of Job's defense against his friends' accusations, emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding in their discussions about suffering.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I practice patience when others are sharing their struggles?
- In what ways do I sometimes rush to judgment without hearing the full story?
- What can I learn from Job's approach to expressing his feelings?
- How do I respond to others when they seek my attention and understanding?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 21:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSuffer me that I may speak,.... To go on with his discourse, without any interruption, until he had finished it; as he before craves their attention, here he entreats their patience to hear him out,
Read John Gill on Job 21 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySuffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on. 'Then you may go on with your mockings' (Job 17:2).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 21 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSuffer me that I may speak without such interruption as you have given me, ; and if I do not defend my cause with solid and convincing arguments, go on in your scoffs if you please.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 21 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 21:3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.Ver. 3. Suffer me that I may speak] Say that it be suffering to you to hear me (for now I see you have, as they write of some creatures, fel in aure), yet put yourselves to the pain of hearing me, and bear me, though I am burdensome to you, though my speeches cross the grain of your spirits. See 2 Corinthians 11:1. I will promise you to speak nothing worthy of a scoff, such as was that of Theophrastus, Let him shun the talkative man who would not be put into a fit of a fever (Theoph. Charact. cap. de garrul.). Or that of Aristotle, before whom when one, having made a long and idle discourse, concluded it thus, I…
Read John Trapp on Job 21 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. mock on] This last word is sing. and seems addressed to Zophar the last speaker, whose pictures of the fate of the wicked deeply wounded Job. Having heard his account of the prosperity of the wicked, they shall have leave then to proceed with their bitter taunts and insinuations if they have a mind.
Read Cambridge on Job 21 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleSuffer me that I may speak - Allow me to speak without interruption, or bear with me while I freely express my sentiments - it is all that I now ask.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 21 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3. Mock on — Literally, thou mayest mock. He means Zophar, whose remarks were thus far the most cruel and lacerating of all. In his would-be coup-de-grace Zophar exhausted himself, and speaks no more.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 21 →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
Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
Bear with me and I will speak, and after I have spoken you may mock.
Tyndale line
Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.
Suffer me, and I also will speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
Suffer me that I may speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.
Suffer mee, that I may speake, and when I haue spoken, mocke on.
Strictly literal
Suffer me and I will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on!
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
Bear with me, and I speak, || And after my speaking—you may deride.
Bear with me that I may indeed speak: and after my speaking, then canst thou mock.
Put up with me, and I also will speak; after I have spoken, mock on.
From the Latin
Suffer me, and I will speak, and after, if you please, laugh at my words.
Simplified
Bear with me; let me speak. After I've spoken you can resume mocking me.
Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.
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 and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording for Job 21:3. Five of the six words match, indicating a strong consistency in the core message across these texts.
שָׂ֭אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג׃
5 of the 6 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 21:3
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.
The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take
Qal
lift, lift up
Bear, carry
Take, take away
Niph.
be lifted up
refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment
be borne, carried
be taken away, carried off
Pi.
lift up = exalt
fig. = desire, long
carry, bear continuously
take, take away
Hithp. lift oneself up
Hiph.
cause one to bear iniquity
appar. cause to bring, have brought
base
H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up
. Bear, carry
. Take, take away
. . be lifted up
. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment
. be borne, carried
. be taken away, carried off
. . lift up = exalt
. fig. = desire, long
. carry, bear continuously
. take, take away
. lift oneself up
. . cause one to bear iniquity
. appar. cause to bring, have brought
5375 nasa' naw-saw'
or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to
lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and
figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,
arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring
(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,
exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,
give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,
lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,
pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,
stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.
see HEBREW for 04
see HEBREW for 06
see HEBREW for 07
נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.
: raise/take_up
1) to lift, bear up, carry, take
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lift, lift up
1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted
1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up
1b3) to be borne, be carried
1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist
1c2) to desire, long (fig.)
1c3) to carry, bear continuously
1c4) to take, take away
1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)
1e2) to cause to bring, have brought
נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.
: look/lift(eyes)
1) to lift, bear up, carry, take
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lift, lift up
1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted
V-Qal-Impv-2mp | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine plural · suffixHVqv2mp/Sp1bs
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)
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronounHC/Pp1bs
דָבַר (dabar) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of actions including declaring, commanding, and conversing. The root suggests a figurative use of words, with some entries noting a rare destructive sense of subduing. Various forms of the verb indicate different nuances, such as speaking with one another or making promises.
[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)
Qal speak
Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk
Pi. speak
Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for
Hithp. speaking this word
Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues
base
H1696 דָבַר speak (original mng. dub.)
1696 dabar daw-bar'
a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used
figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive
sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune,
declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse,
say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think,
use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: speak.
: speak/tell/command
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: subdue.
: subdue
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: promise.
: promise/declare
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Piel · imperfect first person common singularHVpi1cs
The Hebrew word אַחַר (*achar*) primarily denotes the concept of 'after' or 'behind' in both spatial and temporal contexts. It functions as a substantive, adverb, preposition, and conjunction, indicating a following part or time. The related form אַחֲרַי (*acharai*) refers to a person who turns backwards. There is a reference to Proverbs 28:23 in relation to the latter.
אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part
adv.
of place, behind
of time, afterwards
prep.
of place, behind, after
of time, after
conj. after that.
H310a אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part . adv. . of place, behind
. of time, afterwards
. prep. . of place, behind, after
. of time, after
. conj. after that.
H310b אַחֲרַי a man that turneth backwards.
310 'achar akh-ar'
from 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an
adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):--after
(that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side),
behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from,
hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute,
posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth),
when, with.
see HEBREW for 0309
אַחַר (a.char) — after.
1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time)
1a) as an adverb
1a1) behind (of place)
1a2) afterwards (of time)
1b) as a preposition
1b1) behind, after (of place)
1b2) after (of time)
1b3) besides
1c) as a conjunction
1c) after that
1d) as a substantive
1d1) hinder part
1e) with other prepositions
1e1) from behind
1e2) from following after
אַחֲרַי (a.cha.ray) — backwards.
backwards (of a man that turns backwards)
Conj | Adv — ConjunctionHC/Acmsc
דָבַר (dabar) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of actions including declaring, commanding, and conversing. The root suggests a figurative use of words, with some entries noting a rare destructive sense of subduing. Various forms of the verb indicate different nuances, such as speaking with one another or making promises.
[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)
Qal speak
Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk
Pi. speak
Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for
Hithp. speaking this word
Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues
base
H1696 דָבַר speak (original mng. dub.)
1696 dabar daw-bar'
a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used
figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive
sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune,
declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse,
say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think,
use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: speak.
: speak/tell/command
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: subdue.
: subdue
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: promise.
: promise/declare
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
V-Piel-Inf-a | Suff — Verb piel infinitive construct common · suffixHVpcc/Sp1bs
לָעַג (la'ag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to mock or deride. It can also refer to stammering, particularly in the Niphal form, which suggests speaking unintelligibly. The entries indicate that the word conveys ridicule and scorn, with variations in its use across different grammatical forms.
[לָעַג] vb. mock, deride; also (Niph.) stammer, poet.
Qal mock, deride, have in derision
Niph. a people stammering of tongue (i.e. barbarians)
Hiph. mock, deride
base
H3932 [לָעַג] mock, deride; also (Niph.) stammer, poet.
3932 la`ag law-ag'
a primitive root; to deride; by implication (as if imitating
a foreigner) to speak unintelligibly:--have in derision, laugh
(to scorn), mock (on), stammering.
לָעַג (la.ag) — to mock.
1) to mock, deride, ridicule
1a) (Qal) to mock, deride, have in derision
1b) (Niphal) to stammer
1c) (Hiphil) to mock, deride
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect second person masculine singularHVhi2ms