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Amplified Bible

Job 32:22

"For I do not know how to flatter, [in an appropriate way, and I fear that], My Maker would soon take me away.

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elihu;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Job, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For I do not know how to give such titles;otherwise, my Maker would remove me in an instant.
Hebrew Names Version
For I don't know how to give flattering titles; Or else my Maker would soon take me away.
King James Version
For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.
English Standard Version
For I do not know how to flatter, else my Maker would soon take me away.
New Century Version
I don't know how to flatter, and if I did, my Maker would quickly take me away.
New English Translation
for I do not know how to give honorary titles, if I did, my Creator would quickly do away with me.
New American Standard Bible
"For I do not know how to flatter, Otherwise my Maker would quickly take me away.
World English Bible
For I don't know how to give flattering titles; Or else my Maker would soon take me away.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For I may not giue titles, lest my Maker should take me away suddenly.
Legacy Standard Bible
For I do not know how to flatter,Else my Maker would soon carry me away.
Berean Standard Bible
For I do not know how to flatter, or my Maker would remove me in an instant.
Contemporary English Version
if I did, my Creator would quickly destroy me!
Complete Jewish Bible
I don't know how to flatter; if I did, my maker would soon put an end to me.
Darby Translation
For I know not how to flatter; my Maker would soon take me away.
Easy-to-Read Version
I cannot treat one person better than another. If I did, God my Maker would punish me!
George Lamsa Translation
For I do not know what shame is; else would my Almighty One soon take me away.
Good News Translation
I don't know how to flatter, and God would quickly punish me if I did.
Lexham English Bible
for I do not know how to flatter, else my Maker would soon put an end to me.
Literal Translation
For I do not know how to eulogize; else after a little my Maker will take me away.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For yf I wolde go aboute to please me, I knowe not how soone my maker wolde take me awaye.
American Standard Version
For I know not to give flattering titles; Else would my Maker soon take me away.
Bible in Basic English
For I am not able to give names of honour to any man; and if I did, my Maker would quickly take me away.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For I know not to give flattering titles; else would my Maker soon take me away.
King James Version (1611)
For I know not to giue flattering titles: in so doing my maker would soone take me away.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For if I woulde go about to please men, I knowe not howe soone my maker would take me away.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For I know not how to respect persons: and if otherwise, even the moths would eat me.
English Revised Version
For I know not to give flattering titles; else would my Maker soon take me away.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Y woot not hou long Y schal abide, and if my Makere take me awei `after a litil tyme.
Update Bible Version
For I don't know to give flattering titles; [Else] would my Maker soon take me away.
Webster's Bible Translation
For I know not to give flattering titles; [in so doing], my Maker would soon take me away.
New King James Version
For I do not know how to flatter, Else my Maker would soon take me away.
New Living Translation
For if I tried flattery, my Creator would soon destroy me.
New Life Bible
For I do not know how to say sweet-sounding words that are not true, for then my Maker would soon take me away.
New Revised Standard
For I do not know how to flatter— or my Maker would soon put an end to me!
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Surely I know not how to give flattering titles, How soon might my Maker take me away!
Douay-Rheims Bible
For I know not how long I shall continue, and whether after a while my Maker may take me away.
Revised Standard Version
For I do not know how to flatter, else would my Maker soon put an end to me.
Young's Literal Translation
For I have not known to give flattering titles, In a little doth my Maker take me away.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For I do not know how to flatter, Else my Maker would soon take me away.

Contextual Overview

15"They (Job's friends) are dismayed and embarrassed, they no longer answer; The words have moved away and failed them," [says Elihu]. 16"And shall I wait, because they say nothing, But stand still and say no more? 17"I too will give my share of answers; I too will express my opinion and share my knowledge. 18"For I am full of words; The spirit within me constrains me. 19"My belly is like unvented wine; Like new wineskins it is about to burst. 20"I must speak so that I may get relief; I will open my lips and answer. 21"I will not [I warn you] be partial to any man [that is, let my respect for you mitigate what I say]; Nor flatter any man. 22"For I do not know how to flatter, [in an appropriate way, and I fear that], My Maker would soon take me away.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I know not: That is, I cannot, Job 17:5, Psalms 12:2, Psalms 12:3, Proverbs 29:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:5, Galatians 1:10

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 14:20 - according Job 13:7 - General Job 35:10 - my Psalms 5:9 - they Psalms 15:4 - a vile Matthew 22:16 - neither Matthew 23:9 - call

Cross-References

Genesis 32:22
But he got up that same night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and waded over the ford of the Jabbok.
Genesis 32:26
Then He said, "Let Me go, for day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing on me."
Genesis 35:18
And as her soul was departing, (for she died), she named him Ben-oni (son of my sorrow); but his father called him Benjamin (son of the right hand).
Deuteronomy 2:37
"Only you did not go near the land of the sons of Ammon, all along the river Jabbok and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the LORD our God had forbidden us.
Deuteronomy 3:16
"To the Reubenites and Gadites I gave the territory from Gilead as far as the Valley of Arnon, with the middle of the Valley as a boundary, and as far as the Jabbok River, the boundary of the sons of Ammon;
Joshua 12:2
Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the [river] Arnon, both the middle of the valley and half of Gilead, and as far as the brook Jabbok, [which is] the border of the sons of Ammon;
1 Timothy 5:8
If anyone fails to provide for his own, and especially for those of his own family, he has denied the faith [by disregarding its precepts] and is worse than an unbeliever [who fulfills his obligation in these matters].

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I know not to give flattering titles,.... He had not been brought up in such a manner, nor taught to use them; he had not been inured to them, nor did he know or approve of them; nor could he in conscience give them;

[in so doing], my Maker would soon take me away; it being such a piece of wickedness, so abominable to him, and so highly resented by him, that I might justly expect he would, as he could, strike me dead at once; just as Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for lying, Acts 5:5: or he knew that it would be but a short time at most, and he should be taken out of the world by death, when he must appear before his Maker, his Judge, to whom he must give an account of his words, as well as actions; the awe of this being continually on his mind would not admit him to flatter any man. Some render it, "will burn me" c, as in 2 Samuel 5:21; so Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom, that is, in hell fire; see Psalms 12:2.

c ישאני "comburet me", Pagninus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I know not to give flattering titles - I do not know how to flatter. It is not in my character; it has not been my habit. “In so doing.” These words are not in the Hebrew, and they greatly mar the sense, and give a different idea from that which was intended by the speaker.

My Maker would soon take me away - Or, rather, “My Maker will soon take me away.” That is, “I know that I must soon be removed, and must stand before my Maker. I must give an account for all that I say. Knowing that I am to go to the realities of another state of being, I cannot flatter people. I must tell them the exact and simple truth.” There could be no better preventive of flattery than this. The conviction that we are soon to appear before God, where all are on a level, and where every mask will be stripped off, and everything appear as it is, would prevent us from ascribing to others qualities which we know they do not possess, and from giving them titles which will only exalt them in their own estimation, and hide the truth from their minds. Titles which properly belong to men, and which pertain to office, religion does not forbid us to confer - for the welfare of the community is promoted by a proper respect for the names and offices of those who rule. But no good end is answered in ascribing to men titles as mere matters of distinction, which serve to keep before them the idea of their own talents or importance; or which lead them to forget that they like others are soon to be “taken away,” and called to give up their account in another world. The deep conviction that we are all soon to try the realities of a bed of death and of the grave, and that we are to go to a world where there is no delusion, and where the ascription of qualities to us here which do not belong to us will be of no avail, would prompt to a wish to state always the simple truth. Under that conviction, we should never so ascribe to another any quality of beauty, strength, or talent, any name or title, as to leave him for one moment under a deception about himself. If this rule were followed, what a change would it produce in the social, the political, the literary, and even the religious world!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 32:22. My Maker would soon take me away. — Were I to copy this conduct while under the influence which I now feel, God might justly consume me as in a moment. He is my Maker; he made me to know truth, to tell truth, and to live according to truth; for he is the God of truth: I shall, therefore through his help, speak the TRUTH, the WHOLE TRUTH, and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

WE find from the above that vain titles of ceremony, expressive of the most eminent qualities, were given to worthless men, from time immemorial; and no wonder, for hypocrisy entered into man at the same time that sin entered into the world.

Of the flattering titles used in the East, I shall give a few specimens from the [Arabic] Kooayid us Sultanet SHAH JEHAN, or, "The Rules observed during the Reign of the Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan."

Speaking of the emperor, he is entitled,

"The SUN which illuminates the firmament in the universe of royalty and dominion; the MOON, which irradiates the sky of monarchy and felicity; the King who in pomp resembles Gem-sheed. His hand is boundless as the ocean in bestowing bounties, being the key of the gates of kindness and liberality!" Again: -

"The Sun of the heaven of prosperity and empire, the SHADOW OF GOD, the Asylum of the Universe, the splendour of whose instructive front causes light and gladness to the world and to mankind."

"The just and vigilant Monarch; the Asylum of Truth, the Refuge of the World; the Diffuser of Light, the Solver of all human difficulties."

"The Lord of the Age, who is endowed with such perfect excellence, both in internal and external qualifications, that on all occasions he holds fast the thread of good counsel, prudence, and purity of morals."

"The faculty of apprehension is possessed by him in such a degree, that before the matter ha s scarcely obtained utterance he comprehends the purport, and gives answers with the tongue of inspiration."

Addresses to Persons of Distinction

"Let them convey to the presence of glorious empire, the Sultan, in pomp like Solomon, the centre of the universe, powerful as heaven!"

"Let them who kiss the carpet of the palace, in pomp like heaven, convey this letter to his majesty, whose sight is as creative as alchymy, king of kings, the asylum of the world!"

"To the exalted presence, which gratifies the desires of all people, the most beneficent of the age, the vizier, protector of the universe, may the Almighty perpetuate his fortune!"

"May this letter be dignified in the presence of Naweeb Saheb, diffuser of benefits, of exalted pomp, the respectable, the discriminator of ranks! May his power increase!"

"Let them convey this to the perusal of his excellency, conversant in realities and mysteries, the support of excellencies, the cream of his contemporaries, and the cherisher of the poor!"

These are a specimen of the flattering titles given in the East to persons in eminent stations. Their kings they clothe in all the attributes of the Deity, when both in their public and private character they are corrupt and unholy, rascals in grain, and the ruthless oppressors of suffering humanity.


 
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