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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Job 14:16

Then you will watch every step I take, but you will not keep track of my sins.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Sin;   Thompson Chain Reference - Concealment-Exposure;   Exposure;   Righteous, the;   Righteous-Wicked;   Saint's;   Saints;   Secret Sins;   Sin;   Steps, Saints';  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Job;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Decrees of God;   Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Number (and forms);   Steps;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bag;   Job, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For then you would count my stepsbut would not take note of my sin.
Hebrew Names Version
But now you number my steps. Don't you watch over my sin?
King James Version
For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
English Standard Version
For then you would number my steps; you would not keep watch over my sin;
New Century Version
Then you will count my steps, but you will not keep track of my sin.
New English Translation
"Surely now you count my steps; then you would not mark my sin.
Amplified Bible
"But now You number [each of] my steps; You do not observe nor take note of my sin.
New American Standard Bible
"For now You number my steps, You do not observe my sin.
World English Bible
But now you number my steps. Don't you watch over my sin?
Geneva Bible (1587)
But nowe thou nombrest my steppes, and doest not delay my sinnes.
Legacy Standard Bible
For now You number my steps,You do not keep watch over my sin.
Berean Standard Bible
For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.
Contemporary English Version
You would take care of me, but not count my sins—
Complete Jewish Bible
Whereas now you count each step of mine, then you will not keep watch for my sin.
Darby Translation
For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
Easy-to-Read Version
You would still watch every step I take, but you would not remember my sins.
George Lamsa Translation
For now thou numberest not my steps: and thou keepest not watch over my sins.
Lexham English Bible
For then you would count my steps, but you would not keep watch over my sin.
Literal Translation
For now You number my steps; do You not watch over my sin?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For thou hast nombred all my goynges, yet be not thou to extreme vpon my synnes.
American Standard Version
But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?
Bible in Basic English
For now my steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
But now Thou numberest my steps, Thou dost not even wait for my sin;
King James Version (1611)
For nowe thou numbrest my steppes, doest thou not watch ouer my sinne?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For now thou numbrest all my goinges, and geuest no delay vnto my sinne.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But thou hast numbered my devices: and not one of my sins shall escape thee?
English Revised Version
But now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli thou hast noumbrid my steppis; but spare thou my synnes.
Update Bible Version
But now you number my steps: Do you not watch over my sin?
Webster's Bible Translation
For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
New King James Version
For now You number my steps, But do not watch over my sin.
New Living Translation
For then you would guard my steps, instead of watching for my sins.
New Life Bible
For now You number my steps. You do not write down my sin.
New Revised Standard
For then you would not number my steps, you would not keep watch over my sin;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, now, my steps, thou countest, Thou wilt not pass over my sin:
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou indeed hast numbered my steps, but spare my sins.
Revised Standard Version
For then thou wouldest number my steps, thou wouldest not keep watch over my sin;
Young's Literal Translation
But now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For now You number my steps, You do not observe my sin.

Contextual Overview

16 Then you will watch every step I take, but you will not keep track of my sins. 17 You will forgive them and put them away; you will wipe out all the wrongs I have done. 18 There comes a time when mountains fall and solid cliffs are moved away. 19 Water will wear down rocks, and heavy rain will wash away the soil; so you destroy our hope for life. 20 You overpower us and send us away forever; our faces are twisted in death. 21 Our children win honor, but we never know it, nor are we told when they are disgraced. 22 We feel only the pain of our own bodies and the grief of our own minds.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

thou numberest: Job 10:6, Job 10:14, Job 13:27, Job 31:4, Job 33:11, Job 34:21, Psalms 56:6, Psalms 139:1-4, Proverbs 5:21, Jeremiah 32:19

Reciprocal: Job 7:20 - I have sinned Job 9:28 - I know Job 31:37 - declare Job 33:10 - he findeth Job 40:2 - he that reproveth Psalms 139:3 - compassest James 5:3 - Ye have

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.
Genesis 14:11
The four kings took everything in Sodom and Gomorrah, including the food, and went away.
Genesis 14:12
Lot, Abram's nephew, was living in Sodom, so they took him and all his possessions.
Genesis 14:18
And Melchizedek, who was king of Salem and also a priest of the Most High God, brought bread and wine to Abram,
Genesis 14:19
blessed him, and said, "May the Most High God, who made heaven and earth, bless Abram!
1 Samuel 30:8
David asked the Lord , "Shall I go after those raiders? And will I catch them?" He answered, "Go after them; you will catch them and rescue the captives."
Isaiah 41:2
"Who was it that brought the conqueror from the east and makes him triumphant wherever he goes? Who gives him victory over kings and nations? His sword strikes them down as if they were dust. His arrows scatter them like straw before the wind.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For now thou numberest my steps,.... Or "but now" g, at this present time thou seemest to have no desire to me, or affection for me, but the reverse. Job was in a pretty good frame of mind a little before, having in view his last change, and the glorious resurrection; but on a sudden he returns to his former complaints of God, and here of the rigour and strictness of his justice in marking his steps, and correcting him for his sin; so very uncertain are the best of frames: the outward conversation of men, whether good or bad, is often in Scripture expressed by walking, and the actions of men, good or evil, are the steps taken therein; here they signify evil ones, irregular steps, steps out of the way of God's commandments, aberrations, strayings from thence, false steps; these Job supposed God not only had knowledge of, as he has of all the ways, paths, and goings of men, but took very exact notice of his wrong steps; looked very narrowly to his paths, as in Job 13:27; and strictly marked them; yea, told them one by one, that he might miss none, and make up a large account, which he put down in his book, in order to produce against him; in which Job was mistaken: he thought God dealt with him as he does with wicked men, whose evil actions are not only known and observed, but are counted and put down in the book of his remembrance, which will be opened at the last day, and produced against them; but God has blotted out of his book the sins of his people, and will remember them no more; he has a book of remembrance for their good works, words, and thoughts, but none for their evil ones:

dost thou not watch over my sin? of error, infirmity, and weakness; observe it, mark it in a strict and rigorous way, which, when God does, who can stand before him? or "watch for my sin?" Daniel 9:14 as Jeremiah's enemies watched for his halting; so Job here represents God very wrongly, as if he watched for an opportunity against him, to take the advantage of it, and severely chastise him: or "thou dost not wait for my sin" h; that is, the punishment of it as many of the Jewish writers i carry the sense; which is, that God did not defer the punishment of sin, or give him any respite or breathing time, but as soon as ever he committed any offence, immediately, at once, he was rough with him, and used him with great severity. Aben Ezra inserts the word "only", as explanative of the meaning of the words, thus, "thou watchest only over my sin", or dost not mark and observe anything but my sins; not my good deeds, only my evil ones; which is a wrong charge, for God takes notice of the good works of his people, and rewards them in a way of grace, though not of debt, as well as of their evil works, and chastises for them in a fatherly way: others render the words to this sense, what is not, or of no moment or consequence, thou keepest for me in mind and memory, as sin k; that which is not sin, or at least not known to me to be sin, or however something very trifling, scarce to be called a sin, yet I am dealt with for it as if a very heinous one; or I am afflicted for I know not what, or, which is all one, for what is not known to me. Some take the words to be a petition, "do not observe my sin" l; or mark it strictly, or keep it in mind, or reserve it against another time, but hide thy face from it, and remember it no more, nor never against me.

g כי עתה "at nunc", Piscator. h לא תשמור על חטאתי "non differes punitionem meam", Pagninus, i Jarchi, Gersom, Bar Tzemach. k So Schultens. l "Nec serves, id est, observes peccatum meum"; some in Mercerus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For now thou numberest my steps - Thou dost make strict inquiry into all my conduct, that thou mayest mark my errors, and hold me bound to punishment. The sense is, that God treated him now with severity; and he besought him to have pity on him, and bring him to trial, and give him an opportunity to vindicate himself.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 14:16. For now thou numberest my steps — כי עתה ki attah, ALTHOUGH thou, &c. Though thou, by thy conduct towards me, seemest bent on my utter destruction, yet thou delightest in mercy, and I shall be saved.


 
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