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Read the Bible

JPS Old Testament

Job 9:21

I am innocent--I regard not myself, I despise my life.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Doubting;   God;   Perfection;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Job, Book of;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for January 21;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Though I am blameless,I no longer care about myself;I renounce my life.
Hebrew Names Version
I am blameless. I don't regard myself. I despise my life.
King James Version
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
English Standard Version
I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.
New Century Version
"I am innocent, but I don't care about myself. I hate my own life.
New English Translation
I am blameless. I do not know myself. I despise my life.
Amplified Bible
"[Though] I am blameless, I do not care about myself; I despise my life.
New American Standard Bible
"I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I reject my life.
World English Bible
I am blameless. I don't regard myself. I despise my life.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Though I were perfite, yet I knowe not my soule: therefore abhorre I my life.
Legacy Standard Bible
I am blameless;I do not know my soul;I reject my life.
Berean Standard Bible
Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
Contemporary English Version
I am not guilty, but I no longer care what happens to me.
Complete Jewish Bible
"I am innocent. Don't I know myself? But I've had enough of this life of mine!
Darby Translation
Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
Easy-to-Read Version
I am innocent, but I don't know what to think. I hate my own life.
George Lamsa Translation
Though I am pure, yet I would not know my soul; I would despise my life.
Good News Translation
I am innocent, but I no longer care. I am sick of living. Nothing matters; innocent or guilty, God will destroy us. <
Lexham English Bible
"I am blameless; I do not care about myself; I loathe my life.
Literal Translation
though I were perfect, I would not know my own soul; I despise my life.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For that I shulde be an innocent, my coscience knoweth it not, yee I my self am weery off my life.
American Standard Version
I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.
Bible in Basic English
I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
King James Version (1611)
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soule: I would despise my life.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For though I be an innocent and my conscience cleare, yet am I weery of my lyfe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For even if I have sinned, I know it not in my soul: but my life is taken away.
English Revised Version
I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Yhe, thouy Y am symple, my soule schal not knowe this same thing; and it schal anoye me of my lijf.
Update Bible Version
I am perfect; I do not regard myself; I despise my life.
Webster's Bible Translation
[Though] I [were] perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
New King James Version
"I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life.
New Living Translation
"I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me— I despise my life.
New Life Bible
Even though I am without blame, I do not care about myself. I hate my life.
New Revised Standard
I am blameless; I do not know myself; I loathe my life.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I blameless? I should not know my own soul, I should despise my own life!
Douay-Rheims Bible
Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
Revised Standard Version
I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.
Young's Literal Translation
Perfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.
THE MESSAGE
"Believe me, I'm blameless. I don't understand what's going on. I hate my life! Since either way it ends up the same, I can only conclude that God destroys the good right along with the bad. When calamity hits and brings sudden death, he folds his arms, aloof from the despair of the innocent. He lets the wicked take over running the world, he installs judges who can't tell right from wrong. If he's not responsible, who is?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I despise my life.

Contextual Overview

14 How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him? 15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me. 16 If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice-- 17 He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause; 18 That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness. 19 If it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time? 20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse. 21 I am innocent--I regard not myself, I despise my life.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

yet would: Psalms 139:23, Psalms 139:24, Proverbs 28:26, Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah 17:10, 1 Corinthians 4:4, 1 John 3:20

I would: Job 7:15, Job 7:16, Job 7:21

Reciprocal: Job 9:28 - I know Job 10:1 - My soul Job 10:15 - righteous Job 35:3 - what advantage Jeremiah 49:19 - appoint me the time

Cross-References

Genesis 6:9
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with God.
Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that liveth shall be for food for you; as the green herb have I given you all.
Genesis 9:4
Only flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
Genesis 9:15
that I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Genesis 9:16
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.'
Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is riotous; and whosoever reeleth thereby is not wise.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[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 before God; I would not insist upon such perfection in his presence, as what would justify me before him; since I am sensible the highest perfection of a creature is imperfection when compared with him: or the sense may be, should I say I were "perfect, I should not know my own soul"; I should plainly appear to be ignorant of myself, as all perfectionists are; they do not know their own souls, the plague of their hearts, the evil of their thoughts, the vanity of their minds; they do not take notice of these things, or do not look upon them as sinful; they know not the nature of sin, and the exceeding sinfulness of it:

I would despise my life; even if ever so innocent, perfect, and just; his meaning is, that he would not insist upon the continuance of it on that account; he had no such value for it, such a love of life as to contend with God upon the foot of justice about it; nor did he think it worth asking for, so mean an opinion had he entertained of it, see Job 7:16.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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. I would not mention it.”

Yet would I not know my soul - Or, “I could not know my soul. If I should advance such a claim, it must be from my ignorance of myself.” Is not this true of all the claims to perfection which have ever been set up by man? Do they not demonstrate that he is ignorant of his own nature and character? So clear does this seem to me, that I have no doubt that Job expressed more than three thousand years ago what will be found true to the end of time - that if a man advances the claim to absolute perfection, it is conclusive proof that he does not know his own heart. A superficial view of ourselves, mingled with pride and vanity, may lead us to think that we are wholly free from sin. But who can tell what he would be if placed in other circumstances? Who knows what latent depravity would be developed if he were thrown into temptations?

I would despise my life - Dr. Good, I think, has well expressed the sense of this. According to his interpretation, it means that the claim of perfection would be in fact disowning all the consciousness which he had of sinfulness; all the arguments and convictions pressed on him by his reason and conscience, that he was a guilty man. Schultens, however, has given an interpretation which slightly differs from this, and one which Rosenmuller prefers. “Although I should be wholly conscious of innocence, yet that clear consciousness could not sustain me against the infinite splendor of the divine glory and majesty; but I should be compelled to appear ignorant of my own soul, and to reprobate, condemn, and despise my life passed with integrity and virtue.” This interpretation is in accordance with the connection, and may be sustained by the Hebrew.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 9:21. 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.


 
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