Friday in Easter Week
Click here to join the effort!
Read the Bible
King James Version
Job 13:14
Bible Study Resources
Dictionaries:
- BridgewayEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- EveryParallel Translations
I will put myself at riskand take my life in my own hands.
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand?
Why should I put myself in danger and take my life in my own hands?
Why do I put myself in peril, and take my life in my hands?
"Why should I take my flesh in my teeth And put my life in my hands [incurring the wrath of God]?
"Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands?
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?
Wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my soule in mine hande?
Why should I take my flesh in my teethAnd put my life in my hands?
Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?
I will be responsible for what happens to me.
Why am I taking my flesh in my teeth, taking my life in my hands?
Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
I will put myself in danger and take my life in my own hands.
Why am I so afflicted, and why is my life exposed to danger?
I am ready to risk my life.
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand?
Why do I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand?
Wherfore do I beare my flesh in my teth, and my soule in myne hondes?
Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?
I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
Wherefore? I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
Wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
Wherefore do I beare my fleshe in my teeth, and put my soule in myne handes?
while I may take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
Whi to-rende Y my fleischis with my teeth, and bere my lijf in myn hondis?
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?
Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands?
Why should I put myself in mortal danger and take my life in my own hands?
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hands?
I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
In any case, I will take up my flesh in my teeth, and, my life, will I put in my hand:
Why do I tear my flesh with my teeth, and carry my soul in my hands?
I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?
"Why should I take my flesh in my teeth And put my life in my hands?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
I take: Job 18:4, Ecclesiastes 4:5, Isaiah 9:20, Isaiah 49:26
and put: Judges 12:3, 1 Samuel 19:5, 1 Samuel 28:21, Psalms 119:109
Cross-References
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord , like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord , thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth,.... Or bite my lips, to keep in my words, and refrain from speaking? I will not do it:
and put my life in my hand? or, expose it to danger by a forced silence; when I am ready to burst, and must if I do not speak; I will not thus endanger my life; it is unreasonable I should, I will speak my mind freely and fully, that I may be refreshed; so Sephorno interprets it of Job's putting his hand to his mouth, that he might be silent; and of putting a forcible restraint upon himself, that he might not declare what was upon his mind; see Job 13:19; but others, as Bar Tzemach, take the sense to be, what is the sin I have committed, that such sore afflictions are laid upon me; that through the pain and distress I am in, I am ready to tear off my flesh with my teeth, and my life is in the utmost danger? and some think he was under a temptation to tear his own flesh, and destroy himself; and therefore argues why he should be thus hardly dealt with, as to be exposed to such a temptation, and thrown in such despair, which yet he laboured against; but rather the meaning is, in connection with the preceding verse, let whatsoever will come upon me, "at all events, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and I will put my life in my hand" l; I will expose myself to the greatest dangers which is the sense of the last phrase in Judges 12:3; come life, come death, I will not fear; I am determined to speak out my mind let what will be the consequence; and with this bold and heroic spirit agrees what follows.
l "Super quocunque eventu", Schultens.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth - The meaning of the proverbial expressions in this verse is not very clear. They indicate a state of great danger; but the exact sense of the proverbs it has been difficult to ascertain. Some have supposed that the phrase “to take the flesh in the teeth,” is significant of a state of famine, where a man dying from this cause would cease upon his own flesh and devour it; others, that it refers to the contentions of voracious animals, struggling for a piece of flesh; others, that it refers to the fact that what is borne in the teeth is liable to be dropped, and that Job regarded his life as in such a perilous condition. Schultens regards it as denoting that bold courage in which a man exposes his life to imminent peril. He supposes that it is to be taken in connection with the previous verse, as intimating that he would go forward and speak at any rate, whatever might be the result.
He translates it, “Whatever may be the event, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life in my hand.” In this interpretation Rosenmuller concurs. Noyes renders it, “I will count it nothing to bear my flesh in my teeth.” Good, “Let what may - I will carry my flesh in my teeth; ‘ and supposes that the phrase is equivalent to saying, that he would incur any risk or danger. The proverb he supposes is taken from the contest which so frequently takes place between dogs and other carnivorous quadrupeds, when one of them is carrying a bone or piece of flesh in his mouth, which becomes a source of dispute and a prize to be fought for. The Vulgate renders it, “Quare lacero carnes meus dentibus meis.” The Septuagint, “Taking my flesh in my teeth, I will put my life in my hand.” It seems to me, that the language is to be taken in connection with the previous verse, and is not to be regarded as an interrogatory, but as a declaration. “Let come upon me anything - whatever it may be - מה mâh - Job 13:13 on account of that, or in reference to that - על־מה ‛al-mâh - Job 13:14, I will take my life in my hand, braving any and every danger.”
It is a firm and determined purpose that he would express his sentiments, no matter what might occur - even if it involved the peril of his life. The word “flesh” I take to be synonymous with life, or with his best interests; and the figure is probably taken from the fact that animals thus carry their prey or spoil in their teeth. Of course, this would be a poor protection. It would be liable to be seized by others. It might even tempt and provoke others to seize it: and would lead to conflict and perils. So Job felt that the course he was pursuing would lead him into danger, but he was determined to pursue it, let come what might.
And put my life in mine hand - This is a proverbial expression, meaning the same as, I will expose myself to danger. Anything of value taken in the hand is liable to be rudely snatched away. It is like taking a casket of jewels, or a purse of gold, in the hand, which may at any moment be seized by robbers. The phrase is not uncommon in the Scriptures to denote exposure to great peril; compare Psalms 119:109, “My soul is continually in my hand;” 1 Samuel 19:5, “For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine;” Judges 12:3, “I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon.” A similar expression occurs in the Greek Classics denoting exposure to imminent danger - ἐν τῇ χειρὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἔχει en tē cheiri tēn psuchēn echei - “he has his life in his hand;” see Rosenmuller on Psalms 119:109. The Arabs have a somewhat similar proverb, as quoted by Schultens, “His flesh is upon a butcher’s block.”
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 13:14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth — A proverbial expression. I risk every thing on the justice of my cause. I put my life in my hand, 1 Samuel 28:21. I run all hazards; I am fearless of the consequences.
