Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, October 8th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

King James Version

Job 42:6

Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ashes;   Dust;   God;   Humility;   Job;   Scofield Reference Index - Afflictions;   Job;   Thompson Chain Reference - Condemnation;   Conviction of Sin;   Penitence-Impenitence;   Repentance;   Salvation-Condemnation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Humility;   Repentance;   Sin;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Job;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Repentance;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Knowledge of God (1);   Easton Bible Dictionary - Repentance;   Sanctification;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ashes;   Job;   Providence;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Conscience;   Prayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ashes (2);   Consciousness;   Sinlessness;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Ashes;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Dust;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ashes;   Dust;   Job, Book of;   Repentance;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ashes;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Repentance;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for October 11;   Today's Word from Skip Moen - Devotion for October 30;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore I reject myself,And I repent in dust and ashes."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore I geue myne owne selfe the blame, and take repentaunce in the dust and asshes.
Darby Translation
Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.
New King James Version
Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."
Literal Translation
Therefore, I despise myself , and I have repented on dust and ashes.
Easy-to-Read Version
And I am ashamed of myself. I am so sorry. As I sit in the dust and ashes, I promise to change my heart and my life."
World English Bible
Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."
King James Version (1611)
Wherefore I abhorre my selfe, and repent in dust and ashes.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore I geue myne owne self ye blame, and take repentaunce in the dust and asshes.
American Standard Version
Wherefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.
Bible in Basic English
For this cause I give witness that what I said is false, and in sorrow I take my seat in the dust.
Update Bible Version
Therefore I abhor [myself], And repent in dust and ashes.
Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.
New English Translation
Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes! After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has." So they went, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and did just as the Lord had told them; and the Lord had respect for Job. So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job. So they came to him, all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they dined with him in his house. They comforted him and consoled him for all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. So the Lord blessed the second part of Job's life more than the first. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land could women be found who were as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance alongside their brothers. After this Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, old and full of days.
Contemporary English Version
That's why I hate myself and sit here in dust and ashes to show my sorrow.
Complete Jewish Bible
therefore I detest [myself] and repent in dust and ashes."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore I abhorre my selfe, and repent in dust and ashes.
George Lamsa Translation
Therefore, I will keep silent, and repent in dust and ashes.
Amplified Bible
"Therefore I retract [my words and hate myself] And I repent in dust and ashes."
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Wherefore I abhor my words, and repent, seeing I am dust and ashes.
New Living Translation
I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."
New Life Bible
So I hate the things that I have said. And I put dust and ashes on myself to show how sorry I am."
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Wherefore I have counted myself vile, and have fainted: and I esteem myself dust and ashes.
English Revised Version
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes."
New Revised Standard
therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For this cause, I tremble and repent, on dust and ashes.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore I reprehend myself, and do penance in dust and ashes.
Lexham English Bible
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
English Standard Version
therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
New American Standard Bible
Therefore I retract, And I repent, sitting on dust and ashes."
New Century Version
So now I hate myself; I will change my heart and life. I will sit in the dust and ashes."
Good News Translation
So I am ashamed of all I have said and repent in dust and ashes.
Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore I take back my words and repent in dust and ashes.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Y repreue me, and do penaunce in deed sparcle and aische.
Young's Literal Translation
Therefore do I loathe [it], And I have repented on dust and ashes.
Revised Standard Version
therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Contextual Overview

1 Then Job answered the Lord , and said, 2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I: Job 9:31, Job 40:3, Job 40:4, Ezra 9:6, Psalms 51:17, Isaiah 5:5, Jeremiah 31:19, Ezekiel 16:63, Ezekiel 20:43, Ezekiel 36:31, Luke 15:18, Luke 15:19, 1 Corinthians 15:8, 1 Corinthians 15:9, 1 Timothy 1:13-16, James 4:7-10

repent: Job 2:8, Job 30:19, 1 Kings 21:27, Esther 4:1-3, Isaiah 58:5, Daniel 9:3, Jonah 3:6-10, Matthew 11:21, Luke 10:13

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:27 - I have Genesis 32:10 - not worthy of the least of all Exodus 3:6 - hid Exodus 10:3 - humble Leviticus 13:12 - cover all Leviticus 13:45 - Unclean Deuteronomy 8:2 - to humble 1 Samuel 7:6 - We have sinned 2 Samuel 6:22 - in mine 2 Samuel 13:19 - put ashes 2 Samuel 24:17 - I have sinned Job 15:16 - abominable Job 30:10 - abhor me Job 31:23 - by Job 34:31 - General Psalms 139:4 - there is not Proverbs 18:12 - and Isaiah 6:5 - said I Isaiah 64:6 - are all Lamentations 3:29 - putteth Ezekiel 6:9 - they shall Ezekiel 16:61 - remember Ezekiel 27:30 - they shall wallow Matthew 3:2 - Repent Matthew 5:3 - the poor Luke 5:8 - I am Luke 9:55 - Ye know Luke 18:13 - standing Acts 7:32 - Then Romans 6:21 - whereof Romans 7:14 - but 2 Corinthians 7:11 - indignation 2 Corinthians 10:5 - and every Galatians 3:11 - that Philippians 3:9 - not 1 Timothy 1:15 - of whom

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Genesis 19:1
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
Genesis 42:7
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
Genesis 42:10
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
Genesis 42:16
Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
Genesis 42:21
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
Genesis 44:14
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
Genesis 45:8
So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 45:26
And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.
Acts 7:10
And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore I abhor [myself],.... Or all my words, as Aben Ezra; all the indecent expressions he had uttered concerning God; he could not bear to think of them; he loathed them, and himself on account of them: sin is abominable in its own nature, and makes men so; it is loathsome to God, and so it is to all good men when they see it in its proper light; am especially when they have a view of the purity and holiness of God, to which that is so very contrary, and also of his grace and goodness in the forgiveness of it; see Isaiah 6:3

Ezekiel 16:63;

and repent in dust and ashes; which was an external ceremony used by mournful and penitent persons; see Job 2:8; and is expressive of the truth and sincerity of repentance; and never do any more truly mourn for sin and repent of it, are more ashamed of it, or have a more godly sorrow for it, or more ingenuously confess it, and heartily forsake it, than those who with an eye of faith behold God in Christ as a sin forgiving God; or behold their sins through the glass of pardoning grace and mercy; see Zechariah 12:10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore I abhor myself - I see that I am a sinner to be loathed and abhorred. Job, though he did not claim to be perfect, had yet unquestionably been unduly exalted with the conception of his own righteousness, and in the zeal of his argument, and under the excitement of his feelings when reproached by his friends, had indulged in indefensible language respecting his own integrity. He now saw the error and folly of this, and desired to take the lowest place of humiliation. Compared with a pure and holy God, he saw that he was utterly vile and loathsome, and was not unwilling now to confess it. “And repent.” Of the spirit which I have evinced; of the language used in self-vindication; of the manner in which I have spoken of God. Of the general sentiments which he had maintained in regard to the divine administration as contrasted with those of his friends he had no occasion to repent, for they were correct Job 42:8, nor had he occasion to repent “as if” he had never been a true penitent or a pious man. But he now saw that in the spirit which he had evinced under his afflictions, and in his argument, there was much to regret; and he doubtless saw that there had been much in his former life which had furnished occasion for bringing these trials upon him, over which he ought now to mourn.

In dust and ashes - In the most lowly manner, and with the most expressive symbols of humiliation. It was customary in times of grief, whether in view of sin or from calamity, to sit down in ashes (see the notes at Job 2:8; compare Daniel 9:3; Jonah 3:6; Matthew 11:21); or on such an occasion the sufferer and the penitent would strew ashes over himself; compare Isaiah 58:5. The philosophy of this was - like the custom of wearing “black” for mourning apparel - that the external appearance ought to correspond with the internal emotions, and that deep sorrow would be appropriately expressed by disfiguring the outward aspect as much as possible. The sense here is, that Job meant to give expression to the profoundest and sincerest feelings of penitence for his sins. From this effect produced on his mind by the address of the Almighty, we may learn the following lessons:

(1) That a correct view of the character and presence of God is adapted to produce humility and penitence; compare Job 40:4-5. This effect was produced on the mind of Peter when, astonished by a miracle performed by the Savior which none but a divine being could have done, he said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord;” Luke 5:8. The same effect; was produced on the mind of Isaiah after he had seen Yahweh of Hosts in the temple: “Then said I, Wo is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of Hosts;” Isaiah 6:5. No man can have any elevated views of his own importance or purity, who has right apprehensions of the holiness of his Creator.

(2) Such a view of the presence of God will produce what no argument can in causing penitence and humility. The friends of Job had reasoned with him in vain to secure just this state of mind; they had endeavored to convince him that he was a great sinner, and “ought” to exercise repentance. But he met argument with argument; and all their arguments, denunciations, and appeals, made no impression on his mind. When, however, God manifested himself to him, he was melted into contrition, and was ready to make the most penitent and humble confession. So it is now. The arguments of a preacher or a friend often make no impression on the mind of a sinner. He can guard himself against them. He can meet argument with argument, or can coolly turn the ear away. But he has no such power to resist God, and when “he” manifests himself to the soul, the heart is subdued, and the proud and self-confident unbeliever becomes humbled, and sues for mercy.

(3) A good man will be willing to confess that he is vile, when he has any clear views of God. He will be so affected with a sense of the majesty and holiness of his Maker, that he will be overwhelmed with a sense of his own unworthiness.

(4) The most holy men may have occasion to repent of their presumptuous manner of speaking of God. We all err in the same way in which Job did. We reason about God with irreverence; we speak of his government as if we could comprehend it; we discourse of him as if he were an equal; and when we come to have any just views of him, we see that there has been much improper boldness, much self-confidence, much irreverence of thought and manner, in our estimation of the divine wisdom and plans. The bitter experience of Job should lead us to the utmost carefulness in the manner in which we speak of our Maker.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 42:6. I abhor myself] Compared with thine, my strength is weakness; my wisdom, folly; and my righteousness, impurity.

"I loathe myself when thee I see;

And into nothing fall."


Repent — I am deeply distressed on account of the imaginations of my heart, the words of my tongue, and the acts of my life. I roll myself in the dust, and sprinkle ashes upon my head. Job is now sufficiently humbled at the feet of Jehovah; and having earnestly and piously prayed for instruction, the Lord, in a finishing speech, which appears to be contained in Job 40:1-14, perfects his teaching on the subject of the late controversy, which is concluded with, "When thou canst act like the Almighty," which is, in effect, what the questions and commands amount to in the preceding verses of that chapter, "then will I also confess unto thee, that thy own right hand can save thee." In the fifth verse of the fortieth chapter, Job says, "ONCE have I spoken." This must refer to the declaration above, in the beginning of this chapter, (xlii.) And he goes on to state, Job 40:5: "Yea, TWICE; but I will proceed no farther." This second time is that in which he uses these words: after which he spoke no more; and the Lord concluded with the remaining part of these fourteen verses, viz., from Job 40:7-14, inclusive. Then the thread of the story, in the form of a narration is resumed at Job 42:7.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile