Job 10:14

14 And if I should sin, thou watchest me; and thou hast not cleared me from iniquity.

Job 10:14 Meaning and Commentary

Job 10:14

If I sin, then thou markest me
Or "observest me" F20; that is, he took notice of his sins, strictly inquired into them and all the circumstances of them, watched the motions and progress of them, and carefully laid them up, in order to bring them out against him another day, and afflict or punish him for them; or he set a watch about him, "kept [him] in" F21, and enclosed him on every side with affliction, as if he was in a watch or prison, as Gersom; or, "wilt thou keep me" F23? that is, in such close confinement: Gussetius F24 renders it, "if I have offered a sacrifice for sin", as the word is sometimes used; signifying, that though he should, as no doubt he did, offer sacrifice for himself, as it is certain he did for his children, yet even that was not regarded by the Lord; he still marked and observed him and his sins, and would not forgive him, or absolve him from his sins, as follows; see ( Job 7:12 ) ;

and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity;
clear him of it, and discharge him from it; pronounce him innocent, or pardon him; but, on the contrary, hold him guilty, and deal with him as such in a rigorous way; or wilt not "cleanse" or purify me, as the Targum and others F25, but let me continue, or treat me as an impure person, not fit for communion or converse.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (yntrmv) "observasti me", Beza, Mercerus; "tum observas me", Schmidt.
F21 "Custodisti me", Drusius.
F23 "Custodies me", Vatablus.
F24 Ebr. Comment. p. 923.
F25 (ynqnt) "mundabis", Mercerus; "mundes", Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius; "purges me", Junius & Tremellius.

Job 10:14 In-Context

12 And thou didst bestow upon me life and mercy, and thy oversight has preserved my spirit.
13 Having these things in thyself, I know that thou canst do all things; for nothing is impossible with thee.
14 And if I should sin, thou watchest me; and thou hast not cleared me from iniquity.
15 Or if I should be ungodly, woe is me: and if I should be righteous, I cannot lift myself up, for I am full of dishonour.
16 For I am hunted like a lion for slaughter; for again thou hast changed and art terribly destroying me;

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.