Job 9:21

21 “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.

Job 9:21 in Other Translations

21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

21 I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.

21 “I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me— I despise my life.

21 "Believe me, I'm blameless. I don't understand what's going on. I hate my life!

21 I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.

21 If I am a man of integrity, I have no way of knowing it. I hate my life!

21 Though I am blameless, I no longer care about myself; I renounce my life.

21 "Even though I'm honest, I'm not concerned about myself. I hate my own life.

Job 9:21 Meaning and Commentary

Job 9:21

[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 ) .

Job 9:21 In-Context

19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him ?

20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

21 “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.

22 It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

23 When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 6:9; Job 34:6,7; Job 1:1
• 2. ver 14; S Job 6:29; Job 10:1; Job 13:13
• 3. S Numbers 11:15; S Job 7:16