King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
Complete Jewish Bible:
take your hand away from me, and don't let fear of you frighten me.
Berean Standard Bible:
Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.
American Standard Version:
Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Withdraw{H7368} thine hand{H3709} far{H7368} from me: and let not thy dread{H367} make me afraid{H1204}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Job 9:34
- Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
Psalms 39:10
- Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.
Job 33:7
- Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
Psalms 119:120
- My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
Job 22:15
- ¶ Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Job 22:17
- Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Job 13:11
- Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
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Commentary for Job 13:21
Job 13:21 is part of the dialogue that takes place in the Book of Job, which is one of the Wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. The Book of Job addresses the age-old question of why the righteous suffer and is thought to have been written between the 7th and 4th centuries BCE, though the story itself is set in the patriarchal period, much earlier.
In this verse, Job is speaking directly to God, which is a significant aspect of the book as a whole—it is a raw and intense discourse between a suffering individual and the divine. Job has experienced immense personal loss and physical suffering, and his friends have failed to provide comfort or satisfying explanations for his plight. Here, Job is pleading with God to cease afflicting him ("Withdraw thine hand far from me") and to remove the fear and awe that God's presence and power inspire in him ("let not thy dread make me afraid").
The themes of this verse include the nature of suffering, the fear of God, and the relationship between the individual and the divine. Job feels overwhelmed by God's attention, which has brought not blessing but curse upon him. His request reflects a deep longing for relief from his misery and a desire to no longer live in the shadow of God's terrifying power. This plea is both a cry for mercy and a poignant expression of the human struggle to comprehend and endure the trials sent by a seemingly inscrutable deity.
In the broader historical context, the Book of Job grapples with theodicy—the justice of God—and challenges the simplistic notions of retributive theology, which posits that good is always rewarded and evil always punished. Job's situation defies such easy explanations, and his words in verse 13:21 encapsulate the desperation and confusion of those who seek understanding in the midst of unrelenting adversity.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7368
There are 56 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָחַק
Transliteration: râchaq
Pronunciation: raw-khak'
Description: a primitive root; to widen (in any direction), i.e. (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or figuratively, of place or relation); (a-, be, cast, drive, get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw) far (away, off), loose, [idiom] refrain, very, (be) a good way (off). - Strong's Number: H3709
There are 180 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כַּף
Transliteration: kaph
Pronunciation: kaf
Description: from כָּפַף; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power; branch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon. - Strong's Number: H367
There are 249 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֵימָה
Transliteration: ʼêymâh
Pronunciation: ay-maw'
Description: or (shortened) אֵמָה; from the same as אָיֹם; fright; concrete, an idol (as a bugbear); dread, fear, horror, idol, terrible, terror. - Strong's Number: H1204
There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּעַת
Transliteration: bâʻath
Pronunciation: baw-ath'
Description: a primitive root; to fear; affright, be (make) afraid, terrify, trouble.