Job 9:21

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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

Complete Jewish Bible:

"I am innocent. Don't I know myself? But I've had enough of this life of mine!

Berean Standard Bible:

Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.

American Standard Version:

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

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Though I were perfect^{H8535}, yet would I not know^{H3045} my soul^{H5315}: I would despise^{H3988} my life^{H2416}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Job 9:21

Job 9:21 is a part of the poetic dialogue found in the Book of Job, which is one of the Wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Old Testament. The verse reflects the deep anguish and despair of Job, a man who is considered righteous and blameless, yet suffers extreme losses and physical afflictions. In the context of the book, Job is engaged in a discussion with his friends who attempt to explain his suffering as a punishment for sin. However, Job maintains his innocence and grapples with the profound questions of justice, the nature of God, and human suffering.

In Job 9:21, the speaker, Job, expresses a profound sense of alienation from himself. Even if he considered himself perfect and free from sin, he suggests that he would still be ignorant of his own soul—the core of his being. The verse conveys a sense of self-despair and a feeling that life is not worth living. The phrase "I would despise my life" reflects Job's utter desolation and the depth of his inner turmoil. This sentiment is part of a larger argument where Job is wrestling with the idea that even if he tried to justify himself before God, he would still be unable to comprehend the divine will or his own existence.

The historical context of the Book of Job is somewhat uncertain, with scholars placing its composition anywhere from the second millennium BCE to around the 5th century BCE. Its themes, however, are timeless, addressing theodicy—the justice of God in the face of human suffering—and the human quest for understanding and meaning in the midst of adversity. Job's struggle resonates with readers across cultures and eras, as it touches on universal questions of faith, justice, and the human condition.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H8535
   There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תָּם
   Transliteration: tâm
   Pronunciation: tawm
   Description: from תָּמַם; complete; usually (morally) pious; specifically, gentle, dear; coupled together, perfect, plain, undefiled, upright.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3045
   There are 873 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָדַע
   Transliteration: yâdaʻ
   Pronunciation: yaw-dah'
   Description: a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.); acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot.
   
3. Strong's Number: H5315
   There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
   Transliteration: nephesh
   Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
   Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3988
   There are 69 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָאַס
   Transliteration: mâʼaç
   Pronunciation: maw-as'
   Description: a primitive root; to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear; abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain, (become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, [idiom] utterly, vile person.
   
5. Strong's Number: H2416
   There are 452 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חַי
   Transliteration: chay
   Pronunciation: khah'-ee
   Description: from חָיָה; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively; [phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.