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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Job 7:20

I have sinned; what shall I do unto Thee, O thou Preserver of men? The thought is really conditional: If I have sinned, what harm could thereby strike Thee; what detriment would be caused to Thy great glory and majesty! Why hast Thou set me as a mark against Thee, a target, or mark, for every blow, so that I am a burden to myself, which the Lord Himself would try to shake off?

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See also Job 7:20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 7:20. _I HAVE SINNED; WHAT SHALL I DO_] Dr. _Kennicott_ contends that these words are spoken to _Eliphaz_, and not to GOD, and would paraphrase them thus: "You say I must have been a sinner...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    I HAVE SINNED - חטאתי _châṭâ'tı̂y_. This is a literal translation, and as it stands in the common version it is the language of a penitent - confessing that he had erred, and making humble acknowle...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER S 6-7 JOB'S ANSWER _ 1. His Despair justified by the greatness of his suffering (Job 6:1)_ 2. He requests to be cut off (Job 6:8) 3. He reproacheth his friends (Job 6:14) 4. The misery of...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Job again gives utterance to his complaint. In the previous passage Job's tone, as in Job 3:11, had become quieter, and his complaint almost an elegy on human misery. But now he bursts forth again wit...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MEN. Hebrew. _'adam._ App-14. TO MYSELF. One of the emendations of the _Sopherim_ (App-33), by which the primitive text "unto Thee" was altered to the current text (by the omission of the last letter...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The first half of the verse reads, Have I sinned: what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? _I have sinned_ Rather as above, HAVE I SINNED; the words being put as a supposition, equivalent to, _if...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Third, Job makes the supposition that he has sinned, and asks, how such a thing can affect God? and, why He does not take away his sin instead of plaguing him unto death because of it?...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    I HAVE SINNED, &C.— As if he said, "Though I am no such wicked and ungodly wretch as these men imagine me to be, for thou knowest the uprightness of my heart, yet I acknowledge myself a sinner, and hu...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    7. To God he addresses some difficult questions. (Job 7:16-21) TEXT 7:16-21 16 I LOATHE _my life;_ I WOULD NOT LIVE ALWAY: Let me alone; for my days are vanity. 17 What Is man, that thou shouldest...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _I HAVE SINNED; WHAT SHALL I DO UNTO THEE, O THOU PRESERVER OF MEN? WHY HAST THOU SET ME AS A MARK AGAINST THEE, SO THAT I AM A BURDEN TO MYSELF?_ I have sinned (I grant): yet what sin can I do again...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB'S FIRST SPEECH (CONCLUDED) 1-10. Job laments the hardship and misery of his destiny....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    RV 'If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men?': i.e. granting that I have sinned (which Job does not), how can it affect Thee who art so great? AGAINST THEE] RV 'for thee.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 7 JOB CONTINUES HIS REPLY T...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    God watches everybody. But Job was God’s servant. So, Job was special to God. Job supposed that God chose Job to be God’s enemy. But in fact, God was Job’s friend....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    I HAVE SINNED — _i.e._, “Putting the case that I have sinned, yet what then can I do unto Thee, O thou keeper of men? “with a possible allusion to Job 7:12, though the verb is not the same. O THOU PRE...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    חָטָ֡אתִי מָ֤ה אֶפְעַ֨ל ׀ לָךְ֮ נֹצֵ֪ר הָ אָ֫

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    VIII. MEN FALSE: GOD OVERBEARING Job 6:1; Job 7:1 Job SPEAKS WORST to endure of all things is the grief that preys on a man's own heart because no channel outside self is provided for the hot strea...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    LONGING FOR THE EVENING Job 7:1 The servant eagerly longs for the lengthening shadow, which tells him that his day of labor is at an end, and we may allow ourselves to anticipate the hour of our rew...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Without waiting for their reply, Job broke out into a new lamentation, more bitter than the first, for it came out of a heart whose sorrow was aggravated by the misunderstanding of friends. Indeed, it...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    I have (n) sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? (n) After all temptations faith steps forth and le...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Sinned. I acknowledge my frailty. (Menochius) --- How may I obtain redress? (Calmet) --- Job's friends maintained that he was guilty. But he does not acquiesce in their conclusion, that these sufferin...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (11) Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. (12) Amos I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? (1...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Job's Answer to Eliphaz I. INTRODUCTION I. Job 7:1 (NKJV) "[Is] [there] not a time of hard service for man on earth? [Are] [not] his days also like the days of a hired man? Job 7:2 Like a servant w...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    I HAVE SINNED,.... Some render it, "if I have sinned" w; be it so that I have, as my friends say, yet since there is forgiveness with thee, why should I be so afflicted as I am? but there is no need o...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? Ver. 20. _I have sinned_] Or, Have I sinned? Have I fa...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _I have sinned_ Although I am free from those crying sins for which my friends suppose thou hast sent this uncommon judgment upon me; yet I freely confess that I am a sinner, and therefore obnoxious t...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    DOES GOD NOT RECOMPENSE GOOD DEEDS? (vv.1-16) Job's questions in verse 1 indicate why he was so distressed at God's dealings. No doubt too his friends would agree to his questions. "Is there not a t...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "HAVE. SINNED? WHAT HAVE. DONE TO YOU,. WATCHER OF MEN? WHY HAVE YOU SET ME AS YOUR TARGET, SO THAT. AM. BURDEN TO MYSELF?" Job now challenges God, as he did his friends (Job 6:24). He wants an explan...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    17-21 Job reasons with God concerning his dealings with man. But in the midst of this discourse, Job seems to have lifted up his thoughts to God with some faith and hope. Observe the concern he is in...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    I HAVE SINNED: although I am innocent and free from those crying sins, for which my friends suppose thou hast sent this uncommon judgment upon me; yet if thou be strict to mark what is amiss, I freely...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 7:20 sinned H2398 (H8804) done H6466 (H8799) watcher H5341 (H8802) men H120 set H7760 (H

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Job 7:20 The great design of the book of Job, leaving out all detail and the undercurrents of the story, appears to be twofold: (1) to show that a good man, and because he is good, may yet receive at...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Job was sorely troubled by the cruel speeches of his friends, and he answered them out of the bitterness of his soul. What we are first about to read is a part of his language under those circumstance...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Job's answer to Eliphaz continued. CHARACTERS: God, Job, Eliphaz. CONCLUSION: We believe in the sun even when it is hidden behind a cloud, therefore we should not doubt the goodness of God...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 7:1. _Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?_ הלא צבא _hela zaba,_ Nonne militia est homini super terra, et sicut dies mercenarii dies ejus? “Is not the life of man a warfare upon the e...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _I have sinned; what shall I do unto Thee, O Thou Preserver of men! _ THE SINNER’S SURRENDER TO HIS PRESERVER I. A confession. “I have sinned.” In words this is no more than a hypocrite, nay, a Juda...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CONTINUATION OF JOB’S SPEECH_ Job ceases to altercate with Eliphaz and to defend himself. Resumes his complaints, and ends by addressing himself to God. I. COMPLAINS OF THE GENERAL LOT OF HUMANITY...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 7:1 In this chapter Job first bewails his miserable fate, of which he expects no alleviation (verses 1-10); then claims an unlimited right of complaint (verse 11); and finally enters i...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth? are not his days also like the days of a hireling? As a servant earnestly desires the shadow (Job 7:1-2), That is, the shadow of the clock going...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Job 13:26; Job 14:16; Job 16:12; Job 22:5; Job 3:24;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Sinned — Although I am free from those crying sins, for which my friends suppose thou hast sent this judgment upon me, yet, I freely confess I am a sinner, and therefore obnoxious to thy justice. What...

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