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Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

Job 21:4

Is my complaint to man? No: if it were, I see it would be to little purpose to complain. I do not make my complaint to, or expect relief from you, or from any men; but from God only. I am pouring forth my complaints to him; to him I appeal. Let him be judge between you and me. Before him we stand upon equal terms, and, therefore, I have the privilege of being heard as well as you. And if it were so If my complaint were to man; why should not my spirit be troubled? Would I not have cause to be troubled? For they would not regard, nor even rightly understand me; but my complaint is to God, who will suffer me to speak, though you will not.

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See also Job 21:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 21:4. _AS FOR ME_] האנכי _heanochi_, "Alas for me!" Is it not with a man that I speak? And, if this be the case, why should not my spirit be troubled? I do not reply against my _Maker_: I su...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AS FOR ME, IS MY COMPLAINT TO MAN? - There is some difficulty in the interpretation of this verse, and considerable variety of explanation may be seen among expositors. The “object” of the verse is pl...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 21 JOB'S REPLY _ 1. Hear my solemn words--then mock on (Job 21:1)_ 2. His testimony concerning the experiences of the wicked (Job 21:7) 3. Your answers are nothing but falsehoods (Job 21:27...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB 21. JOB'S REPLY. Zophar was graphic and vigorous, but had nothing to say. Nevertheless his speech suggests to Job his next argument. The facts are quite the opposite of what Zophar has said: the w...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MAN. Hebrew. _'adam._ App-14. WHY... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6. MY SPIRIT. myself. Hebrew. _ruach_ (App-9). Put by Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of the Part), App-6, for the whole person...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _is my complaint to man_ Rather, OF, or, CONCERNING man. The whole first clause means, Is _my_complaint about man? _my_emphatic. The words may express a reason for their listening to him, it is not of...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND IF IT WERE SO— _But, if it is not so, what cause is there why I should be troubled in mind?_ Houbigant....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    F. INTEGRITY, PROSPERITY, AND THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY RIGHTEOUS GOD (Job 21:1-34) 1. Job pleads for a sympathetic hearing. (Job 21:1-6) TEXT 21:1-6 21 THEN JOB ANSWERED AND SAID, _2_ Hear dilig...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AS FOR ME, IS MY COMPLAINT TO MAN? AND IF IT WERE SO, WHY SHOULD NOT MY SPIRIT BE TROUBLED?_ Job's difficulty was not as to man, but as to God, why He so afflicted him, as if he were the guilty hypo...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB'S SIXTH SPEECH Zophar, like the other friends, had insisted on the certain retribution for sin which befalls the wicked in this life. Now at length these views draw from Job a direct contradictio...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    TO MAN] RM 'of man.' It is of God that Job complains. AND IF, etc.] RV 'And why should I not be impatient?'...

  • 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 21 JOB REPLIES TO ZOPHAR’S...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Job was unhappy when he thought about the success of wicked people. He could not explain why he was suffering. And he could not explain why wicked people may be successful....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IS MY COMPLAINT TO MAN? — “It is not to man that I complain. I do not ask for your sympathy, and, therefore, why should ye resent an offence that is not given? If, however, I did ask it, might not my...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הֶ֭ אָנֹכִי לְ אָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְ אִם

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XVIII. ARE THE WAYS OF THE LORD EQUAL? Job 21:1 Job SPEAKS WITH less of personal distress and a more collected mind than before Job begins a reply to Zophar. His brave hope of vindication has forti...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “SHALL ANY TEACH GOD?” Job 21:1 After a brief introduction, in which he claims the right to reply, Job 21:1, Job brings forward a new argument. He affirms that his friends are wrong in assuming that...

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

    Here, as in the first cycle, Job answered not merely Zophar, but the whole argument. First of all, he set over against their statement and illustrations the fact patent to all that often the wicked ar...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    As for me, [is] my complaint to man? and if [it (b) were so], why should not my spirit be troubled? (b) As though he would say, I do not talk with man but with God, who will not answer me, and theref...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Troubled. Hebrew, "Why is not my spirit shortened" by death, if your assertion be true? (Haydock) or why may I not be "troubled," since I have to deal, not with an enlightened judge, but with men who...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (4) As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled? (5) Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth. (6) Even when I remember I am afraid,...

  • 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

    AS FOR ME, [IS] MY COMPLAINT TO MAN?.... Job had been complaining, and still was, and continued to do so after this, but not to them, his friends, nor any other man; his complaint was made to God, and...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    As for me, [is] my complaint to man? and if [it were so], why should not my spirit be troubled? Ver. 4. _As for me, is my complaint to man?_] _Vult dicere,_ saith Lavater, Job's meaning is, that he c...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JOB APPEALS FOR CONSIDERATION...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB SILENCES ZOPHAR (vv.1-34). The callous cruelty of Zophar's speech would surely cause some men to be bitterly angry, but while Job was incensed by such treatment, he did not lose his temper. He...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    TROUBLED?: _ Heb._ shortened...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    Job argues that he is not impatient with them, he was actually complaining to God because He was silent and he had good reason to be impatient....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-6 Job comes closer to the question in dispute. This was, Whether outward prosperity is a mark of the true church, and the true members of it, so that ruin of a man's prosperity proves him a hypocrit...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    TO MAN; or, _of man_; for the prefix _lamed_ commonly signifieth both _to_ and _of_. And this question implies a denial, or that his complaint is not to or of man, to wit, only, but to or of God; as i...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 21:4 complaint H7879 man H120 impatient H7307 H7114 (H8799) is my complaint - Job 7:11-21,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Job's answer to Zophar in which he denies any secret sin. CHARACTERS: God, Job, three friends. CONCLUSION: The providences of God in the government of this world are sometimes hard to be u...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 21:2. _Consolations._ נחם _nicham,_ though mostly translated consolation, comfort &c., as in Isaiah 40:1; is in several places understood of a change of mind, or of repentance. So in Judges 21., w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _But Job answered and said._ JOB’S THIRD ANSWER There is more logic and less passion in this address than in any of Job’s preceding speeches. He felt the dogma of the friends to be opposed-- I. To...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 21:1 Job’s response closes the second cycle of the dialogue with his friends. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _JOB’S REPLY TO ZOPHAR’S SECOND SPEECH_ The ungodly, instead of experiencing the miseries indicated by Zophar, often, perhaps generally, enjoy continued ease and prosperity in this life. I. INTRODUC...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 21:1 Job answers Zophar, as he had answered Bildad, in a single not very lengthy chapter. After a few caustic introductory remarks (verses 2-4), he takes up the challenge which Zophar...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    By Chuck Smith This time shall we turn to the book of Job, chapter 21. Zophar has just concluded in chapter 20 his second speech in which, again, he sort of just gives some of the traditions and quote...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 1:16; 2 Kings 6:26; 2 Kings 6:27; Exodus 6:9; Job 10:1;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Is — I do not make my complaint to, or expect relief from you, or from any men, hut from God only: I am pouring forth my complaints to God. If — If my complaint were to man, have I not cause?...

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