Job 13:14 kjv
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
Job 13:14 nkjv
Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands?
Job 13:14 niv
Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands?
Job 13:14 esv
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand?
Job 13:14 nlt
Why should I put myself in mortal danger
and take my life in my own hands?
Job 13 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 13:15 | "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; nevertheless I will argue my ways to his face." | Immediate follow-up; clarifies Job's faith. |
| Job 2:9-10 | "Then his wife said to him, 'Do you still hold fast your integrity? ... But he said to her, 'You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?'" | Job's resolute integrity amidst temptation. |
| Job 23:10 | "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold." | Job's confidence in his ultimate vindication. |
| Job 27:5-6 | "Far be it from me that I should say you are right! ... till I die I will not put away my integrity from me." | Job's vow to maintain his innocence unto death. |
| Job 19:25-27 | "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth..." | Job's profound hope in divine vindication beyond life. |
| Ps 119:109 | "My life is continually in my hand, yet I do not forget your law." | Parallel idiom of life in constant danger, yet obedient. |
| 1 Sam 19:5 | "for he took his life in his hand and struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation..." | Illustrates great personal risk for a cause. |
| Judg 12:3 | "When I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites..." | Jephthah's desperation, putting his life on the line. |
| Judg 9:17 | "(My father fought for you and risked his life...)" (NIV, lit. 'exposed his life'). | Abimelech's father exposing himself to danger for others. |
| Rom 8:36 | "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." | Daily peril and sacrifice for God. |
| Deut 32:39 | "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive..." | God's absolute sovereignty over life and death. |
| Gen 32:26-28 | "Then he said, 'Let me go, for the day has broken.' But Jacob said, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'" | Jacob's tenacious wrestling with the divine. |
| Lam 3:21-26 | "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases..." | Holding onto hope in deep despair. |
| Hab 3:17-19 | "Though the fig tree should not blossom... yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." | Joy and faith amidst complete devastation. |
| Isa 50:7 | "For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced... for I know that I shall not be put to shame." | Trust in divine vindication despite humiliation. |
| Ps 22:1 | "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" | Cry of ultimate suffering, yet addressed to God. |
| Acts 20:24 | "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course..." | Paul's total dedication and readiness to sacrifice. |
| Phil 3:7-8 | "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss..." | Complete abandonment of self-interest for Christ. |
| Lk 14:26 | "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father... yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." | The extreme cost of discipleship. |
| Jn 12:25 | "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." | Principle of sacrificial living for spiritual gain. |
| Mt 10:39 | "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." | The paradoxical truth of giving up life to gain it. |
| Lk 9:24 | "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." | A similar call to ultimate surrender. |
Job 13 verses
Job 13 14 Meaning
Job 13:14 is a powerful rhetorical question asked by Job, expressing his desperate yet unwavering determination to challenge God directly and present his case, even if it means putting his very existence at extreme risk. It conveys Job's audacious resolve to hold onto his integrity and seek an answer from God, regardless of the personal cost, underscoring a profound level of conviction and courage in the face of immense suffering.
Job 13 14 Context
Job 13:14 is situated within Job’s intense dialogue with his three friends. Having patiently endured their repeated accusations and simplistic retribution theology (which posited that his suffering was a direct result of his sin), Job loses patience. In Chapter 13, Job dismisses his friends' wisdom as worthless (v. 4-5), rebukes them for speaking deceptively for God (v. 7-8), and challenges their supposed righteousness (v. 9-12). Job 13:14 forms part of his climactic declaration to bypass his flawed comforters and appeal directly to God. It highlights his desperation but also his courageous conviction that he must directly present his case to the Almighty, despite the profound risk and his acute suffering. This verse sets the stage for his remarkable declaration of faith in the following verse, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."
Job 13 14 Word analysis
- Why: This is a rhetorical "why," expressing an intense state of being or decision, not seeking an explanation. It highlights Job’s resolute posture and daring intention. It could be understood as "Surely, I am doing this" or "What reason do I have not to do this?".
- do I take: The verbal form indicates a present action or decision, emphasizing his ongoing, firm commitment.
- my flesh (Hebrew: bᵉśārî): Refers to his physical body, his very self, his tangible existence. It emphasizes the vulnerability and preciousness of what he is putting at risk.
- in my teeth (Hebrew: bᵉšinnāy): An idiom implying taking a risk so extreme it is self-destructive or suicidal. It conjures an image of a person tearing at their own flesh in anguish or utter desperation, signifying the most radical form of self-endangerment or resolute self-assertion.
- and put: Links the two parallel clauses, showing a compounding or reiteration of the perilous situation Job willingly embraces.
- my life (Hebrew: napšî): Refers to his soul, his spirit, his very being, his breath of life. It’s even more encompassing than "flesh," denoting his complete existence.
- in my hands (Hebrew: bᵉkhappāy): A well-known idiom denoting an act of extreme risk, vulnerability, or staking everything. It implies holding one's own existence as a precarious, easily lost commodity. One's life is utterly exposed and could be snatched away at any moment.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Why do I take my flesh in my teeth": This vivid and unsettling phrase captures the depth of Job’s agony and his willingness to go to the most extreme lengths. It depicts an action that is desperate, self-destructive, and borne out of profound mental and physical anguish. It signifies that Job is operating under conditions where he perceives no other option but to put himself in such extreme peril, demonstrating a grim resolve.
- "and put my life in my hands": This common idiom, paired with the first, intensifies the declaration of radical risk. It means that Job holds his life as a pawn, fully exposed to fate or God's decree, ready to be forfeit for the sake of his cause. This highlights his incredible courage and desperation to stand firm on his integrity and seek vindication from God, even if it leads to his demise. The combined phrases portray Job as an individual willing to sacrifice his very existence for the truth as he understands it.
Job 13 14 Bonus section
- The intensity of Job's rhetoric in this verse vividly portrays his isolation and the extremity of his pain, driving him to such a desperate and bold declaration.
- This verse showcases Job's commitment not merely to endurance, but to proactive engagement with his predicament and with God, contrasting with the passive acceptance often prescribed by his friends.
- The phrase "flesh in my teeth" can imply a self-consuming internal struggle, a metaphorical tearing apart of his own being due to his agony and the incomprehensibility of his suffering.
- Job's question is essentially a rhetorical affirmation of his radical choice: "I am indeed willing to risk everything to have this direct audience with God."
Job 13 14 Commentary
Job 13:14 articulates Job's profound and courageous resolve in the face of insurmountable suffering and misguided counsel. By employing two intense, parallel idioms – taking his flesh in his teeth and putting his life in his hands – Job powerfully communicates his willingness to gamble his very existence on his direct appeal to God. He is so desperate to defend his innocence and to receive an answer from God that he disregards any danger, even death itself. This verse encapsulates Job's unwavering, almost audacious, faith and determination. It portrays a man pushed to the brink, yet paradoxically holding firm to his core conviction and pursuing divine encounter, even if it leads to self-destruction or is met with God's immediate judgment. It illustrates that true faith can sometimes express itself in a radical confrontation, born of deep trust rather than rebellion, where one stakes everything on the justice and truth of God.