Job 13:21 kjv
Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
Job 13:21 nkjv
Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
Job 13:21 niv
Withdraw your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors.
Job 13:21 esv
withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me.
Job 13:21 nlt
Remove your heavy hand from me,
and don't terrify me with your awesome presence.
Job 13 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 9:3 | "the hand of the Lord will be on your livestock" | God's hand as source of plague/affliction. |
| Deut 2:15 | "Indeed, the hand of the LORD was against them to destroy them" | God's hand as judgment/destruction. |
| Judg 2:15 | "the hand of the LORD was against them for harm" | God's hand as oppressing judgment. |
| Psa 32:4 | "For day and night your hand was heavy upon me" | Experience of God's disciplinary hand. |
| Isa 5:25 | "Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them" | God's hand as expression of anger and strike. |
| Acts 13:11 | "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind" | God's hand for immediate punishment. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God" | God's powerful hand, calling for humility. |
| Gen 28:17 | "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God" | Experiencing dread/awe in God's presence. |
| Exod 15:16 | "Terror and dread fall upon them" | God's power instilling fear in enemies. |
| Deut 28:66-67 | "And your life shall hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shall be in dread" | Extreme psychological fear due to God's curse. |
| 1 Sam 11:7 | "And the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man." | God's dread for galvanizing His people. |
| Job 6:4 | "The terrors of God are arrayed against me." | Direct experience of divine terrors. |
| Psa 55:5 | "Fear and trembling come upon me; horror has overwhelmed me." | Personal experience of overwhelming dread. |
| Jer 20:10 | "Dread is on every side!" | Fear as an oppressive, surrounding force. |
| Matt 10:28 | "And do not fear those who kill the body... Rather fear him who can destroy" | Reverent fear of God's ultimate power. |
| Phil 2:12 | "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" | A call to humble reverence before God. |
| Psa 6:2 | "Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled." | Plea for relief from affliction. |
| Psa 38:2 | "For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me." | Echoes Job's feeling of being struck by God. |
| Psa 40:11 | "As for you, O LORD, you will not withhold your mercy from me" | Plea for continued mercy and intervention. |
| Psa 69:17 | "Do not hide your face from your servant; for I am in distress; make haste to answer me." | Plea for God's attention in distress. |
| Job 13:3 | "But I would speak to the Almighty; I desire to argue my case with God." | Job's desire for direct audience with God. |
| Job 23:3-4 | "Oh that I knew where I might find him... I would lay my case before him" | Job's yearning to present his argument to God. |
| Lam 3:57 | "You came near when I called on you; you said, 'Do not fear!'" | God's comforting response to plea/dread. |
Job 13 verses
Job 13 21 Meaning
Job 13:21 presents Job’s desperate conditions for a direct encounter with God. He implores God to withdraw His afflicting hand and to cease the overwhelming, terrifying presence that paralyzes him with fear. This plea is not one of defiance, but rather a profound request for the removal of immense divine pressure, allowing Job the mental and emotional clarity needed to articulate his case and argue his innocence before his Maker. It encapsulates his desire for a fair hearing free from the crushing weight of divine judgment and terror.
Job 13 21 Context
Job 13:21 is embedded within Job’s discourse where he vehemently dismisses his friends' erroneous wisdom and shifts his focus directly to God. Having just denounced his friends as "worthless physicians" (v. 4) who offer deceitful arguments (v. 7), Job asserts his intention to speak with the Almighty, even if it leads to his death (v. 15). He demands a direct hearing (v. 3), but under specific, uncoercive conditions. Verses 19-22 lay out these conditions for his divine encounter. Job requires that God acknowledge his words and remove the oppressive hand and terrifying presence that prevent him from adequately presenting his case. Historically, legal proceedings in the ancient Near East often involved accusers and defendants stating their case. Job casts his suffering as a legal dispute with God, necessitating an environment where he can freely articulate his defense without the paralyzing fear and overwhelming might of his divine "opponent" or "judge."
Job 13 21 Word analysis
- Withdraw (סוּר – sûr): An imperative verb meaning "to turn aside," "depart," or "remove." Job issues a direct, urgent plea for God to cease His active involvement in his suffering. It's not merely a request for cessation of pain but a removal of God's very agency in inflicting it. This word frequently implies turning from something, like evil or an unwanted path. Here, Job wants God to "turn aside" His afflicting hand.
- your hand (יָדְךָ – yad’khā): A common anthropomorphism representing God's power, agency, action, or judgment. In Job’s context, it denotes the concrete, active affliction God has directly imposed on him, manifesting as physical suffering and emotional distress. It underscores Job’s perception that God is the direct source of his calamity.
- far from me (מֵעָלַי – mē’ālay): Literally "from upon me." This emphasizes the intense, direct, and overwhelming presence of God’s afflicting power that Job desires to be removed to a considerable distance. It highlights the weight of divine pressure he is experiencing.
- and let not dread of you (וְאֵימָתְךָ – wᵉ’êmatᵊḵā): ’Êmah signifies overwhelming terror, horror, or awe. It’s a fear that is debilitating and psychologically incapacitating. The "dread of You" means a terror originating from God’s overwhelming power and presence. It is distinct from reverent fear and points to a panic-inducing experience. This is crucial because Job feels mentally assaulted, unable to think or speak clearly due to this terror.
- terrify me (תְבַעֲתַנִּי – təḇa‘ăṯannî): From the verb bā‘at, meaning "to alarm," "dismay," or "cause fright." It describes the active effect of God’s dread—it is constantly shaking and startling Job, preventing him from presenting a calm and reasoned defense. This word indicates the deep psychological impact of Job’s experience, going beyond physical pain.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "Withdraw your hand far from me": This phrase encapsulates Job's demand for physical and circumstantial relief. He attributes his suffering directly to God’s active engagement, visualizing God’s hand as pressing down upon him. He seeks liberation from the external, tangible aspects of divine judgment, which he believes hinder his ability to prepare for his defense. It is a plea for God to step back from actively oppressing him.
- "and let not dread of you terrify me": This complementary phrase addresses the psychological and spiritual dimensions of Job's ordeal. The "dread of God" signifies the paralyzing terror induced by God’s awesome and manifest power, specifically directed against Job. He seeks mental and emotional freedom from this terror so that he can clearly think, speak, and argue his case without being overwhelmed into silence or incoherence by the divine presence. Both conditions together underscore Job's need for uncoerced agency in his encounter with God.
Job 13 21 Bonus section
- Job’s requests here foreshadow God's actual appearance later in the book (chapters 38-41). When God finally appears in His majesty, His presence does indeed silence Job, but it's an awe that leads to repentance and submission (Job 42:5-6), not the incapacitating dread Job feared here preventing him from speaking.
- This verse captures Job’s unique suffering—not merely physical illness or loss, but an intense existential and psychological terror directly perceived as originating from God. It’s a spiritual assault as much as a physical one.
- Job's formulation reflects Ancient Near Eastern judicial processes where litigants would approach the throne for a verdict. He is seeking a formal audience, but under fair terms where he is not emotionally incapacitated.
- The paradox in Job is that he fears God’s active opposition but concurrently desires to stand before God. His longing for vindication is stronger than his terror, yet he knows he cannot gain it under such duress.
Job 13 21 Commentary
Job 13:21 marks a pivotal turn where Job transitions from disputing with his friends to directly addressing God. This verse expresses Job's primary conditions for engaging in a divine dialogue or legal contest. He feels crushed by God’s "hand"—the direct and oppressive divine intervention causing his suffering—and paralyzed by God’s "dread"—the overwhelming, terror-inducing aspect of God’s power now perceived as arrayed against him. Job's plea is not one of rebellion, but a desperate cry for fair process. He is effectively saying, "Remove the crushing pressure and terrifying presence, and then I can speak and argue my innocence freely." This highlights Job’s profound desire for understanding and vindication from God Himself, even while enduring the profound psychological distress of God’s perceived antagonism. His request is for the cessation of coercion, to allow a genuine, unburdened defense, demonstrating an audacious yet deeply reverent faith that still seeks justice from God.