Job 14 16

Job 14:16 kjv

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

Job 14:16 nkjv

For now You number my steps, But do not watch over my sin.

Job 14:16 niv

Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin.

Job 14:16 esv

For then you would number my steps; you would not keep watch over my sin;

Job 14:16 nlt

For then you would guard my steps,
instead of watching for my sins.

Job 14 verses

Job 14 16 Meaning

Job 14:16 reflects Job’s profound despair, believing God is meticulously scrutinizing his every action while also intensely focusing on his perceived sins without offering any relief or oversight. He feels relentlessly observed, as though every misstep and transgression is being precisely cataloged by God for the purpose of judgment, rather than being passed over with mercy. It portrays God as an exacting accountant of human life, continually tracking faults rather than providing solace or reprieve from suffering.

Job 14 16 Context

Job 14 falls within Job’s extensive discourse (chapters 12-14) following the first round of speeches by his friends. In this chapter, Job laments the brevity and inherent suffering of human life, likening it to a flower that withers quickly or a shadow that swiftly departs. He questions the purpose of God's intense scrutiny over such a fragile existence, expressing a profound longing for death as the only true escape from his agony. Amidst his desperate plea for respite from God’s heavy hand, he struggles to reconcile his integrity with the calamities that have befallen him. Verse 16 specifically highlights his perception of God not as a benevolent helper, but as an ever-watchful divine accountant who meticulously records every aspect of Job's life, especially his perceived failings, for judgment. This is Job's outcry from the depths of his anguish, where God seems to him as an oppressor rather than a deliverer.

Job 14 16 Word analysis

• For now: (Hebrew: כִּ֣י עַתָּה֮ - ki `attah) This phrase emphasizes the immediacy and the present, agonizing reality of Job’s situation. It signifies that God's perceived rigorous scrutiny is not a past event, but an ongoing, active experience for Job.

• you number: (Hebrew: תִּסְפֹּ֣ר - tispor, from סָפַר - sapar, "to count, recount, register"). This verb denotes a meticulous, exact calculation or tally. It suggests that God is keeping an utterly precise, comprehensive ledger of every movement, akin to an accountant noting every transaction. It implies divine omniscience and attention to minute details of human conduct.

• my steps: (Hebrew: אֲשֻׁרָֽי - ashuray, from אָשׁוּר - ashur, "step, going, tread"). This refers to Job’s physical movements, his walk of life, his journey, and metaphorically, his entire conduct and course of life. It conveys a sense of God overseeing his literal every foot placement and, by extension, every decision and action.

• you do not watch over/mark/keep track of: (Hebrew: לֹֽא־תִּשְׁמֹ֖ר - lo-tishmor, from שָׁמַר - shamar, "to keep, guard, observe, preserve"). The negation (lo) of shamar here is crucial. This is generally understood as God not overlooking, not neglecting, or not leniently passing over Job's sin. Rather than implying neglect, it indicates intense focus. It suggests that God is not exercising leniency or a merciful blindness to his faults, but is stringently observing them for prosecution or continued punishment. This contrasts with a benevolent keeping or preserving.

• my sin: (Hebrew: חַטָּאתִ֑י - chatta'ti, from חַטָּאת - chatta't, "sin, trespass, offense, guilt, punishment for sin"). This term encapsulates Job’s wrongdoing, guilt, and perhaps the consequences he feels he is bearing because of them. In the context of the previous phrase, it indicates Job's conviction that God is holding every single sin against him without forgiveness or mitigation, continually punishing him for what he believes are minor or unknown transgressions, contrary to his own upright assessment.

• "For now you number my steps": This phrase describes Job’s feeling of overwhelming divine surveillance. He perceives God as an attentive omnipresent being who not only observes but quantitatively records every aspect of his physical journey and moral actions. This conveys Job's feeling of being trapped under a divine microscope.

• "you do not watch over my sin": In conjunction with the preceding phrase, this means Job feels God is not showing mercy or forgiveness toward his transgressions. Instead of overlooking his sin with grace, or watching over him protectively to spare him from the consequences of sin, Job senses God is rigorously keeping an account of his every fault. It implies God is preserving his sins for judgment, rather than guarding Job from the judgment they might incur. This is a cry of despair that mercy and divine oversight against sin are absent, leaving only rigorous judgment.

Job 14 16 Bonus section

The tension portrayed in Job 14:16, where God's meticulous knowledge (number my steps) is juxtaposed with His apparent refusal to overlook sin (do not watch over my sin), speaks to a deep theological challenge. Job grapples with God’s attribute of justice without fully perceiving His ultimate purposes or the depth of His grace. The narrative of Job ultimately reveals that while God is omniscient and righteous, His dealings with humanity are not always solely predicated on sin for suffering, nor are His disciplinary methods confined to the exact reciprocation of deeds. Job's perspective here, from beneath the shadow of inexplicable affliction, mirrors humanity’s natural inclination to attribute all suffering to personal transgression, thus limiting God's multifaceted sovereignty. The book later dismantles this simplistic retribution theology, asserting God's transcendence and His freedom to act in ways beyond human comprehension.

Job 14 16 Commentary

Job 14:16 encapsulates Job’s overwhelming sense of God’s relentless and seemingly merciless surveillance. In his agony, Job feels God is not merely aware of him, but is actively performing an exacting audit of his existence, tallying his "steps"—every move, decision, and phase of life. More grievously, Job laments that God is not "watching over" his sin in a way that implies mercy or oversight, but rather precisely for accounting and retribution. This reflects his deep-seated conviction that his immense suffering is directly tied to divine judgment for sin, a conclusion drawn from his era’s prevailing theology. Yet, for all God’s supposed observation of his faults, Job finds no relief, no path to reconciliation or escape from the scrutiny he endures. His cry highlights the human struggle to reconcile divine omniscience with an experience of prolonged suffering and perceived injustice.