Job 14 3

Job 14:3 kjv

And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

Job 14:3 nkjv

And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself?

Job 14:3 niv

Do you fix your eye on them? Will you bring them before you for judgment?

Job 14:3 esv

And do you open your eyes on such a one and bring me into judgment with you?

Job 14:3 nlt

Must you keep an eye on such a frail creature
and demand an accounting from me?

Job 14 verses

Job 14 3 Meaning

In Job 14:3, Job laments that God, despite humanity's brief and fragile existence, intensely scrutinizes and pursues them with an active, judging eye. He feels that the Almighty takes this deeply flawed and temporary human being (referring to himself and all humanity, described in the preceding verses) and deliberately brings them into a legal proceeding, demanding a rigorous accounting directly from them. It is a desperate cry of bewilderment and distress, questioning why God would meticulously focus His omnipotent attention to prosecute someone so insignificant and perishable.

Job 14 3 Context

Job 14:3 is found within Job's third soliloquy, a direct response to Zophar's accusation. Throughout Job 14, Job is deeply despairing, reflecting on the brevity and fragility of human life (verses 1-2). He contrasts the renewal available to a cut tree (verses 7-9) with the utter finality of human death, where a man "lies down and rises no more till the heavens are no more" (verses 10-12). In this chapter, Job articulates his overwhelming sense of vulnerability and insignificance in the face of suffering and mortality.

Verse 3 emerges from this lament about human frailty and defilement ("such an one" referring to the man described in 14:1-2). Job is essentially asking God, "Why do You meticulously observe such a frail, short-lived, and defiled being like me, only to drag me into a lawsuit?" Historically, in the ancient Near East, personal disputes were often resolved through formal legal proceedings or trials. Job's plea stems from his feeling that God, with His immense power and holiness, is engaging in an unequal and relentless legal battle with a transient and sinful human, rather than offering relief or even a temporary reprieve from suffering and scrutiny.

Job 14 3 Word analysis

• And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such an one,

  • And dost Thou: Connects to the previous thought of human brevity and defilement. The direct address underscores Job's confrontational tone toward God.
  • open Thine eyes: (Hebrew: פָּקַחְתָּ עֵינֶךָ - pāqaḥtā 'êneḵā). The verb pāqaḥ (to open) when applied to eyes, often implies an active, intent gaze, not mere passive seeing. It can signify watchful care or, as here, intense, critical observation or scrutiny, frequently leading to intervention or judgment. It carries the weight of a focused, penetrating gaze. In this context, it feels oppressive and judgmental to Job, as if God is actively searching for fault.
  • upon such an one: (Hebrew: וְעַל־זֶה - ve'al-zeh). "Such an one" refers to "man born of woman, few of days and full of trouble" (Job 14:1) and "who comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and does not continue" (Job 14:2). This phrase emphasizes humanity's inherent weakness, transience, and defilement—a creature so insignificant and flawed that Job questions why God would even bother focusing on him for a lawsuit.

• and bringest me into judgment with Thee?

  • and bringest me: Job asserts that God is actively initiating this legal action against him, not that Job has sought it.
  • into judgment: (Hebrew: בְמִשְׁפָּט - be'mišpāṭ). Mishpat refers to a legal dispute, a trial, or a verdict. Job feels that God has brought him into a formal courtroom-like setting. He is not merely being disciplined but accused, prosecuted, and held liable for transgressions. This suggests an adversarial relationship, not a compassionate one.
  • with Thee?: (Hebrew: עִמָּךְ - 'immāḵ). This signifies a direct, personal confrontation with God. It highlights the vast power imbalance in this 'trial,' as the Creator is prosecuting His frail creature. Job feels singled out for divine legal action.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "open Thine eyes upon such an one": This phrase expresses Job's deep frustration with what he perceives as God's disproportionate and relentless scrutiny. Why dedicate such infinite attention and perfect vision to something so fleeting and inherently flawed as a human being, especially to pick apart their supposed transgressions?
  • "bringest me into judgment with Thee": This entire clause describes Job's perceived divine prosecution. It captures his feeling of being unfairly targeted for a divine legal process that he cannot win and doesn't understand, especially given his own insistence on his righteousness and the general fragility of human existence. The direct "with Thee" emphasizes the terrifying reality of standing defenseless before the all-powerful Judge.

Job 14 3 Bonus section

Job's plea here contains a subtle, yet powerful polemic against the simplistic retributive theology espoused by his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. While the friends insisted that Job's suffering must be due to hidden sin, and God was justly punishing him, Job counters with the idea that even if humanity is inherently flawed (which he concedes, as stated in 14:1-2), God's meticulous focus and bringing such a creature into judgment seems disproportionate and even merciless given their inherent transience and weakness. It implicitly asks: "Does God not know our frame? Does He not remember that we are but dust (Ps 103:14)?"

This verse also foreshadows the future revelation of a Mediator. Job yearns for someone to stand between him and God (Job 9:33), an arbiter to facilitate judgment fairly. While Job doesn't have a clear concept of such a figure, his desperate wish highlights the profound human need for an intercessor when facing the perfect holiness and judgment of God, a need perfectly fulfilled in Christ Jesus, who indeed stood between God and man.

Job 14 3 Commentary

Job 14:3 is a poignant expression of Job's profound agony and his challenging theology. In his extreme suffering, he perceives God not as a benevolent helper, but as an unrelenting prosecutor. His question, "Why do you open Your eyes upon such an one, and bring me into judgment with Yourself?" is layered with a desperate blend of frustration, bewilderment, and perceived injustice.

Job highlights humanity's inherent feebleness and defilement (referenced from Job 14:1-2), a state that he believes should warrant mercy or overlook, rather than intensified divine scrutiny. The verb "to open the eyes" used here implies a focused, scrutinizing attention, almost an obsessive vigilance, typically reserved for important matters or for bringing a case against someone. For Job, it feels as if God is meticulously searching for every fault, magnifying every imperfection in his transient, mortal life, just to press charges.

The idea of being "brought into judgment" (mišpāṭ) evokes a formal, legal trial. Job feels as though God has become his Adversary in a divine courtroom. This is a terrifying prospect, as no human, inherently flawed and mortal, could ever prevail when the infinitely holy and omnipotent God is the plaintiff. It reflects Job's belief that a just God should not pick an unfair fight with a creation so beneath Him, particularly one who insists on his own innocence. His lament challenges the friends' simplified theology, suggesting that divine action is far more complex than a simple reward-punishment system, particularly when innocent suffering occurs.

Job's cry reveals the intense personal suffering that leads one to question God's method and even His justice, without denying His existence or power. It illustrates the human experience of feeling overwhelmed and persecuted by an omniscient power whose intentions remain hidden.