Job 19 21

Job 19:21 kjv

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

Job 19:21 nkjv

"Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has struck me!

Job 19:21 niv

"Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

Job 19:21 esv

Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!

Job 19:21 nlt

"Have mercy on me, my friends, have mercy,
for the hand of God has struck me.

Job 19 verses

Job 19 21 Meaning

Job 19:21 is Job's fervent, desperate plea for compassion from his companions, emphasizing the intense suffering he endures. He directly attributes his plight to the active "hand of God," thereby explaining why his pain is so profound and suggesting that his suffering is not merely a consequence of sin (as his friends presumed) but a direct divine action, placing him beyond the conventional understanding of his accusers. It highlights his extreme physical and emotional desolation and his yearning for empathy over judgment.

Job 19 21 Context

Job 19:21 stands amidst one of Job's most poignant and dramatic speeches, preceding his monumental confession of faith in a living Redeemer (verses 23-27). Throughout chapter 19, Job vividly describes his extreme suffering and abandonment. He feels alienated from God, whom he perceives as his aggressor (vv. 6-12). His family, servants, and closest friends have forsaken him (vv. 13-19). Physically, he is a skeleton (v. 20). In this desperate state of utter desolation, Job turns to his "friends" – the very people who have sat in judgment against him, believing his suffering must be punishment for secret sin. This verse is a plea for basic human pity from those who should have offered comfort, lamenting that they have instead heaped accusations upon his pain. It highlights the profound theological disagreement between Job and his friends, as Job asserts God's direct role in his suffering while denying the assumed cause of unrepentant sin.

Job 19 21 Word analysis

• Pity, pity: The Hebrew word used, channûnî (חָנּ֣וּנִי), is an imperative form derived from the root chanan (חָנַן), meaning "to be gracious," "to show favor," or "to have pity/mercy." The repetition of the word (intensive pleading, for emphasis) signifies Job's profound distress, desperation, and the urgent, overwhelming nature of his need for mercy. It is more than just pity; it’s a plea for unmerited favor or compassion in his miserable state.
• on me, O you my friends: Job directly addresses his companions, rēʿāy (רֵעָֽי), meaning "my friends" or "my companions." This underscores the betrayal he feels, as those who should offer comfort are instead his accusers. His plea is for empathy from the very people withholding it, ironically after their "miserable comfort."
• for (כִּ֣י - kî): This conjunction introduces the reason or justification for Job's desperate appeal, explaining the gravity of his condition and why their compassion is warranted.
• the hand (יַד־ - yaḏ-): This is a powerful metaphor, yad in Hebrew often representing agency, power, active involvement, authority, and might. In this context, it unequivocally signifies direct divine intervention and action. It is not merely an allowance, but a specific, direct application of power.
• of God (אֱל֖וֹהַּ - ʾĕlôah): A name for God, emphasizing God as the mighty and authoritative one. This theological designation underscores that the suffering Job experiences is not random or merely earthly, but originates from the highest authority. This term is distinct from Yahweh, often used more personally or covenantally, and emphasizes God's majesty and power.
• has touched me (נָגְעָ֥ה בִּֽי - nāgəʿāh bî): The verb nagaʿ (נָגַע) means "to touch," "to strike," or "to smite." While "touch" might sound gentle, in contexts of divine action or judgment, nagaʿ often implies a severe, impactful blow or affliction. Here, it refers to the overwhelming, devastating impact of God’s direct intervention upon Job’s life, leading to his profound suffering and desolation. It suggests God’s personal, powerful assault upon him.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Pity, pity on me, O you my friends": This phrase encapsulates Job's deep personal agony and the tragic failure of human empathy. The repetition of "pity" expresses a level of desperation that words alone cannot convey, highlighting Job's broken spirit and the profound loneliness of his suffering. He cries out to the very individuals who have proven themselves to be adversarial rather than supportive, revealing his yearning for the compassion they were obligated to offer as friends.
• "for the hand of God has touched me": This forms the core theological and explanatory justification for Job's plea. He unequivocally attributes his calamity not to personal sin (as his friends did), but to a direct and forceful intervention by God. This assertion reframes his suffering from an earthly punishment to a divine affliction, challenging the simplistic retribution theology prevalent at the time and implicitly suggesting that his suffering is not a just consequence of his actions in the way his friends perceive. It sets the stage for the book's larger exploration of innocent suffering and God's sovereign purposes.

Job 19 21 Bonus section

• The placement of this verse, just before Job's magnificent declaration of faith in a Redeemer, highlights the transformative power of God even in the deepest troughs of human despair. Job's plea for human compassion from his failing friends foreshadows his turning to divine hope for ultimate vindication.
• The phrase "hand of God" is an anthropomorphism, attributing human characteristics (a hand) to God to describe divine activity. While sometimes signifying protection or guidance, here it unmistakably denotes an active, oppressive affliction.
• The book of Job consistently presents the complexity of suffering, challenging the common theological understanding of cause-and-effect (Deuteronomic principle) as the sole explanation for all calamities, especially those affecting the righteous. This verse is a clear instance of Job pushing back against that simplistic worldview.

Job 19 21 Commentary

Job 19:21 captures the raw, unfiltered cry of a man pushed to the brink of human endurance. It is a moment of profound vulnerability where Job pleads not for theological answers or vindication, but for the basic human kindness of compassion from those who were meant to be his comforters. His double entreaty for "pity" underscores the depth of his physical and emotional anguish and his complete despair. The irony is stark: his friends, bound by a rigid theological framework that demanded sin as the sole cause of suffering, failed utterly to provide this solace. Instead of compassion, Job received condemnation and misguided accusations.

Job's justification for their pity—"for the hand of God has touched me"—is central. He views his suffering not as a natural misfortune or a general consequence of the world's fallen state, but as a direct, personal, and powerful affliction from God himself. This statement serves to explain why his suffering is so immense and why their conventional theology of "you sinned, therefore you suffer" is incomplete and misapplied to his situation. He acknowledges God's direct involvement but fundamentally differs from his friends on the reason for that involvement, thereby creating the theological tension that the rest of the book aims to resolve. This verse sets the stage for his defiant declaration of a Redeemer (v. 23-27), demonstrating how Job's human despair leads him not to abandon God, but paradoxically to a deeper faith in His ultimate vindication.