Job 21 4

Job 21:4 kjv

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

Job 21:4 nkjv

"As for me, is my complaint against man? And if it were, why should I not be impatient?

Job 21:4 niv

"Is my complaint directed to a human being? Why should I not be impatient?

Job 21:4 esv

As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient?

Job 21:4 nlt

"My complaint is with God, not with people.
I have good reason to be so impatient.

Job 21 verses

Job 21 4 Meaning

Job 21:4 captures Job’s exasperation with his friends and the inadequacy of their counsel. He rhetorically asks whether his profound complaint is directed at mere man, implying that his suffering is too deep for human comprehension or solution. He then justifies his "impatience" or "shortness of spirit" by acknowledging the extraordinary nature of his predicament, which necessitates such a powerful and anguished response, primarily directed towards God Himself, not His finite creation.

Job 21 4 Context

Job 21 opens with Job's spirited rebuttal to Zophar’s final speech (Job 20). Zophar had emphatically reasserted the conventional doctrine of retribution: that the wicked surely perish, and their prosperity is always short-lived. Job, having exhausted his patience with this simplistic explanation for profound suffering, directly challenges this prevailing wisdom. In this chapter, Job uses concrete examples from lived experience to demonstrate that, contrary to his friends’ arguments, the wicked often prosper, live long, enjoy their wealth, and die in peace, while the righteous frequently suffer unjustly. Verse 4 serves as Job's initial rhetorical flourish, establishing that his grievance is not trivial, nor is it aimed at gaining sympathy from finite human beings; rather, his complaint is of a magnitude that can only be understood and addressed by God. Thus, he defends his deep distress and frustration. His "impatience" stems from the profound disconnect between the friends' limited theological framework and the harsh, incomprehensible reality of his own intense suffering.

Job 21 4 Word analysis

• אֲנִי֙ (anī) - "As for me" / "I, myself":

  • This is the independent pronoun "I," used emphatically.
  • It signifies Job is speaking from his deeply personal, experiential reality, which sharply contrasts with the detached theological propositions of his friends.
  • It highlights his profound individual struggle, emphasizing the solitary and unparalleled nature of his suffering.

• הֲלָפְנִ֣י (hala'p̄ni) - "is...to me" / "Is it before me":

  • The prefix הַ (ha) is an interrogative particle, forming a question.
  • לָפְנִ֣י (lāp̄nî) means "before me" or "to my face," which here implies "directed toward human judgment or ears."
  • It points to the recipient of his complaint, implying his suffering is too profound for human understanding or consolation.

• שִׂיחִ֔י (śiḥî) - "my complaint" / "my meditation" / "my concern":

  • Derived from the Hebrew root שׂוּח (suach), which can mean "to complain," "to muse," "to meditate," "to commune," or "to talk."
  • In the context of Job, it encapsulates his deep, anguished outpouring of distress, confusion, and profound perplexity concerning divine justice and his own state. It's more than a mere grievance; it's a profound, sustained theological wrestling.

• לֶאֱנֽוֹשׁ׃ (le'ěnôš) - "to man":

  • The prefix לֶ (le) signifies "to."
  • אֱנוֹשׁ (enosh) specifically refers to humankind, often emphasizing human frailty, mortality, and weakness. (Distinct from אָדָם, adam, which can be "man" in a broader, less pejorative sense).
  • By directing his complaint away from enosh, Job powerfully states that human wisdom and empathy are utterly inadequate for his unique, divinely inflicted struggle. Frail human beings cannot truly grasp the scope or the divine source of his pain.

• וְאִם־מַה (wə'im-mah) - "Or why" / "And if what?":

  • וְ (wə) means "and" or "or."
  • אִם־ (im) functions here as "surely" or "if not."
  • מַה (mah) means "what?"
  • Combined, this forms a strong rhetorical question: "If not to man [is my complaint], then what reason is there that I should not be impatient?" or "Why then should I not be vexed?" It signifies Job's forceful justification of his emotional state.

• לֹֽא־אֶקְצָֽר׃ (lōʾ-ʾeqṣār) - "I should not be impatient" / "I should not be vexed" / "I should not shorten":

  • לֹא (lo) is the negative particle "not."
  • אֶקְצָר (eqṣār) comes from the root קָצַר (qatsar), meaning "to be short" (literally) or, idiomatically, "to be vexed/impatient" (short of temper/spirit).
  • Job contends that his "shortness" – his impatience, exasperation, and inability to bear his suffering calmly – is a completely justifiable and understandable response given his dire circumstances and, crucially, the lack of true understanding and compassion from his friends.

Words-group analysis

• "As for me, is my complaint to man?": This powerful rhetorical question immediately sets a crucial distinction. Job's suffering is not merely physical or emotional, but profoundly theological. He asserts that his anguish is too immense for superficial human comfort, judgment, or resolution. This underscores that his true lament is aimed at God, and simultaneously serves as a sharp rebuke to his friends who have presumed to address his plight from a purely human-centric or formulaic perspective.
• "Or why should I not be impatient?": This follow-up rhetorical question serves as Job's self-vindication concerning his intense emotional state. Given the inexplicable nature of his affliction and the unhelpful, even condemning, responses of his friends, Job argues that his "impatience" (vexation, or short temper) is not a sin but a perfectly natural, rational, and warranted human reaction to incomprehensible divine action and inadequate human support. It emphasizes the profound depth of his anguish, implying that maintaining composure under such conditions would be an impossibility or an artificial piety.

Job 21 4 Bonus section

This verse is pivotal in highlighting the legitimate place of lament within biblical faith. Job's rhetorical questions underscore that true patience in the face of suffering is not a stoic suppression of emotion but a courageous, sustained wrestling with God over inexplicable realities. Many scholars see Job as challenging conventional wisdom that promotes quiet endurance, demonstrating that passionate complaint, when directed towards God and driven by a thirst for understanding, is a profound act of faith. The distinction between 'enosh' (frail man) and God is key here: Job intuitively understands that his crisis extends beyond human capacity to understand or alleviate, pushing him into a direct, if painful, dialogue with the Almighty.

Job 21 4 Commentary

Job 21:4 articulates the profound anguish and spiritual struggle that lies at the heart of the book of Job. Job unveils his true distress, making it clear that his lament is not addressed to mere mortals but rises directly to God. His suffering is of such magnitude that no human being can fully comprehend it, let alone offer a meaningful solution. The "impatience" he exhibits is presented not as a sinful outburst, but as an understandable, indeed legitimate, human response to profound, inexplicable pain when met with superficial theological explanations from his friends. It is a vital expression of spiritual honesty, showcasing that authentic faith allows for lament and wrestling with God when life's realities defy simplistic explanations. This verse validates the reality of human struggle and affirms that a direct, unmediated engagement with the Divine, even in complaint, is often the only recourse for existential suffering.