Job 7:21 kjv
And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Job 7:21 nkjv
Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be."
Job 7:21 niv
Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more."
Job 7:21 esv
Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie in the earth; you will seek me, but I shall not be."
Job 7:21 nlt
Why not just forgive my sin
and take away my guilt?
For soon I will lie down in the dust and die.
When you look for me, I will be gone."
Job 7 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 32:1 | Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven... | Forgiveness of transgression and sin. |
| Psa 103:3 | ...He forgives all your iniquity... | God's power to forgive all sin. |
| Isa 43:25 | I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake... | God as the forgiver, for His own glory. |
| Mic 7:18 | Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity... | God's unique nature as a forgiving God. |
| Dan 9:9 | To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness... | God's character includes compassion and forgiveness. |
| Luke 24:47 | ...that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed... | New Testament call to repentance for sin's forgiveness. |
| Acts 13:38-39 | Through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things... | Forgiveness through Christ in the New Covenant. |
| Rom 4:7-8 | "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven..." | Forgiveness declared through faith. |
| Eph 1:7 | In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses... | Forgiveness achieved through Christ's blood. |
| Col 1:14 | in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. | Christ's role in granting forgiveness. |
| Gen 3:19 | By the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. | Return to dust at death, common human destiny. |
| Psa 90:3 | You turn man back into dust and say, "Return, O children of men." | God's sovereign decree for humanity's mortality. |
| Psa 103:14 | For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. | God's compassionate understanding of human frailty. |
| Eccl 3:20 | All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all return to the dust. | Universal truth of humanity's return to dust. |
| Eccl 12:7 | then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. | Separation of body (dust) and spirit at death. |
| Heb 9:27 | And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment... | Death is a single, appointed event followed by judgment. |
| Psa 39:13 | Look away from me, that I may recover before I go away and am no more. | Similar plea to Job regarding the finality of passing away. |
| Psa 6:5 | For there is no mention of You in death; in Sheol who will praise You? | A perceived inability to interact with God from Sheol. |
| Isa 38:18 | For Sheol cannot thank You; death cannot praise You... | Limits of praise and connection to God in death from human view. |
| Luke 19:10 | For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. | God (Christ) seeks the lost, contrasting Job's perception. |
| John 5:28-29 | Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice... | Jesus' teaching on resurrection, transcending Job's despair. |
| 1 Cor 15:52 | ...for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable... | Future resurrection of believers. |
Job 7 verses
Job 7 21 Meaning
Job 7:21 is Job's fervent plea to God for immediate forgiveness of any potential sin that might be the cause of his intense suffering, as he believes his death is imminent and final. He laments that if God does not act now, there will be no opportunity, as he will soon perish and be gone from the earth forever, beyond even God's search. It expresses his despair over his perceived fleeting existence and the finality of earthly death, urging God to show mercy before it is too late.
Job 7 21 Context
Job 7:21 is the climax of Job's deeply anguished lament to God, found in Job chapter 7. Having suffered immense personal loss, excruciating physical pain, and the incomprehension of his friends, Job here voices his profound despair. He has described his life as fleeting like a weaver's shuttle (Job 7:6), his nights as filled with restless pain (Job 7:3-4), and himself as under constant divine scrutiny (Job 7:17-19). He perceives God as an unrelenting tormentor rather than a merciful God. In this verse, Job makes a final desperate plea, viewing death as his only escape and believing it is imminent. He implores God to settle any outstanding issue of sin now before he completely vanishes, fearing that once he is gone, he will be irrecoverable. The broader historical and cultural context reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding of death as a transition to a shadowy underworld (Sheol), often without a clear concept of individual resurrection or direct communion with God thereafter, though glimpses of hope do appear elsewhere in the Old Testament, and more clearly later even in Job's own words.
Job 7 21 Word analysis
Now why: A direct and urgent question, reflecting Job's bewilderment and plea for explanation from God. It conveys a sense of frustrated yearning for divine intervention.
do You not pardon: From the Hebrew
nasa, meaning "to lift up" or "carry away." Implies a request for the complete removal of the burden of guilt. Job asks why God withholds the very mercy he desperately needs.my transgression: Hebrew
pesha, signifying a deliberate breaking of covenant or relationship, an act of rebellion. Job acknowledges the possibility of sin in a general sense, while maintaining his integrity in the face of his specific trials.and take away: From the Hebrew
avar, meaning "to pass over" or "to remove completely." Reinforces the desire for thorough absolution and the cessation of sin's influence.my iniquity: Hebrew
avon, denoting not only sin itself but also the guilt, perversion, or punishment resulting from it. It points to the inner moral fault and its consequence. Job yearns for the comprehensive removal of his sinful state and its penalty.For now: Expresses extreme urgency. Job senses that time is running out, highlighting the imminence of death.
I will lie down: A common biblical euphemism for dying and being laid in a grave. It indicates Job's conviction that his end is at hand.
in the dust: Hebrew
afar. A clear reference to the earth and human mortality, linking back to the Genesis account of humanity being formed from dust and returning to it upon death (Gen 3:19). It emphasizes decomposition and oblivion.and You will seek me diligently: From Hebrew
shachar, implying an earnest or early search. Job ironically suggests that God might eventually look for him, perhaps with a changed heart or regret.but I will not be: Hebrew
einenni. A stark and absolute declaration of non-existence or utter absence from the living realm. Job emphasizes the finality of his departure and the futility of any delayed divine search."Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity?": This is Job's appeal for divine justification. He posits that if his suffering is punishment for sin, God should deal with it swiftly. It is a plea for clemency and complete release from guilt, reflecting Job's deep desire to understand God's actions and reconcile with Him before his presumed demise.
"For now I will lie down in the dust": This phrase states the immediate and certain consequence of God's inaction, from Job's perspective. It highlights the fleeting nature of human life and the rapid approach of physical decay and oblivion.
"and You will seek me diligently, but I will not be": This reflects Job's bitter sense of hopelessness and separation. He projects a future where even God, should He finally wish to engage or show mercy, will find no trace of him in the land of the living. It underscores the profound existential loneliness Job feels in his suffering.
Job 7 21 Bonus section
The rhetorical "why" in Job's plea (Job 7:21) is characteristic of a lament, not merely a question, but a passionate outburst expressing distress and a challenge to God's apparent silence or inaction. While Job acknowledges "transgression" and "iniquity," his primary motive for asking forgiveness isn't necessarily repentance for a specific sin, but a desperate attempt to discover a cause for his suffering that he himself doesn't understand and thus find relief. This reflects his core complaint throughout the book: he doesn't know what he has done to deserve such calamity. His final assertion, "but I will not be," showcases the prevalent ancient worldview concerning death, where existence in the land of the living was perceived as ceasing absolutely, often limiting the scope of hope beyond physical presence. This perspective serves to intensify the urgency of Job's appeal.
Job 7 21 Commentary
Job 7:21 distills Job's desperate cry for God's mercy amidst unbearable suffering and the looming shadow of death. He perceives his life as an hourglass rapidly running out and makes an urgent appeal for resolution, assuming his torment stems from unaddressed sin. The verse vividly portrays a human understanding of death as final cessation from the earthly sphere, beyond even divine recovery in that physical state. It highlights the vast gulf Job perceives between his current suffering and God's perceived indifference, urging divine action before he descends into irreversible nothingness. Job's anguished statement is a profound expression of human vulnerability and a yearning for meaning and reconciliation in the face of perceived divine judgment and impending demise.