Job 9 34

Job 9:34 kjv

Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

Job 9:34 nkjv

Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me.

Job 9:34 niv

someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.

Job 9:34 esv

Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me.

Job 9:34 nlt

The mediator could make God stop beating me,
and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.

Job 9 verses

Job 9 34 Meaning

Job 9:34 expresses Job's fervent wish for God to cease His intimidating and afflictive presence, specifically by removing His "rod" and "terror" from him. Job believes that only by this removal can he argue his case freely and without being overwhelmed by the divine majesty and might, enabling him to speak without dread or paralysis. It's a plea for a fair and unencumbered hearing with God.

Job 9 34 Context

Job 9 is part of Job's second discourse, a response to Bildad's arguments about divine justice. Throughout the chapter, Job oscillates between acknowledging God's unassailable omnipotence and absolute sovereignty, and lamenting the apparent injustice of his suffering. He understands that no human can contend with God and prevail (9:3-4). He describes God's cosmic power and how effortlessly He overthrows the strongest (9:5-10). He recognizes that God operates beyond human comprehension and accountability (9:11-12). Job believes himself innocent of crimes deserving such punishment, yet despairs of proving his case before a God who "destroys the blameless and the wicked alike" (9:22). Job sees God's mighty hand not as comforting, but as an overwhelming force that prevents any meaningful discourse or defense. His request in Job 9:34 is therefore a desperate plea for the removal of divine intimidation so that he might actually present his arguments without being silenced by terror or divine retribution, a fair trial seems impossible due to God's inherent, overwhelming power and majesty, and without a mediator, no just exchange is possible.

Job 9 34 Word analysis

• שִׁבְטוֹ (shibto): "His rod."
  • Etymology/Usage: The Hebrew word shevet can denote a shepherd's staff, a tribal scepter (symbolizing authority), or a rod for beating, correcting, or punishing.
  • Significance: Here, it specifically carries the connotation of an instrument of divine discipline, judgment, or affliction. It symbolizes God's powerful, punitive, or disciplining hand, which Job feels directly applied to him. It's a tool of correction, often painful, from an authoritative figure.
  • Nuance: Unlike the comforting "rod" of Ps 23:4, Job's experience is of a "rod" that inflicts suffering and silences him with fear.
• יָסֵר (yaser): "Let Him remove," "let Him take away."
  • Etymology/Usage: A form of the verb sûr, meaning "to turn aside," "depart," "remove."
  • Significance: This is an imperative plea for cessation. Job is begging God to cease or withdraw His direct punitive action or overwhelming presence. It expresses a desire for God's immediate action of withdrawal.
• מֵעָלַי (mē‘alay): "from upon me," "from over me."
  • Etymology/Usage: Compound of the preposition min (from) and ‘al (upon/over).
  • Significance: Emphasizes the direct, personal impact and oppressive weight of God's "rod" and "terror" upon Job himself. He is feeling its crushing presence intimately.
• וְאֵמָתוֹ (vĕ’emato): "and His terror," "and His dread."
  • Etymology/Usage: The Hebrew word êmah means dread, terror, awe, or panic. It often refers to a supernatural or overwhelming fear induced by a powerful entity, especially God.
  • Significance: This is not just human fear but a paralyzing, profound terror induced by the majesty and unapproachability of God. Job is incapacitated by the sheer magnitude of God's power, preventing him from speaking freely or logically.
  • Nuance: This "terror" renders him speechless and incapable of coherent self-defense, contrasting sharply with the confident advocate he desires to be.
• וְלֹא יְבַעֲתַנִּי (wĕlō yĕva‘atanī): "and let it not terrify me," "and let Him not alarm me."
  • Etymology/Usage: Negation lō’ (not) + verb bā‘at (to terrify, startle, cause to shudder).
  • Significance: Reinforces the idea that Job is not just feeling ordinary fear, but a profound, debilitating terror that paralyses him and inhibits his ability to argue his case rationally and courageously. This terror prevents a truly free and fair hearing.

• "His rod…and His terror": This pairing illustrates Job's comprehensive suffering. The "rod" signifies external, physical, or circumstantial affliction (judgment/punishment), while "terror" represents internal, psychological, or spiritual anguish (awe/dread). Both elements are actively inhibiting Job's ability to communicate with God as an equal litigant.
• "Let Him remove from upon me": This is an immediate and urgent plea for cessation. Job is not asking for relief from suffering itself for the sake of comfort, but specifically for the removal of the intimidation that prevents him from engaging in a fair trial with God. He seeks to temporarily level the playing field, or at least gain the courage to stand on it.

Job 9 34 Bonus section

The concept of trembling before the Lord is a recurrent theme in the Bible, signifying either righteous awe or terror due to divine judgment. Job's plea is distinctive because it is for the removal of terror, indicating it is incapacitating him from fulfilling his human desire for justice rather than inducing holy reverence. This verse underscores a polemic against the simplistic understanding of God held by Job's friends, who believed divine retribution was always straightforwardly tied to human sin, leading them to misinterpret Job's suffering. Job's terror is complex, stemming from God's inscrutable ways rather than a clear revelation of his own specific guilt in proportion to the suffering. The verse implicitly showcases the existential agony of confronting an all-powerful, mysterious deity whom one cannot comprehend or contend with on one's own terms, driving Job toward the profound realization of needing a mediator for reconciliation, which is ultimately fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

Job 9 34 Commentary

Job 9:34 reveals the profound psychological and spiritual distress of Job. He is caught in an impossible dilemma: he knows he cannot contend with God on equal terms, yet he yearns for a fair hearing. His plea to remove God's "rod" (His active punishment/affliction) and "terror" (His overwhelming, paralyzing presence) is not a rejection of God's authority, but an desperate attempt to create a space for genuine dialogue. He recognizes that while God remains awesome and fear-inducing, Job's own ability to articulate his defense is completely stifled. This verse highlights the unbridgeable gap between the finite, sinful human and the infinite, holy, and omnipotent God, demonstrating humanity's desperate need for an intermediary, as Job himself longs for in the immediate preceding verse (9:33). Without such removal of divine overwhelming power, or without an arbiter who can represent both parties, Job perceives any "trial" as utterly futile and biased.