Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
- BSB Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.
- NKJV Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
- NASB “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.
- NLT God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Job will trust God and defend his integrity even if God slays him. It is a high point of faith amid anguish.
Overview
Job's famous words, 'Behold, he will kill me; I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him,' express clinging trust even in the face of death. Translators differ, with some rendering 'though he slay me, yet will I trust in him,' but either way Job resolves to hold fast his integrity before God. His persevering faith points to the steadfast trust believers are called to in Christ even through suffering.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Ps 23:4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
- Job 23:10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
- Job 19:25–28For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
- Rom 8:38–39For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
- 1 Jn 3:20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
- Job 27:5God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
- Job 23:4–7I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
- Prov 14:32The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
- Job 40:8Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
- Job 13:18Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
- Job 40:2Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
- Job 16:21O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
- Job 7:6My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
- Job 16:17Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
- Job 40:4–5Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
- Job 10:7Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.
- Job 31:31–37If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 13:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.