My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
Parallel translations
- WEB My foot has held fast to his steps. I have kept his way, and not turned aside.
- BSB My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.
- NKJV My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.
- NASB “My foot has held on to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.
- NLT For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside.
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 affirms that he has faithfully followed God's ways and not strayed. It matters because his integrity is genuine, not the hidden sin his friends allege.
Overview
Continuing his reply to Eliphaz, Job protests his innocence by recalling his steady obedience to God's path. He insists his suffering is not the result of secret wickedness, undercutting the friends' retribution theology. Job's sincere desire to walk in God's ways points beyond himself to Christ, who alone perfectly kept the Father's way.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 44:18Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
- 2 Pet 2:20–22For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
- Ps 125:5As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.
- Ps 17:5Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
- Job 17:9The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
- Rom 2:7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
- Luke 8:13–15They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
- Acts 20:18–19And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
- Ps 18:20–24The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
- 2 Cor 1:12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
- Ps 36:3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
- Zeph 1:6And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.
- 1 Sam 12:2–5And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
- Acts 20:33–34I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
- 1 Th 2:10Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 23:11 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.