And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Parallel translations
- WEB Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be.”
- BSB Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”
- 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.”
- NASB “Why then do You not forgive my wrongdoing And take away my guilt? For now I will lie down in the dust; And You will search for me, but I will no longer exist.”
- 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.”
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 pleads for God to pardon his sin before he dies and is gone, when God will seek him but find him no more. He appeals for mercy while there is still time.
Overview
Job ends his speech by asking why God does not simply forgive him, since soon he will lie in the dust beyond reach. The longing for pardon shows Job's underlying desire for restored fellowship with God. This cry for forgiveness finds its full answer in Christ, through whom God freely pardons sin and conquers the dust of death.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 22
- Dan 12:2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
- Job 10:14If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
- Eccl 12:7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
- 1 Jn 1:9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Isa 64:9Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
- Lam 5:20–22Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?
- Ps 37:36Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
- Isa 26:19Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
- Titus 2:14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
- Job 3:13For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
- Job 7:8The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
- 1 Jn 3:5And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
- John 1:29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
- 2 Sam 24:10And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
- Ps 103:15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
- Hos 14:2Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
- Job 13:23–24How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
- Mic 7:18–19Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
- Job 21:32–33Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
- Job 17:14I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
- Lam 3:42–44We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
- Job 10:9Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 7:21 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
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