Job 1 · Verse 21

Job 1:21

And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
Job 1:21, King James Version

Job 1:21 in other translations

BSBsaying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
WEBHe said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the LORD’s name.”
ASVand he said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah.
YLTand he saith, ‘Naked came I forth from the womb of my mother, and naked I turn back thither: Jehovah hath given and Jehovah hath taken: let the name of Jehovah be blessed.'
DARBYand he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah!
BBEWith nothing I came out of my mother's body, and with nothing I will go back there; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; let the Lord's name be praised.
WebsterAnd said, Naked came I from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

What does Job 1:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. Naked--(1Ti 6:7). "Mother's womb" is poetically the earth, the universal mother (Ec 5:15; 12:7; Psa 139:15). Job herein realizes God's assertion (Job 1:8) against Satan's (Job 1:11). Instead of cursing, he blesses the name of Jehovah (Hebrew). The name of Jehovah, is Jehovah Himself, as manifested to us in His attributes (Is 9:6).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Naked came I out of my mother's womb - I had no earthly possessions when I came into the world; I cannot have less going out of it. What I have the Lord gave: as it was his free gift, he has a right to resume it when he pleases; and I owe him gratitude for the time he has permitted me to enjoy this gift. Naked shall I return thither - Whither? Not to his mother's womb surely; nor does he call the earth his mother in this place. In the first clause of the verse he speaks without a metaphor, and in the latter he speaks in reference to the ground on which he was about to fall. As I came out of my mother's womb destitute of the earthly possessions, so shall I return שמה shammah, There; i.e., to the earth on which he was now falling. That mother earth was a common expression in different nations, I allow; but I believe no such metaphor was now in the mind of Job. The Lord gave - The Chaldee has, "The Word of the Lord, מימרא דיי meymera dayai, gave; and the Word of the Lord and the house of his judgment, have taken away!" Word is used here personally, as in many other places of all the Targums. Blessed be the name of the Lord - The following is a fine paraphrase on the sentiment in this verse: - "Good when he gives, supremely good;Nor less when he denies; Afflictions from his sovereign hand,Are blessings in disguise." Seeing I have lost my temporal goods, and all my domestic comforts, may God alone be all my portion! The Vulgate, Septuagint, and Coverdale, add, The Lord hath done as he pleased.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 1:20-22

Job humbled himself under the hand of God. He reasons from the common state of human life, which he describes. We brought nothing of this world's goods into the world, but have them from others; and it is certain we can carry nothing out, but must leave them to others. Job, under all his losses, is but reduced to his first state. He is but where he must have been at last, and is only unclothed, or unloaded rather, a…

Read the full comment on Job 1:20-22 →

Job 1:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּאמֶר֩vai.yo.Merand he saidH559
עָרֹ֨ם'a.RomnakedH6174
יָצָ֜אתִיya.tza.tiI came outH3318
מִבֶּ֣טֶןmi.Be.tenfrom [the] womb ofH990
אִמִּ֗י'i.Mimother myH517
וְעָרֹם֙ve.'a.Romand nakedH6174
אָשׁ֣וּב'a.ShuvI will returnH7725
שָׁ֔מָהSha.mahthere towardsH8033
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
נָתַ֔ןna.Tanhe gaveH5414
וַיהוָ֖הva.Yah.wehand YahwehH3068
לָקָ֑חla.Kachhe has takenH3947
יְהִ֛יye.Himay it beH1961
שֵׁ֥םshem[the] name ofH8034
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
מְבֹרָֽךְ\׃me.vo.RakhblessedH1288

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 1:21

  • Ecclesiastes 5:15

    As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

  • 1 Timothy 6:7

    For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:18

    In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • Job 2:10

    But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

  • Psalms 49:17

    For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:7

    Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

  • Ephesians 5:20

    Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

  • Isaiah 45:7

    I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

  • 1 Samuel 2:7

    The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

  • Genesis 3:19

    In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

  • Lamentations 3:38

    Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Naked came.
Ge 3:19; Ps 49:17; Ec 5:15; 12:7; 1Ti 6:7
the Lord gave.
2:10; Ge 30:2; Ec 5:19; La 3:38; Jas 1:17
taken away.
Ge 45:5; 2Sa 16:12; 1Ki 12:15; Ps 39:9; Isa 42:24; 45:7; Am 3:6
Mt 20:15; Ac 4:28
blessed.
11; 1Sa 3:18; 2Ki 20:19; Ps 34:1; 89:38-52; Isa 24:15; Eph 5:20
1Th 5:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 1:20

    Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

  • Job 1:21

    And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

  • Job 1:22

    In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Read all of Job 1

Job 1:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo: Desnudo salí del vientre de mi madre, y desnudo tornaré allá. Jehová dió, y Jehová quitó: sea el nombre de Jehová bendito.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il dit: Nu je suis sorti du sein de ma mère, et nu j’y retournerai; l’ Éternel a donné, et l’ Éternel a pris; que le nom de l’ Éternel soit béni!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er sprach: Nackt bin ich aus meiner Mutter Leibe gekommen, und nackt werde ich dahin zurückkehren; Jehova hat gegeben, und Jehova hat genommen, der Name Jehovas sei gepriesen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et dixit: Nudus egressus sum de utero matris meæ, et nudus revertar illuc. Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit; sicut Domino placuit, ita factum est. Sit nomen Domini benedictum.