Job 21 · Verse 14

Job 21:14

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
Job 21:14, King James Version

Job 21:14 in other translations

BSBYet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.
WEBThey tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.
ASVAnd they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
YLTAnd they say to God, ‘Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
DARBYAnd they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
BBEThough they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways.
WebsterTherefore they say to God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

What does Job 21:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. Therefore--rather, "And yet they are such as say," &c., that is, say, not in so many words, but virtually, by their conduct (so the Gergesenes, Mt 8:34). How differently the godly (Is 2:3). ways--The course of action, which God points out; as in Psa 50:23, Margin.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 They say unto God - This is the language of their conduct, though not directly of their lips. Depart from us - Let us alone; we do not trouble thee. Thy ways are painful; we do not like cross-bearing. Thy ways are spiritual; we wish to live after the flesh. We have learned to do our own will; we do not wish to study thine.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 21:7-16

Job says, Remarkable judgments are sometimes brought upon notorious sinners, but not always. Wherefore is it so? This is the day of God's patience; and, in some way or other, he makes use of the prosperity of the wicked to serve his own counsels, while it ripens them for ruin; but the chief reason is, because he will make it appear there is another world. These prospering sinners make light of God and religion, as…

Read the full comment on Job 21:7-16 →

Job 21:14 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.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.Ruand they have saidH559
לָ֭אֵלLa.'elto <the> GodH410
ס֣וּרsurdepartH5493
מִמֶּ֑נּוּmi.Me.nufrom usH4480
וְדַ֥עַתve.Da.'atand knowledge ofH1847
דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָde.ra.Khei.khaways yourH1870
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
חָפָֽצְנוּ\׃cha.Fa.tze.nuwe desireH2654

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

Cross references for Job 21:14

  • Job 22:17

    Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

  • Romans 8:7

    Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

  • Psalms 10:4

    The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

    And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

  • John 15:23-24

    He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

  • Proverbs 1:29

    For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

  • John 3:19-20

    And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

  • 2 Timothy 4:3-4

    For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

  • Habakkuk 1:15

    They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

  • Luke 8:28

    When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

  • Proverbs 1:7

    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

  • John 8:45-47

    And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they say.
22:17; Ps 10:4,11; Lu 8:28,37; Hab 1:15; Joh 15:23,24; Ro 8:7
for we.
Pr 1:7,22,29; Joh 3:19,20; 8:45-47; Ro 1:28; 2Th 2:10-12
2Ti 4:3,4

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

Context

  • Job 21:13

    They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

  • Job 21:14

    Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

  • Job 21:15

    What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

Read all of Job 21

Job 21:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Dicen pues á Dios: Apártate de nosotros, que no queremos el conocimiento de tus caminos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils disent à ✶Dieu: Retire-toi de nous, nous ne prenons pas plaisir à la connaissance de tes voies.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und doch sprechen sie zu Gott: Weiche von uns! und nach der Erkenntnis deiner Wege verlangen wir nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui dixerunt Deo: Recede a nobis, et scientiam viarum tuarum nolumus.