Job 32 · Verse 21

Job 32:21

Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.
Job 32:21, King James Version

Job 32:21 in other translations

BSBI will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man.
WEBPlease don’t let me respect any man’s person, neither will I give flattering titles to any man.
ASVLet me not, I pray you, respect any man’s person; Neither will I give flattering titles unto any man.
YLTLet me not, I pray you, accept the face of any, Nor unto man give flattering titles,
DARBYLet me not, I pray you, accept any man's person; neither will I give flattery to man.
BBELet me not give respect to any man, or give names of honour to any living.
WebsterLet me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles to man.

What does Job 32:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. "May I never accept," &c. Elihu alludes to Job's words (Job 13:8, 10), wherein he complains that the friends plead for God partially, "accepting His person." Elihu says he will not do so, but will act impartially between God and Job. "And I will not give flattery," &c. (Pr 24:23).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Let me not - accept any man's person - I will speak the truth without fear or favor. Neither let me give flattering titles - I will not give epithets to any man that are not descriptive of his true state. I will not beguile him by telling him he is what he is not. אכנה acanneh, from כנה canah, is generally supposed to signify to surname, to put a name to or upon a name, as the French word surnom implies. It means to give proud titles to persons who are worthless. It is well known that the Arabs make court to their superiors by carefully avoiding to address them by their proper names, instead of which they salute them with some title or epithet expressive of respect - Scott See below. Titles expressive of office, ecclesiastical, civil, or military, are always proper, and never forbidden, because they serve for distinction; but the Asiatic titles are in general bombastically and sinfully complimentary. The reader will find several specimens at the end of this chapter.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 32:15-22

If we are sure that the Spirit of God suggested what we are about to say, still we ought to refrain, till it comes to our turn to speak. God is the God of order, not of confusion. It is great refreshment to a good man, to speak for the glory of the Lord, and to edify others. And the more we consider the majesty of God, as our Maker, and the more we dread his wrath and justice, the less shall we sinfully fear or…

Read the full comment on Job 32:15-22 →

Job 32:21 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.

אַל\־'al-may notH408
נָ֭אna'pleaseH4994
אֶשָּׂ֣א'e.Sa'I lift upH5375
פְנֵי\־fe.nei-[the] face ofH6440
אִ֑ישׁ'IshanyoneH376
וְאֶל\־ve.'el-and toH413
אָ֝דָ֗ם'a.DamanyoneH120
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
אֲכַנֶּֽה\׃'a.kha.NehI will use flatteryH3655

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

Cross references for Job 32:21

  • Leviticus 19:15

    Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

  • Job 13:8

    Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

  • 2 Samuel 14:20

    To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

  • Deuteronomy 1:17

    Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

  • Deuteronomy 16:19

    Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

  • Job 13:10

    He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

  • Matthew 22:16

    And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.

  • Acts 12:22-23

    And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

  • Proverbs 24:23

    These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

  • Job 34:19

    How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

  • 2 Samuel 14:17

    Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God will be with thee.

  • Acts 24:2-3

    And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
accept.
13:8; 34:19; Le 19:15; De 1:17; 16:19; Pr 24:23; Mt 22:16
flattering.
2Sa 14:17,20; Ac 12:22,23; 24:2,3

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

Context

  • Job 32:20

    I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.

  • Job 32:21

    Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.

  • Job 32:22

    For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

Read all of Job 32

Job 32:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No haré ahora acepción de personas, ni usaré con hombre de lisonjeros títulos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je ne ferai pas acception de personnes, et je ne flatterai aucun homme;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Daß ich nur ja für niemand Partei nehme! und keinem Menschen werde ich schmeicheln.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non accipiam personam viri, et Deum homini non æquabo.