Job 7 · Verse 20

Job 7:20

I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
Job 7:20, King James Version

Job 7:20 in other translations

BSBIf I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
WEBIf I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?
ASVIf I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?
YLTI have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself--and what?
DARBYHave I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?
BBEIf I have done wrong, what have I done to you, O keeper of men? why have you made me a mark for your blows, so that I am a weariness to myself?
WebsterI have sinned; what shall I do to thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

What does Job 7:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. I have sinned--Yet what sin can I do against ("to," Job 35:6) thee (of such a nature that thou shouldst jealously watch and deprive me of all strength, as if thou didst fear me)? Yet thou art one who hast men ever in view, ever watchest them--O thou Watcher (Job 7:12; Da 9:14) of men. Job had borne with patience his trials, as sent by God (Job 1:21; 2:10); only his reason cannot reconcile the ceaseless continuance of his mental and bodily pains with his ideas of the divine nature. set me as a mark--Wherefore dost thou make me thy point of attack? that is, ever assail me with new pains? [Umbreit] (La 3:12).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 I have sinned; what shall I do - Dr. Kennicott contends that these words are spoken to Eliphaz, and not to God, and would paraphrase them thus: "You say I must have been a sinner. What then? I have not sinned against thee, O thou spy upon mankind! Why hast thou set up me as a butt or mark to shoot at? Why am I become a burden unto thee? Why not rather overlook my transgression, and pass by mine iniquity? I am now sinking to the dust! To-morrow, perhaps, I shall be sought in vain!" See his vindication of Job at the end of these notes on this book. Others consider the address as made to God. Taken in this light, the sense is plain enough. Those who suppose that the address is made to God, translate the Job 7:20 thus: "Be it that I have sinned, what injury can I do unto thee, O thou Observer of man? Why hast thou set me up as a mark for thee, and why am I made a burden to thee?" The Septuagint is thus: Ει εγω ἡμαρτον, τι δυνησομαι πραξαι, ὁ επισταμενος τον νουν των ανθρωπων; If I have sinned, what can I do, O thou who knowest the mind of men? Thou knowest that it is impossible for me to make any restitution. I cannot blot out my offenses; but whether I have sinned so as to bring all these calamities upon me, thou knowest, who searchest the hearts of men.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 7:17-21

Job reasons with God concerning his dealings with man. But in the midst of this discourse, Job seems to have lifted up his thoughts to God with some faith and hope. Observe the concern he is in about his sins. The best men have to complain of sin; and the better they are, the more they will complain of it. God is the Preserver of our lives, and the Saviour of the souls of all that believe; but probably Job meant the…

Read the full comment on Job 7:17-21 →

Job 7:20 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.

חָטָ֡אתִיcha.Ta.tiI have sinnedH2398
מָ֤הmahwhat?H4100
אֶפְעַ֨ל\׀'ef.'Aldo I doH6466
לָךְ֮loKhto you
נֹצֵ֪רno.TzerO watcher ofH5341
הָאָ֫דָ֥םha.'A.Dam<the> humankindH120
לָ֤מָהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
שַׂמְתַּ֣נִיsam.Ta.nihave you set meH7760
לְמִפְגָּ֣עle.mif.Ga'to a targetH4645
לָ֑ךְLakhof you
וָאֶהְיֶ֖הva.'eh.Yehand I have becomeH1961
עָלַ֣י'a.Laion myselfH5921
לְמַשָּֽׂא\׃le.ma.Sa'<into> a burdenH4853

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

Cross references for Job 7:20

  • Lamentations 3:12

    He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

  • Psalms 36:6

    Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

  • Job 3:24

    For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

  • Job 7:11-12

    Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

  • Psalms 21:12

    Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.

  • Job 16:12-14

    I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

  • Nehemiah 9:6

    Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

  • Job 33:9

    I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

  • Job 33:27

    He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;

  • Job 9:29-31

    If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

  • Job 13:26

    For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

  • Job 22:5

    Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I have sinned.
9:29-31; 13:26; 14:16; 22:5; 31:33; 33:9,27; Ps 80:4
O thou preserver.
Ne 9:6; Ps 36:6
why hast.
12; 6:4; 16:12-14; Ps 21:12; La 3:12
I am.
11; 3:24

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

Context

  • Job 7:19

    How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

  • Job 7:20

    I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

  • Job 7:21

    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.

Read all of Job 7

Job 7:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pequé, ¿qué te haré, oh Guarda de los hombres? ¿por qué me has puesto contrario á ti, y que á mí mismo sea pesado?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		J’ai péché; – que t’ai-je fait? Toi qui observes l’homme, pourquoi m’as-tu placé pour être l’objet de tes coups, de sorte que je suis un fardeau à moi-même?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Habe ich gesündigt, was tat ich dir an, du Beobachter der Menschen? Warum hast du mich dir zum Angriffspunkt gesetzt, daß ich mir selbst zur Last geworden bin?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Peccavi; quid faciam tibi, o custos hominum? quare posuisti me contrarium tibi, et factus sum mihimetipsi gravis?