Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Job 13:15 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Job 13:15	Strong Concordance	Though [02005] he slay [06991] me, yet will I trust [03176] in him: but I will maintain [03198] mine own ways [01870] before [06440] him.
	King James	Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
in him--So the margin or keri, reads. But the textual reading or chetib is "not," which agrees best with the context, and other passages wherein he says he has no hope (Job 6:11; Job 7:21; Job 10:20; Job 19:10). "Though He slay me, and I dare no more hope, yet I will maintain," &c., that is, "I desire to vindicate myself before Him," as not a hypocrite [UMBREIT and NOYES].

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

in him--So the margin or keri, reads. But the textual reading or chetib is "not," which agrees best with the context, and other passages wherein he says he has no hope (Job 6:11; Job 7:21; Job 10:20; Job 19:10). "Though He slay me, and I dare no more hope, yet I will maintain," &c., that is, "I desire to vindicate myself before Him," as not a hypocrite [UMBREIT and NOYES].

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Though he slay me - "God may so multiply my sorrows and pains that I cannot survive them. I see that I may be exposed to increased calamities, yet I am willing to meet them. If in maintaining my own cause, and showing that I am not a hypocrite Job 13:16, it should so happen that my sufferings should be so increased that I should die, yet I will do it." The word "slay," or "kill," here refers to temporal death. It has no reference to punishment in the future world, or to the death of the soul. It means merely that Job was determined to maintain his cause and defend his character, though his sufferings should be so increased that life would be the forfeit. Such was the extent of his sufferings, that he had reason to suppose that they would terminate in death; and yet notwithstanding this, it was his fixed purpose to confide in God; compare the notes at Job 19:25-27. This was spoken in Job's better moments, and was his deliberate and prevailing intention. This deliberate purpose expresses what was really the character of the man, though occasionally, when he became impatient, he gave utterance to different sentiments and feelings. We are to look to the prevailing and habitual tenor of a man's feelings and declared principles, in order to determine what his character is, and not to expressions made under the influence of temptation, or under the severity of pain. On the sentiment here expressed, compare Psa 23:4; Pro 14:32. Yet will I trust in him - The word used here (יחל yâchal) means properly to wait, stay, delay; and it usually conveys the idea of waiting on one with an expectation of aid or help. Hence, it means to hope. The sense here is, that his expectation or hope was in God; and if the sense expressed in our common version be correct, it implies that even in death, or after death, he would confide in God. He would adhere to him, and would still feel that beyond death he would bless him. In him - In God. But there is here an important variation in the reading. The present Hebrew is לא lo' - "not." The Qeriy or marginal reading, is with a ו (v) - "in him." Jerome renders it as if it were לו lô - "in ipso," that is, in him. The Septuagint followed some reading which does not now appear in any copies of the Hebrew text, or which was the result of mere imagination: "Though the Almighty, as he hath begun, may subdue me - χειρώσεται cheirōsetai - yet will I speak, and maintain my cause before him." The Chaldee renders it, אצלי קדמוי - I will pray before him; evidently reading it as if it were לו lô, "in him." So the Syriac, in him. I have no doubt, therefore, that this was the ancient reading, and that the true sense is retained in our common version though Rosenmuller, Good, Noyes, and others, have adopted the other reading, and suppose that it is to be taken as a negative. Noyes renders it," Lo! he slayeth me, and I have no hope!" Good, much worse, "Should he even slay me, I would not delay." It may be added, that there are frequent instances where לא lo' and לו lô are interchanged, and where the copyist seems to have been determined by the sound rather than by a careful inspection of the letters. According to the Masoretes, there are fifteen places where לא lo', "not," is written for לו lô, "to him." Exo 21:8; Lev 11:21; Lev 25:30; Sa1 2:3; Sa2 16:18; Psa 100:4; Psa 139:16; Job 13:15; Job 41:4; Ezr 4:2; Pro 19:7; Pro 26:2; Isa 9:2; Isa 63:9. On the other hand, לו lô is put for לא lo' in Sa1 2:16; Sa1 20:2; Job 6:21. A mistake of this kind may have easily occurred here. The sentiment here expressed is one of the noblest that could fall from the lips of man. It indicates unwavering confidence in God, even in death. It is the determination of a mind to adhere to him, though he should strip away comfort after comfort, and though there should be no respite to his sorrows until he should sink down in death. This is the highest expression of piety, and thus it is the privilege of the friends of God to experience. When professed earthly friends become cold toward us, our love for them also is chilled. Should they leave and forsake us in the midst of suffering and want, and especially should they leave us on a bed of death, we should cease to confide in them. But not so in respect to God. Such is the nature of our confidence in him, that though he takes away comfort after comfort, though our health is destroyed and our friends are removed, and though we are led down into the valley and the shadow of death, yet still we never lose our confidence in him. We feel that all will yet be well. We look forward to another state, and anticipate the blessedness of another and a better world. Reader, can you in sincerity lift the eye toward God, and say to him, "Though Thou dost slay me, though comfort after comfort is taken away, though the waves of trouble roll over me, and though I go down into the valley of the shadow of death, yet i will trust in thee; - Thine I will be even then, and when all is dark I will believe that God is right, and just, and true, and good, and will never doubt that he is worthy of my eternal affection and praise?" Such is religion. Where else is it found but in the views of God and of his government which the Bible reveals. The infidel may have apathy in his sufferings, the blasphemer may be stupid, the moralist or the formalist may be unconcerned; but that is not to have confidence in God. That results from religion alone. But I will maintain mine own ways before him - Margin, "prove," or "argue." The sense is, I will "vindicate" my ways, or myself. That is, I will maintain that I am his friend, and that I am not a hypocrite. His friends charged him with insincerity. They were not able, Job supposed, to appreciate his arguments and to do justice to him. He had, therefore, expressed the wish to carry his cause directly before God Job 13:3; and he was assured that he would do justice to his arguments. Even should he slay him, he would still stand up as his friend, and would still maintain that his calamities had not come upon him, as his friends supposed, because he was a hypocrite and a secret enemy of his Maker.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Though he slay me - "God may so multiply my sorrows and pains that I cannot survive them. I see that I may be exposed to increased calamities, yet I am willing to meet them. If in maintaining my own cause, and showing that I am not a hypocrite Job 13:16, it should so happen that my sufferings should be so increased that I should die, yet I will do it." The word "slay," or "kill," here refers to temporal death. It has no reference to punishment in the future world, or to the death of the soul. It means merely that Job was determined to maintain his cause and defend his character, though his sufferings should be so increased that life would be the forfeit. Such was the extent of his sufferings, that he had reason to suppose that they would terminate in death; and yet notwithstanding this, it was his fixed purpose to confide in God; compare the notes at Job 19:25-27. This was spoken in Job's better moments, and was his deliberate and prevailing intention. This deliberate purpose expresses what was really the character of the man, though occasionally, when he became impatient, he gave utterance to different sentiments and feelings. We are to look to the prevailing and habitual tenor of a man's feelings and declared principles, in order to determine what his character is, and not to expressions made under the influence of temptation, or under the severity of pain. On the sentiment here expressed, compare Psa 23:4; Pro 14:32.

Yet will I trust in him - The word used here (יחל yâchal) means properly to wait, stay, delay; and it usually conveys the idea of waiting on one with an expectation of aid or help. Hence, it means to hope. The sense here is, that his expectation or hope was in God; and if the sense expressed in our common version be correct, it implies that even in death, or after death, he would confide in God. He would adhere to him, and would still feel that beyond death he would bless him.

In him - In God. But there is here an important variation in the reading. The present Hebrew is לא lo' - "not." The Qeriy or marginal reading, is with a ו (v) - "in him." Jerome renders it as if it were לו lô - "in ipso," that is, in him. The Septuagint followed some reading which does not now appear in any copies of the Hebrew text, or which was the result of mere imagination: "Though the Almighty, as he hath begun, may subdue me - χειρώσεται cheirōsetai - yet will I speak, and maintain my cause before him." The Chaldee renders it, אצלי קדמוי - I will pray before him; evidently reading it as if it were לו lô, "in him." So the Syriac, in him. I have no doubt, therefore, that this was the ancient reading, and that the true sense is retained in our common version though Rosenmuller, Good, Noyes, and others, have adopted the other reading, and suppose that it is to be taken as a negative.

Noyes renders it," Lo! he slayeth me, and I have no hope!" Good, much worse, "Should he even slay me, I would not delay." It may be added, that there are frequent instances where לא lo' and לו lô are interchanged, and where the copyist seems to have been determined by the sound rather than by a careful inspection of the letters. According to the Masoretes, there are fifteen places where לא lo', "not," is written for לו lô, "to him." Exo 21:8; Lev 11:21; Lev 25:30; Sa1 2:3; Sa2 16:18; Psa 100:4; Psa 139:16; Job 13:15; Job 41:4; Ezr 4:2; Pro 19:7; Pro 26:2; Isa 9:2; Isa 63:9. On the other hand, לו lô is put for לא lo' in Sa1 2:16; Sa1 20:2; Job 6:21. A mistake of this kind may have easily occurred here. The sentiment here expressed is one of the noblest that could fall from the lips of man. It indicates unwavering confidence in God, even in death.

It is the determination of a mind to adhere to him, though he should strip away comfort after comfort, and though there should be no respite to his sorrows until he should sink down in death. This is the highest expression of piety, and thus it is the privilege of the friends of God to experience. When professed earthly friends become cold toward us, our love for them also is chilled. Should they leave and forsake us in the midst of suffering and want, and especially should they leave us on a bed of death, we should cease to confide in them. But not so in respect to God. Such is the nature of our confidence in him, that though he takes away comfort after comfort, though our health is destroyed and our friends are removed, and though we are led down into the valley and the shadow of death, yet still we never lose our confidence in him. We feel that all will yet be well. We look forward to another state, and anticipate the blessedness of another and a better world.

Reader, can you in sincerity lift the eye toward God, and say to him, "Though Thou dost slay me, though comfort after comfort is taken away, though the waves of trouble roll over me, and though I go down into the valley of the shadow of death, yet i will trust in thee; - Thine I will be even then, and when all is dark I will believe that God is right, and just, and true, and good, and will never doubt that he is worthy of my eternal affection and praise?" Such is religion. Where else is it found but in the views of God and of his government which the Bible reveals. The infidel may have apathy in his sufferings, the blasphemer may be stupid, the moralist or the formalist may be unconcerned; but that is not to have confidence in God. That results from religion alone.

But I will maintain mine own ways before him - Margin, "prove," or "argue." The sense is, I will "vindicate" my ways, or myself. That is, I will maintain that I am his friend, and that I am not a hypocrite. His friends charged him with insincerity. They were not able, Job supposed, to appreciate his arguments and to do justice to him. He had, therefore, expressed the wish to carry his cause directly before God Job 13:3; and he was assured that he would do justice to his arguments. Even should he slay him, he would still stand up as his friend, and would still maintain that his calamities had not come upon him, as his friends supposed, because he was a hypocrite and a secret enemy of his Maker.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Though he slay me - I have no dependence but God; I trust in him alone. Should he even destroy my life by this affliction, yet will I hope that when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. In the common printed Hebrew text we have לא איחל lo ayachel, I will Not hope; but the Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee have read לו lo, Him, instead of לא lo Not; with twenty-nine of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and the Complutensian and Antwerp Polyglots. Our translators have followed the best reading. Coverdale renders the verse thus: Lo, there is nether comforte ner hope for me, yf he wil slaye me. But I will maintain mine own ways - I am so conscious of my innocence, that I fear not to defend myself from your aspersions, even in the presence of my Maker.

Top

¹⁰ He hath destroyed [05422] me on every side [05439], and I am gone [03212]: and mine hope [08615] hath he removed [05265] like a tree [06086].

²⁰ Are not my days [03117] few [04592]? cease [02308] [02308] then, and let me alone [07896] [07896], that I may take comfort [01082] a little [04592],

²¹ And why dost thou not pardon [05375] my transgression [06588], and take away [05674] mine iniquity [05771]? for now shall I sleep [07901] in the dust [06083]; and thou shalt seek me in the morning [07836], but I shall not be.

¹¹ What is my strength [03581], that I should hope [03176]? and what is mine end [07093], that I should prolong [0748] my life [05315]?

³ Surely [0199] I would speak [01696] to the Almighty [07706], and I desire [02654] to reason [03198] with God [0410].

²¹ For now ye are nothing; ye see [07200] my casting down [02866], and are afraid [03372].

² And he said [0559] unto him, God forbid [02486]; thou shalt not die [04191]: behold, my father [01] will do [06213] [06213] nothing [01697] either great [01419] or small [06996], but that he will shew [01540] [0241] it me: and why should my father [01] hide [05641] this thing [01697] from me? it is not so.

¹⁶ And if any man [0376] said [0559] unto him, Let them not fail [06999] to burn [06999] the fat [02459] presently [03117], and then take [03947] as much as thy soul [05315] desireth [0183]; then he would answer [0559] him, Nay; but thou shalt give [05414] it me now: and if not, I will take [03947] it by force [02394].

⁹ In all their affliction [06869] he was afflicted [06862], and the angel [04397] of his presence [06440] saved [03467] them: in his love [0160] and in his pity [02551] he redeemed [01350] them; and he bare [05190] them, and carried [05375] them all the days [03117] of old [05769].

² The people [05971] that walked [01980] in darkness [02822] have seen [07200] a great [01419] light [0216]: they that dwell [03427] in the land [0776] of the shadow of death [06757], upon them hath the light [0216] shined [05050].

² As the bird [06833] by wandering [05110], as the swallow [01866] by flying [05774], so the curse [07045] causeless [02600] shall not come [0935].

⁷ All the brethren [0251] of the poor [07326] do hate [08130] him: how much more do his friends [04828] go far [07368] from him? he pursueth [07291] them with words [0561], yet they are wanting to him.

² Then they came [05066] to Zerubbabel [02216], and to the chief [07218] of the fathers [01], and said [0559] unto them, Let us build [01129] with you: for we seek [01875] your God [0430], as ye do; and we do sacrifice [02076] unto him since the days [03117] of Esarhaddon [0634] king [04428] of Assur [0804], which brought us up hither [05927].

⁴ Will he make [03772] a covenant [01285] with thee? wilt thou take [03947] him for a servant [05650] for ever [05769]?

¹⁵ Though [02005] he slay [06991] me, yet will I trust [03176] in him: but I will maintain [03198] mine own ways [01870] before [06440] him.

¹⁶ Thine eyes [05869] did see [07200] my substance, yet being unperfect [01564]; and in thy book [05612] all my members were written [03789], which in continuance [03117] were fashioned [03335], when as yet there was none [0259] of them.

⁴ Enter [0935] into his gates [08179] with thanksgiving [08426], and into his courts [02691] with praise [08416]: be thankful [03034] unto him, and bless [01288] his name [08034].

¹⁸ And Hushai [02365] said [0559] unto Absalom [053], Nay; but whom the LORD [03068], and this people [05971], and all the men [0376] of Israel [03478], choose [0977], his will I be, and with him will I abide [03427].

³ Talk [01696] no more [07235] so exceeding [01364] proudly [01364]; let not arrogancy [06277] come [03318] out of your mouth [06310]: for the LORD [03068] is a God [0410] of knowledge [01844], and by him actions [05949] are weighed [08505].

³⁰ And if it be not redeemed [01350] within the space [04390] of a full [08549] year [08141], then the house [01004] that is in the walled [02346] city [05892] shall be established [06965] for ever [06783] to him that bought [07069] it throughout his generations [01755]: it shall not go out [03318] in the jubile [03104].

²¹ Yet these may ye eat [0398] of every flying [05775] creeping [08318] thing that goeth [01980] upon all four [0702], which have legs [03767] above [04605] their feet [07272], to leap [05425] withal [02004] upon the earth [0776];

⁸ If she please [07451] [05869] not her master [0113], who hath betrothed [03259] her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed [06299]: to sell [04376] her unto a strange [05237] nation [05971] he shall have no power [04910], seeing he hath dealt deceitfully [0898] with her.

³² The wicked [07563] is driven away [01760] in his wickedness [07451]: but the righteous [06662] hath hope [02620] in his death [04194].

⁴ Yea, though I walk [03212] through the valley [01516] of the shadow of death [06757], I will fear [03372] no evil [07451]: for thou art with me; thy rod [07626] and thy staff [04938] they comfort [05162] me.

²⁵ For I know [03045] that my redeemer [01350] liveth [02416], and that he shall stand [06965] at the latter [0314] day upon the earth [06083]:
²⁶ And though after [0310] my skin [05785] worms destroy [05362] this body, yet in my flesh [01320] shall I see [02372] God [0433]:
²⁷ Whom I shall see [02372] for myself, and mine eyes [05869] shall behold [07200], and not another [02114]; though my reins [03629] be consumed [03615] within [02436] me.

¹⁶ He also shall be my salvation [03444]: for an hypocrite [02611] shall not come [0935] before [06440] him.