Job 13:21 — Word Study
WLCכַּ֭פְּךָ מֵעָלַ֣י הַרְחַ֑ק וְ֝אֵ֥מָתְךָ֗ אַֽל־ תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃
BSAWithdrawrâchaq [remove, take away] Your handkaph [palm, the symbol of power and authority] from meʻal and do notʼal let Your terrorʼêymâh [prevent, dread, fear] frighten mebâʻath▸ [terrify, startle, overcome me with fear]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כַּ֭פְּךָ | hand your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| מֵעָלַ֣י | from on me | Preposition, preposition, suffix |
| הַרְחַ֑ק | put far away | Verb, Hiphil, imperative second person masculine singular |
| וְ֝אֵ֥מָתְךָ֗ | and dread your | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| אַֽל־ | may not | Particle |
| תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃ | it terrify me | Verb piel jussive third person feminine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me. |
| KJV | Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. |
| ASV | Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid. |
| YLT | Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me. |
| WEB | withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid. |
| BBE | Take your hand far away from me; and let me not be overcome by fear of you. |
The translations agree on the essence of Job's plea for God to withdraw His hand and not let His terror frighten him.
The main verb leads the request, with a prepositional phrase clarifying the source of Job's plea and a second clause detailing his concern about God's terror.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbרָחַק
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 13:21
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Plea for Reliefgenerated
Job 13:21 finds Job in a moment of desperation, asking God to withdraw His hand and not to let His terror overwhelm him. This plea comes amidst Job's profound suffering and his desire for a fair hearing from God, as he grapples with the weight of his circumstances. The surrounding verses illustrate Job's struggle and his yearning for understanding and relief from divine pressure.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 10:20 | Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort, |
| 2 | Job 22:15–17 | Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod? |
| 3 | Job 13:11 | Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you? |
| 4 | Job 33:7 | Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you. |
| 5 | Psalm 119:120 | My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הַרְחַק, har.Chakgenerated
The verb הַרְחַק (har.Chak) is an imperative form meaning 'to remove' or 'to put far away.' It conveys a strong request for separation, indicating Job's urgent need for distance from God's overwhelming presence.
This word is rooted in the concept of creating distance, which Job desires in the context of his suffering. The parsing as an imperative indicates a direct command, emphasizing Job's plea for relief from God's hand.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of Job's plea.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb הַרְחַק governs the main clause, with two phrases attached: a prepositional phrase indicating the source of the action and a second clause expressing Job's desire regarding God's terror. This structure emphasizes Job's urgent request.
The Hebrew word order places the verb at the beginning, highlighting the imperative nature of Job's plea, while the subsequent phrases elaborate on the specifics of his request.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הַרְחַק as ἀπέξου (apechou), which also means 'to remove' or 'to send away.' This choice aligns with Job's request to distance himself from God's hand.
This translation reflects a similar understanding of the need for separation, reinforcing Job's emotional state in the face of divine terror.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 13:21 shows Job asking God to take His hand away and not to let His fear terrify him. This plea reflects Job's deep distress and desire for relief from his suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is expressing his need for relief from God's overwhelming presence, which he feels is contributing to his suffering.
Job refers to God's terror as something that frightens him, indicating his emotional turmoil and fear in the face of his circumstances.
Job's plea shows a complex relationship where he seeks understanding and relief, feeling both the weight of God's presence and the need for distance.
Job's request illustrates the importance of expressing our needs and emotions to God, especially in times of distress.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I felt overwhelmed by circumstances, and how can I express my needs to God like Job?
- How can I find comfort in God's presence while also seeking relief from my fears?
- What steps can I take to address feelings of dread or fear in my life?
- How does Job's honesty in his plea inspire me to be open with God about my struggles?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist comments on Job's plea, interpreting it as a prophetic request for relief from God's overwhelming presence.
Withdraw Thine hand far from me, and let not Thy dread make me afraid. By which same two what else does he ask in a voice of prophecy,Early Church Fathers on Job 13 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 13:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWithdraw thine hand far from me,.... His afflicting hand, which pressed him; this he desires might be removed, or otherwise he could not have the command of himself, make use of his reasoning
Read John Gill on Job 13 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWithdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. (Note, Job 9:34; Psalms 39:10, "Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand").
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 13 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Biblei.e. Suspend my torments during the time of my pleading with thee, that my mind may be at liberty; and do not present thyself to me in terrible majesty, neither deal with me in rigorous justice; but hear me meekly, as one man heareth another, and plead with me upon those gracious terms wherewith thou usest to deal with mankind.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 13 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 13:21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.Ver. 21. Withdraw thy hand from me, and let not, &c.] Neither afflict me nor frighten me. See the same request, Job 9:34, and granted by God, Job 38:3; Job 40:7. They must be very sorry prayers indeed that God will not hear, if they come from honest hearts: Psalms 31:22, "I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee." For the sense of this whole verse - And let not thy dread make me afraid] Appear not unto me in thy majesty, but in thy mercy; come not upon me in such a terrific manner, as through astonishment at thy…
Read John Trapp on Job 13 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) Withdraw thine hand far from me.—That is, “Cease to torture me bodily, and to terrify me mentally; let me at least have freedom from physical pain and the undue apprehension of Thy terrors.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 13 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13–22. Job now turns from his friends, whom he commands to be silent, to his great plea with God, resuming the intention expressed in Job 13:3. The passage has two parts, one preliminary, Job 13:13-16, exhibiting a singular picture of the conflict between resolution and fear in Job’s mind. He will go before God come upon him what will (Job 13:13). Yet he cannot hide from himself that it may be at the hazard of his life. Yet he will not be deterred; he will defend his ways to God’s face (Job 13:14-15). And yet again, this very courage which he has, arising from his sense of innocence, is a token to him that he shall be victorious (Job 13:16). The second part, Job 13:17-22. Feeling that the…
Read Cambridge on Job 13 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWithdraw thine hand far from me - Notes Job 9:34. The hand of God here is used to denote the calamity or affliction which Job was suffering.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 13 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible21. Thy dread — Thy terror; “the terror of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:11.)
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 13 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.
withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.
Remove your hand far from me and stop making me afraid with your terror.
Tyndale line
Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid.
Withdraw thine hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid.
Withdraw thy hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
Withdrawe thine hande from me, and let not thy feare make me afraide.
Strictly literal
Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid:
Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.
Put Your hand far off from me, || And do not let Your terror terrify me.
Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
withdraw your oppressive hand from me, and do not let your terrors make me afraid.
From the Latin
Withdraw thy hand far from me, and let not thy dread terrify me.
Simplified
Stop beating me, and stop terrifying me.
Take your hand far away from me; and let me not be overcome by fear of you.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in the wording of Job 13:21. Both texts convey Job's plea for God to withdraw His hand and not let His terror frighten him, with no significant variations noted.
כַּ֭פְּךָ מֵעָלַ֣י הַרְחַ֑ק וְ֝אֵ֥מָתְךָ֗ אַֽל־ תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 13:21
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
כַּף (kaph) refers to the hollow or flat part of the hand, including the palm and the sole of the foot. It can also denote power and is used to describe various hollow objects, such as bowls or handles. The word encompasses a range of meanings related to the shape and function of hands and feet, as well as items that are hand-shaped.
כַּף 192 n.f. hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand
base
H3709 כַּף hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand
3709 kaph kaf
from 3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an
animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling,
the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree);
figuratively, power:--branch, + foot, hand((-ful), -dle,
(-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.
see HEBREW for 03721
כַּף (kaph) — palm.
: palm/hand
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
1c) sole (of the foot)
1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects
1d1) of thigh-joint
1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)
1d3) hollow (of sling)
1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)
1d5) handles (as bent)
כַּף (kaph) — palm: sole.
: sole/paw
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
1c) sole (of the foot)
1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects
1d1) of thigh-joint
1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)
1d3) hollow (of sling)
1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)
1d5) handles (as bent)
כַּף (kaph) — palm: dish.
: dish/socket
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep | Prep | Suff — Preposition · preposition · suffixHR/Rd/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word רָחַק (rachaq) is a primitive root meaning to be or become far or distant. It encompasses various forms, including intransitive meanings like receding and transitive meanings such as removing or sending away. The entries indicate uses in different stems, including Qal (to be distant), Piel (to send far away), and Hiphil (to cause to be distant).
רָחַק vb. be, or become, far, distant
Qal be far, distant
Pi. send far away
Hiph.
dir. caus. make, or exhibit, distance, be gone for
indir. caus. remove, put far away
base
H7368 רָחַק be, or become, far, distant
7368 rachaq raw-khak'
a primitive root; to widen (in any direction), i.e.
(intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or
figuratively, of place or relation):--(a-, be, cast, drive,
get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw)
far (away, off), loose, X refrain, very, (be) a good way
(off).
רָחַק (ra.chaq) — to remove.
v
1) to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away
1a) (Qal) to be far, be distant
1b) (Piel) to send far away, extend
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make or exhibit distance, be gone far
1c2) to remove, put far away
2) (Niphal) loose
v inf (as adv)
3) at a distance
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine singularHVhv2ms
The Hebrew word אֵימָה (*'eymah*) means terror or dread. It is derived from a root related to fear and can also refer to an idol in a figurative sense. The entries consistently emphasize its meanings of fright and horror.
אֵימָה 17 n.f. terror, dread
base
H367 אֵימָה terror, dread
367 'eymah ay-maw'
or (shortened) remah {ay-maw'}; from the same as 366; fright;
concrete, an idol (as a bugbear):--dread, fear, horror, idol,
terrible, terror.
see HEBREW for 0366
אֵימָה (e.mah) — terror.
terror, dread
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
base
H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
408 'al al
a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified
negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,
nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing
(worth), rather than.
see HEBREW for 03808
אַל (al) — not.
1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)
1a) do not, let not (with a verb)
1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)
1c) not, no (with substantive)
1d) nothing (as substantive)
Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Part — ParticleHTn
בָּעַת (ba`ath) is a primitive root meaning to terrify or startle. It covers a range of actions, including overwhelming or assailing someone, and is often used in a poetic context. The verb can appear in various forms, such as being terrified (Niphal) or actively terrifying (Piel).
[בָּעַת] vb. fall upon, startle, terrify
Niph. be terrified
Pi. (mostly poet.)
fall upon; overwhelm; assail
terrify
base
H1204 [בָּעַת] fall upon, startle, terrify . be terrified
. (mostly poet.) . fall upon; overwhelm; assail
. terrify
1204 ba`ath baw-ath'
a primitive root; to fear:--affright, be (make) afraid,
terrify, trouble.
בָּעַת (ba.at) — to terrify.
1) to terrify, startle, fall upon, dismay, be overtaken by sudden terror
1a) (Niphal) to be terrified
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to fall upon, overwhelm
1b2) to terrify
V-Piel-Juss-3fs | Suff — Verb piel jussive third person feminine singular · suffixHVpj3fs/Sp1bs