Job 7:20

Job 7:20 Meaning and Explanation

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?

King James Version (KJV)

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Job acknowledges his sin and asks the Watcher of mankind why he feels made a target and a burden.

What Does Job 7:20 Mean?

Job grants the point his friends keep pressing, conceding 'I have sinned,' yet he cannot see how that explains his agony. He addresses God as the Preserver, the watchful Keeper of mankind, and asks why he feels set up as a target, until he is a burden even to himself.

Here the honesty deepens. Job confesses, questions, and laments all at once, holding them together before God. The Bible makes room for such tangled prayer. And the cry rises toward the very One able to answer it: the Preserver of men, who does not finally treat the repentant as a target but who, in His mercy, lifts the burden the sinner cannot carry alone.

Job 7:20 in the Original Language

natsar (נָצַר), 'preserver' -- one who watches over, guards, and keeps.

Frequently Asked Questions About Job 7:20

What does Job 7:20 mean?

Job acknowledges his sin and asks the Watcher of mankind why he feels made a target and a burden.

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