Job 19:21

Friendship Suffering Mercy and compassion

¹⁹ All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.

²⁰ My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

²² Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?

²³ I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book,

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.
KJV: Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
WEB: “Have pity on me. Have pity on me, you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me.
ASV: Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; For the hand of God hath touched me.
DARBY: Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
BLB: Pity me, pity me, you⁺ my friends, for the hand of God has touched me.

ÅB: Forbarm dere, forbarm dere over meg, dere mine venner! For Guds hånd har rørt ved meg.
OTB: «Vis meg medfølelse, mine venner, vis medfølelse,
for Guds hånd har rammet meg.
B1930: Forbarm eder, forbarm eder over mig, I mine venner! For Guds hånd har rørt ved mig.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Job 1:11
But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
Read in context
Psalms 38:2
For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me.
Read in context
Job 6:4
For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
Read in context
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
Read in context
Hebrews 13:3
Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.
Read in context
1 Corinthians 12:26
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Read in context
Job 2:10
“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
Read in context
Job 2:5
But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
Read in context