Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 13:14
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
14. Wherefore do I take ] Or, should I take. This and the following verse are surrounded with difficulties. The meaning of the second clause of Job 13:14 is well ascertained from usage, it is: to expose one’s life to jeopardy, Jdg 12:3, 1Sa 19:5 ; 1Sa 28:21, Psa 119:109. The meaning of the first clause is doubtful, as the expression does not occur again. It is held by many that the figure is borrowed from the action of a wild beast, which seizes its prey in its teeth and carries it off to a place of security; in which case the meaning would be, Why should I seek anxiously to preserve my life? If this be assumed to be the meaning the interrogation must end with the first clause, Why should I take my flesh in my teeth? nay, I will put my life in mine hand. This is not quite satisfactory. Hence an endeavour is made by many to extract a sense from the second clause different from that sanctioned by usage, a sense indeed to appearance the opposite of it, and corresponding to the first clause. It is assumed that the phrase properly means to commit one’s life to his hand to carry it through, to fight one’s way through; in other words, to make strenuous efforts to save one’s life. This is rather a hazardous mode of dealing with language the meaning of which is established by usage. The obscurity of the first clause makes it impossible to be certain of the construction of the verse.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth – The meaning of the proverbial expressions in this verse is not very clear. They indicate a state of great danger; but the exact sense of the proverbs it has been difficult to ascertain. Some have supposed that the phrase to take the flesh in the teeth, is significant of a state of famine, where a man dying from this cause would cease upon his own flesh and devour it; others, that it refers to the contentions of voracious animals, struggling for a piece of flesh; others, that it refers to the fact that what is borne in the teeth is liable to be dropped, and that Job regarded his life as in such a perilous condition. Schultens regards it as denoting that bold courage in which a man exposes his life to imminent peril. He supposes that it is to be taken in connection with the previous verse, as intimating that he would go forward and speak at any rate, whatever might be the result.
He translates it, Whatever may be the event, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life in my hand. In this interpretation Rosenmuller concurs. Noyes renders it, I will count it nothing to bear my flesh in my teeth. Good, Let what may – I will carry my flesh in my teeth; and supposes that the phrase is equivalent to saying, that he would incur any risk or danger. The proverb he supposes is taken from the contest which so frequently takes place between dogs and other carnivorous quadrupeds, when one of them is carrying a bone or piece of flesh in his mouth, which becomes a source of dispute and a prize to be fought for. The Vulgate renders it, Quare lacero carnes meus dentibus meis. The Septuagint, Taking my flesh in my teeth, I will put my life in my hand. It seems to me, that the language is to be taken in connection with the previous verse, and is not to be regarded as an interrogatory, but as a declaration. Let come upon me anything – whatever it may be – mah – Job 13:13 on account of that, or in reference to that – al–mah – Job 13:14, I will take my life in my hand, braving any and every danger.
It is a firm and determined purpose that he would express his sentiments, no matter what might occur – even if it involved the peril of his life. The word flesh I take to be synonymous with life, or with his best interests; and the figure is probably taken from the fact that animals thus carry their prey or spoil in their teeth. Of course, this would be a poor protection. It would be liable to be seized by others. It might even tempt and provoke others to seize it: and would lead to conflict and perils. So Job felt that the course he was pursuing would lead him into danger, but he was determined to pursue it, let come what might.
And put my life in mine hand – This is a proverbial expression, meaning the same as, I will expose myself to danger. Anything of value taken in the hand is liable to be rudely snatched away. It is like taking a casket of jewels, or a purse of gold, in the hand, which may at any moment be seized by robbers. The phrase is not uncommon in the Scriptures to denote exposure to great peril; compare Psa 119:109, My soul is continually in my hand; 1Sa 19:5, For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine; Jdg 12:3, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon. A similar expression occurs in the Greek Classics denoting exposure to imminent danger – en te cheiri ten psuchen echei – he has his life in his hand; see Rosenmuller on Psa 119:109. The Arabs have a somewhat similar proverb, as quoted by Schultens, His flesh is upon a butchers block.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth] A proverbial expression. I risk every thing on the justice of my cause. I put my life in my hand, 1Sa 28:21. I run all hazards; I am fearless of the consequences.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
According to this translation the sense seems to be this, If you speak truth, and God punisheth none but wicked men, why doth he bring me (whom he knows to be no hypocrite, as you slander me) to that extremity of pain and misery, that I am almost constrained to tear and eat my own flesh, (which is mentioned as the character of men in great anguish, Isa 9:20; 49:26) and am ready to lay violent hands upon myself? Is it so great a crime to complain in this case, or at least to inquire into the cause of this unwonted severity? But this sense seems not well to suit either with the foregoing or following verses, but to come in abruptly. Others therefore render the words thus,
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, & c.? And so this may be either,
1. A reason of his ardent desire of liberty of speech, because he could hold his tongue no longer, but must needs tear himself to pieces, if he had not some vent for his grief. So this agrees well both with Job 13:13, where he desired this freedom; and with Job 13:19, where the same sense is expressed in plainer words. Or,
2. An antidote against despair. I perceive, O my friends, by your discourses, that you intend to drive me to utter despair, if I do not turn to God in another manner than yet I have done; which if it were true, I should certainly tear my flesh, and violently take away my own life; but I see no reason why I should give way to any such despair or desperate actions? And this also hath a good dependence upon the foregoing words, let come on me what will; (q.d. But I have no reason to fear such consequences as you suggest, nor to despair of a merciful audience and relief from God;) and a good connexion with those which follow, Job 13:15, where he declares his hope and confidence in God. The phrase of having ones life in his hand notes a condition extremely dangerous, and almost desperate, as Jdg 12:3; 1Sa 19:5; 28:21; Psa 119:109.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. A proverb for, “Whyshould I anxiously desire to save my life?” [EICHORN].The image in the first clause is that of a wild beast, which in orderto preserve his prey, carries it in his teeth. That in the secondrefers to men who hold in the hand what they want to keep secure.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth,…. Or bite my lips, to keep in my words, and refrain from speaking? I will not do it:
and put my life in my hand? or, expose it to danger by a forced silence; when I am ready to burst, and must if I do not speak; I will not thus endanger my life; it is unreasonable I should, I will speak my mind freely and fully, that I may be refreshed; so Sephorno interprets it of Job’s putting his hand to his mouth, that he might be silent; and of putting a forcible restraint upon himself, that he might not declare what was upon his mind; see Job 13:19; but others, as Bar Tzemach, take the sense to be, what is the sin I have committed, that such sore afflictions are laid upon me; that through the pain and distress I am in, I am ready to tear off my flesh with my teeth, and my life is in the utmost danger? and some think he was under a temptation to tear his own flesh, and destroy himself; and therefore argues why he should be thus hardly dealt with, as to be exposed to such a temptation, and thrown in such despair, which yet he laboured against; but rather the meaning is, in connection with the preceding verse, let whatsoever will come upon me, “at all events, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and I will put my life in my hand” l; I will expose myself to the greatest dangers which is the sense of the last phrase in Jud 12:3; come life, come death, I will not fear; I am determined to speak out my mind let what will be the consequence; and with this bold and heroic spirit agrees what follows.
l “Super quocunque eventu”, Schultens.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(14) Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth.This is probably the meaning of this verse, which, however, should not be read interrogatively: At all risks, come what come may, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Second section JOB RESOLVES TO APPEAR BEFORE GOD WITH HIS APPEAL, EVEN AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE, Job 13:13-22. (Compare Exo 33:20; Jdg 13:22.)
First strophe His extreme fear of God on the one hand, and his deep-rooted consciousness of innocence on the other, involve him in a painful oscillation of mind ere he reaches the full decision to cite God to judgement, Job 13:13-16
14. Take my flesh in my teeth The second member of this verse helps to determine the meaning of the first. The “taking of one’s life in one’s hand” means its voluntary exposure to great danger, (Jdg 12:3; 1Sa 19:5, etc.) “To take one’s flesh in his teeth” is probably a similar proverb for an imminent risk knowingly incurred; perhaps kindred to that cited by Schultens from the Arabic, “His flesh is on the butcher’s block.” Munster observes, “He who exposes his life to perils does not spare himself; thus he does not spare himself who bites his own flesh with his teeth.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 13:14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, &c.? That is, “You ask me, why I should consider my case as thus desperate? (for that is the meaning of these phrases.) Why should you be thus slow to believe that God will deliver you out of your troubles? This looks as if you were conscious of some wickedness rendering you unworthy of such a deliverance.” Job answers to this charge immediately: “It is not the want of a due hope or trust in God, occasioned by any wickedness whereof I am conscious, that makes me thus despair of my condition; for, though he slay me, (Job 13:15.) yet will I trust in him; but still I will maintain mine own ways, my own integrity before him; Job 13:16. He also shall be my salvation; for an hypocrite,a sycophant, or false accuser, as the Hebrew word chanep, sometimes signifies,shall not come before him, to charge me with crimes of which I am not guilty, in the future judgment.” If we understand the word rendered hypocrite in its ordinary signification, it will afford a good sense: as thus, He also shall be my salvation, for I am no hypocrite. Here Job gives a very poetical turn to his speech; supposes himself as already dead, and standing before the tribunal of God; and bids his friends, as in that awful presence, say what they had to charge him with; Job 13:17-18. As if he had said, “I address myself to my trial, and plead not guilty; Job 13:19. Who is he that will litigate the matter with me? for now I will be silent, and expire.” This is the Hebrew, rendered as literally as possible; and the meaning, I think, is clear; namely, “Who is he that will bring a charge against me? for you are now to consider me as dead, and standing before the tribunal of God.” The translators, who certainly mistook the meaning of the words, have added an if, and so spoiled the whole turn of the sentence, thus: For now if I hold my peace, I shall give up the ghost: but there is no if in the Hebrew. It is literally as rendered above. Here, then, we must suppose Job to break off his speech for a moment, to see whether his friends would venture to accuse him of any thing when summoned before the Supreme Judge, in this solemn and affecting manner: and as they had no particular crime to charge him with, nothing but a groundless suspicion against him, we may conclude, that they must needs remain as silent upon this occasion as Job, and as if they had expired with him: upon which this holy man seems to recollect himself, and, as fearing that he might have been too bold in his appeal, addresses himself in the following verses to the Judge himself; beseeching him, in the most submissive manner, before he enters into judgment with him, to grant him two things: to withdraw his afflicting hand from him, and to veil the terrors of his majesty, that it might not strike him with too great a dread; and then to question him, and he would answer; or permit him to speak, and vouchsafe to inform him what his guilt was, and what were the reasons of these severe afflictions. See the 20th and following verses. This beautiful passage evidently shews, as well as several others in his speeches, that Job looked forward to a day of judgment, when he hoped to have his innocence cleared. See Peters, p. 165, 166.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Job 13:14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
Ver. 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? ] q.d. Do ye think, O my friends, that I am in a fit of spiritual frenzy, and so far out of my wits, that tearing, as it were, my flesh with mine own hands, I mean to sue any cruelty towards myself, and willingly to betray mine own life? (Vatab.) Non sum ira crudelis, ut totus perdi velim, I am not yet so cruel to myself (whatever you may gather by my complaints and outcries) as utterly to cast away my confidence and all care of my life and soul. See 1Sa 19:5 . To despair in part and for a time may befall a godly man. See Mr Perkins’s discourse of Spiritual Desertion, where he remembereth that Luther lay (after his conversion) three days in desperation. And the like is recorded of Mr Robert Bolton. Aliqui suspicantur Iobum respondentem, &c. (Pineda). But of any good man that destroyed himself we read not. David’s life was in his hand continually (and he in daily danger of losing it), yet have I not forgotten thy law, saith he, Psa 119:109 , which flatly forbiddeth all the degrees of suicide, as the worst sort. That Satan tempted Job to this sin some do probably collect from this text. A man is to expect, if he live but his days, saith a reverend casuist, A theologian (or other person) who studies and resolves cases of conscience or doubtful questions regarding duty and conduct to be urged to all sins, to the breach of every branch of the ten commandments, and to be put to it in respect of every article of our creed.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Wherefore . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
take my flesh in my teeth. Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6. Still preserved in Arabic for rushing into danger. Like the next clause, which is a proverb preserved in English.
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
hand. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “hands” (plural)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I take: Job 18:4, Ecc 4:5, Isa 9:20, Isa 49:26
and put: Jdg 12:3, 1Sa 19:5, 1Sa 28:21, Psa 119:109
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 13:14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, &c. The sense, according to some commentators, is, Why do I torment myself? Why do I grieve so immoderately, like those persons who, in their afflictions, rend their garments, and are ready to tear their very flesh? But Bishop Patricks paraphrase seems to accord better with the context, namely, I am so conscious to myself of my innocence, that I must still wonder why I suffer such enraging miseries, and am exposed to so many dangers. Henry speaks to nearly the same purpose: Why do I suffer such agonies? I cannot but wonder that God should lay so much upon me, when he knows I am not a wicked man. He was ready, not only to rend his clothes, but even to tear his flesh, through the greatness of his affliction; and saw himself at the brink of death, and his life in his hand; yet his friends could not charge him with any enormous crime, nor could he himself discover any; no marvel then he was in such confusion. The phrase of having his life in his hand, denotes a condition extremely dangerous. Thus Jephthah tells the Ephraimites, I put my life in my hands and passed over against the children of Ammon, Jdg 12:3. That is, I exposed my life to the greatest danger. Thus Jonathan speaks of David: He put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, 1Sa 19:5. The words, says Poole, may imply a reason of his ardent desire of liberty of speech, because he could hold his tongue no longer, but must needs tear himself to pieces, if he had not some vent for his grief. In which sense the LXX. seem to have understood him.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13:14 Wherefore do I {e} take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
(e) Is not this a revealed sign of my affliction and that I do not complain without cause, seeing that I am thus tormented as though I should tear my own flesh, and put my life in danger?