Job 7:20

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

If I have sinned, what I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

חָטָ֡אתִי מָ֤ה אֶפְעַ֨ל ׀ לָךְ֮ נֹצֵ֢ר הָאָ֫דָ֥ם לָ֤מָה שַׂמְתַּ֣נִי לְמִפְגָּ֣ע לָ֑ךְ וָאֶהְיֶ֖ה עָלַ֣י לְמַשָּֽׂא

Transliteration

Ḥāṭā'ṯî what 'ef'al to you nōtsêr the hā'āḏām why śamtanî to lĕmifgā' to you and wā'ehyeh upon me to lĕmaśśā'

Grammar Details

*ḥāṭā'ṯî*: verb, qal perfect, 1st person singular - I have sinned
*māh*: interrogative pronoun - what?
*'ef'al*: verb, qal imperfect, 1st person singular - I do/shall do
*lāḵ*: preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - to you
*nōtsêr*: verb, qal participle, masculine singular - watcher/keeper of
*hā*: definite article - the
*'āḏām*: noun, masculine singular - man/mankind
*lāmāh*: interrogative adverb - why?
*śamtanî*: verb, qal perfect, 2nd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix - you have set me
*lĕ*: preposition - to/for
*mifgā'*: noun, masculine singular - target/mark
*wa*: conjunction - and
*'ehyeh*: verb, qal imperfect, 1st person singular - I am
*'ālay*: preposition + 1st person singular suffix - upon me
*maśśā'*: noun, masculine singular - burden

Word Meanings

*ḥāṭā'ṯî*: I have sinned/I sin
*'ef'al*: I do/shall do/can do
*nōtsêr*: watcher/keeper/preserver
*'āḏām*: man/mankind/humanity
*śamtanî*: you have set me/placed me/made me
*mifgā'*: target/mark/obstacle
*'ehyeh*: I am/I will be
*maśśā'*: burden/load/trouble

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Ps 36:6 : 6 Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; Thy judgments are a great deep: O Jehovah, thou preservest man and beast.
Lam 3:12 : 12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Ps 80:4 : 4 O Jehovah God of hosts, How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
Neh 9:6 : 6 Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
Job 3:24 : 24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my groanings are poured out like water.
Job 6:4 : 4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
Job 7:11-12 : 11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 12 Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?
Job 9:29-31 : 29 I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain? 30 If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean; 31 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.
Job 13:26 : 26 For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth:
Job 14:16 : 16 But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?
Job 16:12-14 : 12 I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark. 13 His archers compass me round about; He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground. 14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.
Job 22:5 : 5 Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
Job 31:33 : 33 If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
Job 33:9 : 9 I am clean, without transgression; I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:
Job 33:27 : 27 He singeth before men, and saith, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, And it profited me not:
Job 35:6 : 6 If thou hast sinned, what effectest thou against him? And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
Ps 21:12 : 12 For thou wilt make them turn their back; Thou wilt make ready with thy bowstrings against their face.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Job 7:21
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21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou wilt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.
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14If I sin, then thou markest me, And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
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Job 10:6-7
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6That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, And searchest after my sin,
7Although thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?
Job 13:23-24
2 verses
78%
23How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And holdest me for thine enemy?
Job 7:11-12
2 verses
77%
11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?
Job 33:27
77%
27He singeth before men, and saith, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, And it profited me not:
Ps 7:3
76%
3O Jehovah my God, if I have done this; If there be iniquity in my hands;
Ps 51:3-4
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76%
3For I know my transgressions; And my sin is ever before me.
4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in thy sight; That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest.
Ps 38:18
76%
18For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
Job 14:16-17
2 verses
76%
16But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?
17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And thou fastenest up mine iniquity.
Job 35:6
76%
6If thou hast sinned, what effectest thou against him? And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
Job 9:28-29
2 verses
75%
28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain?
Job 34:32
75%
32That which I see not teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
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75%
9I will bear the indignation of Jehovah, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, [and] I shall behold his righteousness.
Job 7:17
74%
17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him,
Jer 2:35
74%
35Yet thou saidst, I am innocent; surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
Job 35:3
74%
3That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? [And], What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?
Prov 20:9
74%
9Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Job 10:2
74%
2I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.
Lam 1:22
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22Let all their wickedness come before thee; And do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
Job 21:4
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1 Chr 21:8
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Job 13:26
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26For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth:
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4I said, O Jehovah, have mercy upon me: Heal my soul; For I have sinned against thee.
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6Wherefore I abhor [myself], And repent in dust and ashes.
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3And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with thee?
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19Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.
Job 31:7
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Isa 38:15
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15What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
Lam 3:1
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1I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Ps 32:5
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5I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. {H5542}
Job 15:13
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13That against God thou turnest thy spirit, And lettest words go out of thy mouth?
Job 34:6
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6Notwithstanding my right I am [accounted] a liar; My wound is incurable, [though I am] without transgression.
Ps 130:3
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3If thou, Jehovah, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
Ps 19:13
73%
13Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous [sins]; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be clear from great transgression.
Lam 1:20
72%
20Behold, O Jehovah; for I am in distress; my heart is troubled; My heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
Job 31:14
72%
14What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
Job 23:7
72%
7There the upright might reason with him; So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
Ps 38:4
72%
4For mine iniquities are gone over my head: As a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.