Job 13:14

Authorized King James Version

Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
עַל
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#2
מָ֤ה׀
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and
#3
אֶשָּׂ֣א
Wherefore do I take
to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
#4
בְשָׂרִ֣י
my flesh
flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of a man
#5
בְשִׁנָּ֑י
in my teeth
a tooth (as sharp); specifically ivory; figuratively, a cliff
#6
וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י
my life
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
#7
אָשִׂ֥ים
and put
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
#8
בְּכַפִּֽי׃
in mine hand
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-

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing life contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood life. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection