Job 21:6
Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
Original Language Analysis
וְאִם
H518
וְאִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
1 of 6
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
זָכַ֥רְתִּי
Even when I remember
H2142
זָכַ֥רְתִּי
Even when I remember
Strong's:
H2142
Word #:
2 of 6
properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e., to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male
וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי
I am afraid
H926
וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי
I am afraid
Strong's:
H926
Word #:
3 of 6
to tremble inwardly (or palpitate), i.e., (figuratively) be (causative, make) (suddenly) alarmed or agitated; by implication to hasten anxiously
וְאָחַ֥ז
taketh hold on
H270
וְאָחַ֥ז
taketh hold on
Strong's:
H270
Word #:
4 of 6
to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)
Historical Context
Job articulates what philosophers later called 'the problem of evil.' Ancient Near Eastern cultures explained suffering through divine-human reciprocity: sacrifice and obedience secured blessing, while sin brought curse. Job's observation that this equation doesn't always hold threatened the theological foundation of his world. His terror reflects not weak faith but honest grappling with theodicy—how to affirm God's justice when evidence seems contradictory.
Questions for Reflection
- Have you experienced theological terror when reality didn't match what you believed about God? How did you navigate that crisis?
- What does Job's honest expression of fear teach about authentic faith versus pretending we have all the answers?
- How can wrestling with difficult theological questions strengthen rather than weaken faith?
Analysis & Commentary
Even when I remember I am afraid (וְאִם־זָכַרְתִּי וְנִבְהָלְתִּי, ve'im-zakharti venivhalti)—The verb zakar (זָכַר) means to remember or call to mind, while bahal (בָּהַל) conveys being terrified or dismayed. What terrifies Job isn't his suffering but the theological implications of what he observes: God permits the wicked to prosper.
Trembling taketh hold on my flesh (וְאָחַז בְּשָׂרִי פַּלָּצוּת, ve'achaz besari pallatsut)—The word pallatsut (פַּלָּצוּת) means shuddering or horror. Job's physical reaction mirrors his spiritual crisis. If retribution theology is false—if the wicked can prosper without punishment—then God's moral governance of the universe appears compromised. This existential terror exceeds physical pain. Job glimpses the abyss that opens when simple answers fail, anticipating the mystery God will present in chapters 38-41.