Job 33:27
in Job 33Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He singeth before men, and saith, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, And it profited me not:
KJV
He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;
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This verse in Job 33
Commentary
9 notes on this verseHe will look on men, and will say, I have sinned. He would not know himself to be a sinner, if he had not righteousness. For no one detects his own deformity, except when he has begun to be upright. For he who is altogether deformed, cannot perceive what he really is. But he who is conscious that he is a sinner, has begun in some measure to be righteous; and from being righteous, blames his conduct when yet unrighteous.
This site's exposition
his flesh is refreshed like a child’s
on Job 33:25-28
The restored man's confession, “I have sinned and perverted what was right”, gives the words Job has refused to speak of himself through the debate. Gill reads “He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit” as the rescue promised at verse 18 now delivered.
This site's exposition
Then he sings before men
Older versions read he looks upon men. Barnes cites Umbreit and Noyes for the reading the Berean follows, a man who sings before men with joy. His words confess that he sinned and perverted what was right, and did not get what he deserved.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
But this is not possible unless man humbly recognizes and confesses his sin, and so he says, "He will consider man," as if spontaneously offering himself for the confession of sin, and so he continues, "and he will say, 'I have sinned.'" So one does …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He looketh upon men,.... According to our version, and other interpreters, the sense is, God looks upon men as he does on all men in general, their ways and their works; and particularly he takes notice of men under affliction, and observes how they behave; if they are penitent and confess their sins, he restores them to health, and does them good both in body and soul.
As sick people, upon their submission, are restored, so all others that truly repent of their sins shall find mercy with God. What sin is, and what reason we have not to sin.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
He looketh upon men - Margin, “or, he shall look upon men, and say, I have sinned.” Umbreit renders this, Nun singt er jubelnd zu den Menschen - “now he sings joyfully among men.” So Noyes, “He shall sing among men, and say.” Prof. Lee “He shall fully consider or pronounce right to men, so that one shall say, I have sinned.” Coverdale, “Such a respect hath he unto men.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Ps 51:12) before men, and saith," &c. 116:14). perverted--made the straight crooked: as Job had misrepresented God's character. profited--literally, "was made even" to me; rather, "My punishment was not commensurate with my sin" (so Zophar, Job 11:6); the reverse of what Job heretofore said (Job 16:17;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He looketh upon men - אנשים anashim, wretched, fallen men. He shines into them, to convince them of sin; and if any, under this convincing light of God, say, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and perverted the right - abused the powers, faculties, mercies, and advantages, which thou didst give me, by seeking rest and happiness in the creature, and it profited me not - it was all vanity and vexation of spirit; ולא שוה לי velo shavah li, “and it was not equal to me,” did not come up to my expectation, nor supply my wants: -
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יָשֹׁ֤ר׀ | yashor | he watches | H7789 → | 15 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֲנָשִׁ֗ים | ʾanashim | people | H582 → | 566 times |
| וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| חָ֭טָאתִי | chatati | I have sinned | H2398 → | 238 times |
| וְיָשָׁ֥ר | veyashar | and upright[ness] | H3477 → | 119 times |
| הֶעֱוֵ֗יתִי | heeveiti | I have perverted | H5753 → | |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁ֥וָה | shavah | it was equal | H7737 → | |
| לִֽי׃ | li | to me |
יָשֹׁ֤ר׀he watches
yashorH7789 →15 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אֲנָשִׁ֗יםpeople
ʾanashimH582 →566 times
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
חָ֭טָאתִיI have sinned
chatatiH2398 →238 times
וְיָשָׁ֥רand upright[ness]
veyasharH3477 →119 times
הֶעֱוֵ֗יתִיI have perverted
heeveitiH5753 →
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
שָׁ֥וָהit was equal
shavahH7737 →
לִֽי׃to me
li
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 16:26What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
it leads to
- Mark 8:36–37
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
- Job 27:8
For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
- Luke 9:25
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self?
- Luke 12:20
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
- Psalms 49:7–8
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
- Mark 8:36–37
Through
Psalms 14:2The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
it leads to
- Romans 3:11
There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
- Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
- Romans 3:11
Through
2 Samuel 12:13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- Proverbs 28:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Job
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Job; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXIV; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.