Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, September 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible

Hebrew Names Version

Job 20:13

Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Hypocrisy;   Pleasure;   Sin;   Wicked (People);   Worldliness;   The Topic Concordance - Oppression;   Wickedness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Afflictions of the Wicked, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
though he cherishes it and will not let it gobut keeps it in his mouth,
King James Version
Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
English Standard Version
though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth,
New Century Version
They cannot stand to let go of it; they keep it in their mouths.
New English Translation
if he retains it for himself and does not let it go, and holds it fast in his mouth,
Amplified Bible
Though he desires it and will not let it go But holds it in his mouth,
New American Standard Bible
Though he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth,
World English Bible
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;
Geneva Bible (1587)
And fauoured it, and would not forsake it, but kept it close in his mouth,
Legacy Standard Bible
Though he desires it and will not forsake it,And holds it to his palate,
Berean Standard Bible
though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,
Contemporary English Version
and swallow it slowly.
Complete Jewish Bible
he may linger over it and not let it go but keep it there in his mouth —
Darby Translation
[Though] he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,
Easy-to-Read Version
He hates to let it go and holds it in his mouth.
George Lamsa Translation
Though he spare it and forsake it not, but keep it still in his mouth;
Lexham English Bible
though he spares it and does not let it go and holds it back in the midst of his palate,
Literal Translation
he spares it, and he will not leave it; yea, he keeps holding it in his mouth);
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
That he fauoureth, that wyll he not forsake, but kepeth it close in his throte.
American Standard Version
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;
Bible in Basic English
Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;
King James Version (1611)
Though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keepe it stil within his mouth:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
That he fauoured, that would he not forsake, but kept it close in his throte.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:
English Revised Version
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He schal spare it, and schal not forsake it; and schal hide in his throte.
Update Bible Version
Though he spares it, and will not let it go, But keeps it still inside his mouth;
Webster's Bible Translation
[Though] he may spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
New King James Version
Though he spares it and does not forsake it, But still keeps it in his mouth,
New Living Translation
They savored it, holding it long in their mouths.
New Life Bible
He hates to let it go, and holds it in his mouth.
New Revised Standard
though they are loath to let it go, and hold it in their mouths,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,
Douay-Rheims Bible
He will spare it, and not leave it, and will hide it in his throat.
Revised Standard Version
though he is loath to let it go, and holds it in his mouth,
Young's Literal Translation
Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Though he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth,

Contextual Overview

10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth. 11 His bones are full of his youth, But youth shall lie down with him in the dust. 12 "Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue, 13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth; 14 Yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him. 15 He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly. 16 He shall suck cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him. 17 He shall not look at the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter. 18 That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice. 19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

spare it: Matthew 5:29, Matthew 5:30, Mark 9:43-49, Romans 8:13

within his mouth: Heb. in the midst of his palate

Reciprocal: Proverbs 19:28 - the

Cross-References

Genesis 12:1
Now the LORD said to Avram, "Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.
Genesis 12:9
Avram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
Genesis 20:3
But God came to Avimelekh in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."
Genesis 20:5
Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister?' She, even she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this."
Genesis 20:11
Avraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'
1 Samuel 23:21
Sha'ul said, Blessed be you of the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.
Psalms 64:5
They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, "Who will see them?"
Acts 5:9
But Kefa asked her, "How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
Hebrews 11:8
By faith, Avraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[Though] he spare it,.... Not that he feeds sparingly on it, for he eats of it freely and plentifully, with great eagerness and greediness; it designs the gratefulness of it to him; he does not spit it out as loathsome, having tasted of it, but retains it as sweet and pleasant; he spares it as Saul did Agag, and as a man spares his only son; sin being a child, a brat of a wicked man, and therefore it is dear unto him:

and forsake it not: as he never will, until he is fully convinced of the evil of it, and it becomes exceeding sinful to him, and so loathsome and disagreeable; and he is restrained from it by the grace of God, and enabled by it to desert it, for such an one only finds mercy, Proverbs 28:13;

but keep it still within his mouth; like an epicure, that will not suffer his food quickly to go down his throat into his stomach, that he may have the greater pleasure in tasting, palating, and relishing it; as Philoxenus, who wished his throat as long as a crane's, that he might be the longer in tasting the sweetness of what he ate and drank; so the wicked man keeps sin within his mouth, not by restraining his mouth from speaking evil, rather by a non-confession of it, but chiefly by continuing and persisting in it, that he might have all the pleasure and satisfaction he has promised himself in it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Though he spare it - That is, though he retains it long in his mouth, that he may enjoy it the more.

And forsake it not - Retains it as long as he can.

But keep it still within his mouth - Margin, as in Hebrew “in the midst of his palate.” He seeks to enjoy it as long as possible.


 
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