Job 14:16

For then you would count my steps,

   But not keep track of my sin.

I finished chapter 36 this week and got one step closer to God talking. I know chapter 37 is long, but I am getting excited. I have also been posting a lot and not writing as quickly. I’m either going to get better at one or worse at the other. Time to figure out how to be a little more intentional either way.

‘For then’ was mainly different with an option of ‘But as it is’ thrown in. (As if that makes sense.) This would totally change the meaning from imagined and positive to present and narrative. ‘Count’ was also ‘number’ (again, a big change in meaning).

‘Track’ was also ‘keep watch over’ (again, a big change in meaning). Additionally, there was a couple options that varied from ‘See nothing but my sins.’ to ‘Don’t you watch over my behavior?’ (drastic changes in meaning).

One of the things I find entertaining is when my favorite source includes the Hebrew text and shows how subtle changes in pen marks can totally change the word being used or the tense or some other language-based variable that my engineering mind can appreciate, but not understand. It reminds me of the phrase Jesus spoke about His coming would not change one dot or a single cross in the law but would fulfill it. When I was little, I had my poodle Butch and my book on poodles that used the word bitch in its proper context. I was bewildered later when I found it was also a cuss word, especially with its similarity to my dog’s name.

When I put this verse together, I used the words from my eight sources, hints from the surrounding text, and relied on God to get me what He wanted down on paper for future me to study. As I review it, I am sure I have it right, but I see how easy it is for someone to miss the point. I am concerned when the highly regarded versions have things that I feel are just flat out wrong in them. But I know God is working through all of this and it is His ‘job’ to police these things and mine to simply follow.

I do like this picture of a leader watching over a charge and focusing on the good and not the bad. Our Bible study this morning touched on criticizing vs building up and I remember all the times I told my kids ‘good try’ or ‘keep trying’ as opposed to ‘You are terrible’ and ‘give it up’. I know that my efforts to glorify God will bring crowns to present to Him at judgement, and I know that He will see not my sin, but the righteousness of Jesus on that side of judgement. Above this verse I put ‘God is awesome.’, and beside it I put ‘YEAH’. Kind of sums up how I want to feel.

Written 9/20/24, Posted 11/16/24, Job 333