The Meaning of Job 14:3 Explained

Job 14:3

KJV: And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

YLT: Also -- on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.

Darby: Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

ASV: And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with thee?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And dost thou open  thine eyes  upon such an one,  and bringest  me into judgment  with thee? 

What does Job 14:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 14:1-22 - Shall Man Live Again?
Continuing his appeal, Job looks from his own case to the condition of mankind generally, Job 14:1-6. All men are frail and full of trouble, Job 14:12; why should God bring a creature so weak into judgment with Him? Job 14:3. The sinfulness of man is universal-not one can be proved clean before God, Job 14:4. Since man is so frail Job pleads that he may not have such unwonted affliction, but may get some pleasure, Job 14:6, r.v., out of his brief day.
The anticipation of death as total extinction strengthens Job's appeal, Job 14:7-12. Of a tree there is hope that, if cut down, it will sprout again, Job 14:7-9. But at present Job sees no such hope for man. He dies, and is done with, as waters "fail from the sea," Job 14:10-12. This is a gloomy, despairing thought, and one against which the mind rebels as soon as uttered. Against the belief that death is the end of all things every man's better nature revolts. Hence the picture of another life beyond the present immediately rises to Job, Job 14:13-15. It may be only a yearning desire, for Job still asks the question, Job 14:14. Yet this desire, as that for a Daysman, Job 9:32-34, both suggested by the heart's despair, is equally answered by the gospel.
The hope for a future life is made stronger by the apparent injustices that exist now, Job 14:16-22. God's treatment of Job appears to be so severe that Job must perish under His hand, Job 14:18-22. A future life is surely necessary to remedy the inequalities of the present. Evidently this is not the place and time of judgment. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 14

1  Job entreats God for favor, by the shortness of life, and certainty of death
7  He waits for his change
16  By sin the creature is subject to corruption

What do the individual words in Job 14:3 mean?

And on this [one] and do You open Your eyes and me bring into judgment with Yourself
אַף־ עַל־ זֶ֭ה פָּקַ֣חְתָּ עֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאֹ֘תִ֤י תָבִ֖יא בְמִשְׁפָּ֣ט עִמָּֽךְ

זֶ֭ה  this  [one] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
פָּקַ֣חְתָּ  and  do  You  open 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַח  
Sense: to open (the eyes).
עֵינֶ֑ךָ  Your  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וְאֹ֘תִ֤י  and  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תָבִ֖יא  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְמִשְׁפָּ֣ט  into  judgment 
Parse: Preposition, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
עִמָּֽךְ  with  Yourself 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.