The Meaning of Job 23:12 Explained

Job 23:12

KJV: Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

YLT: The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

Darby: Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have laid up the words of his mouth more than the purpose of my own heart.

ASV: I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Neither have I gone back  from the commandment  of his lips;  I have esteemed  the words  of his mouth  more than my necessary  [food]. 

What does Job 23:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 23:1-17 - "he Knoweth The Way That I Take"
This chapter is threaded by a sublime faith. Job admitted that his complaint seemed rebellious, but God's hand had been heavy on him. From the misunderstandings of his friends, he longs for the calm, holy presence of God Himself.
It seemed as if nothing would content the sufferer but a personal audience with the Almighty. He felt that he could plead his cause there without fear. He was sure that his Almighty Judge would not contend against him with His great power, but would listen to him. Yet it seemed impossible to find Him. Job did not realize that he was already in God's audience-room. We are made nigh through Jesus Christ. God hides Himself, because mortal eyes could not bear the burning glory of His presence. But though we fail to see Him, we are never for a moment out of His view. He knows the way that we take. Speak to Him, weary, suffering soul; the Lord is at hand!
It was not a mere self-righteous boast that the sufferer made in Job 23:7; Job 23:11-12. David also used similar words of himself, Psalms 18:20-23. We are always sinners, needing the precious blood; but we may be very thankful if we have been kept from "the great transgression." Yet the perfect man is still troubled in the divine presence, and his heart becomes faint, Job 23:15-16, unless he can claim something more than creature or natural goodness. "On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand." [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 23

1  Job longs to appear before God
6  in confidence of his mercy
8  God, who is invisible, observes our ways
11  Job's innocence
13  God's decree is immutable

What do the individual words in Job 23:12 mean?

From the commandment of His lips and not I have departed More than my necessary [food] I have treasured the words of His mouth
מִצְוַ֣ת שְׂ֭פָתָיו וְלֹ֣א אָמִ֑ישׁ מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י צָפַ֥נְתִּי אִמְרֵי־ פִֽיו

מִצְוַ֣ת  From  the  commandment 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
שְׂ֭פָתָיו  of  His  lips 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָמִ֑ישׁ  I  have  departed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: מוּשׁ  
Sense: to depart, remove.
מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י  More  than  my  necessary  [food] 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.
צָפַ֥נְתִּי  I  have  treasured 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: צָפַן 
Sense: to hide, treasure, treasure or store up.
אִמְרֵי־  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֵמֶר 
Sense: utterance, speech, word, saying, promise, command.
פִֽיו  of  His  mouth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.