A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Skin of one's teeth

Usage

A very narrow escape.

Definition

Job probably means that his disease is so bad his teeth have fallen out. He now has only his gums.

Bible References

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Then Job answered and said: ²How long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words? ³These ten times you have cast reproach upon me; are you not ashamed to wrong me? ⁴And even if it be true that I have erred, my error remains with myself. ⁵If indeed you magnify yourselves against me and make my disgrace an argument against me, ⁶know then that God has put me in the wrong and closed his net about me. ⁷Behold, I cry out, Violence! but I am not answered; I call for help, but there is no justice. ⁸He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths. ⁹He has stripped from me my glory and taken the crown from my head. ¹⁰He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone, and my hope has he pulled up like a tree. ¹¹He has kindled his wrath against me and counts me as his adversary. ¹²His troops come on together; they have cast up their siege ramp against me and encamp around my tent. ¹³He has put my brothers far from me, and those who knew me are wholly estranged from me. ¹⁴My relatives have failed me, my close friends have forgotten me. ¹⁵The guests in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger; I have become a foreigner in their eyes. ¹⁶I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy. ¹⁷My breath is strange to my wife, and I am a stench to the children of my own mother. ¹⁸Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me. ¹⁹All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me. ²⁰My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. ²¹Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me! ²²Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh? ²³Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! ²⁴Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! ²⁵For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. ²⁶And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, ²⁷whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! ²⁸If you say, How we will pursue him! and, The root of the matter is found in him, ²⁹be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.

¹Then Job answered and said, ²How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? ³These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. ⁴And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself. ⁵If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach: ⁶Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net. ⁷Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment. ⁸He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. ⁹He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. ¹⁰He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree. ¹¹He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies. ¹²His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle. ¹³He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. ¹⁴My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. ¹⁵They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. ¹⁶I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. ¹⁷My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body. ¹⁸Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. ¹⁹All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me. ²⁰My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. ²¹Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. ²²Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh? ²³Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! ²⁴That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! ²⁵For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: ²⁶And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: ²⁷Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. ²⁸But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? ²⁹Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

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