Job 11 7

Job 11:7 kjv

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

Job 11:7 nkjv

"Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?

Job 11:7 niv

"Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

Job 11:7 esv

"Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?

Job 11:7 nlt

"Can you solve the mysteries of God?
Can you discover everything about the Almighty?

Job 11 verses

Job 11 7 Meaning

Job 11:7 poses two rhetorical questions by Zophar, challenging humanity's ability to fully comprehend the infinite nature and attributes of God. The verse asserts that God, specifically identified as both "God" (Eloah) and "the Almighty" (Shaddai), is ultimately unsearchable and unknowable in His entirety or to absolute perfection by human inquiry, understanding, or investigative effort. It highlights the vast chasm between finite human intellect and the infinite divine being, emphasizing God's transcendence and His wisdom being beyond human capacity to fathom fully.

Job 11 7 Context

Job 11:7 is part of Zophar the Naamathite's first discourse to Job. Having listened to Job's laments and protests of innocence, Zophar harshly accuses Job of blasphemy and insolence (Job 11:2-3). He represents a rigid retributive theology, believing that God always punishes sin directly and proportionately, thus implying Job must be guilty of some hidden iniquity that warrants his immense suffering. Zophar suggests that if Job genuinely sought God, he would find God's mercy. This specific verse, while stating a profound theological truth about God's unsearchable nature, serves as Zophar's rhetorical hammer to silence Job, contending that Job's pain must stem from some unknowable, deserved punishment, because God's perfect justice is beyond human questioning or comprehension. Historically, ancient Near Eastern polytheistic cultures often conceived of their deities as more predictable and manipulable; this statement, even from Zophar, asserts the radically transcendent and ultimately mysterious nature of the true God, Eloah, who is beyond human categorization or full grasp.

Job 11 7 Word analysis

• Canst thou: This phrase introduces a rhetorical question in Hebrew (הֲתֵכֶן, hă-ṯe-ḵen). It comes from the root תכן (tāḵan), meaning "to measure," "to weigh," or "to determine the capacity of." Here, it powerfully conveys the inability of humanity to fully measure or quantify the divine essence. It implies human intellectual limits in comprehending God.
• by searching: The Hebrew word is לַחֲקֹר (la-ḥă-qōr), derived from חָקַר (ḥāqar), which means "to search out," "to examine," "to investigate thoroughly," or "to explore deeply." It refers to an active, inquisitive effort of human reason or intellect.
• find out God: The term "God" here is אֱלוֹהַּ (ʾĔlōah), a singular form often used in poetic and older biblical texts, particularly in Job. It emphasizes God's uniqueness and supreme transcendence, suggesting His nature is singular and utterly distinct from human or created beings, thus making Him intrinsically beyond full human grasp.
• canst thou find out: This repetition reinforces the rhetorical question and intensifies the emphasis on human incapability. The recurrence underscores the impossibility of the task being suggested.
• the Almighty: In Hebrew, this is שַׁדַּי (Shadday), often transliterated as El Shaddai. This name, frequently appearing in the book of Job, stresses God's absolute power, omnipotence, self-sufficiency, and sovereign authority. The very name evokes a sense of might and overwhelming presence that is naturally beyond full human comprehension.
• unto perfection: The Hebrew phrase is עַד תַּכְלִית (ʿad taḵ-lîṯ). Taḵlîṯ means "an end," "completion," "ultimate limit," or "perfection." When used with ʿad ("until," "to"), it means "to the ultimate extent," "to completeness," or "to absolute comprehension." The phrase implies knowing God exhaustively, missing no aspect, and reaching a total, finished understanding of His being, His plans, and His ways. This is the very thing human beings are declared incapable of doing.

Words-group analysis

• "Canst thou by searching find out God?": This initial part directly questions humanity's fundamental capacity. It asserts the futility of relying solely on intellectual investigation and human rational faculties to grasp the entirety of the divine nature. The profound gap between the finite, searching mind and the infinite, transcendent God is highlighted.
• "canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?": This second, parallel rhetorical question reinforces and amplifies the first. By invoking "the Almighty" (Shaddai), the question emphasizes God's supreme power and incomprehensible might. Adding "unto perfection" makes the challenge even more absolute, suggesting that any human attempt to fully, completely, and exhaustively understand God's essence, attributes, or purposes is bound to fail because of God's limitless nature.

Job 11 7 Bonus section

The concept expressed in Job 11:7 resonates deeply with a theological stance often termed apophatic theology, which attempts to describe God not by what He is, but by what He is not. By declaring that God cannot be fully found out or comprehended "unto perfection," the verse points to God's utter transcendence, asserting His nature as fundamentally 'other' and boundless compared to human categories of understanding. This creates a foundation for reverence and awe, reminding humanity that while God has chosen to reveal Himself, much about Him remains shrouded in His divine counsel. The irony in Zophar's speech is that he uses this truth about God's mysterious nature to deliver what he perceives as certain and exhaustive conclusions about Job's specific situation, thereby contradictorily claiming a kind of perfect understanding of how God must act. Ultimately, Job himself, though unable to "find out God unto perfection," later experiences a direct encounter with God that brings him greater understanding and repentance than Zophar's abstract theology (Job 42:5-6).

Job 11 7 Commentary

Job 11:7 articulates a profound theological truth about the unsearchable nature of God. Zophar correctly posits that God's being, wisdom, and ways are fundamentally infinite and beyond the exhaustive comprehension of finite humanity. No amount of human inquiry, rational thought, or profound spiritual searching can yield a total or "perfect" understanding of the Divine essence, the depths of His wisdom, or the totality of His decrees. This concept counters human pride and affirms divine transcendence. However, while Zophar speaks truth, he misapplies it to silence Job, using God's incomprehensibility to justify a simplistic view of suffering and divine judgment. He fails to acknowledge that while God's totality is beyond grasp, God does reveal Himself, and His ways, while higher than ours, are not always arbitrary or hidden. The verse serves as a crucial reminder of the need for humility in our understanding of God, acknowledging that we can know of Him, and even experience Him through revelation, but never know Him entirely or without mystery.