Job 13 2

Job 13:2 kjv

What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

Job 13:2 nkjv

What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

Job 13:2 niv

What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

Job 13:2 esv

What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

Job 13:2 nlt

I know as much as you do.
You are no better than I am.

Job 13 verses

Job 13 2 Meaning

Job 13:2 asserts Job's equal standing in understanding and conventional wisdom with his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. He claims to possess the same foundational knowledge as them, rejecting any perceived intellectual or spiritual superiority on their part, thereby implying that their arguments against him stem not from a lack of his own understanding but from their misapplication of shared truths or their flawed interpretation of God's ways concerning his suffering. He refuses to be treated as less informed or discerning.

Job 13 2 Context

Job 13:2 appears as Job continues his impassioned and often indignant response to his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Having heard their cycles of arguments, which invariably link his immense suffering to hidden sin, Job dismisses their attempts to offer comfort and understanding. In the preceding verse (Job 13:1), Job states that he has "seen, heard, and understood" their points. Therefore, Job 13:2 acts as a direct assertion of his intellectual parity, forming a transition where Job, instead of merely rebutting, begins to challenge their authority and perspective entirely. He views their conventional, legalistic theology as not only inadequate but also fundamentally misrepresenting God and their relationship with him. Job seeks to present his case directly to God (Job 13:3), considering his friends' contributions to be unhelpful "physicians of no value" (Job 13:4) whose "proverbs are like ashes" (Job 13:12). Historically, the scene is set in an unspecified pre-Israelite era, likely during the patriarchal period, where wisdom traditions and the retribution principle (that righteousness brings prosperity, wickedness brings suffering) were prominent. Job challenges the rigid application of this principle.

Job 13 2 Word analysis

• What you know: The Hebrew is Gam ani eda kemokhem (גַּם אֲנִי אֵדַע כְּמוֹכֶם).

  • גַּם (Gam): "Also, moreover, indeed." This initial word emphasizes the point, strongly affirming a shared understanding.
  • אֲנִי (ani): "I." Simple first-person pronoun, central to Job's self-assertion.
  • אֵדַע (eda): "I know, I perceive, I understand." This is from the verb יָדַע (yada'), which encompasses intellectual apprehension, experiential knowledge, and practical skill. Job implies a comprehensive knowledge equivalent to theirs, covering not just facts but also understanding.
  • כְּמוֹכֶם (kemokhem): "Like you, as you." The prefix כְּ (ke) means "as" or "like." This clearly establishes the claim of equality. Job is not saying he knows more, but that he knows no less. He knows the same traditional wisdom, the same theological frameworks.

• I also know: This is a restatement or reinforcement of the first part of the verse, underscoring Job's claim of parity in wisdom and insight. It highlights his perception that he does not lack any fundamental information or understanding that they possess.

• I am not inferior to you: The Hebrew is Lo nafaltī mikem (לֹא נָפַלְתִּי מִכֶּם).

  • לֹא (Lo): "Not." A clear and absolute negation.
  • נָפַלְתִּי (nafaltī): "I have fallen, I am fallen short, I am inferior." This is from the verb נָפַל (naphal), meaning "to fall, fall down, lie, be cast down." In this context, it takes on the idiomatic meaning of being less, declining, or being inferior in rank, stature, or intellectual capacity. Job emphatically states that his suffering has not diminished his understanding or rendered him less capable of comprehending truth.
  • מִכֶּם (mikem): "From you." The preposition מִן (min) means "from" or "out of." This emphasizes his non-inferiority in relation to them, directly addressing their condescending attitude.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "What you know, I also know": This phrase sets the baseline for the argument. Job acknowledges a shared repository of wisdom and traditional teachings. He concedes that his friends are indeed speaking from a common understanding, but implicitly challenges their application of that understanding to his unique situation. This establishes common ground before diverging sharply.
  • "I am not inferior to you": This second clause moves from shared knowledge to Job's self-perception of intellectual and spiritual status. It's a declaration of personal integrity and a refusal to accept their implicit judgment that he is spiritually, morally, or intellectually lesser because of his suffering. This powerfully undermines their assumed authority to instruct or condemn him. It suggests he does not need their lectures, as he stands on equal footing in general comprehension.

Job 13 2 Bonus section

The assertion "I am not inferior to you" highlights a significant spiritual danger: relying on human authority and interpretation over a personal, lived understanding of faith, especially during trials. Job recognizes his friends' wisdom as "traditional," but lacking in discernment or compassionate application for his specific case. This verse also implicitly critiques the limitations of purely intellectual or creedal knowledge without the deeper understanding that comes from genuine encounter with suffering and God's sovereign will, as Job is experiencing. It prefigures God's ultimate vindication of Job and His rebuke of the friends (Job 42:7), confirming that Job's direct, though painful, interaction with God yielded a truer understanding than his friends' conventional wisdom.

Job 13 2 Commentary

Job 13:2 is a profound expression of Job's exasperation and defiant self-assessment against the conventional, yet rigid, wisdom offered by his friends. He is not claiming unique revelation or superior intellectual prowess but parity. His friends approach him from a position of supposed intellectual and theological superiority, assuming their standard dogmas adequately explain his inexplicable suffering. By declaring, "What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you," Job directly challenges their authority to instruct him and their patronizing tone. He means, "I know the same truths about God, the world, and morality as you do; my understanding of these things is no less developed than yours, nor has it been diminished by my trials." This verse is crucial as it reveals Job's steadfast conviction in his own righteousness and wisdom despite his tragic circumstances, laying the groundwork for his direct appeal to God. It highlights the tension between conventional wisdom that often misrepresents God's ways and a deep, experienced faith that grapples with divine mystery beyond human-made categories. For believers today, it serves as a caution against rigid application of theological principles without empathy and nuanced understanding, especially when facing complex suffering.