Job 23:13 kjv
But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Job 23:13 nkjv
"But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
Job 23:13 niv
"But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases.
Job 23:13 esv
But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does.
Job 23:13 nlt
But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind?
Whatever he wants to do, he does.
Job 23 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 33:10-11 | The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing... The counsel of the Lord stands forever... | God's counsel endures, unlike human plans. |
| Ps 115:3 | Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. | God's absolute sovereignty and action. |
| Prov 19:21 | Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. | God's purpose overrides human intentions. |
| Isa 14:24 | The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass..." | God's determined plans are fulfilled. |
| Isa 43:13 | ...I work, and who can hinder it? | God's irresistible power. |
| Isa 46:10 | ...declaring the end from the beginning... My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure. | God's predetermined will. |
| Dan 4:35 | ...He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can restrain His hand... | God's unchallenged will in all creation. |
| Mal 3:6 | "For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." | God's immutability ensures His faithfulness. |
| Rom 9:19-20 | You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?" But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? | Acknowledges God's irresistible will. |
| Eph 1:11 | ...having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His will... | God's sovereign counsel works all things. |
| Heb 6:17-18 | ...God, desiring more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel... | God's unchangeable counsel. |
| Jas 1:17 | ...the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. | God's constant, unchanging nature. |
| Job 9:12 | If He snatches away, who can hinder Him? Who will say to Him, 'What are You doing?' | Job's prior acknowledgment of God's power. |
| Job 12:13 | With Him are wisdom and might; He has counsel and understanding. | Attributes God's counsel to His wisdom. |
| Ps 76:10 | Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; with the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself. | Even human resistance serves God's purposes. |
| Ps 103:19 | The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all. | God's universal sovereignty. |
| Eccl 3:14 | I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it... | God's works are eternally fixed. |
| Lam 3:37 | Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, when the Lord has not commanded it? | No one can command against God's will. |
| Acts 4:27-28 | For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus... both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. | Even evil acts fulfill God's prior purpose. |
| 1 Cor 1:25 | ...the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. | God's unassailable wisdom and strength. |
| Rev 4:11 | "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." | God's will is the basis of creation and existence. |
| Prov 21:30 | There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord. | Futility of opposing God's counsel. |
| Matt 10:29-30 | Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. | God's meticulous, all-encompassing will. |
Job 23 verses
Job 23 13 Meaning
Job 23:13 proclaims God's unchanging nature and unalterable purpose. It reveals that God's mind or counsel is fixed, not swayed by external factors or human will. His sovereign will, whatever His essence desires, is accomplished without fail. No one possesses the power or authority to deflect or reverse His determined plan.
Job 23 13 Context
Job 23:13 falls within Job's third response to his friends (chapters 23-24). Job, enduring inexplicable suffering, longs to present his case before God (vv. 3-7). However, he cannot find God (vv. 8-9). Despite this, Job affirms his commitment to God's ways (vv. 10-12). It is in this context of his personal anguish and God's perceived elusiveness that Job expresses a profound, if disquieting, truth about God's absolute sovereignty and immutability in verse 13. He recognizes that God acts according to His unchanging, irresistible will, which for Job means God's purpose for his suffering is fixed and unalterable by any human plea or intervention. This understanding brings him a sense of futility and dread, yet it also underscores the majesty and inscrutability of the Divine.
Job 23 13 Word analysis
- He is (וְהוּא - ve-hu): Refers directly to God, the singular, supreme being Job is addressing and struggling with. Implies God's singular existence and unshared authority.
- in one mind (בְּאֶחָ֗ד - bə’echāḏ): The Hebrew word
echad(אֶחָד) means "one" or "unique." Coupled with "mind" (from the root associated with counsel/determination), it emphasizes God's settled, unchanging purpose, His undivided thought, and consistency of character and will. It denotes a singularity of decision and intent, impervious to internal conflict or external influence. - and (וְ - ve): Connects the two aspects of God's being—His unchangeable nature and His irresistible action.
- who can turn Him (מִֽי־ יְשִׁבֶ֑נּוּ - mî yəšibennū):
mî(who),yashivennu(can turn/reverse Him). The verbshuv(שוב) implies causing someone or something to return, withdraw, or turn back. It poses a rhetorical question emphasizing that no being has the power to change God's course, to make Him reconsider, or to deter Him from His decided path. This highlights God's irresistible power. - What (וְנַפְשׁ֥וֹ - və-naphshō): Connected with "His soul."
Nephesh(נֶפֶשׁ) literally "soul" or "life breath," but often signifies the entire inner being, desires, will, or self. Here, it denotes God's innermost desire, His intrinsic inclination. - His soul (אִוְּתָ֥ה - ʾiwwəthâ): From
'awah(אוה), "to desire," "to long for." This indicates that God acts not out of coercion or external obligation, but according to His own innate desire and inherent will. - that He does (יַֽעֲשֶֽׂה׃ - ya‘aśêh):
ya'aseh(will do/make). This simple verb emphasizes the inevitable execution of God's will. His desire is His deed. There is no gap between His intent and His accomplishment.
Words-group analysis:
- "He is in one mind, and who can turn Him?": This phrase underscores God's singular and unwavering purpose. "One mind" signifies the unity and consistency of His divine counsel, rendering it immune to any external alteration. The rhetorical question "who can turn Him?" emphatically declares His absolute irresistibility and omnipotence; His decisions are final and beyond human or angelic modification.
- "What His soul desires, that He does.": This emphasizes the absolute sovereignty of God's will. His actions are not contingent upon human efforts or conditions but stem directly and purely from His own divine inclination (
nephesh). There is an intrinsic harmony and seamless transition between God's inner desire and His outward accomplishment, indicating His omnipotence and self-sufficiency in executing His purposes.
Job 23 13 Bonus section
The deep conviction in Job 23:13 highlights Job's sophisticated theological understanding even amidst his suffering. He attributes absolute immutability and irresistibility to God's will, which stands in stark contrast to his friends' limited, conditional view of divine justice. While Job acknowledges God's power, he does not yet fully grasp God's ultimate benevolent and wise intentions behind His unchanging will. This tension between God's unyielding sovereignty and Job's unceasing desire for understanding defines much of the book. The verse sets the stage for God's eventual appearance (Job 38), where His unchallengeable power and wisdom are fully displayed, not to provide answers to Job's questions but to establish His authority.
Job 23 13 Commentary
Job 23:13 articulates a fundamental theological truth about God's nature: His immutability and absolute sovereignty. In Job's personal struggle, this truth brings him great discomfort rather than solace. He perceives God as an unyielding force whose fixed will he cannot understand or alter, even through desperate pleas. God is not swayed by human suffering, protest, or righteousness; His plans are already set. This verse captures a moment where Job fully grasps the sheer, unapproachable nature of divine power and purpose. It reveals that God's decision is His decree, and His desire guarantees its execution, leaving no room for human intervention or reversal. This aspect of God’s nature can be a source of terror for those who oppose Him, comfort for those who trust Him, and, for Job in this context, an overwhelming, daunting reality.