Job 25 5

Job 25:5 kjv

Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.

Job 25:5 nkjv

If even the moon does not shine, And the stars are not pure in His sight,

Job 25:5 niv

If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his eyes,

Job 25:5 esv

Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes;

Job 25:5 nlt

God is more glorious than the moon;
he shines brighter than the stars.

Job 25 verses

Job 25 5 Meaning

Job 25:5 proclaims the transcendent purity and majesty of God by asserting that even the most brilliant and seemingly perfect celestial bodies – the moon and stars – lack true, inherent purity or blamelessness in His sight. It serves as a stark reminder of God's incomparable holiness and the absolute distinction between the Creator and creation, no matter how glorious the latter appears to be. Bildad's statement intends to humble Job further, emphasizing the infinite chasm between the divine and the finite.

Job 25 5 Context

Job 25:5 is part of Bildad the Shuhite's third and final speech to Job. This chapter is the shortest of the three friends' addresses, indicative of their dwindling arguments and Job's continued insistence on his blamelessness regarding his suffering. Bildad's entire speech (Job 25:1-6) serves to emphasize the immeasurable power, majesty, and holiness of God, using it as a stark contrast to human frailty and sinfulness. His core argument is that if God is so great and pure, how much less could a mere mortal like Job be righteous in His sight? The historical/cultural context involves ancient Near Eastern beliefs where celestial bodies like the moon and stars were often venerated, sometimes seen as divine or highly pure. Bildad's statement, by declaring these magnificent bodies as 'not pure' or 'not bright' in God's eyes, serves as a direct polemic against any such belief that attributes ultimate purity or deity to creation, redirecting all glory and absolute purity solely to the Creator.

Job 25 5 Word analysis

• הֵן (hēn): "Behold," "Indeed," "If only." This is an emphatic interjection, calling for strong attention to the profound truth about to be stated. It often introduces a significant pronouncement or observation, emphasizing the weight and certainty of the following assertion. In this context, it underscores the staggering reality that even the magnificent celestial bodies fall short of divine perfection.
• עַד ('ad): "even," "unto," "as far as." Used here adverbially to emphasize an extreme point. It intensifies the comparison, suggesting that the purity spoken of does not extend even to the moon. This conveys the limitless nature of God's purity beyond any created standard.
• יָרֵחַ (yārēaḥ): "moon." In many ancient cultures, the moon was seen as a powerful deity or at least a highly significant celestial body, guiding seasons and holding mysterious sway. Here, it is explicitly put into perspective, losing any inherent absolute purity when measured against God. Its light is merely reflected; its perfection is relative.
• וְלֹא יַאֲהִיל (vəlō' ya'ăhîl): "and it does not shine/brighten/pure." The verb ya'ăhîl comes from the root אהל (āhal), which can relate to "tent" or "to shine/be clear/pure." While "shine" fits the moon, given the parallel "not pure" for stars, and the overarching theme of God's holiness, "pure" or "blameless" in the sense of moral or intrinsic purity before God is strongly implied by scholarly consensus. It means the moon lacks an inherent, absolute radiance or moral purity that God possesses. It highlights that the moon, for all its visible glory, is not absolutely "pure" or "blameless" in the sight of God's unblemished holiness.
• וְכֹוכָבִים (vəkōkābîm): "and stars." These celestial bodies are countless, appear constant, and are seen as points of light and often mystery. Like the moon, they were sometimes deified or viewed as signs from the gods in pagan cultures. Bildad groups them with the moon to reinforce the breadth of his claim: all of creation, even its most majestic and seemingly perfect parts, is inferior to God.
• לֹא זַכּוּ (lō' zakkū): "are not pure," "are not clean." The verb זָכַךְ (zākaḵ) unequivocally means "to be pure," "to be clean," "to be bright" or "to be innocent/clear." This phrase parallels "lō' ya'ăhîl" concerning the moon, solidifying the interpretation that the verse speaks of intrinsic purity, often with moral or ceremonial overtones, not merely physical brightness. The stars, by this statement, fall short of God's absolute and perfect purity. They are not intrinsically spotless in His presence.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Behold, even the moon": This phrase powerfully begins the statement by drawing immediate attention to an undeniable heavenly body that universally symbolizes purity, calmness, and often worshipped or reverenced in ancient cultures. By pointing to it, Bildad immediately sets up a grand contrast for God's incomparably higher nature.
• "it does not shine/is not pure": This is the key comparative phrase. For all the moon's light and beauty, its illumination or intrinsic nature is deemed insufficient in God's eyes. It underscores that God's standard of purity and glory far exceeds any earthly or celestial brilliance.
• "and the stars are not pure/clean": This reinforces and broadens the declaration to include all major celestial lights visible to humanity, demonstrating that the vastness of the heavens and all their shimmering points of light, too, fall short of God's ultimate cleanliness and moral flawlessness. It negates any thought of them possessing divine-level perfection.

Job 25 5 Bonus section

This verse reflects a common ancient Near Eastern literary device of ascending argument, often called a fortiori reasoning (how much more), prevalent in wisdom literature. If even the vast, bright celestial bodies like the moon and stars are not "pure" or "blameless" in God's eyes (as Job 25:5 states), then "how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!" (Job 25:6). This rhetorical strategy effectively diminishes human standing to emphasize God's overwhelming grandeur. The use of astronomical elements was particularly effective given their cultural significance and the general human awe of the heavens, making God's superior holiness even more striking. The phrase also implicitly challenges any pagan deification of heavenly bodies, asserting their created and therefore subordinate nature.

Job 25 5 Commentary

Job 25:5 is a concise yet profound declaration of God's absolute, incomparable purity and transcendence. It serves as Bildad's final, desperate attempt to re-establish the traditional theological framework, asserting God's perfect righteousness against which all creation, especially man, pales in comparison. By juxtaposing the radiant moon and countless stars – symbols of majesty and beauty – against the backdrop of God's inherent being, Bildad highlights that even these most glorious creations possess no intrinsic purity or brilliance when viewed through the lens of God's unblemished holiness. Their "light" or "purity" is contingent, finite, and fundamentally flawed in contrast to the Creator's self-existent, infinite glory and moral perfection. The verse subtly counters any anthropocentric or naturalistic view that might elevate created things, directing all worship and acknowledgment of ultimate purity solely to God.