Job 34:17 kjv
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
Job 34:17 nkjv
Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just?
Job 34:17 niv
Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One?
Job 34:17 esv
Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
Job 34:17 nlt
Could God govern if he hated justice?
Are you going to condemn the almighty judge?
Job 34 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 18:25 | “Far be it from You... Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” | God's intrinsic justice in judgment. |
| Deut 32:4 | “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” | Affirmation of God's perfect justice. |
| 1 Sam 2:3 | “for the LORD is a God of knowledge, And by Him actions are weighed.” | God's omniscient and just evaluation of deeds. |
| Ps 7:11 | “God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.” | God's character as a righteous arbiter. |
| Ps 9:8 | “He will judge the world in righteousness; He will govern the peoples with equity.” | God's righteous rule over all creation. |
| Ps 11:5 | “The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” | God's hatred for evil contrasts with His justice. |
| Ps 33:5 | “He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.” | God's fundamental love for what is right. |
| Ps 45:7 | “You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You...” | God's opposition to sin and love for justice. |
| Ps 50:6 | “And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge.” | Heavenly testimony to God's righteousness as Judge. |
| Ps 96:13 | “For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.” | Prophecy of God's coming, just judgment. |
| Ps 115:3 | “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” | God's supreme sovereignty and unchallengeable will. |
| Ps 145:17 | “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works.” | A broad affirmation of God's universal righteousness. |
| Isa 5:16 | “But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, And God who is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.” | God's glory manifest through His righteous judgment. |
| Isa 40:13-14 | “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him?... With whom did He take counsel... and taught Him the path of justice...?” | God's ultimate wisdom and independence from human counsel. |
| Isa 45:9 | “Woe to him who strives with his Maker!...” | Folly of disputing with God. |
| Isa 61:8 | “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering;...” | Direct statement of God's love for justice and hatred of injustice. |
| Jer 11:20 | “But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, Testing the mind and the heart...” | God as a righteous and discerning judge. |
| Rom 3:5-6 | “But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how would God judge the world?” | Paul's rhetorical defense of God's justice in light of human sin. |
| Rom 9:20 | “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, 'Why have you made me thus?'” | Questioning God's authority or judgment is inappropriate for creation. |
| Rev 15:3-4 | “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy.” | Worship acknowledging God's just and true nature as ruler. |
| Rev 16:5 | “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things.” | Declaration of God's righteousness evident in His judgments. |
| 1 John 1:5 | “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” | God's essential moral purity, without any imperfection or injustice. |
| Jas 1:13 | “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” | God's absolute separation from evil and injustice. |
| Heb 1:9 | “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” | Affirms love of righteousness and hatred of lawlessness as a divine trait. |
Job 34 verses
Job 34 17 Meaning
Job 34:17 poses two rhetorical questions from Elihu, emphatically asserting God's unquestionable justice and inherent righteousness in His governance of the world. The first question challenges the very idea that a being who dislikes what is just could possibly rule. The implied answer is a resounding 'no,' underscoring that for true governance to exist, the ruler must embody and uphold justice. The second question similarly asks if Job, or anyone, can truly declare guilty or find fault with God, who is described as supremely righteous and mighty. This implies the absolute impossibility of humanly condemning God, reinforcing His impeccable moral character and authority as the ultimate Judge.
Job 34 17 Context
Job 34:17 is part of Elihu’s discourse to Job and his three friends (Job 32-37). Elihu emerges after the traditional arguments of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar have failed to satisfy Job or answer his theological queries regarding his suffering. Elihu asserts his authority to speak by virtue of his youth and the inspiration of the Spirit of God. His purpose is to justify God’s ways to Job and to correct Job's presumption that God might be unjust or arbitrary. He criticizes Job for suggesting that God has deprived him of justice and is acting like an enemy. Job 34, specifically, is a robust defense of God’s omnipotent righteousness and sovereignty. Elihu argues that God's power is inseparable from His perfect justice. He posits that for God to be the absolute Ruler of the cosmos, He must be supremely just. The verse thus serves as a powerful rhetorical question aimed at undermining Job's accusations and affirming God's immutable character against human critique. This dialogue unfolds in an ancient Near Eastern cultural setting where discussions about divine justice, human suffering, and the nature of the gods were common, with many polytheistic societies believing their gods could be capricious. Elihu's polemic reinforces the singular, perfectly righteous character of the God of Israel.
Job 34 17 Word analysis
- Shall: This interrogative word introduces a rhetorical question, demanding a self-evident "No" as the answer, strengthening Elihu's assertion. It carries a forceful challenge to Job's implicit questioning of God.
- even one who hates: The Hebrew term for "hates" is sane (שָׂנֵא), implying strong aversion, opposition, or hostility. This is directly contrary to the character of a just ruler.
- justice: The Hebrew word is mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט), meaning justice, judgment, ordinance, or what is right. It refers to a consistent application of divine and moral law, ensuring equity and righteousness in decisions and governance. It is a cornerstone of God's character and rule in the Old Testament.
- govern?: The Hebrew verb is yaḥăḇošt (יַחֲבוֹשׁ), from the root ḥābaš, meaning to bind, to saddle, to control, or to rule. It signifies active administration, holding sway, or imposing order. The rhetorical question here highlights the absurdity of one who opposes justice attempting to effectively rule.
- And will you condemn: The Hebrew term for "condemn" is taršīaʿ (תַרְשִׁיעַ), meaning to declare guilty, to treat as wicked, or to prove wrong. It is the opposite of vindication or justification. The question implies an utterly preposterous and futile act for a human to accuse God.
- Him who is: The pronoun hu (הוּא) emphasizes "He," referring explicitly to God, asserting His unique and ultimate identity.
- preeminently righteous?: The Hebrew phrase is kabbīr ṣaddiq (כַּבִּיר צַדִּיק), meaning "Mighty Righteous" or "Powerful Just One."
- kabbīr (כַּבִּיר) means great, mighty, powerful. It stresses God's immense strength and sovereign authority.
- ṣaddiq (צַדִּיק) means righteous, just, vindicated. It signifies God's absolute moral perfection, integrity, and adherence to His own divine standards.The combination kabbīr ṣaddiq uniquely emphasizes God's omnipotence alongside His perfect moral rectitude, arguing that His might ensures His justice is unfailing, and His justice ensures His might is always rightly applied.
- words-group: "Shall even one who hates justice govern?": This first rhetorical question challenges Job’s foundational premise. Job has felt that God's actions toward him are unjust, thus implicitly suggesting that God does not administer mishpat. Elihu flips this, asserting that if God hates mishpat, He would be unfit to rule at all. Since He does rule, perfectly, He must embody justice.
- words-group: "And will you condemn Him who is preeminently righteous?": This second question directly confronts Job's complaints. By suffering, Job feels as though God has unjustly accused or punished him. Elihu insists that a human, especially one created by God, cannot legitimately find fault with or declare guilty the Creator who is Himself the epitome of all righteousness and power. This highlights the inherent human inability and impropriety of passing judgment on the divine.
Job 34 17 Bonus section
- Theological Implication: This verse is foundational for understanding the concept of divine impassibility and immutability concerning God's moral character. God's justice is not something He chooses on a whim; it is an inherent, unchangeable aspect of His nature. He is just.
- Anticipation of Theophany: Elihu's vigorous defense of God's righteousness, particularly the use of kabbīr ṣaddiq, directly anticipates God's appearance from the whirlwind in chapters 38-41. There, God asserts His absolute power, wisdom, and right to rule, reinforcing the very qualities Elihu speaks of.
- Contrast with Polytheism: In ancient Near Eastern thought, many gods were depicted as capricious, sometimes just, sometimes unjust. Elihu's statement, rooted in Israelite monotheism, forcefully contrasts with such views, affirming the Israelite God's unique and perfect moral consistency.
- Man's Place: The verse also delineates the proper boundary of human questioning concerning God. While genuine inquiry and lament are permissible (as seen in many Psalms), outright condemnation or accusation against the kabbīr ṣaddiq falls outside proper theological boundaries, highlighting human finiteness and God's infinite majesty.
Job 34 17 Commentary
Job 34:17 encapsulates Elihu’s core argument against Job’s despair and perceived blasphemy. He firmly establishes God as the supremely just and powerful Governor of the universe. The rhetorical nature of the questions serves to make an undeniable theological point: any coherent understanding of God's sovereignty requires His unblemished justice. To accuse God of injustice, as Job has done, is not only audacious but illogical, as it would render Him unfit to govern and contradict His very being. Elihu contends that suffering does not invalidate God's justice; rather, it highlights the human inability to fully grasp God's infinitely complex and righteous administration. God’s rule is always for the good and the just, even if humans, from their limited perspective, cannot comprehend it. This verse serves as a crucial bridge, preparing Job and the audience for God’s own thunderous response in the subsequent chapters, where God, through His mighty works, indeed demonstrates His kabbīr ṣaddiq nature beyond human dispute.