Job 34 27

Job 34:27 kjv

Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

Job 34:27 nkjv

Because they turned back from Him, And would not consider any of His ways,

Job 34:27 niv

because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways.

Job 34:27 esv

because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,

Job 34:27 nlt

For they turned away from following him.
They have no respect for any of his ways.

Job 34 verses

Job 34 27 Meaning

This verse states the reason for divine action or judgment: a deliberate rebellion against God and a wilful disregard for His established moral order and providential dealings. Elihu, the speaker, asserts that God's judgments are not arbitrary but are righteous responses to those who turn away from following Him and neglect to truly understand and heed His revealed paths and principles.

Job 34 27 Context

Job chapter 34 is part of Elihu’s discourse, who intervenes after Job and his three friends have spoken. Elihu defends God’s justice and righteousness, challenging Job’s assertion that God has dealt with him unjustly or without cause. In this chapter, Elihu emphatically states that God is too great to be unfair or wicked. He argues that God’s omniscience allows Him to see every deed and deal with all people according to their actions. The broader context of Job is a theological debate on the nature of suffering, justice, and the character of God. Elihu's argument is that God justly punishes the wicked. Verse 27, in particular, pinpoints the reason for God's judgment, explaining that the wicked are afflicted because they willfully reject God's authority and disregard His laws.

Job 34 27 Word analysis

• because (כִּי - ki): This is a causal conjunction, establishing the reason or basis for the previous statements about God's just actions. It introduces a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
• they turned back (נָשׂוּג - nasog): The Hebrew verb means to retreat, draw back, withdraw, or become unfaithful. It implies an active and deliberate movement away from a previous position or relationship. It's not passive straying but an intentional reversal of course.
• from following Him (מֵאַחֲרָיו - me'acharav): Literally "from after Him" or "from behind Him." This phrase metaphorically denotes a person’s close adherence, allegiance, or walk with God. To "turn back from following Him" means to abandon loyalty, guidance, or communion with God. It suggests a rejection of the life lived under His direction.
• and paid no attention (לֹא הִתְבּוֹנָנוּ - lo hitbonanu): The verb bin (בִּין), in its hithpael stem (hitbonanu), implies a deep, reflective, and comprehensive understanding; to discern, consider, reflect, or contemplate with a view to application. The negative particle "lo" (לא) means "no" or "not." Thus, "paid no attention" means they utterly failed to deeply consider, understand, or wisely reflect upon. It's not a lack of information but a lack of processing and application. It points to a failure of moral and spiritual cognition, a willful disregard.
• to any of His ways (כָל־דְּרָכָיו - kol-d'rakhav):
  • "any" (כָל - kol): Means "all," "every," "entire." This emphasizes the totality and comprehensive nature of their neglect. It was not just one area but the whole scope of God's ways.
  • "His ways" (דְּרָכָיו - d'rakhav): Derekh (דֶּרֶךְ) refers to paths, roads, courses of life, conduct, or modes of action. In this divine context, it encompasses God's laws, precepts, statutes, moral standards, providential dealings, and revealed will. It refers to God’s character expressed through His commands and how He governs the world.
• Word-Group Analysis:
  • "turned back from following Him": This phrase encapsulates an act of apostasy or disloyalty. It signifies a decisive, often volitional, break from obedience or allegiance to God. This turning implies an inherent relationship or expectation of one.
  • "paid no attention to any of His ways": This emphasizes a profound cognitive and practical failure. It indicates a rejection not just of specific commands, but of the very framework and principles by which God governs and reveals Himself. It is a stubborn blindness and indifference to divine truth. This spiritual dullness is presented as a fundamental reason for divine corrective action.

Job 34 27 Bonus section

Elihu's role in the book of Job, particularly in these chapters, acts as a bridge between the simplistic 'retribution theology' of Job's friends and Job's plea of innocence. While Job's friends insist that suffering directly equals sin, Elihu broadens the scope, asserting God’s absolute sovereignty and wisdom, and emphasizing that suffering can be for discipline and teaching, but also fundamentally linked to wilful wrongdoing. His specific mention of "turning back" and "not paying attention" highlights an active moral failing. This is not simply about being unaware, but a profound neglect rooted in indifference or even defiance. This understanding is foundational to the concept of moral culpability within biblical theology.

Job 34 27 Commentary

Job 34:27 provides Elihu's core explanation for why divine judgment, such as the suffering Job experienced, occurs. It argues forcefully against the notion of arbitrary or unjust suffering from God. Instead, Elihu presents a clear cause-and-effect relationship: judgment falls upon those who, by their own volition, abandon their adherence to God ("turned back from following Him") and stubbornly refuse to apply their minds or hearts to understanding and observing God's complete and comprehensive moral and governing principles ("paid no attention to any of His ways"). This verse emphasizes human moral accountability and God's unwavering righteousness. It suggests that individuals have the capacity to choose their path and understand God's requirements, and when they fail to do so, their resulting consequences are a direct outcome of their choices. Elihu's argument here upholds God's character as a just judge who responds righteously to rebellion and willful ignorance rather than inflicting suffering without reason.

• Example: Just as a shepherd judges a sheep that consistently strays from the flock and ignores his calls, so too does God respond to humanity's deliberate rebellion and refusal to heed His instructions.
• Example: A farmer neglects to water his crops despite knowing the method. When his harvest fails, it is not arbitrary but a direct consequence of his informed neglect.