Job 34 35

Job 34:35 kjv

Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

Job 34:35 nkjv

'Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.'

Job 34:35 niv

'Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.'

Job 34:35 esv

'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.'

Job 34:35 nlt

'Job speaks out of ignorance;
his words lack insight.'

Job 34 verses

Job 34 35 Meaning

Job chapter 34, verse 35 declares Elihu's assessment of Job, stating that Job's words and arguments concerning God's justice are utterly devoid of true knowledge and spiritual insight. Elihu views Job's discourse as born from foolishness, demonstrating a profound lack of understanding regarding the righteous and sovereign ways of the Almighty. This specific accusation serves as a culmination of Elihu's preceding arguments, emphasizing that Job's protests and self-vindication stem from a place of human limited perception, rather than divine truth or wisdom.

Job 34 35 Context

Job 34 is part of Elihu's extended discourse (chapters 32-37) where he interjects himself into the theological debate between Job and his three friends. Having patiently listened, Elihu now addresses both Job and his friends, aiming to set the record straight regarding God's justice and sovereignty. His unique contribution lies in distinguishing himself from the friends, who wrongly accused Job of specific sin, while still acknowledging Job's missteps in speech. In chapter 34, Elihu's core argument is that God is mighty and righteous, incapable of injustice (vv. 10-17). He criticizes Job for suggesting that his blamelessness before God offers no profit and that God's justice is flawed (vv. 5-9). Verse 35 serves as Elihu's definitive summation of Job's contentious and, in Elihu's view, ignorant challenges against divine providence, asserting that Job has spoken without spiritual knowledge or genuine insight into God's immutable character and righteous ways.

Job 34 35 Word analysis

• אִ֗ישׁ (ish) - "Job/man": This term, typically meaning "man" or "person," here specifies Job, directing the accusation explicitly towards him. It can also imply a universal characteristic of humanity when challenging divine wisdom, reflecting a common human tendency to speak presumptuously about matters beyond full comprehension.
• אִ֭וֶּלֶת (iwweleth) - "folly" / "without knowledge": Derived from the root for "fool," this Hebrew term signifies foolishness not just as an intellectual deficiency but often a moral or spiritual one, implying irrationality or lack of discernment regarding divine truth. It's not merely an absence of facts, but a fundamental misunderstanding of reality as revealed by God.
• יְדַבֵּ֥ר (yᵉdabbēr) - "speaks": This verb highlights the act of speaking, emphasizing the content and nature of Job's verbal expressions. The issue isn't Job's thoughts alone, but his publicly articulated words, which have now been heard and judged.
• אִיוֹב֮ (Iyyōwḇ) - "Job": The direct naming emphasizes the specific target of Elihu's critique. It isolates Job as the one exhibiting this lack of knowledge.
• וּדְבָרָ֗יו (ūḏəḇārāyw) - "and his words": This is a parallel construction emphasizing the substance of what Job has said. The conjunction 'waw' (and) links this phrase directly to the preceding one, reinforcing the specific accusation.
• לֹ֣א (lōʼ) - "not": A strong negation, making clear that the ensuing quality is entirely absent from Job's discourse.
• בְהַשְׂכֵּֽל (ḇəhaśkēl) - "with insight" / "with understanding": This crucial term (from the root sākal) refers to deep understanding, practical wisdom, prudence, or discernment, particularly in applying knowledge to life's situations. Here, it implies a profound lack of spiritual perception necessary to comprehend God's complex dealings and a failure to wisely discern His actions in Job's own life and the world.

• "Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight": This construction uses synonymous parallelism, a common poetic feature in Hebrew wisdom literature. The first clause "Job speaks without knowledge" states the accusation directly, while the second clause "his words are without insight" rephrases and intensifies it, specifying that the deficiency lies in the content and wisdom of his verbal expressions. This pairing underscores that the issue is not merely factual error, but a deeper lack of spiritual and practical discernment concerning God's righteous governance of the world. Elihu isn't just saying Job is wrong, but that his reasoning and perspective are fundamentally flawed at a foundational level.

Job 34 35 Bonus section

• Elihu's argument here stands distinct from the other friends. While the friends claimed Job must be suffering due to unconfessed sin, Elihu emphasizes the problematic nature of Job's speech—his presumption in challenging God and speaking beyond his true understanding. Elihu's point, in many ways, prepares Job (and the reader) for God's direct address in chapters 38-41, where God similarly rebukes Job for darkening counsel "without knowledge."
• The charge of "speaking without knowledge" is severe in a wisdom tradition. It suggests not just intellectual error but a fundamental failure to properly assess spiritual and moral truths, often stemming from arrogance or lack of humility before the Divine. This theological framework views true knowledge as inseparable from a right relationship with God and proper understanding of His character.
• Job 34:35 acts as a summation of Elihu's assessment that Job's profound lament and self-justification led him to presumptuously charge God with injustice or indifference. It signifies that Elihu found Job's theological framework to be in discord with the true nature and workings of the Almighty, despite Job's personal righteousness.

Job 34 35 Commentary

Elihu's statement in Job 34:35 represents a precise and pointed critique of Job's previous arguments, characterizing them not as malicious, but as rooted in a fundamental lack of understanding. Unlike the three friends, Elihu doesn't attribute Job's suffering to specific sin. Instead, his focus is on the quality of Job's theological declarations. Elihu argues that Job, despite his righteous life, has spoken ignorantly about God's ways, questioning divine justice from a limited human perspective. The terms "knowledge" and "insight" point to more than factual information; they imply spiritual discernment and wise understanding of God's character and His sovereign purposes. This critique sets the stage for God's eventual appearance, as even God Himself later echoes this sentiment in Job 38:2. Elihu acts as a bridge, correcting Job's theological missteps and preparing him to humbly receive God's revelation. This verse serves as a powerful reminder for all believers to speak carefully and humbly about God's ways, recognizing the limitations of human understanding in the face of divine wisdom and sovereignty.