Job 35 4

Job 35:4 kjv

I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

Job 35:4 nkjv

"I will answer you, And your companions with you.

Job 35:4 niv

"I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you.

Job 35:4 esv

I will answer you and your friends with you.

Job 35:4 nlt

"I will answer you
and all your friends, too.

Job 35 verses

Job 35 4 Meaning

Elihu, speaking on behalf of God and against Job's presumptions, asserts that he will refute Job and his companions. This verse declares Elihu's intent to bring forth sound reasoning and knowledge that corrects Job's arguments and those who align with him. He promises to teach true justice and defend God's character against Job's complaints that imply divine injustice. Elihu positions himself as an informed arbiter, prepared to lay bare the truth and provide the accurate understanding of God's ways to Job and his friends, whom Elihu sees as misguided or complicit in error.

Job 35 4 Context

Job 35:4 is spoken by Elihu, the youngest of Job's four interlocutors. The preceding chapters (Job 32-34) introduce Elihu, explaining his initial restraint and then his outburst, asserting his right to speak and his belief that he has a superior understanding of God's ways compared to Job and the three friends. He has just finished a lengthy discourse (Job 33-34) where he defends God's justice, argues that God is too great to be questioned by humans, and chastises Job for implying that God has been unjust or indifferent to his suffering. Job 35:1-3 records Elihu challenging Job directly for presuming that his righteousness is more beneficial than his sin or that God ignores his cries. This specific verse, Job 35:4, is Elihu's declaration of intent, setting the stage for his coming arguments against Job's perception of his own righteousness and God's interaction with humanity. He sees Job and his friends as needing intellectual correction and a profound revelation of God's nature and justice, positioning himself as the one capable of providing this deep theological insight. Historically, the book of Job grapples with the problem of suffering, particularly concerning righteous individuals, challenging the conventional wisdom of the time which held to a direct correlation between sin and suffering. Elihu represents a nuanced, yet still human, attempt to grapple with these complexities before God Himself speaks.

Job 35 4 Word analysis

• I will answer: This is a firm declaration. Elihu asserts his position as an authority. It indicates a direct response to Job’s perceived challenge and questions, showing Elihu is confident in his coming explanation and defense of God's actions. The Hebrew verb is אָשִׁ֖יבָה (ʼā-šî-ḇāh), which means "I will return" or "I will answer." It denotes a counter-argument or rebuttal.
• thee: Refers to Job directly (יּוֹב). Elihu focuses his rebuttal specifically on Job, although he considers Job's friends also wrong in their understanding.
• and thy companions with thee: This extends the scope of Elihu’s address to include Job’s three friends (אֵיתָ֗ךְ כִּֽי־רֵעֶ֖יךָ). Elihu views them as holding similar flawed arguments or failing to offer better insight, thus complicit in the theological misunderstanding. This implies a collective error that Elihu aims to rectify.
• concerning justice/righteousness: The phrase often carries a dual meaning in the Bible, referring both to right conduct and to the vindication of a right cause or person (צֶ֫דֶק֙ tzedeq). Here, it relates to the divine character of God's justice in relation to human suffering. Job questions God’s fairness, and Elihu intends to explain how God remains righteous despite Job's perceived injustices.
• words of truth: (מִלִּ֣ין צֶ֗דֶק מִֽלֶּ֑ךָ millîn ṣeḏeq). This is Elihu’s self-proclaimed standard for his impending speech. He claims to speak what is accurate, valid, and faithful to God's character. He presents himself as one who offers sound and righteous arguments that transcend human opinion. Elihu aims to offer not just arguments, but divinely informed facts. This phrase positions Elihu's upcoming discourse as divinely authoritative and factually accurate, contrasted with what he perceives as error from Job and his friends.
• knowledge of my own ways/from me: (עִמָּֽךְ בַּמַּדָּ֑ע ’im-māḵ bam-maḏ-dā‘). The phrase can be understood as "with you [Job], according to knowledge," or "knowledge with you," suggesting a sharing of knowledge. Alternatively, it is often translated "knowledge with you" or "knowledge that is with me" and imparted "to you." It signifies that the basis of his argument is a well-founded, informed understanding that he possesses and will impart. This knowledge isn't superficial; Elihu presents it as deeply rooted and sound, distinguishing it from the arguments of Job's other friends. The phrase suggests Elihu’s wisdom derives from a higher source or a deeper spiritual understanding compared to his predecessors.

Job 35 4 Bonus section

The Hebrew term "צֶדֶק" (tzedeq), translated as "justice" or "righteousness," is fundamental to Elihu's argument. It encompasses more than mere fairness; it describes God's inherent nature of rectitude and integrity in all His dealings. Elihu argues that God's justice is perfect, implying that any perceived injustice by Job stems from limited human perspective rather than any defect in God's character. Elihu believes he is revealing divine wisdom which validates God's inherent Tzedek. His assertion "I will answer thee concerning justice, even with thee, words of truth and knowledge of my own" can also be interpreted as "I will provide you, along with your friends, with truly righteous words that stem from a profound, divinely-imparted understanding." Elihu’s speech serves as a literary bridge, escalating the argument beyond the prior friends' rigid retributive theology and paving the way for God's ultimate self-revelation. Elihu’s youthful zeal and bold claim to speak for God, based on insight rather than age, anticipate a wisdom that isn't merely acquired through experience but is divinely illuminated.

Job 35 4 Commentary

Job 35:4 encapsulates Elihu’s decisive intent to correct what he perceives as theological error from Job and his companions. Elihu is confident in his 'words of truth'—not merely rhetorical skill but claims of profound insight into divine justice. He believes he offers an answer rooted in deep knowledge concerning God’s righteous ways. Elihu's aim is to shift Job's focus from his own perceived blamelessness to the absolute sovereignty and unerring justice of God, asserting that divine actions are always righteous, even when inscrutable to human understanding. This verse sets up Elihu's continued arguments (Job 35-37) as an explanation of how God interacts with humanity in ways that humble, test, and ultimately restore, often through affliction. His discourse attempts to resolve Job's theological dilemma by defending God's character and advocating for a humble, worshipful response to divine majesty.