Job 35 5

Job 35:5 kjv

Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

Job 35:5 nkjv

Look to the heavens and see; And behold the clouds? They are higher than you.

Job 35:5 niv

Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you.

Job 35:5 esv

Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.

Job 35:5 nlt

Look up into the sky,
and see the clouds high above you.

Job 35 verses

Job 35 5 Meaning

Job 35:5 presents Elihu's exhortation to Job to behold the immense height and expanse of the heavens and the clouds. This command serves to highlight God's incomparable transcendence and elevated position above all creation and humanity. Elihu implies that God's majestic and sovereign nature means that human actions, whether good or evil, cannot directly enhance or diminish God's essential being, thereby challenging Job's perceived obligation from God.

Job 35 5 Context

Job 35:5 is spoken by Elihu, the youngest of Job's four interlocutors, marking his second discourse. Elihu’s arguments, introduced from Job chapter 32, represent a corrective voice, criticizing both Job’s self-justification and the other three friends’ inadequate explanations for Job’s suffering.

Specifically, in chapter 35, Elihu addresses Job's complaint (referenced in verse 35:3) that there is no advantage in seeking God’s favor ("What advantage have I, or what profit is it to me, if I am cleansed from my sin?"). Job implies that God is indifferent or unresponsive to his righteousness. In response, Elihu shifts the focus from human suffering to God's nature and transcendent majesty. This verse serves as a rhetorical device to contrast the vastness of God’s realm with the limited sphere of human influence, preparing for Elihu’s argument that human actions do not inherently affect God, but rather humanity itself. Historically, the passage reflects a worldview where divine justice was often linked directly to earthly prosperity or suffering, and Elihu provides a more nuanced, though still incomplete, understanding of God's interaction with humanity by emphasizing God's transcendence.

Job 35 5 Word analysis

• Look (הַבֵּט - Habbēt): An imperative verb commanding a direct, intentional, and often prolonged gaze. It suggests contemplation and reflection, not merely a fleeting glance. This deep observation is meant to facilitate a shift in Job’s perspective.
• Heavens (שָׁמַיִם - šāmayim): Refers to the visible sky and the celestial realm beyond. In ancient Near Eastern thought, the heavens symbolized ultimate height, vastness, and the abode of divine power. Their unapproachability highlights God’s distance from human reach.
• and see (וּרְאֵה - ū-re'ēh): A general imperative to perceive, reinforcing the previous command to 'look'. The repetition emphasizes the importance of direct observation and assimilation of the visual evidence.
• gaze (וְשׁוּר - w-šūr): Another imperative to behold or survey carefully. This third verb of looking deepens the intensity of Elihu's demand for Job to truly consider the implications of what he sees. It often implies a critical survey or careful inspection.
• clouds (אָפִיקִים - ’āpīqîm): This less common Hebrew term for clouds (more frequently referring to channels, riverbeds, or watercourses) is highly significant here. When connected to the heavens and described as "high," it points to the rain clouds or atmospheric "channels" through which God controls weather phenomena. The term subtly associates the high-flying clouds with conduits of God's power and provision, further emphasizing their majestic, elevated nature, serving as visible manifestations of God's sovereignty.
• which are higher (גָּבְהוּ - gābĕhū): The verb "are high" in the plural, emphasizing the collective elevation of the clouds. It literally means "they have been high" or "they are high," denoting a state of perpetual loftiness.
• than you (מִמֶּךָּ - mimmekā): A direct comparison highlighting Job's utter insignificance and lowliness relative to the celestial objects and, by extension, God himself. This explicit contrast aims to humble Job and contextualize his human limitations.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Look to the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds": The cumulative effect of these three imperative verbs and the pairing of "heavens" and "clouds" creates an irresistible demand for Job to engage deeply with the physical manifestation of God's transcendent realm. It moves from the general expanse of the heavens to the more specific and often awe-inspiring sight of the clouds. This carefully crafted literary parallelism directs Job’s attention upwards, beyond himself and his immediate circumstances.
• "which are higher than you": This conclusive phrase drives home the primary point: the stark and undeniable contrast between God's sublime elevation (as evidenced by His creation) and humanity's inherent lowliness. This physical disparity serves as an analogy for the profound spiritual and existential gap between God and humanity.

Job 35 5 Bonus section

Elihu's argument here functions as a polemic against the idea, subtly entertained by Job and overtly argued by the friends, that God is obliged to operate within a human tit-for-tat framework where piety directly yields blessings and sin yields suffering, always and in every case. By emphasizing God's absolute transcendence and removal from human categories of need or obligation, Elihu implicitly counters the notion that human beings can truly 'profit' or 'disadvantage' God, moving towards a understanding of piety not as a transaction, but as fitting worship for an infinitely high God. This verse therefore also sets the stage for recognizing God's absolute freedom and sovereign will, rather than a system constrained by human merit or demerit. The imagery of 'clouds' also subtly introduces themes of divine providence, as clouds bring rain—God's blessing and judgment—from above, utterly independent of human command or deserving.

Job 35 5 Commentary

Elihu's instruction to "look to the heavens" is a pivotal theological pivot in the book of Job. He calls Job, consumed by his personal suffering and insistence on his righteousness, to elevate his gaze beyond earthly afflictions. By contrasting Job’s human lowliness with the immeasurable height of the heavens and clouds, Elihu challenges Job's self-centered perspective. The profound loftiness of the clouds, beyond human touch and influence, serves as a natural symbol of God's utterly transcendent nature. This implies that God operates on a scale and in ways that human actions — whether good deeds or sins — cannot genuinely impact or obligate Him. Your piety cannot add to God's glory, nor can your sin detract from His infinite perfections. God does not gain from human righteousness, nor is He diminished by human wickedness. The implications of human actions primarily fall upon humanity itself, impacting the moral order among people or the individual’s relationship with God, rather than altering God's essential being or sovereignty. Elihu’s argument here lays groundwork for God's eventual direct speech, where the majesty of creation is further emphasized to humble Job.