Job 35 6

Job 35:6 kjv

If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

Job 35:6 nkjv

If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?

Job 35:6 niv

If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him?

Job 35:6 esv

If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

Job 35:6 nlt

If you sin, how does that affect God?
Even if you sin again and again,
what effect will it have on him?

Job 35 verses

Job 35 6 Meaning

Job 35:6, spoken by Elihu, conveys the profound truth of God's transcendence and self-sufficiency. It asserts that human sin, no matter its magnitude, does not inherently diminish God's being, power, or sovereignty, nor does it affect Him in the way it might affect another human. Conversely, human righteousness also does not essentially "benefit" or "profit" God. The verse uses rhetorical questions to emphasize that God is utterly beyond human capacity to either harm or help His inherent nature. Our actions primarily affect ourselves and humanity, not God's essence.

Job 35 6 Context

Job 35:6 is part of Elihu’s third discourse (chapters 35-37), which marks a new phase in the dialogue after Job and his three friends have exhausted their arguments. Elihu, younger and asserting a divine inspiration (Job 32:8), aims to correct what he perceives as errors in both Job's self-vindication and the friends' rigid dogma of direct retribution. He acts as a "corrective" voice, building towards the later appearance of God Himself.

Specifically, in chapter 35, Elihu challenges Job's complaint (Job 34:9) that it profits a man nothing to please God, implying God does not notice or reward righteousness. Elihu clarifies that human actions, good or bad, do not intrinsically change God or add to/detract from His perfection. God is too vast, too powerful, and too sovereign to be affected by human endeavors. This verse is the premise for the subsequent assertion in Job 35:7-8: human sin hurts fellow humans, and human righteousness benefits humans, but neither adds to or diminishes God. Elihu highlights God's utter transcendence as distinct from human morality, setting the stage for God's majestic response from the whirlwind.

Job 35 6 Word analysis

• If you sin: The Hebrew word for "sin" here is חָטָא (ḥāṭāʾ), meaning "to miss the mark," "to err," or "to go astray." It speaks of deviation from God's perfect standard. The conditional "if" (אִם֙, ʾim) highlights a hypothetical scenario, emphasizing that even when humans fall short, God remains unaffected in His essence. This acknowledges the reality and prevalence of human sinfulness.
• what do you accomplish against him?:
  • what: מַה (mah), an interrogative pronoun, creating a rhetorical question designed to elicit a negative answer.
  • accomplish: תִּפְעַל (tifʿal) comes from the root פָּעַל (pāʿal), meaning "to act," "to perform," or "to accomplish." It denotes the effect or outcome of an action.
  • against him: בּוֹ (bô), literally "in him" or "to him." The preposition בְּ (bĕ) can denote impact "against" someone in contexts of harm or aggression, as implied here. The rhetorical question suggests a null effect. God is transcendent; He cannot be fundamentally diminished or changed by human actions, even sinful ones. This underscores God's absolute sovereignty and impassibility (inability to suffer change or emotion due to external influence).
• Or if your transgressions are many:
  • Or if: וְאִם (wĕʾim), introduces a parallel hypothetical scenario, intensifying the initial point.
  • your transgressions: פְּשָׁעֶיךָ (pĕšāʿeyḵā) comes from the root פָּשַׁע (pāšaʿ), meaning "to rebel," "to revolt," or "to break away." This term denotes a more willful and rebellious act against authority compared to "sin" (ḥāṭāʾ), which can include unintentional errors.
  • are many: רַבּוּ (rabû) comes from the root רָבָה (rābāh), meaning "to be many," "to be abundant," "to increase." The emphasis here is on the sheer volume or multitude of sins, implying even widespread and persistent wickedness.
• what do you do to him?:
  • what: מַה (mah), again, a rhetorical question.
  • do: תַּעֲשֶׂה (taʿaśeh) comes from the root עָשָׂה (ʿāśāh), a common verb meaning "to do," "to make," or "to perform."
  • to him: לוֹ (lō), a direct dative suffix, meaning "to him." The implied effect on God is again none, reinforcing the earlier point with different terminology.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "If you sin, what do you accomplish against him? Or if your transgressions are many, what do you do to him?": This entire phrase forms two parallel rhetorical questions, a common feature in biblical poetry. The parallelism employs both synonymous (sin/transgression, accomplish/do) and escalating (sin/many transgressions) language to drive home Elihu's point. The use of rhetorical questions is a didactic tool, forcing the listener to acknowledge the obvious: human actions do not alter God's being. Elihu is refuting Job's apparent belief that God ignores human suffering because His glory isn't affected. He argues that while sin doesn't diminish God's essence, it still matters because it affects humanity and is an affront to God's holy character and law. The passage distinguishes between sin’s impact on God’s unchanging essence (none) and its impact on God’s perfect character (a violation) or God’s creation and humanity (harmful).

Job 35 6 Bonus section

The theological concept elucidated by Elihu here is known as Divine Impassibility, which posits that God does not experience suffering or change caused by external forces. While God can and does express emotions and relational suffering (e.g., being grieved by sin), these expressions are often understood anthropomorphically or as reflective of God's perfect love and justice in relation to His creation, not as an intrinsic change in His divine essence. Sin offends God's perfect character and brings negative consequences upon the sinner and society, but it does not diminish God's power or glory. Elihu helps bridge the gap between human experience and divine reality, suggesting that God’s non-reactivity in His essence does not mean His disinterest in humanity, but rather underscores His absolute, unthreatened sovereignty.

Job 35 6 Commentary

Elihu's statement in Job 35:6 serves as a pivotal theological truth in the book of Job, underscoring the infinite gulf between human capacity and divine transcendence. His argument counters the prevailing simplistic retributive theology, while also gently correcting Job's implied frustration that God is indifferent to human suffering because His own majesty remains untouched. Elihu asserts that God's intrinsic being is immutable and self-sufficient. Human sin cannot harm God's holiness or diminish His power; likewise, human righteousness cannot add to His perfection. God does not gain or lose anything essential based on human actions. Our good deeds do not "benefit" Him in terms of need, and our evil deeds do not "impair" Him in terms of nature. The consequences of human actions primarily affect humanity and creation itself, and secondarily stand as a moral offense against God's holy character and law, for He is the ultimate standard of right. This distinction clarifies that God is just and does concern Himself with humanity, but not out of a need for something from humanity. This understanding prepares for the Lord's subsequent appearance and declaration of His incomprehensible wisdom and power.