Job 42 2

Job 42:2 kjv

I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

Job 42:2 nkjv

"I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

Job 42:2 niv

"I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Job 42:2 esv

"I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Job 42:2 nlt

"I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.

Job 42 verses

Job 42 2 Meaning

Job 42:2 is a profound declaration by Job, acknowledging the limitless power and sovereignty of God. After God's majestic display of wisdom and might, Job recognizes that God is capable of performing all things without exception. Furthermore, he understands that no plan or purpose originating from God can be thwarted, hindered, or prevented from coming to fruition. It signifies Job's shift from questioning and disputing God's justice to humble submission and worship in the face of God's undeniable omnipotence and omniscient will.

Job 42 2 Context

Job 42:2 marks the pinnacle of Job’s spiritual transformation. It immediately follows Job’s initial humble response to God (Job 42:1), after chapters of God speaking directly to him from the whirlwind (Job 38-41). For much of the book, Job had questioned God’s justice and wisdom concerning his immense suffering, often speaking with presumption about divine governance. He desperately sought a legalistic disputation with God.

However, God's response was not a direct explanation for Job's suffering. Instead, God overwhelmed Job with rhetorical questions showcasing His unparalleled wisdom, power, and sovereign control over creation, spanning from cosmic phenomena to the intricate details of animal life (e.g., controlling oceans, ordering stars, feeding lions, creating behemoth and leviathan). God's discourse was designed to humble Job by exposing the vast chasm between human finite understanding and divine omnipotence and wisdom.

In this immediate context, Job 42:2 represents Job's repentant confession and newfound perspective. He ceases to contend with the Almighty (as God challenged him in Job 40:2) and, having "seen" God in a new way, he recognizes God’s ultimate authority and the futility of questioning His purposes. It's a statement born out of awe and a complete surrender to the incomprehensibility and irresistibility of God's will. This declaration sets the stage for his full repentance in Job 42:3-6.

Job 42 2 Word analysis

• "I know" (וְאֵדַע, wə’eḏa‘ from יָדַע, yada‘)

  • Word: Yada‘ in Hebrew signifies more than mere intellectual knowledge. It implies deep, experiential, and relational knowing, often gained through intimate experience or revelation.
  • Significance: This isn't Job deducing something logically but a profound conviction resulting from his direct encounter with God in the whirlwind. His previous "knowing" was based on hearsay (Job 42:5), but now it's a transformed, personal understanding of God's reality.

• "that You can do" (כֹּל תּוּכָל, kol tukal)

  • Word: Kol means "all," "every," "entire." Tukal means "You are able," "You can."
  • Significance: This phrase asserts God’s absolute omnipotence. There is no limit to God's capability, no task too difficult, no action beyond His power. It reflects a core biblical truth about the God of creation.

• "everything," (כֹּל, kol)

  • Word: The same kol from the previous phrase, but grammatically emphasizes the comprehensive nature of God's power.
  • Significance: Reaffirms that God's power extends to all things without exception. No sphere of existence or event is outside His capacity.

• "And that no purpose of Yours" (וְלֹא מְזִמָּה מִמְּךָ, weloʾ mezimmah mimməkā)

  • Word: Mezimmah (מְזִמָּה) typically means "thought," "purpose," "device," "plan," or "design." While it can sometimes carry negative connotations (wicked schemes), in reference to God here, it unequivocally denotes His deliberate, wise, and good counsel or intention. Mimməkā means "from You" or "by You."
  • Significance: Job acknowledges that God's plans are divinely originated and conceived with perfect wisdom. It contrasts God's eternal, unchangeable purpose with limited human wisdom and short-sightedness.

• "can be withheld from You." (יִבָּצֵר, yibbaṣer)

  • Word: Yibbaṣer (יִבָּצֵר) comes from the root בָּצַר (batsar), which means "to cut off," "to enclose," "to fortify," "to be inaccessible," "to hinder," "to be unattainable," or "to be beyond reach." In this context, it implies that God’s purpose cannot be blocked, thwarted, or rendered ineffective.
  • Significance: This powerfully declares the irresistibility and invincibility of God's divine will. No opposition, whether human or spiritual, can frustrate God's ultimate design. What God purposes, He brings to pass.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "I know that You can do everything": This phrase highlights God's omnipotence. It speaks to His sheer power and capacity. Job's understanding moves from head-knowledge to heart-knowledge about God's unlimited ability. It refutes any notion of a limited deity or a God who is subject to external forces.
  • "And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You": This phrase emphasizes God's sovereignty and the irresistibility of His will. It asserts that God's divine intentions will always come to fruition, regardless of opposition. It means God's plans are both perfect in conception and unstoppable in execution. This truth dismantles any belief that human wisdom or power could possibly derail God's overarching purpose.

Job 42 2 Bonus section

The declaration in Job 42:2 is not just Job stating facts about God, but it also implies Job's own readiness for repentance and change. His admission of God's total sovereignty ("I know that You can do everything") and the certainty of His purpose ("no purpose of Yours can be withheld") directly prefaces his admission of speaking "of things too wonderful for me, which I did not know" (Job 42:3) and his subsequent act of repenting in dust and ashes (Job 42:6). This verse serves as the foundation for his humility.

Moreover, this affirmation holds significant theological weight against contemporary ancient Near Eastern polytheistic beliefs, where gods were often limited, rivalrous, or subject to fate. Job’s declaration boldly proclaims a single, supreme God whose power is limitless and whose plans are irresistible, making Him incomparable to any other power, real or imagined. This statement highlights a unique facet of Yahweh in a polytheistic landscape.

Job 42 2 Commentary

Job 42:2 is a profound pivot point in the Book of Job, marking the culmination of Job’s transformative encounter with God. After enduring immense suffering and wrestling with profound theological questions regarding divine justice, Job finally articulates a statement of unwavering faith in God's absolute power and sovereignty. This isn't merely intellectual assent to a theological concept, but an existential declaration born from a direct, overwhelming revelation of God's majesty that dwarfed all of Job’s human logic and accusations.

The verse essentially captures two key attributes of God: His omnipotence and the invincibility of His plans. First, "I know that You can do everything" expresses God's limitless power. It means there is no barrier to His capability, no challenge too great, and no realm He cannot influence or control. This confession directly contrasts with Job’s previous human limitations and inability to comprehend the divine orchestration of his suffering.

Second, "And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You" asserts the absolute certainty of God’s will. His divine counsel, His intentions, and His designs are eternally established and cannot be thwarted, frustrated, or blocked by any created thing. This addresses the core of Job's struggle: his perception that God's plan regarding his suffering was somehow unjust or had gone awry. Job now understands that God's purposes are utterly infallible and beyond human obstruction or comprehension. This surrender to divine mystery, coupled with trust in God’s character, frees Job from his demanding quest for answers and opens him to repentance and restoration.

For believers, this verse provides immense comfort and a call to humility. It reminds us that even when life's circumstances seem chaotic or unjust, God remains in absolute control. His ultimate plans will unfold as He intends, despite our limited perspective or perceived injustices. This recognition invites trust in His wisdom and sovereignty, even when His ways are beyond our full understanding.