Job 42 3

Job 42:3 kjv

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

Job 42:3 nkjv

You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

Job 42:3 niv

You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

Job 42:3 esv

'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

Job 42:3 nlt

You asked, 'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?'
It is I ? and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.

Job 42 verses

Job 42 3 Meaning

Job 42:3 is Job's profound confession of humility and repentance before God, directly quoting and responding to God's challenge in Job 38:2. Job acknowledges his presumption in questioning divine counsel without full knowledge. He admits that his previous pronouncements about God's ways were born of ignorance and spoke of things far beyond his comprehension, marvels too great for any human mind to grasp fully. It marks his turning point from demanding explanations to reverent submission to the incomprehensible wisdom and power of God.

Job 42 3 Context

Job 42:3 forms the climax of Job's transformation. For much of the book, Job has engaged in a lengthy debate with his friends, defending his righteousness and questioning God's justice in his suffering. In chapters 38-41, God Himself responds, not by explaining the reasons for Job's suffering, but by revealing His unparalleled wisdom, power, and sovereign control over creation. God interrogates Job about the foundational aspects of the universe, challenging Job's capacity to comprehend or manage what God effortlessly orchestrates. This divine display silences Job, stripping away his intellectual pride and exposing the vast chasm between human and divine understanding. Verse 3 is Job's repentant response to this revelation, acknowledging the immense wisdom and authority of the Creator and his own profound ignorance. Historically, the book challenges conventional ancient Near Eastern "retribution theology," where suffering was strictly a direct consequence of sin. It elevates God's wisdom and sovereignty beyond human calculable justice.

Job 42 3 Word analysis

• You asked: Refers directly to God's query to Job in Job 38:2, showing Job's acknowledgment and humility.
• ‘Who is this (mî zeh): A rhetorical question posed by God, designed to expose Job's presumptuousness. Job now echoes it in self-condemnation, turning God’s piercing question back on himself.
• that obscures/hides (maʿălîm): From the Hebrew verb ʿālam, meaning 'to hide,' 'to conceal,' 'to be ignorant.' It implies Job's words had darkened, confused, or dismissed God's wise purpose and intricate plan through his ignorance.
• my counsel (ʿēṣâ): Refers to God's divine wisdom, sovereign purpose, and plans for His creation and providence. Job initially felt capable of critiquing this.
• without knowledge’ (bĕlî daʿat): Daʿat signifies true knowledge, understanding, or discernment, often rooted in an intimate relationship with God. Job admits he spoke from a state of profound ignorance concerning God's true ways. This is a severe self-indictment.
• Surely I spoke (lāḵēn higadtî): Lāḵēn means "therefore" or "indeed," introducing Job's solemn confession. Higadtî is "I spoke" or "I declared." It signifies a formal declaration, acknowledging his earlier assertions about God were rash and misguided.
• of things I did not understand (wəloʾ ʾābîn): ʾābîn implies to comprehend, discern, or grasp the meaning. Job concedes his prior discourse was without proper intellectual or spiritual grasp of the divine matters he was commenting upon.
• things too wonderful (niflāʾôt): From the root pālāʾ, meaning "to be distinct," "marvelous," "extraordinary," or "beyond human comprehension." Often used in the Old Testament for God's miracles and His unique, inscrutable actions and nature (e.g., Exod 3:20, Judg 13:18). It expresses the awe-inspiring, unsearchable nature of God’s works and thoughts.
• for me to know (mimmennî wəloʾ ʾēḏaʿ): Literally "from me, and I did not know." It conveys that these matters are beyond Job's ability to fully perceive, grasp, or master (yāḏaʿ – to know, perceive, experience). This emphasizes the vast, insurmountable gap between infinite divine knowledge and finite human understanding.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?": This exact phrasing echoes God's initial challenging question in Job 38:2. By repeating it, Job not only accepts God’s premise but applies it directly to himself, demonstrating deep humility and a realization of his own folly. It signifies a pivotal moment of self-awareness.
  • "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.": This part represents Job's comprehensive admission of intellectual and spiritual short-sightedness. It expresses not just regret but an awe-filled recognition of God’s transcendent power and wisdom. Job confesses his inability to grasp the profound mysteries of God's ways, accepting that some divine realities simply lie beyond human grasp, invoking reverence instead of questioning.

Job 42 3 Bonus section

• The linguistic connection between Job 42:3 and Job 38:2 (mî zeh maʿălîm ʿēṣâ bĕlî daʿat) highlights a profound chiastic structure in Job’s confession, where he internally reflects and echoes God's direct rebuke, solidifying his understanding and acceptance. This is not mere repetition but a full embodiment of God's judgment on Job's earlier, uninformed challenges.
• The term niflāʾôt (wonderful things) often implies divine miracles or actions that inspire awe because they transcend natural explanation or human capability. By using this term, Job elevates God's plans and operations to the level of divine mystery, unapproachable by human intellect alone.
• Job’s confession serves as a crucial theological boundary: while humanity is encouraged to seek wisdom, it must do so with humility, recognizing that some divine truths remain exclusively God's prerogative to know and understand fully. It implicitly challenges any human attempt to fully systematize or rationalize the entirety of God's governance, especially concerning suffering or the distribution of justice in this life.

Job 42 3 Commentary

Job 42:3 is the centerpiece of Job's profound repentance. After enduring extensive suffering and defending his integrity against his friends, Job presumed to debate God's justice. God’s powerful response from the whirlwind did not explain why Job suffered, but revealed Who God is: an infinitely wise, omnipotent, and sovereign Creator. This display utterly humbled Job. His echo of God’s earlier question (mî zeh maʿălîm ʿēṣâ bĕlî daʿat) is an act of deep submission, acknowledging his prior speech was presumptuous and ill-informed. He now sees the "too wonderful" (niflāʾôt) acts and thoughts of God as truly beyond human comprehension. This verse underscores the biblical theme of God's inscrutable sovereignty and the finite nature of human knowledge when confronting the divine. It moves from intellectual pride to profound reverence, accepting that true wisdom involves knowing the limits of one's own understanding in the face of God's infinite greatness. Practically, it teaches us to embrace humility when facing unanswered questions about God’s providence, resting in His wisdom rather than demanding our own finite explanations.