Job 5 24

Job 5:24 kjv

And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

Job 5:24 nkjv

You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.

Job 5:24 niv

You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.

Job 5:24 esv

You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.

Job 5:24 nlt

You will know that your home is safe.
When you survey your possessions, nothing will be missing.

Job 5 verses

Job 5 24 Meaning

Job 5:24, as expressed by Eliphaz the Temanite, proposes a conventional ancient view of divine justice, promising that if Job would repent and turn to God, his home and all his affairs would enjoy profound peace and security. It assures him that his household and property, his 'tabernacle' and 'habitation,' will be divinely guarded from harm and will prosper without encountering any loss or failure in his management. This statement implies a direct cause-and-effect relationship where a return to righteousness is guaranteed to bring material well-being and freedom from misfortune.

Job 5 24 Context

Job 5:24 is situated within Eliphaz the Temanite's first speech (Job 4-5), delivered as a response to Job's profound lament (Job 3). Eliphaz, acting as an exponent of traditional wisdom, posits a common understanding of divine justice prevalent in his era: the righteous invariably experience prosperity, while suffering is a direct consequence of wickedness. He urges Job to acknowledge his presumed sin and to seek God, promising restoration and numerous blessings. Verse 24 is a specific assurance embedded within this argument, envisioning Job's home and affairs returning to a state of security and flourishing if he chooses repentance. Historically, this perspective was common in the Ancient Near East, linking material fortunes directly to one's moral conduct. The book of Job, however, ultimately challenges this simplistic framework, demonstrating that suffering can occur independent of sin and that God's ways are often beyond human comprehension.

Job 5 24 Word analysis

• And thou shalt know (וְיָדַעְתָּ - ve-yada'ta): This verb, from the root yada (יָדַע), signifies a deep, experiential knowledge rather than mere intellectual understanding. It implies a certain, lived assurance or realization of truth. Eliphaz promises Job that he will personally witness and experience this peace.

• that thy tabernacle (כִּי שָׁלוֹם אָהֳלֶךָ - ki shalom oholekha):

  • tabernacle (ohel, אֹהֶל): Literally meaning "tent," this term widely represents one's dwelling, home, household, family, or even one's entire domestic establishment. In the cultural context, the household was a fundamental unit of identity, security, and well-being.
  • shall be in peace (שָׁלוֹם - shalom): This pivotal Hebrew word is rich with meaning, extending beyond just the absence of conflict. Shalom signifies comprehensive wholeness, well-being, prosperity, security, health, and a flourishing state in every aspect of life. Its fronting in the Hebrew text (shalom oholekha) places emphasis on this all-encompassing peace pervading the home.

• and thou shalt visit (וּפָקַדְתָּ - u-faqadeta): Derived from the root paqad (פָּקַד), this verb carries multiple layers of meaning, including to "visit," "inspect," "muster," "care for," or "superintend." It implies an active, diligent oversight and administration, not merely a casual stop. Here, it suggests Job's responsible and meticulous management of his affairs.

• thy habitation (נָוְךָ - navekha): From naveh (נָוֶה), meaning "dwelling place," "pasture," or "sheepfold." It often suggests a stable, settled, and secure abode or a productive place of sustenance, such as pastures where flocks graze. Unlike ohel, it suggests a more established, possibly permanent, property, encompassing Job's wider estate and livestock.

• and shalt not sin (וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא - ve-lo teḥeṭa): From ḥaṭa (חָטָא), which primarily means "to miss the mark," "to err," or "to sin." In this specific context, particularly following the act of "visiting" or "inspecting" (paqad), it is often interpreted in several ways:

  • "You shall not find anything missing, amiss, or damaged" when you inspect your property, signifying completeness and freedom from defect.
  • "You shall not make a mistake or err" in your managerial duties, ensuring successful administration.
  • "You shall not incur loss or find misfortune" as a result of your vigilance. This phrase guarantees a divinely maintained order and prosperity that even close scrutiny will not find faulty.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace": This segment highlights the certainty of tranquility and holistic well-being within one's home and family life. It envisions a state of profound rest and security, directly attributed to divine favor. The "knowing" denotes a personal, verifiable experience of this promised peace.
  • "and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin": This describes Job's renewed engagement with his household and estate. His "visitation" implies diligent care and oversight, while "and shalt not sin" acts as a guarantee that this meticulous attention will yield perfect outcomes—no loss, no error, no imperfection will be discovered. This speaks to a divinely supported success in all his practical affairs, where his thorough inspection confirms only complete prosperity and order.

Job 5 24 Bonus section

The theology presented by Eliphaz and the other friends throughout Job often mirrors common wisdom traditions found across the Ancient Near East. While this wisdom rightly attributes blessing to God and acknowledges consequences for wrongdoing, it falls short in addressing suffering that is not directly linked to sin. The book of Job transcends this limitation, moving beyond a simple quid pro quo relationship between human actions and divine responses. Job 5:24, with its hopeful but ultimately incomplete promise, illustrates the fundamental challenge that the book of Job addresses: the problem of seemingly inexplicable suffering and the limitations of human wisdom in fully comprehending God's sovereign and just governance over all creation. The very assertion of an ideal life free from any error or loss ('shall not sin') points to a perfection that only God truly possesses, and a promise that the rest of the book reveals is not always applicable in the temporal experiences of even the most righteous.

Job 5 24 Commentary

Job 5:24 is a testament to Eliphaz's conventional wisdom, encapsulating the belief that suffering is solely punitive and righteousness guarantees material blessing. In this verse, Eliphaz offers a comforting, albeit conditionally rooted, promise to Job: that by turning to God, he would gain assured peace and stability in his personal and professional life. The "tabernacle" refers to his immediate household and family, which would experience holistic shalom – a comprehensive state of well-being. Furthermore, his "visitation" or management of his wider "habitation" (his property and estate) would be so divinely blessed that he would "not sin," interpreted as not finding any flaw, loss, or imperfection. This paints a picture of effortless success and flourishing, where God's favor negates any possibility of misfortune or mismanagement. However, this verse ultimately serves as a theological starting point for the larger argument of the book of Job, which proceeds to dismantle this simplistic formula by showing that the righteous can indeed suffer, and that God's plans are far more complex than human retributional theology can grasp.