Job 5 27

Job 5:27 kjv

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Job 5:27 nkjv

Behold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself."

Job 5:27 niv

"We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to yourself."

Job 5:27 esv

Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good."

Job 5:27 nlt

"We have studied life and found all this to be true.
Listen to my counsel, and apply it to yourself."

Job 5 verses

Job 5 27 Meaning

Job 5:27 represents Eliphaz the Temanite's confident summation of his first discourse to Job. He asserts that the wisdom he has just presented regarding suffering, divine discipline, and the path to restoration has been thoroughly investigated and confirmed as truth. He then commands Job to heed and internalize this wisdom, promising that doing so will be for Job's ultimate benefit and good.

Job 5 27 Context

Job 5:27 stands as the concluding statement of Eliphaz's initial discourse to Job (chapters 4 and 5). Throughout this speech, Eliphaz articulates his understanding of divine justice: that the innocent do not suffer (Job 4:7) and that affliction is a consequence of sin (Job 4:8; 5:6-7). He counsels Job to repent, accept God's discipline, and return to the Almighty for restoration and prosperity (Job 5:17-26).

This final verse (5:27) acts as Eliphaz's firm assertion of the validity and irrefutability of his "wisdom." He presents his analysis not as a mere opinion but as a thoroughly verified truth, backed by observation or received knowledge. For Eliphaz, his understanding perfectly explains Job's plight and offers the only sensible path forward.

Historically and culturally, Eliphaz's views represent a common ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition, often termed "retribution theology," where there was a direct and predictable correlation between one's righteousness/wickedness and their experience of blessing/suffering in this life. The book of Job, in its entirety, challenges the simplistic and absolute application of this understanding, revealing that God's ways are more complex and often beyond human formulas. Eliphaz's confidence, while stemming from genuine concern, reflects the human tendency to confidently categorize and rationalize divine providence according to a neat system, even when it misapplies to a specific situation.

Job 5 27 Word analysis

• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinneh): An emphatic interjection. It functions as a command to give immediate and serious attention. It marks a significant or climactic point, drawing the listener's focus to what follows.

• this (זֹאת - zot): A demonstrative pronoun. It refers collectively to Eliphaz's entire preceding argument and his counsel from Job chapters 4 and 5, encapsulating the 'truth' he believes he has uncovered about the nature of suffering and divine justice.

• we have searched (חֲקַרְנֻהָ - ḥāqar(ə)nūhā): From the verb ḥāqar (חָקַר), meaning "to search out," "to examine thoroughly," "to investigate," or "to explore." The first common plural perfect indicates that Eliphaz is speaking for himself and likely his companions, signifying a collective, diligent, and exhaustive inquiry or observation. It suggests the information is not superficial but deeply considered.

• and so it is (וְכֵן - veḵen): Lit. "and thus it is." The conjunction ve- (and) connects it to the searching, emphasizing the consequence. Ken (כֵן) means "thus," "so," "true," or "right." This phrase affirms the certainty, validity, and undeniable nature of the conclusions reached through the "searching." It declares the findings as a settled reality, a definitive statement of truth.

• hear it (שְׁמָעֶנָּה - šəma‘ennāh): From the verb šāma‘ (שָׁמַע), meaning "to hear," "to listen," and importantly, "to obey" or "to heed." It is an imperative, directly commanding Job not merely to process the sounds, but to thoughtfully attend to and absorb what has been said.

• and know it (וְדָע לָךְ - veḏā‘ lāḵ): From the verb yāda‘ (יָדַע), meaning "to know," "to understand," "to discern," often implying an intimate or experiential knowledge, not just intellectual assent. It is also an imperative, urging Job to deeply comprehend and internalize the message.

• for your good (לָךְ - lāḵ): The preposition lā (לְ) meaning "to" or "for," combined with the second masculine singular pronoun ḵā (ךְ), meaning "you" or "your." The sense here is "for your benefit," "for your advantage," or "for your profit." It underscores that accepting this counsel is presented as serving Job's own ultimate welfare and restoration.

• "Behold, this we have searched, and so it is": This powerful opening clause functions as Eliphaz's intellectual "summons." It conveys his conviction that his discourse is based on empirical observation or profound reflection, presenting his conclusions as an established fact, not open for dispute. The authority asserted is significant; it is the culmination of reasoned insight and experience.

• "hear it, and know it for your good": This segment is Eliphaz's urgent appeal and directive to Job. It combines an immediate command to listen and comprehend with a pragmatic assurance of personal advantage. He frames acceptance of his 'truth' as directly tied to Job's future well-being, implying that failure to heed will lead to continued suffering. It shifts the burden of acceptance and application onto Job, underscoring the perceived clarity and efficacy of Eliphaz's solution.

Job 5 27 Bonus section

• Polemics against simplistic wisdom: Eliphaz's confident declaration that his conclusions have been "searched" and confirmed can be seen as an implicit polemic against Job's desperate questioning of divine justice. He presents a tidy, predictable framework for understanding suffering, suggesting that any deviation from this understanding (like Job's insistence on his innocence) is due to ignorance or a failure to heed established truths. The very structure of the book of Job then serves as a divine counter-polemic against such reductionistic wisdom, asserting that God's ways are more complex and mysterious than human formulas can encompass.
• Theological Blind Spot: The deep conviction of Eliphaz ("and so it is") reveals a common human tendency: once a person believes they have 'figured out' God's system, they can become rigid and closed off to alternative explanations or to God's larger, often unsearchable, purposes. This illustrates that sincerity and diligent "searching" do not automatically equate to complete divine truth, especially when applied prescriptively to the lives of others without genuine empathy and divine revelation for the specific situation.

Job 5 27 Commentary

Job 5:27 delivers Eliphaz's emphatic summation and confident plea to Job. His assertion, "Behold, this we have searched, and so it is," is an authoritative claim to understanding the very nature of suffering and divine action. It speaks of diligent inquiry—whether through experience, tradition, or what he perceived as divine revelation—that has solidified his belief in a direct, punitive cause-and-effect relationship between sin and affliction. For Eliphaz, the wisdom he offers is not speculative; it is confirmed truth, an undeniable reality of God's ways.

His subsequent imperative, "hear it, and know it for your good," reflects both a genuine concern for Job's welfare and a deep conviction in the beneficial power of his counsel. He is urging Job to move beyond mere intellectual acknowledgment to a deep, transformative understanding that would lead to repentance and, consequently, restoration. This verse encapsulates the friends' core theological position throughout the book: a seemingly well-meaning but ultimately flawed interpretation of God's justice. While many of the principles Eliphaz cites about God's discipline and the benefits of repentance are true in a general sense, their rigid application to Job's unique case is where their "wisdom" falls short. The dramatic irony of the book lies precisely in this confidence; Eliphaz believes he has uncovered divine truth "for Job's good," yet God later explicitly tells them, "You have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has" (Job 42:7). This highlights the caution required when human wisdom, even when diligently "searched out," presumes to fully grasp God's multifaceted providence. It challenges us to approach divine truth with humility, recognizing the limits of our own understanding.