Job 9:4 kjv
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
Job 9:4 nkjv
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
Job 9:4 niv
His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
Job 9:4 esv
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength ? who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded? ?
Job 9:4 nlt
For God is so wise and so mighty.
Who has ever challenged him successfully?
Job 9 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How... | God's unsearchable wisdom and judgments. |
| Psa 147:5 | Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit. | God's boundless power and understanding. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," ... | God's wisdom transcends human understanding. |
| Jer 10:12 | He made the earth by His power, He established the world by His wisdom... | God's power and wisdom in creation. |
| Dan 2:20 | "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His." | God's possession of wisdom and power. |
| Prov 2:6 | For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. | Wisdom originates from the Lord. |
| 1 Cor 1:25 | ...the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger... | God's wisdom surpasses human wisdom. |
| Psa 24:8 | Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. | God's might and power. |
| Psa 62:11 | God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. | God as the source of all power. |
| Isa 40:26 | Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who... | God's power evident in creation and control. |
| Matt 19:26 | But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." | God's unlimited power. |
| Jer 32:17 | 'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power... | God's creative power. |
| Rev 19:6 | And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many... | Acknowledgment of God's omnipotent reign. |
| Isa 45:9 | Woe to him who strives with his Maker! ...Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' | Futility of contending with God. |
| Rom 9:20 | But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing molded... | Human inability to question or resist God. |
| Acts 5:39 | But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it; lest you even be found to fight against God." | Warning against opposing God's work. |
| Psa 76:7 | You, Yourself, are to be feared; And who may stand in Your presence when once... | No one can stand against God's wrath. |
| Prov 21:30 | There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD. | No plan or power can thwart God's will. |
| Psa 95:8 | "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial... | Warning against hardening hearts against God. |
| Heb 3:7-8 | Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts..." | Instruction not to harden hearts like Israel. |
| Exod 7:3-4 | And I will harden Pharaoh's heart and multiply My signs and My wonders... | Example of hardening a heart against God. |
| Dan 4:35 | All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according... | God's absolute sovereignty over all creation. |
Job 9 verses
Job 9 4 Meaning
Job 9:4 proclaims God's unparalleled and perfect wisdom residing deep within His very being, coupled with His absolute and invincible strength. The verse then poses a rhetorical question, asserting that no one has ever intentionally resisted or become obstinate against such a God and subsequently achieved success, prosperity, or even managed to escape unharmed. This statement underscores the ultimate futility and inherent danger of any human attempt to defy the sovereign will and power of God.
Job 9 4 Context
Job 9:4 is part of Job's complex response to Bildad's speech, which asserted that God only punishes the wicked. In this chapter, Job acknowledges and even expounds upon God's overwhelming majesty, wisdom, and power (Job 9:2-12). Yet, this affirmation of God's omnipotence paradoxically deepens Job's dilemma. How can a mortal man, even one confident in his innocence, argue or contend with an all-wise and all-powerful God (Job 9:14-20)? The verse serves as Job's sober reflection that God's wisdom and strength make any attempt to question or challenge Him utterly futile and inherently dangerous. It lays the groundwork for Job's despair over his inability to clear his name or understand the reason for his suffering when confronted by such an unchallengeable deity.
Job 9 4 Word analysis
- He: Refers to God (Elohim), clearly understood as the subject of Job's discourse. It emphasizes the singular, supreme being with unique attributes and actions.
- is wise (חֲכַם - chakham): This Hebrew term signifies more than mere intellect. It denotes practical skill, profound insight, sound judgment, and the ability to govern justly and effectively. God's wisdom is not acquired but is intrinsic to His being.
- in heart (לֵבָב - levav): In biblical thought, the "heart" represents the very core of a person—the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral discernment. So, "wise in heart" means God's wisdom permeates His entire being, guiding all His thoughts, intentions, and actions with perfect discernment.
- and mighty (וְאַמִּיץ - ve'ammitz): The "and" links these two essential attributes of God. "Mighty" (from ammitz) conveys strength, courage, firmness, and an unyielding nature. It suggests powerful execution.
- in strength (כֹּחַ - koach): This word means power, ability, vigor, or force. Paired with ammitz, it forms an intensive expression emphasizing absolute, unconquerable power and irresistible capability.
- who (מִי - mi): A rhetorical interrogative, inviting the listener to consider the question, yet inherently implying a negative answer: "no one."
- hath hardened himself (הִקְשָׁה - hiqshah): From the root Q-S-H (qashah), meaning "to be hard, stiff, severe." In the Hiphil stem, it signifies an active, deliberate choice to "harden, stiffen, make obstinate." It implies willful defiance and stubborn resistance against God's will or authority, often linked to spiritual rebellion.
- against him (אֵלָיו - elav): This preposition indicates direction and direct confrontation, highlighting a stance of opposition and rebellion pointedly directed at God Himself.
- and hath prospered (וַיִּשְׁלָם - vayyishlam): From the root Sh-L-M (shalem), meaning "to be complete, sound, safe, peaceful, prosperous, or whole." The implication in the question is not only worldly success but also escape from consequence, remaining intact, or achieving one's goal in opposition to God. The rhetorical question posits this as an impossibility.
Words-Group analysis
- "He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength": This phrase describes the harmonious perfection of God's character. His wisdom (intellectual and moral perfection) ensures His plans are perfect and just, while His strength (irresistible power) guarantees their execution. This paints a picture of a sovereign God whose actions are always perfectly conceived and impeccably carried out.
- "who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?": This rhetorical question is a powerful theological statement affirming God's unchallengeable sovereignty. It posits a non-existent scenario—no individual or entity has ever defied the Almighty and emerged successful, intact, or well-off. It emphasizes the futility of human pride and rebellion when confronting the ultimate power and wisdom of the Creator.
Job 9 4 Bonus section
- This verse encapsulates Job's intellectual understanding of God's nature, which paradoxically deepens his personal struggle rather than alleviating it, as he cannot reconcile such a God with his righteous suffering.
- It sets a crucial theological boundary: there is no effective contention with God. Any attempt to "harden oneself" implies a foolish defiance against omnipotence and omniscience, which by nature cannot end favorably for the defiant party.
- The rhetorical structure implicitly invites the listener to consider historical examples of defiance against God, such as Pharaoh or various rebellious nations, whose ends were always calamitous, confirming the verse's assertion.
Job 9 4 Commentary
Job 9:4 functions as a foundational theological premise within Job's desperate monologue. He acknowledges a universally accepted truth: God's attributes of boundless wisdom and irresistible power are absolute. This affirmation is not one of comfort for Job, but rather intensifies his existential crisis. If God is perfectly wise, His actions, including suffering, must be righteous; if He is supremely powerful, His will is inescapable. The rhetorical question "who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?" unequivocally declares that opposition to God is inherently futile and ultimately self-destructive. It's a statement about divine immutability and absolute sovereignty. The verse provides a stark warning against any human presumption of independent power or counsel against the Creator. It highlights that true well-being and ultimate peace are found not in defiance, but in humble submission to the one whose wisdom and strength are limitless.