Amplified Bible
Job 11:8
8His wisdom is as high as the heights of heaven. What can you do? It is deeper than Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead). What can you know?
Job 11:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?
- New International Version (NIV)They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?
- English Standard Version (ESV)It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
- New King James Version (NKJV)They are higher than heaven— what can you do? Deeper than Sheol— what can you know?
Context of Job 11:8
6And [that He would] show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God forgets a part of your wickedness and guilt. 7“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you [by searching] discover the limits of the Almighty [ascend to His heights, extend to His widths, and comprehend His infinite perfection]? His wisdom is as high as the heights of heaven. What can you do? It is deeper than Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead). What can you know? 9It is longer in measure [and scope] than the earth, And broader than the sea. 10If God passes by or arrests, Or calls an assembly [of judgment], who can restrain Him? [If He is against a man, who can call Him to account for it?]
Read all of Job 11Job 11:8 word by word
גָּבְהֵ֣י שָׁ֭מַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָ֑ל עֲמֻקָּ֥ה מִ֝שְּׁא֗וֹל מַה־תֵּדָֽע׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 11:8
- Job 22:12“Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the distant stars, how high they are!
- Job 35:5Look to the heavens and see; And behold the skies which are [much] higher than you.
- 2 Chronicles 6:18“But will God actually dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!
- Psalms 103:11For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence].
- Psalms 148:13Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted and supreme; His glory and majesty are above earth and heaven.
- Proverbs 25:2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
- Isaiah 55:9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.
- Job 26:6Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) is naked before God, And Abaddon (the place of destruction) has no covering [from His eyes].
- Psalms 139:6Such [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high [above me], I cannot reach it.
- Amos 9:2Though they dig into Sheol [to hide in the deepest pit], From there My hand will take them [for judgment]; And though they climb up to heaven [to hide in the realm of light], From there will I bring them down [for judgment].
- Ephesians 3:18be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love];
Commentaries on Job 11:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8It is as high as heaven - High as the heavens, what canst thou work? Deep below sheol, (the invisible world), what canst thou know? Long beyond the earth, and broad beyond the sea, is its measure. These are instances in the immensity of created things, and all out of the reach of human power and knowledge; and if these things are so, how incomprehensible must he be, who designed, created, preserves, and governs the whole! We find the same thought in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8It is as high as heaven - That is, the knowledge of God; or the subject is as high as heaven. The idea is, that man is incompetent to examine, with accuracy, an object that is as far off as the heavens; and that as the knowledge of God must be of that character, it is vain for him to attempt to investigate it fully. There is an energy in the Hebrew which is lost in our common translation. The Hebrew is abrupt and very emphatic: “The heights of the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Zophar speaks well concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly. See here what man is; and let him be humbled. God sees this concerning vain man, that he would be wise, would be thought so, though he is born like a wild ass's colt, so unteachable and untameable. Man is a vain creature; empty, so the word is. Yet he is a proud creature, and self-conceited. He would be wise, would be thought so, though he…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. It--the "wisdom" of God (Job 11:6). The abruptness of the Hebrew is forcible: "The heights of heaven! What canst thou do" (as to attaining to them with thy gaze, Psa 139:8)? know--namely, of His perfections.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 11:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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