EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Job 34:17
17If God refused to do what is right, he could not rule the world. He is the powerful Judge who knows what is right. But you say that he is guilty!
Job 34:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
- New International Version (NIV)Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just?
Context of Job 34:17
15If he did that, everyone that is alive would die. As humans, we would become dirt again. 16If you really understand things, Job, listen to me. Hear what I have to say. If God refused to do what is right, he could not rule the world. He is the powerful Judge who knows what is right. But you say that he is guilty! 18It is God who may say to a king, “You are useless!” He may say to rulers, “You are wicked!” 19God created everyone. He is not more kind to important people than he is to other people. He does not help rich people more than he helps poor people.
Read all of Job 34Job 34:17 word by word
הַאַ֬ף שׂוֹנֵ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֣ט יַחֲב֑וֹשׁ וְאִם־צַדִּ֖יק כַּבִּ֣יר תַּרְשִֽׁיעַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 34:17
- Genesis 18:25Will you kill them all, the good people and the bad people? Surely you would not do anything like that! You would not punish good people in the same way as bad people. You are the great judge of everyone on the earth. You will surely do what is right!’
- 2 Samuel 23:3Israel's God has spoken. The one who keeps Israel safe said to me, “A king should rule over people in a way that is right and fair. He should show that he respects and obeys God.
- Romans 3:5Maybe some people may say, ‘The wrong things that we do show more clearly that God is always right. So perhaps God is wrong to punish us.’
- Job 1:22Even after all these things had happened, Job still did not do anything bad. He did not say that God had done something wrong to him.
- Job 40:8Do you say that I am not a fair judge? Do you want to show that I am guilty, not you? Then you could say that you are right.
- 2 Samuel 19:21Then Abishai, Zeruiah's son, said, ‘We should kill Shimei. He cursed you, the Lord's chosen king, so he deserves to die.’
- Romans 9:14Because of this, someone might say that God is not fair. No! We should never say that!
Commentaries on Job 34:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Shall - he that hateth right govern? - Or, Shall he who hateth judgment, lie under obligation? It is preposterous to suppose that he who lives by no rule, should impose rules upon others. God, who is the fountain of all justice and righteousness, binds man by his laws; and wilt thou, therefore, pretend to condemn him who is the sum of righteousness?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Shall even he that hateth right govern? - Margin, as in Hebrew “bind.” That is, shall he bind by laws. The argument in this verse seems to be an appeal to what must be the conviction of mankind, that God, the Great Governor of the universe, could not be unjust. This conviction, Elihu appears to have supposed, was so deep in the human mind, that he might appeal even to Job himself for its truth. The question here asked implies that it would be impossible…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-30Verses 16-30 Elihu appeals directly to Job himself. Could he suppose that God was like those earthly princes, who hate right, who are unfit to rule, and prove the scourges of mankind? It is daring presumption to condemn God's proceedings, as Job had done by his discontents. Elihu suggests divers considerations to Job, to produce in him high thoughts of God, and so to persuade him to submit. Job had often wished to plead his cause before God. Elihu asks…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17The implication was that God could not rule if he hated justice (see Romans 3:4–7; 7:7, 13; 9:14; Galatians 2:17; 6:14). Later, God also asked if Job intended to condemn the mighty judge (Job 40:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. "Can even He who (in thy view) hateth right (justice) govern?" The government of the world would be impossible if injustice were sanctioned. God must be just, because He governs (2Sa 23:3). govern--literally, "bind," namely, by authority (so "reign," 1Sa 9:17, Margin). Umbreit translates for "govern, repress wrath, namely, against Job for his accusations. most just--rather, "Him who is at once mighty and just" (in His government of the world).Read the comment
Topics related to Job 34:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 34
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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