English Standard Version
Job 36:23
23Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, 'You have done wrong'?
Job 36:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
- New International Version (NIV)Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who has assigned Him His way, Or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?
- New Living Translation (NLT)No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’
Context of Job 36:23
21Take care; do not turn to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction. 22Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, 'You have done wrong'? 24"Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung. 25All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar.
Read all of Job 36Job 36:23 word by word
מִֽי־פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּמִֽי־אָ֝מַ֗ר פָּעַ֥לְתָּ עַוְלָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 36:23
- Job 34:13Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world?
- Isaiah 40:13Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel?
- Romans 11:34"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
- 1 Corinthians 2:16"For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
- Ephesians 1:11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
- Job 8:3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
- Job 34:10"Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
- Job 40:8Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?
- Romans 2:5But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
- Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)
- Romans 9:14What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!
Commentaries on Job 36:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Who hath enjoined him his way - Has God taken instructions from any man how he shall govern the world? Thou hast wrought iniquity? - Who can prove, in the whole compass of the creation, that there is one thing imperfect, superabundant, or out of its place? Who can show that there is, in the course of the Divine providence, one unrighteous, cruel, or unwise act? All the cunning and wickedness of man have never been able to find out the smallest flaw in the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Who hath enjoined him his way? - Who hath prescribed to him what he ought to do? Who is superior to him, and has marked out for him the plan which he ought to pursue? The idea is, that God is supreme and independent; no one has advised him, and no one has a right to counsel him. Perhaps, also, Elihu designs this as a reproof to Job for having complained so much of the government of God, and for being disposed, as he thought, to “prescribe” to God what he…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 Elihu shows that Job caused the continuance of his own trouble. He cautions him not to persist in frowardness. Even good men need to be kept to their duty by the fear of God's wrath; the wisest and best have enough in them to deserve his stroke. Let not Job continue his unjust quarrel with God and his providence. And let us never dare to think favourably of sin, never indulge it, nor allow ourselves in it. Elihu thinks Job needed this…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2522-25. God is not to be impiously arraigned, but to be praised for His might, shown in His works. exalteth--rather, doeth lofty things, shows His exalted power [Umbreit] (Psa 21:13). teacheth--(Psa 94:12, &c.). The connection is, returning to Job 36:5, God's "might" is shown in His "wisdom"; He alone can teach; yet, because He, as a sovereign, explains not all His dealings, forsooth Job must presume to teach Him (Is 40:13, 14; Ro 11:34; 1Co 2:16). So the…Read the comment
Topics related to Job 36:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 36
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries