English Standard Version
Job 40:2
2"Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it."
Job 40:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
- New International Version (NIV)“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”
Context of Job 40:2
1And the Lord said to Job: "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it." 3Then Job answered the Lord and said: 4"Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
Read all of Job 40Job 40:2 word by word
הֲ֭רֹב עִם־שַׁדַּ֣י יִסּ֑וֹר מוֹכִ֖יחַ אֱל֣וֹהַּ יַעֲנֶֽנָּה׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 40:2
- Job 9:3If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.
- Job 33:13Why do you contend against him, saying, 'He will answer none of man's words'?
- Ecclesiastes 6:10Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.
- Isaiah 45:9"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles'?
- Isaiah 50:8He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.
- 1 Corinthians 10:22Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
- Isaiah 40:14Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?
- 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.
- Job 3:11"Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?
- Job 7:12Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that you set a guard over me?
- Job 9:17For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause;
- Job 10:3Does it seem good to you to oppress, to despise the work of your hands and favor the designs of the wicked?
- Job 13:21withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me.
- Job 14:16For then you would number my steps; you would not keep watch over my sin;
- Job 16:11God gives me up to the ungodly and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
- Job 19:6know then that God has put me in the wrong and closed his net about me.
Commentaries on Job 40:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2He that reproveth God, let him answer it - Let the man who has made so free with God and his government, answer to what he has now heard.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Shall he that contendeth with the A mighty instruct him? - Gesenius renders this, “Contending shall the reprover of God contend with the Almighty?” Prof. Lee, “Shall one by contending with the Almighty correct this?” On the grammatical construction, see Gesenius on the word יסור yissôr and Rosenmuller and Lee, in loc. The meaning seems to be this: “Will he who would enter into a controversy with the Almighty now presume to instruct him? He that was so…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2The ancient Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) does not include the end of God's first speech.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. he that contendeth--as Job had so often expressed a wish to do. Or, rebuketh. Does Job now still (after seeing and hearing of God's majesty and wisdom) wish to set God right? answer it--namely, the questions I have asked.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 40:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 40
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries