God’s Word Translation
Job 34:10
10“You people who have understanding, listen to me. It is unthinkable that God would ever do evil or that the Almighty would ever do wicked things.
Job 34:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
- New International Version (NIV)“So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.
Context of Job 34:10
8who travels with troublemakers and associates with evil people? 9He says, ‘It doesn’t do any good to try to please God.’ “You people who have understanding, listen to me. It is unthinkable that God would ever do evil or that the Almighty would ever do wicked things. 11God will repay humanity for what it has done and will give each person what he deserves. 12Certainly, God will never do anything evil, and the Almighty will never pervert justice.
Read all of Job 34Job 34:10 word by word
לָכֵ֤ן׀ אַ֥נֲשֵׁ֥י לֵבָ֗ב שִׁמְע֫וּ לִ֥י חָלִ֖לָה לָאֵ֥ל מֵרֶ֗שַׁע וְשַׁדַּ֥י מֵעָֽוֶל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- unto me, ye menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of understandingלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
- far be itחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
- from Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- wickednessרֶ֫שַׁעresha‛ · wickednessH7562
- the Almightyשַׁדַּיshadday · AlmightyH7706
- iniquityעָ֫וֶל‛evel ‛âvel ‛avlâh ‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · injusticeH5766
Cross-references for Job 34:10
- Job 34:2“Listen to my words, you wise men. Open your ears to me, you intelligent men.
- Proverbs 6:32Whoever commits adultery with a woman has no sense. Whoever does this destroys himself.
- Proverbs 15:32Whoever ignores discipline despises himself, but the person who listens to warning gains understanding.
- Job 8:3Does God distort justice, or does the Almighty distort righteousness?
- Job 36:23Who can tell him which way he should go? Who can say to him, ‘You did wrong’?
- Job 37:23The Almighty, whom we can’t reach, is great in power and judgment, has more than enough righteousness, and does not oppress.
- Genesis 18:25It would be unthinkable for you to do such a thing, to treat the innocent and the guilty alike and to kill the innocent with the guilty. That would be unthinkable! Won’t the judge of the whole earth do what is fair?”
- Deuteronomy 32:4He is a rock. What he does is perfect. All his ways are fair. He is a faithful God, who does no wrong. He is honorable and reliable.
- 2 Chronicles 19:7May you have the fear of the Lord in you. Be careful about what you do. The Lord our God is never unjust. He is impartial and never takes bribes.”
- Psalms 92:15They make it known that the Lord is decent. He is my rock. He is never unfair.
- Jeremiah 12:1O Lord, even if I would argue my case with you, you would always be right. Yet, I want to talk to you about your justice. Why do wicked people succeed? Why do treacherous people have peace and quiet?
- Romans 3:4That would be unthinkable! God is honest, and everyone else is a liar, as Scripture says, “So you hand down justice when you speak, and you win your case in court.”
- Romans 9:14What can we say—that God is unfair? That’s unthinkable!
- James 1:13When someone is tempted, he shouldn’t say that God is tempting him. God can’t be tempted by evil, and God doesn’t tempt anyone.
Commentaries on Job 34:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Far be it from God - Rather, Wickedness, far be that from God; and from iniquity, the Almighty. The sense is sufficiently evident without the paraphrase in our version.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10Therefore hearken unto me - Elihu proceeds now to reply to what he regarded as the erroneous sentiments of Job, and to show the impropriety of language which reflected so much on God and his government. Instead, however, of meeting the facts in the case, and showing how the actual course of events could be reconciled with justice, he resolves it all into a matter of sovereignty, and maintains that it is wrong to doubt the rectitude of the dealings of one…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-15Verses 10-15 Elihu had showed Job, that God meant him no hurt by afflicting him, but intended his spiritual benefit. Here he shows, that God did him no wrong by afflicting him. If the former did not satisfy him, this ought to silence him. God cannot do wickedness, nor the Almighty commit wrong. If services now go unrewarded, and sins now go unpunished, yet there is a day coming, when God will fully render to every man according to his works. Further…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-15The passage connects three ideas to the belief that God can do no wrong (34:10, 12): God rewards or punishes people based on their actions (34:11); As the creator, God does not have to answer to anyone (34:13). Every living being relies on God for life. God can take life away without being wrong (34:14–15; compare Romans 9:19–29).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. The true answer to Job, which God follows up (Job 38:1-41). Man is to believe God's ways are right, because they are His, not because we fully see they are so (Ro 9:14; De 32:4; Ge 18:25).Read the comment
Topics related to Job 34:10
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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