God’s Word Translation
Job 34:12
12Certainly, God will never do anything evil, and the Almighty will never pervert justice.
Job 34:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
- New International Version (NIV)It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
Context of Job 34:12
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. 11God will repay humanity for what it has done and will give each person what he deserves. Certainly, God will never do anything evil, and the Almighty will never pervert justice. 13Who put him in charge of the earth? Who appointed him to be over the whole world? 14If he thought only of himself and withdrew his Spirit and his breath,
Read all of Job 34Job 34:12 word by word
אַף־אָמְנָ֗ם אֵ֥ל לֹֽא־יַרְשִׁ֑יעַ וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י לֹֽא־יְעַוֵּ֥ת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 34:12
- Psalms 11:7The Lord is righteous. He loves a righteous way of life. Decent people will see his face.
- Psalms 145:17The Lord is fair in all his ways and faithful in everything he does.
- Habakkuk 1:12Didn’t you exist before time began, O Lord, my God, my Holy One? We will not die! O Lord, you have appointed the Babylonians to bring judgment. O Rock, you have destined them to correct us.
- Job 8:3Does God distort justice, or does the Almighty distort righteousness?
Commentaries on Job 34:12
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Yea, surely God will not do wickedly - So important does Elihu hold this principle to be, that he repeats it, and dwells upon it. He says, “it surely (אמנם 'omnâm ) must be so.” The principle must be held at all hazards, and no opinion which contravenes this should be indulged for one moment. His ground of complaint against Job was, that he had not held fast to this principle, but, under the pressure of his sufferings, had indulged in remarks which…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. 1212. (Job 8:3). In opposition to Job, Job 34:5, will not--cannot.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 34:12
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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