God’s Word Translation
Job 8:3
3Does God distort justice, or does the Almighty distort righteousness?
Job 8:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
- New International Version (NIV)Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
Context of Job 8:3
1Then Bildad from Shuah replied ⌞to Job⌟, 2“How long will you say these things? How long will your words be so windy? Does God distort justice, or does the Almighty distort righteousness? 4If your children sinned against him, he allowed them to suffer the consequences of their sinfulness. 5If you search for God and plead for mercy from the Almighty,
Read all of Job 8Job 8:3 word by word
הַ֭אֵל יְעַוֵּ֣ת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְאִם־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יְעַוֵּֽת־צֶֽדֶק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 8:3
- Job 4:17‘Can ⌞any⌟ mortal be righteous to God? Can ⌞any⌟ human being be pure to his maker?’
- Job 9:2“Yes, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be declared righteous to God?
- Job 10:3What do you gain by mistreating me, by rejecting the work of your hands while you favor the plans of the wicked?
- Job 19:7Indeed, I cry, ‘Help! I’m being attacked!’ but I get no response. I call for help, but there is no justice.
- Job 34:5because Job has said, ‘I’m righteous, but God has taken away my rights.
- Job 40:8“Would you undo my justice? Would you condemn me so that you can be righteous?
- 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.”
- Ezekiel 18:25“But you say, ‘The Lord’s way is unfair.’ Listen, nation of Israel, isn’t my way fair? Isn’t it your ways that are unfair?
- Ezekiel 33:17“But your people say, ‘The Lord’s way is unfair.’ Yet, their ways are unfair.
- Psalms 89:14Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne. Mercy and truth stand in front of you.
- Daniel 9:14So you were prepared to bring this disaster on us. Lord our God, you are righteous in everything you do. But we never listened to you.
- Romans 2:5Since you are stubborn and don’t want to change the way you think and act, you are adding to the anger that God will have against you on that day when God vents his anger. At that time God will reveal that his decisions are fair.
- 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.”
- Job 21:15Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? What do we gain if we pray to him?’
Commentaries on Job 8:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Doth God pervert judgment! - God afflicts thee; can he afflict thee for naught? As he is just, his judgment is just; and he could not inflict punishment unless there be a cause.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Doth God pervert judgment? - That is, Does God afflict people unjustly? Does he show favor to the evil, and punish the good? Bildad here undoubtedly refers to Job, and supposes that he had brought this charge against God. But he had not done it in so many words. He had complained of the severity of his sufferings, and had indulged in irreverent language toward God. But he had not advanced the charge openly that God had perverted right. Bildad strenuously…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Bildad believed God does not pervert justice. He thought the death of Job’s children showed they had sinned against God. Bildad divided people into "the blameless" (Hebrew tam, 8:20a; see 1:1) or "the godless" (Hebrew khanep, 8:13b). He believed one could distinguish them by observing God's actions toward them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. The repetition of "pervert" gives an emphasis galling to Job (Job 34:12). "Wouldst thou have God," as thy words imply, "pervert judgment," by letting thy sins go unpunished? He assumes Job's guilt from his sufferings.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 8:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 8
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries