Job 4

Job · Chapter 4

Job 4:17

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,2If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?3Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.5But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.6Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?8Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.9By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.11The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.12Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.13In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,14Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.15Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:16It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,17Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?18Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:19How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?20They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.21Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
17Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
¿ a personהַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁHA-'e-no-oshH0582
human

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) 1) man, mortal man, person, mankind 1a) of an individual 1b) men (collective) 1c) man, mankind Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

from Godמֵאֱל֣וֹהַme-'e-LO-haH0433
god

אֱלָהּ (e.lah) 1) god, God 1a) god, heathen deity 1b) God (of Israel)

will he be righteousיִצְדָּ֑קyitz-DAKH6663
to justify

צָדֵק (tsa.daq) 1) to be just, be righteous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to have a just cause, be in the right 1a2) to be justified 1a3) to be just (of God) 1a4) to be just, be righteous (in conduct and character) 1b) (Niphal) to be put or made right, be justified 1c) (Piel) justify, make to appear righteous, make someone righteous 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to do or bring justice (in administering law) 1d2) to declare righteous, justify 1d3) to justify, vindicate the cause of, save 1d4) to make righteous, turn to righteousness 1e) (Hithpael) to justify oneself

or?אִ֥ם'imH0518HNo entry
from maker hisמֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּme-'o-SE-huH6213H
to make

עֲבַד (a.vad) 1) to make, do 1a)(P'al) 1a1) to make, create 1a2) to do, perform 1b) (Ithp'al) 1b1) to be made into 1b2) to be done, be wrought, be performed, be executed, be carried out

will he be pureיִטְהַר־yit-har-H2891
be pure

טָהֵר (ta.her) 1) to be clean, be pure 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be clean (physically-of disease) 1a2) to be clean ceremonially 1a3) to purify, be clean morally, made clean 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to cleanse, purify 1b1a) physically 1b1b) ceremonially 1b1c) morally 1b2) to pronounce clean 1b3) to perform the ceremony of cleansing 1c) (Pual) to be cleansed, be pronounced clean 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to purify oneself 1d1a) ceremonially 1d1b) morally 1d2) to present oneself for purification

a manגָּֽבֶר׃GA-verH1397
great man

גָּבֶר (ga.ver) man, strong man, warrior (emphasising strength or ability to fight)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.