Job 11 · Verse 8

Job 11:8

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?
Job 11:8, King James Version

Job 11:8 in other translations

BSBThey are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
WEBThey are high as heaven. What can you do? They are deeper than Sheol. What can you know?
ASVIt is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?
YLTHeights of the heavens! --what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! --what knowest thou?
DARBYIt is as the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?
BBEThey are higher than heaven; what is there for you to do? deeper than the underworld, and outside your knowledge;
WebsterIt is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

What does Job 11:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. It--the "wisdom" of God (Job 11:6). The abruptness of the Hebrew is forcible: "The heights of heaven! What canst thou do" (as to attaining to them with thy gaze, Psa 139:8)? know--namely, of His perfections.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 It is as high as heaven - High as the heavens, what canst thou work? Deep below sheol, (the invisible world), what canst thou know? Long beyond the earth, and broad beyond the sea, is its measure. These are instances in the immensity of created things, and all out of the reach of human power and knowledge; and if these things are so, how incomprehensible must he be, who designed, created, preserves, and governs the whole! We find the same thought in Milton: - "These are thy glorious works, Parent of good! Almighty! Thine this universal frame: How wondrous fair! Thyself how wondrous then!"

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 11:7-12

Zophar speaks well concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly. See here what man is; and let him be humbled. God sees this concerning vain man, that he would be wise, would be thought so, though he is born like a wild ass's colt, so unteachable and untameable. Man is a vain creature; empty, so the word is. Yet he is a proud creature, and self-conceited. He would be wise…

Read the full comment on Job 11:7-12 →

Job 11:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

גָּבְהֵ֣יga.ve.Hei[the] heights ofH1363
שָׁ֭מַיִםSha.ma.yim[the] heavensH8064
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
תִּפְעָ֑לtif.'Alwill you doH6466
עֲמֻקָּ֥ה'a.mu.KahdeepH6013
מִ֝שְּׁא֗וֹלmi.she.'olmore than SheolH7585
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
תֵּדָֽע\׃te.Da'will you knowH3045

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 11:8

  • Job 22:12

    Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

  • Isaiah 55:9

    For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

  • Psalms 139:6-8

    Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

  • Psalms 148:13

    Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

  • Job 26:6

    Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

  • Job 35:5

    Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

  • Amos 9:2

    Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

  • 2 Chronicles 6:18

    But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

  • Proverbs 25:2-3

    It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

  • Psalms 103:11

    For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

  • Ephesians 3:18-19

    May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
It is as high as heaven. Heb. the heights of heaven.
22:12; 35:5; 2Ch 6:18; Ps 103:11; 148:13; Pr 25:2,3; Isa 55:9
deeper.
26:6; Ps 139:6-8; Am 9:2; Eph 3:18,19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 11:7

    Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

  • Job 11:8

    It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

  • Job 11:9

    The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Read all of Job 11

Job 11:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Es más alto que los cielos: ¿qué harás? Es más profundo que el infierno: ¿cómo lo conocerás?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ce sont les hauteurs des cieux, – que feras-tu? C’est plus profond que le shéol, qu’en sauras-tu?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Himmelhoch sind sie-was kannst du tun? tiefer als der Scheol-was kannst du wissen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Excelsior cælo est, et quid facies? profundior inferno, et unde cognosces?