Job 15 · Verse 8

Job 15:8

Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
Job 15:8, King James Version

Job 15:8 in other translations

BSBDo you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
WEBHave you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
ASVHast thou heard the secret counsel of God? And dost thou limit wisdom to thyself?
YLTOf the secret counsel of God dost thou hear? And withdrawest thou unto thee wisdom?
DARBYHast thou listened in the secret council of God? And hast thou absorbed wisdom for thyself?
BBEWere you present at the secret meeting of God? and have you taken all wisdom for yourself?
WebsterHast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

What does Job 15:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. secret--rather, "Wast thou a listener in the secret council of God?" The Hebrew means properly the cushions of a divan on which counsellors in the East usually sit. God's servants are admitted to God's secrets (Psa 25:14; Ge 18:17; Joh 15:15). restrain--Rather, didst thou take away, or borrow, thence (namely, from the divine secret council) thy wisdom? Eliphaz in this (Job 15:8, 9) retorts Job's words upon himself (Job 12:2, 3; 13:2).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? - "Hast thou hearkened in God's council?" Wert thou one of the celestial cabinet, when God said, Let Us make man in Our image, and in Our likeness? Dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? - Dost thou wish us to understand that God's counsels were revealed to none but thyself? And dost thou desire that we should give implicit credence to whatsoever thou art pleased to speak? These are all strong sarcastic questions, and apparently uttered with great contempt.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 15:1-16

Eliphaz begins a second attack upon Job, instead of being softened by his complaints. He unjustly charges Job with casting off the fear of God, and all regard to him, and restraining prayer. See in what religion is summed up, fearing God, and praying to him; the former the most needful principle, the latter the most needful practice. Eliphaz charges Job with self-conceit. He charges him with contempt of the counsels…

Read the full comment on Job 15:1-16 →

Job 15:8 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.

הַבְס֣וֹדhav.Sod¿ in [the] council ofH5475
אֱל֣וֹהַ'e.Lo.haGodH433
תִּשְׁמָ֑עtish.Ma'do you listenH8085
וְתִגְרַ֖עve.tig.Ra'and you may restrain?H1639
אֵלֶ֣יךָ'e.Lei.khato yourselfH413
חָכְמָֽה\׃chokh.mahwisdomH2451

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

Cross references for Job 15:8

  • Romans 11:34

    For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

  • Jeremiah 23:18

    For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?

  • 1 Corinthians 2:16

    For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

  • Psalms 25:14

    The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

  • Matthew 11:25

    At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

  • Matthew 13:11

    He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

  • John 15:15

    Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

  • Job 11:6

    And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

  • Job 13:5-6

    O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

  • Job 29:4

    As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

  • Proverbs 3:32

    For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:9-11

    But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the secret.
11:6; De 29:29; Ps 25:14; Pr 3:32; Jer 23:18; Am 3:7; Mt 11:25
Mt 13:11,35; Joh 15:15; Ro 11:34; 16:25,26; 1Co 2:9-11,16
thou restrain.
12:2; 13:5,6

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

Context

  • Job 15:7

    Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

  • Job 15:8

    Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

  • Job 15:9

    What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

Read all of Job 15

Job 15:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Oíste tú el secreto de Dios, que detienes en ti solo la sabiduría?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		As-tu entendu ce qui se dit dans le conseil secret de ✝Dieu, et as-tu accaparé pour toi la sagesse?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Hast du im Rate Gottes zugehört, und die Weisheit an dich gerissen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		numquid consilium Dei audisti, et inferior te erit ejus sapientia?