Job 22 · Verse 12

Job 22:12

Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
Job 22:12, King James Version

Job 22:12 in other translations

BSBIs not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
WEB“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
ASVIs not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
YLTIs not God high in heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
DARBYIs not God in the height of the heavens? And behold the summit of the stars: how exalted are they!
BBEIs not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!
WebsterIs not God in the hight of heaven? and behold the hight of the stars, how high they are!

What does Job 22:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. Eliphaz says this to prove that God can from His height behold all things; gratuitously inferring that Job denied it, because he denied that the wicked are punished here. height--Hebrew, "head of the stars"; that is, "elevation" (Job 11:8).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Is not God in the height of heaven? - It appears, from this and the following verses, that Eliphaz was attributing infidel and blasphemous speeches or sentiments to Job. As if he had said: "Thou allowest that there is a God, but thou sayest that he is infinitely exalted above the heavens and the stars, and that there is so much dense ether and thick cloud between his throne and the earth, that he can neither see it nor its inhabitants." These were sentiments which Job never held, and never uttered; but if a man be dressed in a bear's skin, he may be hunted and worried by his own dogs. Job's friends attribute falsities to him, and then dilate upon them, and draw inferences from them injurious to his character. Polemic writers, both in theology and politics, often act in this way.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 22:5-14

Eliphaz brought heavy charges against Job, without reason for his accusations, except that Job was visited as he supposed God always visited every wicked man. He charges him with oppression, and that he did harm with his wealth and power in the time of his prosperity.

Read the full comment on Job 22:5-14 →

Job 22:12 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.

הֲֽלֹא\־halo'-¿ notH3808
אֱ֭לוֹהַּ'E.lo.ah[is] GodH433
גֹּ֣בַהּGoah[the] height ofH1363
שָׁמָ֑יִםsha.Ma.yimheavenH8064
וּרְאֵ֤הu.re.'Ehand look atH7200
רֹ֖אשׁrosh[the] top ofH7218
כּוֹכָבִ֣יםko.kha.Vim[the] starsH3556
כִּי\־ki-thatH3588
רָֽמּוּ\׃Ra.muthey are highH7311

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

Cross references for Job 22:12

  • Isaiah 66:1

    Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

  • Ecclesiastes 5:2

    Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

  • Job 11:8

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

  • Psalms 8:3-4

    When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

  • Isaiah 57:15

    For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

  • Psalms 115:3

    But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

  • Psalms 115:16

    The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
not God.
Ps 115:3,16; Ec 5:2; Isa 57:15; 66:1
height. Heb. head. the stars.
Ps 8:3,4

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

Context

  • Job 22:11

    Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

  • Job 22:12

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

  • Job 22:13

    And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

Read all of Job 22

Job 22:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿No está Dios en la altura de los cielos? Mira lo encumbrado de las estrellas, cuán elevadas están.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		✝Dieu n’est-il pas aussi haut que les cieux? Regarde le faîte des étoiles, combien elles sont élevées!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ist Gott nicht so hoch wie die Himmel? Sieh doch den Gipfel der Sterne, wie erhaben sie sind!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		an non cogitas quod Deus excelsior cælo sit, et super stellarum verticem sublimetur?