Job 33 · Verse 13

Job 33:13

Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
Job 33:13, King James Version

Job 33:13 in other translations

BSBWhy do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
WEBWhy do you strive against him, because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?
ASVWhy dost thou strive against him, For that he giveth not account of any of his matters?
YLTWherefore against Him hast thou striven, When for all His matters He answereth not?
DARBYWhy dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
BBEWhy do you put forward your cause against him, saying, He gives no answer to any of my words?
WebsterWhy dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

What does Job 33:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. (Is 45:9). his matters--ways. Our part is, not to "strive" with God, but to submit. To believe it is right because He does it, not because we see all the reasons for His doing it.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Why dost thou strive against him? - Is it not useless to contend with God? Can he do any thing that is not right? As to his giving thee any account of the reasons why he deals thus and thus with thee, or any one else, thou needest not expect it; he is sovereign, and is not to be called to the bar of his creatures. It is sufficient for thee to know that "he is too wise to err, and too good to be unkind."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 33:8-13

Elihu charges Job with reflecting upon the justice and goodness of God. When we hear any thing said to God's dishonour, we ought to bear our testimony against it. Job had represented God as severe in marking what he did amiss. Elihu urges that he had spoken wrong, and that he ought to humble himself before God, and by repentance to unsay it. God is not accountable to us. It is unreasonable for weak, sinful…

Read the full comment on Job 33:8-13 →

Job 33:13 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.

מַ֭דּוּעַMa.du.a'why?H4069
אֵלָ֣יו'e.Lavagainst himH413
רִיב֑וֹתָri.Vo.tahave you contendedH7378
כִּ֥יkithatH3588
כָל\־khol-allH3605
דְּ֝בָרָ֗יוde.va.Ravwords hisH1697
לֹ֣א\־Lo'-notH3808
יַעֲנֶֽה\׃ya.'a.Nehhe answersH6030

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

Cross references for Job 33:13

  • Job 40:2

    Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

  • Isaiah 45:9

    Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

  • Romans 11:34

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

  • Daniel 4:35

    And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

  • Isaiah 46:10

    Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

  • Acts 1:7

    And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

  • Ezekiel 22:14

    Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it.

  • Matthew 20:15

    Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

  • 1 Corinthians 10:22

    Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

  • Deuteronomy 29:29

    The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

  • Acts 5:39

    But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

  • Job 15:25-26

    For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
strive.
9:14; 15:25,26; Isa 45:9; Jer 50:24; Eze 22:14; Ac 5:39; 9:4,5
1Co 10:22
giveth not account. Heb. answereth not.
40:2; De 29:29; Ps 62:11; Isa 46:10; Da 4:35; Mt 20:15; Ac 1:7
Ro 11:34

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

Context

  • Job 33:12

    Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

  • Job 33:13

    Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

  • Job 33:14

    For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

Read all of Job 33

Job 33:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Por qué tomaste pleito contra él? Porque él no da cuenta de ninguna de sus razones.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Pourquoi contestes-tu avec lui? car d’aucune de ses actions il ne rend compte.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Warum hast du wider ihn gehadert? Denn über all sein Tun gibt er keine Antwort.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Adversus eum contendis, quod non ad omnia verba responderit tibi?