Job 36 · Verse 3

Job 36:3

I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
Job 36:3, King James Version

Job 36:3 in other translations

BSBI get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
WEBI will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
ASVI will fetch my knowledge from afar, And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
YLTI lift up my knowledge from afar, And to my Maker I ascribe righteousness.
DARBYI will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.
BBEI will get my knowledge from far, and I will give righteousness to my Maker.
WebsterI will bring my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

What does Job 36:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. from afar--not trite commonplaces, but drawn from God's mighty works. ascribe righteousness--whereas Job ascribed unrighteousness (Job 34:10, 12). A man, in enquiring into God's ways, should at the outset presume they are all just, be willing to find them so, and expect that the result of investigation will prove them to be so; such a one will never be disappointed [Barnes].

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar - למרחוק lemerachok, "from the distant place," meaning probably both remote antiquity and heaven; see below. I will show thee that all antiquity and experience are on my side. I can bring proofs from the remotest ages and from the most distant countries to demonstrate that God is infinitely Wise, and can do nothing foolish or erroneous; that he is infinitely Powerful, and can bring all the purposes of his wisdom to effect; that he is infinitely Good, and can will nothing, and can do nothing that is not good in itself, and well calculated to do good to his creatures. And I shall show that his operations in the heavens and on the earth prove and demonstrate the whole. And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker - By proving the above points, the righteous conduct of God, and his gracious government of the world, will be fully established. That Elihu brings his knowledge from afar - from every part of the creation, as well as from the Divine nature - is evident from the end of the chapter. 1. The omnipotence of God; - God is great. 2. The eternity of God - We know him not, the number of his years cannot be found out, Job 36:26. 3. From the economy of God in the atmosphere, in dews, rain, vapor, and the irrigation of the earth; - He maketh small the drops, etc., Job 36:27, Job 36:28. 4. In the thunder and lightning, by which he performs such wonders in the atmosphere, and executes such judgments in the world; - Also who can understand the noise of his tabernacle? He spreadeth his light upon it. He judgeth the people, etc., Job 36:29-33.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 36:1-4

Elihu only maintained that the affliction was sent for his trial; and lengthened because Job was not yet thoroughly humbled under it. He sought to ascribe righteousness to his Maker; to clear this truth, that God is righteous in all his ways. Such knowledge must be learned from the word and Spirit of God, for naturally we are estranged from it. The fitness of Elihu's discourse to the dispute between Job and his…

Read the full comment on Job 36:1-4 →

Job 36:3 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.

אֶשָּׂ֣א'e.Sa'I will bearH5375
דֵ֭עִיDe.'iknowledge myH1843
לְמֵרָח֑וֹקle.me.ra.Chok<to> from afarH7350
וּ֝לְפֹעֲלִ֗יu.le.fo.'a.Liand to maker myH6466
אֶֽתֵּֽן\־'e.ten-I will ascribeH5414
צֶֽדֶק\׃Tze.dekrighteousnessH6664

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

Cross references for Job 36:3

  • James 3:17

    But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • Psalms 145:17

    The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

  • Job 8:3

    Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

  • Daniel 9:14

    Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

  • Deuteronomy 32:4

    He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

  • Daniel 9:7

    O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.

  • Job 32:8

    But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

  • Psalms 11:7

    For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

  • Revelation 15:3

    And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

  • Matthew 12:42

    The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

  • Job 32:2

    Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fetch.
28:12,13,20-24; 32:8; Pr 2:4,5; Mt 2:1,2; 12:42; Ac 8:27-40
Ro 10:6-8; Jas 1:5,17; 3:17
ascribe.
32:2; 34:5,10-12; De 32:4; Ps 11:7; 145:17; Jer 12:1; Da 9:7,14
Ro 3:25,26; 9:14; Re 15:3

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

Context

  • Job 36:2

    Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.

  • Job 36:3

    I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

  • Job 36:4

    For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

Read all of Job 36

Job 36:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Tomaré mi noticia de lejos, y atribuiré justicia á mi Hacedor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		J’apporterai de loin ce que je sais, et je donnerai justice à mon créateur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich will mein Wissen von weither holen, und meinem Schöpfer Gerechtigkeit geben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Repetam scientiam meam a principio, et operatorem meum probabo justum.