Job 36 · Verse 5

Job 36:5

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
Job 36:5, King James Version

Job 36:5 in other translations

BSBIndeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
WEB“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
ASVBehold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in strength of understanding.
YLTLo, God is mighty, and despiseth not, Mighty in power and heart.
DARBYLo,God is mighty, but despiseth not any; mighty in strength of understanding:
BBETruly, God gives up the hard-hearted, and will not give life to the sinner.
WebsterBehold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

What does Job 36:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. Rather, "strength of understanding" (heart) the force of the repetition of "mighty"; as "mighty" as God is, none is too low to be "despised" by Him; for His "might" lies especially in "His strength of understanding," whereby He searches out the most minute things, so as to give to each his right. Elihu confirms his exhortation (Job 35:14).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 God is mighty and despiseth not any - He reproaches no man for his want of knowledge. If any man lack wisdom, he may come to God, who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not. I prefer this to the passive sense, will not be despised. He is mighty - Literally, "He is mighty in strength of heart;" he can never be terrified nor alarmed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 36:5-14
Elihu here shows that God acts as righteous Governor. He is always ready to defend those that are injured. If our eye is ever toward God in duty, his eye will be ever upon us in mercy, and, when we are at the lowest, will not overlook us. God intends, when he afflicts us, to discover past sins to us, and to bring them to our remembrance. Also, to dispose our hearts to be taught: affliction makes people willing to learn, through the grace of God working with and by it. And further, to deter us from sinning for the future. It is a command, to have no more to do with sin. If we faithfully serve God, we have the promise of the life that now is, and the comforts of it, as far as is for God's glory and our good: and who would desire them any further? We have the possession of inward pleasures, the great peace which those have that love God's law. If the affliction fail in its work, let men expect the furnace to be heated till they are consumed. Those that die without knowledge, die without grace, and are undone for ever. See the nature of hypocrisy; it lies in the heart: that is for the world and the flesh, while perhaps the outside seems to be for God and religion. Whether sinners die in youth, or live long to heap up wrath, their case is dreadful. The souls of the wicked live after death, but it is in everlasting misery.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Job 36:5 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.

הֶן\־hen-there!H2005
אֵ֣ל'elGodH410
כַּ֭בִּירKa.bir[is] mightyH3524
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יִמְאָ֑סyim.'Ashe rejectsH3988
כַּ֝בִּ֗ירka.BirmightyH3524
כֹּ֣חַֽKo.achstrength ofH3581
לֵֽב\׃LevheartH3820

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

Cross references for Job 36:5

  • Psalms 22:24

    For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

  • Psalms 138:6

    Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

  • Jeremiah 10:12

    He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

  • Psalms 147:5

    Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

  • Job 37:23

    Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

  • Jeremiah 32:19

    Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:

  • Job 31:13

    If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

  • Job 26:12-14

    He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

  • Job 9:14

    How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

  • Job 12:13-16

    With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:24-28

    But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; …

  • Job 10:3

    Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
despiseth.
10:3; 31:13; Ps 22:24; 138:6
mighty.
9:14,19; 12:13-16; 26:12-14; 37:23; Ps 99:4; 147:5; Jer 10:12; 32:19
1Co 1:24-28
wisdom. Heb. heart.

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

Context

  • Job 36:4

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

  • Job 36:5

    Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

  • Job 36:6

    He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

Read all of Job 36

Job 36:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
He aquí que Dios es grande, mas no desestima á nadie: es poderoso en fuerza de sabiduría.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Voici, ✶Dieu est puissant et ne méprise personne; il est puissant en force d’intelligence.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Siehe, Gott ist mächtig, und doch verachtet er niemand, -mächtig an Kraft des Verstandes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Deus potentes non abjicit, cum et ipse sit potens: