the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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Read the Bible
King James Version
Job 34:17
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge?
Shall even one that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is just and mighty?
Shall even one that hates justice govern? And will you condemn him that is righteous [and] mighty?
Can anyone govern who hates what is right? How can you blame God who is both fair and powerful?
Do you really think that one who hates justice can govern? And will you declare guilty the supremely righteous One,
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?--
"Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern? And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?
Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
Whether he that loueth not doom may be maad hool? and hou condempnest thou so myche him, that is iust?
Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
The mighty God is the one who brings about justice, and you are condemning him.
Shall even one that hateth justice govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty?—
How may a hater of right be a ruler? and will you say that the upright Ruler of all is evil?
Should a hater of justice be in control? If you wouldn't tell a king, ‘You're a scoundrel!' or nobles, ‘You are wicked men!' then you shouldn't condemn the Just and Mighty One, <
Should he that hateth right indeed govern? and wilt thou condemn the All-just?
Can someone be a ruler if he hates justice? Job, God is not only powerful, but he is fair. Do you think you can judge him guilty?
Shall even one that hateth right govern? And wilt thou condemn Him that is just and mighty--
Shall euen he that hateth right, gouerne? and wilt thou condemne him that is most iust?
Should one who hates what is right be the one to rule? Will you say that He Who is right and good and strong is guilty?
Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn one who is righteous and mighty,
Shal he that hateth iudgement, gouerne? & wilt thou iudge him wicked that is most iust?
He who hates justice cannot be declared innocent, and he who is innocent will not be condemned justly;
Are you condemning the righteous God? Do you think that he hates justice?
Shall, the very hater of right, control? Or, the just - the mighty one, wilt thou condemn?
Can he be healed that loveth not judgment? and how dost thou so far condemn him that is just?
Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
May he be a ruler that loueth not right? or may he that is a very innocent man do vngodly?
Behold then the one that hates iniquities, and that destroys the wicked, who is for ever just.
Could one who hates justice govern the world?Will you condemn the mighty Righteous One,
Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?--
Shall he who hates justice really govern? Or will you declare the Righteous One, the Mighty, guilty?—
Shall one who hates justice restrain it ? Or will you condemn a righteous, mighty one;
Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?
Maye he be made whole, that loueth no right? Yf thou were a very innocent man, shuldest thou then be punyshed?
"Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just?
"Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
Shall one who hates justice rule?And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
even: Genesis 18:25, 2 Samuel 23:3, Romans 3:5-7
govern: Heb. bind
wilt: Job 1:22, Job 40:8, 2 Samuel 19:21, Romans 9:14
Reciprocal: Genesis 18:23 - Wilt Job 8:3 - God Job 21:22 - he judgeth Job 32:2 - because Job 33:12 - thou Zephaniah 3:5 - he will Malachi 2:17 - Every Matthew 20:13 - I do Romans 2:2 - judgment Romans 3:6 - for then
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Shall even he that hateth right govern?.... That hates moral and civil justice; is such an one fit to rule among men or over them? No, surely; for to love righteousness and do it is a qualification of a civil governor; it is his business to administer justice; and if an hater of it, he can never be a proper person to rule: and if God was an hater of that which is right, as he would seem to be if he did not do it, he would not be fit to govern the world as he does. To this absurdity is Job reduced, by suggesting that right was not done him, or that God had removed his judgment from him; see 2 Samuel 23:3 Romans 3:5. Mr. Broughton translates the words, "can a foe to judgment rule well?" And yet it cannot be denied, but must be owned, that God does judge in the earth, and judges righteously. Or shall such an one "bind" b? the allusion may be to a surgeon that binds up wounds. Sin makes wounds, and such as cannot be healed by men; but God can bind them up and cure them, and does: but would he do this if he hated that which is right, if he was not kind and merciful, just and good? see Hosea 6:1. Or, as others render it, which comes pretty near to the same sense, "shall a hater of judgment refrain wrath" c? Such are tyrants, cruel and unmerciful, full of wrath and vengeance, and which they execute in a barbarous manner: but such is not God; he stirs not up all his wrath, which he in justice might; he retains it not for ever, but delights in mercy;
and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? It is not right to condemn any just man, to charge him wrongfully, and then pass an unrighteous sentence on him; and much less to charge the righteous God with injustice, and condemn him that is most just, superlatively just; in whom there is not the least shadow of unrighteousness; who is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works; who is naturally, essentially, and infinitely righteous.
b יחבש "obligabit", Montanus; so Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis. c "An nasum osor judicii fraenabit?" Schultens.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Shall even he that hateth right govern? - Margin, as in Hebrew “bind.” That is, shall he bind by laws. The argument in this verse seems to be an appeal to what must be the conviction of mankind, that God, the Great Governor of the universe, could not be unjust. This conviction, Elihu appears to have supposed, was so deep in the human mind, that he might appeal even to Job himself for its truth. The question here asked implies that it would be impossible to believe that one who was unjust could govern the universe. Such a supposition would be at variance with all the convictions of the human soul, and all the indications of the nature of his government to be found in his works.
And wilt thou condemn him that is most just? - The great and holy Ruler of the universe. The argument here is, that Job had in fact placed himself in the attitude of condemning him who, from the fact that he was the Ruler of the universe, must be most just. The impropriety of this he shows in the following verses.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 34:17. Shall - he that hateth right govern? — Or, Shall he who hateth judgment, lie under obligation? It is preposterous to suppose that he who lives by no rule, should impose rules upon others. God, who is the fountain of all justice and righteousness, binds man by his laws; and wilt thou, therefore, pretend to condemn him who is the sum of righteousness?
