Job 36:23

King James Version

Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.'

English Revised Version
Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?

Update Bible Version
Who has enjoined him his way? Or who can say, You have wrought unrighteousness?

New Century Version
No one has planned his ways for him; no one can say to God, ‘You have done wrong.'

New English Translation
Who has prescribed his ways for him? Or said to him, ‘You have done what is wicked'?

Webster's Bible Translation
Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

World English Bible
Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'

Amplified Bible
"Who has appointed God His way, And who can say [to Him], 'You have done wrong'?

English Standard Version
Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, ‘You have done wrong'?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Who mai seke out the weies of God? ethir who dar seie to hym, Thou hast wrouyt wickidnesse?

Berean Standard Bible
Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, 'You have done wrong'?

Contemporary English Version
to guide or correct him.

American Standard Version
Who hath enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?

Bible in Basic English
Who ever gave orders to him, or said to him, You have done wrong?

Complete Jewish Bible
Who ever prescribed his course for him? Who ever said, ‘What you are doing is wrong'?

Darby Translation
Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?

Easy-to-Read Version
No one can tell him what to do. No one can say, ‘God, you have done wrong.'

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Who hath enjoined Him His way? Or who hath said: 'Thou hast wrought unrighteousness'?

King James Version (1611)
Who hath inioyned him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquitie?

New Life Bible
Who has told Him the way He should go? And who has said, ‘You have done wrong'?

New Revised Standard
Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, ‘You have done wrong'?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Who hath appointed to him his way? or who can say, Thou hast done wickedly?

George Lamsa Translation
Who has enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

Good News Translation
No one can tell God what to do or accuse him of doing evil.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who enjoined on him his way? and who ever said, Thou hast wrought perversity?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who can search out his ways? or who can say to him: Thou hast wrought iniquity?

Revised Standard Version
Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, 'Thou hast done wrong'?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Who wyll reproue him of his way? Who wil say vnto him, Thou hast done wrong?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And who is he that examines his works? or who can say, he has wrought injustice?

Christian Standard Bible®
Who has appointed his way for him,and who has declared, “You have done wrong”?

Hebrew Names Version
Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'

Lexham English Bible
Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who says, ‘You have done wrong'?

Literal Translation
Who has appointed Him His way; or who can say, You have done wrong?

Young's Literal Translation
Who hath appointed unto Him his way? And who said, `Thou hast done iniquity?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Who wil reproue him of his waye? who wil saye vnto him: thou hast done wronge?

New American Standard Bible
"Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, 'You have done wrong'?

New King James Version
Who has assigned Him His way, Or who has said, "You have done wrong'?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, 'You have done wrong'?

Legacy Standard Bible
Who has appointed Him His way,And who has said, ‘You have worked out unrighteousness'?

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression. ¹⁶ Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness. ¹⁷ But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee. ¹⁸ Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. ¹⁹ Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength. ²⁰ Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place. ²¹ Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction. ²² Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him? ²³ Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Who hath: Job 34:13-33, Isaiah 40:13, Isaiah 40:14, Romans 11:34, 1 Corinthians 2:16, Ephesians 1:11

Thou: Job 8:3, Job 34:10, Job 40:8, Romans 2:5, Romans 3:5, Romans 9:14

Reciprocal: Job 33:12 - thou Luke 4:27 - Naaman Romans 9:20 - who art

Cross-References

1 Chronicles 1:40
The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. and the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Who hath enjoined him his way?.... He teaches men his own ways, the methods of his grace and mercy towards them; and he prescribes to them the ways in which they should walk; but none can lead or prescribe to him; as the way of governing the world, in what manner he should act in it; who has "taught him in the path of judgment?" or "showed to him the way of understanding?" Isaiah 40:14; and particularly whom he should afflict, in what manner he should do it, when and how long he should continue it; all which he does according to his sovereign will, and is not to be controlled: and, in a spiritual sense, no man can or ought to enjoin and prescribe to him whom he should save, and in what way; he saves whom he pleases, and in his own way, even by his Son Jesus Christ, and no other; or "who hath visited", or "should visit on him", or "with him his way" e? who can take upon him to examine into his ways, and scrutinize them, and call him to an account for what he does? no man can overlook his ways and works, or censure him for any of his actions:

or, who can say, thou hast wrought iniquity? this may be said of every man, but it cannot be said of God by any without sin; for, as there is no iniquity in his nature, there can be none in his works; not any in his works of providence, no, not in the afflictions of his people; just and true are all his ways.

e מי פקד עליו דרכו "quis visitavit super illum viam ejus", Montanus, Michaelis; "cum eo", Tigurine version.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who hath enjoined him his way? - Who hath prescribed to him what he ought to do? Who is superior to him, and has marked out for him the plan which he ought to pursue? The idea is, that God is supreme and independent; no one has advised him, and no one has a right to counsel him. Perhaps, also, Elihu designs this as a reproof to Job for having complained so much of the government of God, and for being disposed, as he thought, to “prescribe” to God what he should do.

Who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity? - Thou hast done wrong. The object of Elihu is here to show that no one has a right to say this; no one could, in fact, say it. It was to be regarded as an indisputable point that God is always right, and that however dark his dealings with people may seem, the “reason” why they are mysterious “never is, that God is wrong.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 36:23. Who hath enjoined him his way — Has God taken instructions from any man how he shall govern the world?

Thou hast wrought iniquity? — Who can prove, in the whole compass of the creation, that there is one thing imperfect, superabundant, or out of its place? Who can show that there is, in the course of the Divine providence, one unrighteous, cruel, or unwise act? All the cunning and wickedness of man have never been able to find out the smallest flaw in the work of God.