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Job 9:4

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

He is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Hebrew, 'Wise in heart (understanding)! And mighty in power!' God confounds the ablest arguer by His wisdom, and the mightiest by His power.

Hardened - namely, himself, or his neck (Proverbs 29:1) - i:e., defied God. To 'prosper,' one must fall in with God's arrangements of Providence and grace.

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See also Job 9:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 9:4. HE IS _WISE IN HEART, AND MIGHTY IN STRENGTH_] By his infinite knowledge he searches out and sees all things, and by his almighty power he can punish all delinquencies. He that rebels a...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HE IS WISE IN HEART - Herder renders this, Even the wise and the powerful, Who hath withstood him and prospered? But the more common interpretation is to refer it to God. The meaning of Job appears...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER S 9-10 JOB ANSWERS BILDAD _ 1. The supremacy and power of God (Job 9:1)_ 2. How then can Job meet Him? (Job 9:11) 3. He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked (Job 9:22) 4. Confession of we...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB 9:1 is Job's answer to the position taken up by Bildad, viz. that the Almighty cannot judge falsely (Job 8:3). In Job 2 accepts the general principle that God judges according to merit. But of wha...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHO... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6. Compare 2 Chronicles 36:13.Isaiah 48:4....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _wise in heart_ i. e. in _mind_, corresponding to "mighty in power." _hardened himself_ Probably _hardened_his neck, i. e. braved him, Proverbs 29:1. _hath prospered_ lit. _been safe_, or as we say,...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 458 THE FOLLY OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PRESUMPTION Job 9:2. _How should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart, and...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    E. NOT GUILTYTHE CRIME OF INNOCENCEJOB'S CRY (Job 9:1, Job 10:22) 1. Man is no match before the all-powerful, all-wise God. (Job 9:1-12) TEXT 9:1-12 9 THEN JOB ANSWERED AND SAID, 2 Of a truth I k...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    9:4 peace? (b-18) Or 'hath prospered.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB'S SECOND SPEECH (JOB 9:10) Job 9:10 are, perhaps, in their religious and moral aspects the most difficult in the book. Driver in his 'Introduction to the Literature of the OT.' analyses them as f...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 9 JOB REPLIES TO BILDAD’S F...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Some people may think that they are strong or powerful. But God is much more powerful than any person. The Bible says that God made everything (Genesis chapter 1). He made our wonderful world. He plac...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    חֲכַ֣ם לֵ֭בָב וְ אַמִּ֣יץ כֹּ֑חַ מִֽי ־הִקְשׁ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    X. THE THOUGHT OF A DAYSMAN JOB 9:1; Job 10:1 Job SPEAKS IT is with an infinitely sad restatement of what God has been made to appear to him by Bildad's speech that Job begins his reply. Yes, yes; it...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “THE DAYSMAN” Job 9:1 Ponder the sublimity of the conceptions of God given in this magnificent passage. To God are attributed the earthquake that rocks the pillars on which the world rests, Job 9:6;...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Job now answered Bildad. He first admitted the truth of the general proposition, Of a truth I know that it IS so; and then propounded the great question, which he subsequently proceeded to discuss in...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Resisted. Hebrew and Septuagint, "hardened himself against him."_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (1) В¶ Then Job answered and said, (2) I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? (3) If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. (4) He is wise in heart...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    [HE IS] WISE IN HEART,.... Originally, essentially, truly, really, and perfectly so; he is the only, and the all wise God; his understanding is infinite; he is able to traverse all the schemes of men,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Job 9:4 [He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened [himself] against him, and hath prospered? Ver. 4. _He is wise in heart and mighty in strength_] And must therefore needs be a...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _He is wise in heart_ He is infinitely wise, and searcheth all men's hearts and ways, and discovers a multitude of sins, which men's short-sighted eyes cannot see; and therefore can charge them with i...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    He is wise in heart and mighty in strength; those are two outstanding attributes of God. WHO HATH HARDENED HIMSELF AGAINST HIM, stiffening his neck in foolish opposition, bidding Him defiance, AND HAT...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JOB'S DEFENSE AGAINST SUSPICION. Both Eliphaz and Bildad had attempted to fasten upon Job some specific wrong, seeking from him a confession to that effect. He therefore defends himself against this...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    HOW CAN MAN BE JUST BEFORE GOD? (vv.1-13) Job's reply to Bildad occupies two Chapter s, 35 verses longer than Bildad's arguments had taken. But Job acknowledged, "Truly, I know it is so," that is, h...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-13 In this answer Job declared that he did not doubt the justice of God, when he denied himself to be a hypocrite; for how should man be just with God? Before him he pleaded guilty of sins more tha...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    WISE IN HEART; either, 1. Really and profoundly wise; or, 2. Wise in his mind or understanding, which in Hebrew is oft called _the heart_, as PROVERBS 2:10, PROVERBS 6:32 HOSEA 4:11, because the Hebr...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 9:4 wise H2450 heart H3824 mighty H533 strength H3581 hardened H7185 (H8689) prospered H7999 (H8799) wise in

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Job answers Bildad, denying he is a hypocrite. CHARACTERS: God, Job, Bildad. CONCLUSION: Man is an unequal match for his Maker, either in dispute or combat. If God should deal with any of...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 9:5. _Removeth the mountains,_ by earthquakes. The great mountain ranges have continuous caverns, with interior rivers and lakes. Where liases, iron and sulphur abound, volcanoes form their beds o...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Who hath hardened himself against God, and prospered?_ HARDENED AGAINST GOD This passage intimates-- I. That appeals are addressed by God to men in order to bring them into allegiance to Him. The...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Then Job answered and said._ JOB’S ANSWER TO BILDAD Job was utterly unaware of the circumstances under which he was suffering. If Job had known that he was to be an example, that a great battle was...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 9:1 Job responds, in a speech that is relentlessly legal: ch. Job 9:1 is framed by the term CONTEND ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 9:3 Job does not respond further to the specifics of Bildad’s argument. Instead he describes the difficulty of anyone arguing a case before God (vv. Job 9:3), given his power and stren...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _JOB’S REPLY TO BILDAD_ Strongly affirms the truth of Bildad’s speech as to God’s justice (Job 9:1). Declares the impossibility of fallen man establishing his righteousness with God. The same, already...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 9:1 Job, in answer to Bildad, admits the truth of his arguments, but declines to attempt the justification which can alone entitle him to accept the favourable side of Bildad's alterna...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So Job answers him and he said, I know it is true (Job 9:1-2): What? That God is fair. That God is just. Now that is something that we need to all know. That is true. God is righteous. God is just. Th...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 10:22; Daniel 2:20; Daniel 4:34; Daniel 5:20;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    He — He is infinitely wise, and searcheth all mens hearts and ways, and discovers a multitude of sins which mens short sighted — eyes cannot see; and therefore can charge them with innumerable evils,...

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