Job 11:7-12

2. The Almighty is not fooled; He recognizes iniquity. (Job 11:7-12)

TEXT 11:7-12

7 Canst thou by searching find oat God?

Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

8 It is high as heaven; what canst thou do?

Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth,

And broader than the sea.

10 If he pass through, and shut up,

And call unto judgment, then who can hinder him?

11 For he knoweth false men:

He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.

12 But vain man is void of understanding,

Yea, man is born as a wild ass's colt.

COMMENT 11:7-12

Job 11:7Driver claims that by searching is grammatically impossible. He suggests the translation Canst thou find out the immensity of God? The R. S. V. accepts Driver's criticism. Zophar is affirming that God's mind and purpose are beyond human capacity to measure. Job's friends are surely correct in this judgment, though he draws a false conclusion from his premises. Job does the same thing, i.e., draws wrong conclusions from true premises. In all probability, the translation canst thou find out, should be can you reach God from your sinful human vantage point.[147]

[147] For this suggestion, see M. Dahood's article in The Bible in Current Catholic Thought, ed. by J. L. McKenzie (Herder & Herder, 1962), p. 57.

Job 11:8-9God has no limitsIsaiah 7:11.

Job 11:10Compare this verse with Job 9:11-12. Job has already declared that God's power is limitless, and that it is futile for man to oppose HimJob 9:2 ff. The meaning here is that God does not need to investigate man's condition in order to understand it; He knows immediately.

Job 11:11God knows (men of emptinessPsalms 26:4). The only ultimate knowledge available in the universe is God'S, so men ought not to revolt against God for this reason.

Job 11:12Hollow men or men without hearts will not understand their need and return to God. The A. V. is misleading. The R. S. V. seems most likely.[148] The meaning is probably a stupid man will get understanding, when a wild ass's colt is born a manRowley.

[148] For the technical issues involved, see Dhorme, Job, p. 163; Pope, Job, p. 86; and M. Dahood, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 25, 1963, 123-4.