The Meaning of Job 11:11 Explained

Job 11:11

KJV: For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

YLT: For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider it!

Darby: For he knoweth vain men, and seeth wickedness when man doth not consider it;

ASV: For he knoweth false men: He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For he knoweth  vain  men:  he seeth  wickedness  also; will he not then consider  [it]? 

What does Job 11:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 11:1-20 - "canst Thou By Searching Find Out God?"
Zophar waxes vehement as he censures Job's self-justification and his refusal to acknowledge the guilt which his friends attribute to him. There is some truth in his allegations, though it was cruel to goad Job with them, notwithstanding his repeated protestations.
It is quite true that many of us are filled with self-complacency, because we judge our best by others' worst. It may be also that we have a very poor conception of what God is and asks. It is best for us to strike our breasts with the publican and to confess ourselves the chief of sinners.
What a magnificent challenge is that of Job 11:7-12! Canst thou reach God's depths, or His perfections, or His heights? But, oh my soul, remember that through all His unsearchable depths God is love. For the closing paragraph see r.v. Job had said he could not lift up his face, Job 10:15, but when sin is put away, we may exchange glances with our Father. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 11

1  Zophar reproves Job for justifying himself
5  God's wisdom is unsearchable
13  The assured blessing of repentance

What do the individual words in Job 11:11 mean?

For He knows men deceitful and He sees wickedness then not will He consider [it]
כִּי־ ה֭וּא יָדַ֣ע מְתֵי־ שָׁ֑וְא וַיַּרְא־ אָ֝֗וֶן וְלֹ֣א יִתְבּוֹנָֽן

יָדַ֣ע  knows 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
מְתֵי־  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֹת 
Sense: male, man.
שָׁ֑וְא  deceitful 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁוְא  
Sense: emptiness, vanity, falsehood.
וַיַּרְא־  and  He  sees 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אָ֝֗וֶן  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָוֶן 
Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.
וְלֹ֣א  then  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִתְבּוֹנָֽן  will  He  consider  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.