The Meaning of Job 4:17 Explained

Job 4:17

KJV: Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

YLT: 'Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?

Darby: Shall mortal man be more just than +God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?

ASV: Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

Discover Job 4:17

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Job 4:17?

MEANING: What does Job 4:17 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Job 4:17 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Job 4:17?

What is the context of Job 4:17?

Eliphaz Speaks (Job 4:1-21)
Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper (Job 4:1-21)
Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned (Job 4:1-21)
Eliphaz: Innocent Do Not Suffer (Job 4:1-21)
Eliphaz’s First Response to Job (Job 4:1-21)
Eliphaz: the Innocent Don’t Suffer (Job 4:1-21)
Eliphaz (Job 4:1-21)

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

What does Job 4:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 4:1-21 - "shall Mortal Man Be More Just Than God?"

The first cycle of speeches is opened by Eliphaz. It must be remembered that he and the two others believed that special suffering resulted from and was the sign of special sin. Job's calamities, in the light of that thought, seemed to prove that he who had been considered a paragon of perfection was not what they had supposed. According to their philosophy, if only he would confess his sin, all would be well and the sun would shine again upon his path.

Eliphaz recounts a visitation, in a night vision, from the unseen world, which is described with marvelous power. Emphasis is laid on the infinite distance between God and man, and on the impossibility of a mortal being accounted just in the presence of divine purity. Of course the suggestion is that Job was suffering the penalty of sin which, though it had eluded human eyes, was naked and open before God. An angel seems dark against God's pure light, and if an angel is deficient, how much more man! [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 4

¹ Eliphaz reproves Job that the innocent do not suffer
⁷ He teaches God's judgments to be not for the righteous, but for the wicked
¹² His fearful vision to humble the excellency of creatures before God

What do the individual words in Job 4:17 mean?

Can a [mortal] man more than God be righteous lo than his Maker can be more pure a man

הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם ؟ מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־ גָּֽבֶר

הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ	Can a [mortal] man
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ	more than God
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular Root: אֱלֹוהַּ Sense: God.
יִצְדָּ֑ק	be righteous
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: צָדַק Sense: to be just, be righteous.
אִ֥ם	lo
Parse: Conjunction Root: אִם Sense: if.
؟ מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ	than his Maker
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular Root: עָשָׂה Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יִטְהַר־	can be more pure
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: טָהֵר Sense: to be clean, be pure.
גָּֽבֶר	a man
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: גֶּבֶר Sense: man, strong man, warrior (emphasising strength or ability to fight).

What are the major concepts related to Job 4:17?

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