Job 36:5

5 “God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.

Job 36:5 in Other Translations

KJV
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
ESV
5 "Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
NLT
5 “God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding.
MSG
5 "It's true that God is all-powerful, but he doesn't bully innocent people.
CSB
5 Yes, God is mighty, but He despises [no one]; He understands all things.

Job 36:5 Meaning and Commentary

Job 36:5

Behold, God [is] mighty
This is a clear plain truth, easy to be discerned, and worthy of notice, and therefore introduced with a "behold"; that God is mighty, the most mighty, the Almighty, as appears from his works of nature and providence; making all things out of nothing, upholding them by the word of his power, and governing and overruling all things in the world, and doing in it whatever he pleases: and from the works of redemption and grace; ransoming his people out of the hands of them that are stronger than they; converting them by the power of his grace; assisting them to do all they do in a spiritual way; supporting them under all their troubles; protecting and defending them from all their enemies; supplying all their wants, and preserving them safe to his kingdom and glory;

and despises not [any];
not the meanest of his creatures, clothing the grass of the field, feeding the fowls of the air, and preserving man and beast; and particularly he despises not any of the sons of men: not the mighty through fear of them, nor envy at them, whose power and grandeur are from him, which he gives and can take away at his pleasure; nor the mean and miserable the poor and the afflicted, to whom he has a merciful regard; much less the innocent and harmless, as the Septuagint; or the just and righteous man, as the Targum: he does not despise his own people, whom he has loved and chosen, redeemed and called; nor any, as Aben Ezra observes, without a cause; for though there are some whose image he will despise, it is because of their own sins and transgressions; and since, therefore, though he is mighty, yet despises not any of his creatures, he cannot do any unrighteous thing; he does not and cannot use or abuse his power to the in jury of any of his creatures;

[he is] mighty in strength [and] wisdom,
as there is a pleonasm, a redundancy in the expression, "mighty in strength", it denotes the abundance of his strength, that he is exceeding strong, superlatively and all expression so; and also strong in wisdom, his strength is tempered with wisdom, so that he cannot employ it to any bad purpose, or be guilty of any unrighteousness. Some men have strength, but not wisdom to make a right use of it; but God abounds as much in wisdom as in strength; he is the only wise and the all wise God, and therefore can do no injustice; and thus Elihu, as he promised, ascribes righteousness to his almighty Maker.

Job 36:5 In-Context

3 I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
4 Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
5 “God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights.
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Job 9:4
  • 2. Psalms 5:2; Psalms 22:24; Psalms 31:22; Psalms 69:33; Psalms 102:17; Psalms 103:10
  • 3. S Numbers 23:19; Romans 11:29; Job 12:13
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.