Job 37:23

23 For we may not find him worthily; he is great in strength, and in doom, and in rightfulness, and he may not be told out. (For we be not able to find him; yea, he is great in strength, and in justice, and in righteousness, and he cannot be described, or understood.)

Job 37:23 Meaning and Commentary

Job 37:23

[Touching] the Almighty
Or with respect to God, who is almighty; with whom nothing is impossible; who can do and does do all things he pleases, and more than we can ask or think; and who is all sufficient, as this word is by some rendered; has enough of every thing in himself and of himself to make him happy; and needs not any of his creatures, nor anything they can do or give him, but has a sufficiency for himself and them;

we cannot find him out;
found he may be in his works, and especially in his Son, the express image of his person; in whom he makes himself known as the God of grace: but he is not to be found out to perfection; neither by the light of nature, which is very dim, and by which men grope after him, if haply they may find him; nor even by the light of grace in the present state: and there are many things in God quite out of the reach of man, and ever will be, fully to comprehend; as the modes of the subsistence of the three Persons in the Godhead; the eternity and immensity of God; with all secret things, which belong not to us to inquire curiously into;

[he is] excellent in power;
or great and much in it; which is displayed in the works of creation and sustentation of the world; in the redemption and conversion of his people; in the support, protection, and preservation of them; and in the destruction of his and their enemies;

and in judgment;
in the government of the world in so righteous a manner; in the judgments he executes on wicked men; and as he will appear to be in the general judgment of the world, at the great day, which will be a righteous one;

and in plenty of justice;
being most just, righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works; distributing justice to all, acting according to the rules of it, in all things and towards all persons; so that though he is great in power, he does not abuse that power, to do things that are not just;

he will not afflict;
without a just cause and reason for it; nor willingly, but with reluctance; nor never beyond deserts, nor more than he gives strength to bear; and only for the good of his people, and in love to them. Some render it, "he will not answer" F2; or give an account of his matters, or the reason of his dealings with men.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (hgey al) "non respondebit", Tigurine version; so some in Mercerus and Drusius.

Job 37:23 In-Context

21 And now men see not (the) light; the air shall be made thick suddenly into clouds, and wind passing shall drive away those. (And now people do not see the light; and then suddenly the air shall be made thick with clouds, but the passing wind shall drive them away.)
22 Gold shall come from the north, and the fearedful praising of God. (And then a golden glow shall come from the north, from the terrible, or the wonderful, majesty of God.)
23 For we may not find him worthily; he is great in strength, and in doom, and in rightfulness, and he may not be told out. (For we be not able to find him; yea, he is great in strength, and in justice, and in righteousness, and he cannot be described, or understood.)
24 Therefore men shall dread him; and all men, that seem to themselves to be wise, shall not be (so fool-)hardy to behold God. (And so people shall fear him; and all, who shall be wise, shall look to God.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.