King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
Complete Jewish Bible:
"Why offer me such meaningless comfort? Of your answers, only the perfidy remains."
Berean Standard Bible:
So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”
American Standard Version:
How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth only falsehood?
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
How then comfort{H5162} ye me in vain{H1892}, seeing in your answers{H8666} there remaineth{H7604} falsehood{H4604}?
Cross-References (KJV):
Job 16:2
- I have heard many such things: miserable comforters [are] ye all.
Job 32:3
- Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and [yet] had condemned Job.
Job 13:4
- But ye [are] forgers of lies, ye [are] all physicians of no value.
Job 42:7
- ¶ And it was [so], that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me [the thing that is] right, as my servant Job [hath].
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Job 21:34
Job 21:34 is a part of the poetic dialogues in the Book of Job, which is one of the Wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. The Book of Job deals with the problem of theodicy, the question of why a good God permits the suffering of the innocent.
In the verse, Job is responding to the arguments of his three friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—who have come to "comfort" him in his affliction. However, their attempts at consolation have been based on the traditional wisdom of the time, which held that suffering was a direct result of sin. They suggest that Job must have done something to deserve his misfortune.
The verse reflects Job's frustration and disappointment with his friends' counsel. He accuses them of speaking falsely and offering empty comfort because their explanations do not align with his experience of undeserved suffering. Job insists that he has not sinned to warrant such extreme punishment, and thus, their theological platitudes are not only unhelpful but also hurtful.
The historical context of the Book of Job is somewhat uncertain, with scholars placing its composition anywhere from the second millennium BCE to around the 5th century BCE. The dialogue form and the themes of the book reflect a period when Israelites were grappling with complex theological issues, questioning the simplistic retributive justice that suggests good is always rewarded and evil always punished.
In summary, Job 21:34 captures the essence of Job's anguish as he rejects the false comfort offered by his friends. It underscores the limitations of human understanding in the face of suffering and challenges the conventional wisdom that equates piety with prosperity and wickedness with adversity. This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the Book of Job, which seeks to deepen the understanding of God's justice and the nature of human suffering.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5162
There are 100 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָחַם
Transliteration: nâcham
Pronunciation: naw-kham'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself); comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self). - Strong's Number: H1892
There are 64 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הֶבֶל
Transliteration: hebel
Pronunciation: heh'bel
Description: or (rarely in the abs.) הֲבֵל; from הָבַל; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb; [idiom] altogether, vain, vanity. - Strong's Number: H8666
There are 8 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תְּשׁוּבָה
Transliteration: tᵉshûwbâh
Pronunciation: tesh-oo-baw'
Description: or תְּשֻׁבָה; from שׁוּב; a recurrence (of time or place); a reply (as returned); answer, be expired, return. - Strong's Number: H7604
There are 123 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁאַר
Transliteration: shâʼar
Pronunciation: shaw-ar'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant; leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest. - Strong's Number: H4604
There are 29 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַעַל
Transliteration: maʻal
Pronunciation: mah'-al
Description: from מָעַל; treachery, i.e. sin; falsehood, grievously, sore, transgression, trespass, [idiom] very.