Job 25:4

KJV

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean [that is] born of a woman?

KJV (with Strong's)

How then can man {H582} be justified {H6663} with God {H410}? or how can he be clean {H2135} that is born {H3205} of a woman {H802}?

Complete Jewish Bible

How then can humans be righteous with God? How can those born of women be clean?

Berean Standard Bible

How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

American Standard Version

How then can man be just with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 25:4, part of Bildad's final and briefest speech, poses two profound rhetorical questions: "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean [that is] born of a woman?" These questions encapsulate the perennial theological dilemma of human sinfulness and the absolute holiness of God, challenging the very possibility of a fallen humanity achieving righteousness or purity in the sight of a perfect Creator. Although delivered within a flawed theological framework by Bildad, the verse powerfully articulates a fundamental truth about the vast chasm between God's nature and humanity's inherent condition, setting the stage for the biblical answer to the problem of sin and justification.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 25:4 is situated within Bildad the Shuhite's third and shortest speech to Job. This speech, comprising only six verses, marks the end of the friends' formal arguments against Job, as Job's responses effectively silence them. Bildad's contribution here is less about direct accusation and more about an overwhelming assertion of God's transcendent power and purity. He aims to humble Job by emphasizing the infinite distance between the Almighty and frail humanity, thereby implicitly reinforcing the friends' conviction that Job must be guilty to suffer such divine judgment. This verse serves as the climax of his argument, rhetorically questioning humanity's ability to stand righteous before such a holy God.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, concepts of purity and justice were deeply intertwined with religious and social life. Ritual purity was often a prerequisite for approaching the divine or participating in sacred rites. The idea that humanity, by its very nature, might be inherently impure or "unclean" was a common understanding, particularly in contrast to the absolute purity attributed to deities. The "born of a woman" phrase carries the connotation of human frailty, mortality, and inherited imperfection, a common ancient idiom for the human condition. Bildad's perspective reflects a conventional wisdom theology prevalent at the time, which often linked suffering directly to sin and viewed God's justice as an immediate, retributive system. This cultural lens shaped the friends' inability to comprehend Job's blameless suffering.
* **Key Themes:** Job 25:4 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book of Job and broader biblical theology. It powerfully highlights the theme of **God's absolute holiness and transcendence**, portraying a God so pure that even the celestial bodies are not clean in His sight ([Job 25:5-6](/job/25-5 "Job 25:5-6 - God's Purity Beyond Creation")). This starkly contrasts with the theme of **human impurity and inherent sinfulness**, articulated by the phrase "born of a woman," which universally points to humanity's fallen state and inability to achieve righteousness on its own. Most critically, the verse introduces the profound **problem of justification**: how can a sinful human being be declared righteous or be in right standing with a perfectly holy God? This question is central not only to Job's struggle but to the entire biblical narrative, foreshadowing the ultimate solution provided by God Himself. The book of Job grapples with these tensions, pushing beyond simplistic retribution theology to explore the complexities of divine sovereignty and human suffering.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Justified (Hebrew, _tsadaq'_):** This verb (צָדַק) carries a primary meaning of "to be righteous," "to be just," "to be acquitted," or "to be vindicated." It is a legal and ethical term, often used in a forensic sense to describe being declared innocent or in right standing. In the context of Job 25:4, it refers to the impossible task of a human being being found morally blameless or legally righteous before God, who is the ultimate Judge.
* **Clean (Hebrew, _zakah'_):** This verb (זָכָה) means "to be pure," "to be clean," or "to be clear." It denotes a state of moral, ethical, or ceremonial purity, often in contrast to defilement or guilt. When paired with "justified," it emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the human predicament: not only are humans unable to be declared righteous (forensically), but they are also inherently impure (morally/spiritually) in God's sight.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"How then can man be justified with God?":** This first rhetorical question challenges the very possibility of a human being achieving a state of righteousness or acquittal in the presence of the perfectly holy God. The "how then" (אֵיךְ) implies an insurmountable obstacle, suggesting that human effort or inherent goodness is utterly insufficient to meet God's standard of justice. It highlights the vast, unbridgeable chasm between divine perfection and human imperfection, setting up the fundamental problem of sin and judgment.
* **"or how can he be clean [that is] born of a woman?":** This second rhetorical question reinforces the first, focusing on the concept of purity. The phrase "born of a woman" is an idiomatic expression emphasizing humanity's universal, natural condition—inherently frail, mortal, and, in a theological sense, tainted by sin from conception. It points to an inherited state of impurity, not merely individual acts of transgression. The question implies that if one is born into this human condition, how can they ever achieve the absolute purity required to stand before God? It underscores the deep-seated nature of human defilement.

#### Literary Devices
Job 25:4 primarily employs a **Rhetorical Question**. Both clauses are framed as questions not intended to elicit an answer, but to assert a self-evident truth: that it is impossible for a human being to be justified or clean before God on their own merits. This device powerfully emphasizes the speaker's conviction and aims to overwhelm the listener with the apparent futility of the situation. There is also a strong element of **Contrast** at play, juxtaposing the absolute, unblemished holiness and power of God (as described in the preceding verses of Bildad's speech) with the inherent frailty, impurity, and sinfulness of humanity. The phrase "born of a woman" functions as a **Synecdoche**, where a part (being born of a woman) represents the whole (the entire human condition, including its fallen nature).

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
While Bildad's application of these truths to Job was flawed and insensitive, the questions he raises are profoundly significant and resonate throughout the entirety of Scripture. The Old Testament consistently portrays humanity as inherently fallen and separated from God by sin, a reality highlighted by the sacrificial system and the Law, which exposed sin but could not ultimately remove it or provide true justification. This verse encapsulates the foundational problem that the entire biblical narrative seeks to address: how can a holy God relate to sinful humanity? It points to the universal need for a divine solution, foreshadowing the New Testament's revelation of God's gracious provision for reconciliation.

* [Psalm 51:5](/psalms/51-5 "Psalm 51:5 - Born in Sin")
* [Romans 3:23](/romans/3-23 "Romans 3:23 - All Have Sinned")
* [Isaiah 64:6](/isaiah/64-6 "Isaiah 64:6 - Our Righteousness as Filthy Rags")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 25:4 serves as a stark, humbling reminder of our universal human condition. It confronts us with the sobering truth that, by our own efforts, we can never achieve the righteousness or purity necessary to stand blameless before a perfectly holy God. This realization should cultivate a profound sense of humility and dependence, stripping away any illusion of self-sufficiency or merit-based salvation. It compels us to acknowledge the vastness of God's holiness and the depth of our own need for His grace. Far from leading to despair, this understanding is the essential prerequisite for truly appreciating the magnitude of God's love and the glorious provision He has made for our justification and cleansing. It shifts our focus from what we can do to what God has already done, inviting us into a posture of grateful reception rather than striving.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the realization of God's absolute holiness impact your understanding of your own standing before Him?**
* **In what ways might we, like Bildad, sometimes misapply theological truths to judge others or ourselves?**
* **What does "born of a woman" imply about the universal human condition, and how does this shape your view of grace?**
* **If human effort cannot justify or clean us, what then is the source of our hope for reconciliation with God?**

### FAQ
**What does "born of a woman" specifically imply in this context?**

Answer: In Job 25:4, the phrase "born of a woman" is a common biblical idiom that emphasizes the inherent frailty, mortality, and universal human condition. It signifies that every human being, by virtue of their birth, shares in the fallen nature of humanity. It implies an inherited state of imperfection and impurity, rather than referring to individual acts of sin. Bildad uses it to underscore that from the very moment of existence, humanity is set apart from God's absolute purity. This concept aligns with other biblical passages that speak of humanity's sinfulness from conception, such as [Psalm 51:5](/psalms/51-5 "Psalm 51:5 - Born in Sin") and [Ephesians 2:3](/ephesians/2-3 "Ephesians 2:3 - Children of Wrath by Nature").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 25:4, though spoken by a flawed human with an incomplete understanding of God's ways, poses the fundamental question that the Gospel definitively answers. The Old Testament consistently presents the problem: "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean [that is] born of a woman?" The New Testament reveals the divine solution in Jesus Christ. He is the one who, though "born of a woman" ([Galatians 4:4](/galatians/4-4 "Galatians 4:4 - Born of a Woman")), was uniquely without sin, perfectly fulfilling all righteousness ([Matthew 3:15](/matthew/3-15 "Matthew 3:15 - Fulfilling All Righteousness")). Through His atoning death on the cross, Jesus bore the impurity and sin of humanity, becoming the ultimate sacrifice that cleanses us from all unrighteousness ([1 John 1:7](/1_john/1-7 "1 John 1:7 - Cleansing by His Blood")). God's answer to the question of justification is found in Christ's perfect obedience and sacrificial death, whereby He imputes His righteousness to all who believe, declaring them righteous in His sight ([Romans 3:21-26](/romans/3-21 "Romans 3:21-26 - Righteousness Through Faith")). Thus, what was impossible for humanity to achieve on its own is freely given by God's grace through faith in the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 15:14

What [is] man, that he should be clean? and [he which is] born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

Job 15:16

How much more abominable and filthy [is] man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

Romans 5:1

¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Job 4:17

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

Job 4:19

How much less [in] them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation [is] in the dust, [which] are crushed before the moth?

Job 9:2

I know [it is] so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

Psalms 130:3

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?