Job 40:14

KJV

Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

KJV (with Strong's)

Then will I also confess {H3034} unto thee that thine own right hand {H3225} can save {H3467} thee.

Complete Jewish Bible

If you do this, then I will confess to you that your own power can save you.

Berean Standard Bible

Then I will confess to you that your own right hand can save you.

American Standard Version

Then will I also confess of thee That thine own right hand can save thee.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 40:14 concludes God's profound rhetorical challenge to Job, where the Almighty demands Job assume divine omnipotence and administer cosmic justice. This verse serves as the climactic statement, asserting that if Job could indeed accomplish such impossible feats—humbling the proud and crushing the wicked with his own power—then God would concede that Job possessed the inherent ability to deliver himself from his predicament, thereby highlighting the vast and unbridgeable chasm between human limitation and divine sovereignty.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 40:14 is the culminating point of God's second and final speech to Job, which began in [Job 38](/job/38 "Job 38 - God's First Speech to Job"). Following Job's attempts to justify himself and question God's justice, the Lord responds not with an explanation of Job's suffering, but with an overwhelming display of His own unchallengeable power, wisdom, and moral governance of the cosmos. In the immediate preceding verses ([Job 40:6-13](/job/40-6 "Job 40:6-13 - God Challenges Job")), God issues a series of impossible commands to Job: to array himself with glory and majesty, to unleash his wrath, to humble the proud, and to crush the wicked. This is a direct, rhetorical challenge, designed to expose Job's utter inability to manage the universe, let alone his own suffering, without divine intervention. The verse in question, "Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee," acts as the punchline, implying that only if Job could fulfill these divine responsibilities would he possess the self-sufficiency to deliver himself.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, and throughout biblical literature, the "right hand" (Hebrew: _yamin_) was a potent symbol of strength, authority, power, and the execution of justice or salvation. Kings and deities were often depicted with their right hand raised in power or wielding instruments of judgment. The concept of "saving oneself" through one's own strength or wisdom was antithetical to the understanding of divine sovereignty prevalent in Israelite theology, where Yahweh alone was seen as the deliverer and source of all power. God's challenge to Job to "save himself" by his "own right hand" would have immediately conveyed the impossibility of the task, given the cultural understanding of the immense power attributed to the divine right hand. This challenge also resonates with the broader wisdom tradition, which consistently emphasizes human finitude and the incomprehensibility of God's ways, as seen in passages like [Proverbs 3:5-6](/proverbs/3-5 "Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord").

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several major theological and narrative themes within the book of Job. Firstly, it underscores **God's Unrivaled Sovereignty and Omnipotence**. The rhetorical challenge highlights that only God possesses the absolute might to govern, judge, and save, thereby challenging any human presumption of self-sufficiency or ability to comprehend divine ways. Secondly, it emphasizes **Human Inability and the Necessity of Humility**. Job, despite his righteousness and suffering, is utterly incapable of wielding divine power or orchestrating his own deliverance. This leads to the crucial theme of human humility before the Almighty, a lesson Job ultimately learns and expresses in [Job 42:6](/job/42-6 "Job 42:6 - Job's Repentance and Humility"). Finally, the verse implicitly reveals **The True Source of Salvation**. The message is clear: true salvation, whether from physical distress, spiritual bondage, or the consequences of sin, comes not from human strength or self-effort, but solely from God's power and grace. This foreshadows later biblical teachings on salvation by divine grace rather than human works, as profoundly articulated in [Ephesians 2:8-9](/ephesians/2-8 "Ephesians 2:8-9 - Salvation by Grace Through Faith").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Right Hand (Hebrew, _yamin'_):** In ancient Near Eastern and biblical contexts, the "right hand" is a powerful metonym for strength, power, authority, and decisive action. It is often associated with divine might, the execution of justice, and the bringing of salvation or victory. For God to challenge Job to save himself with his "own right hand" is to ask him to possess and wield the kind of ultimate, sovereign power that belongs to God alone. It signifies the source of one's effective power and ability to act.
* **Save (Hebrew, _yasha'_):** This verb means to deliver, rescue, bring victory, or grant salvation. In the context of Job, it refers to deliverance from his suffering, vindication from his accusers, and the restoration of his well-being. By challenging Job to "save" himself, God is questioning Job's capacity to bring about his own deliverance or to establish justice on a cosmic scale, thereby exposing his utter dependence on divine intervention for any true and lasting salvation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then will I also confess unto thee":** This clause introduces God's hypothetical concession. It is a rhetorical statement, not a genuine offer, designed to underscore the absolute impossibility of the preceding challenge. God is effectively saying, "If you could truly do what I do, then I would have to admit that you are self-sufficient." This highlights the vast gulf between divine omnipotence and human limitation, emphasizing that Job's inability to meet the challenge means God has nothing to "confess" or concede regarding Job's self-sufficiency.
* **"that thine own right hand can save thee":** This is the core of the divine challenge. God directly questions Job's capacity to possess and wield the kind of ultimate power and self-deliverance that only God truly has. The phrase "thine own right hand" emphasizes self-reliance and inherent power. The implication is that Job, or any human, is utterly incapable of delivering himself from the deep complexities of suffering, sin, or cosmic disorder. True salvation and justice originate solely from God's sovereign power, not from human effort or might.

#### Literary Devices
Job 40:14 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound theological message. The primary device is **Rhetorical Question**, though it is presented as a conditional statement ("Then will I also confess..."). God's preceding challenge to Job to array himself with divine glory and power ([Job 40:9-13](/job/40-9 "Job 40:9-13 - God's Challenge to Job's Power")) is not an earnest request but an unanswerable demand designed to expose Job's inherent limitations. The "confession" God offers is therefore **Ironic**; it highlights the absurdity of Job's self-justification by contrasting it with the reality of his utter dependence. The phrase "thine own right hand" functions as **Metonymy**, where the "right hand" stands in for one's entire power, authority, and ability to act decisively, particularly in judgment or salvation. Furthermore, the entire divine speech, culminating in this verse, is a form of **Divine Confrontation**, intended to humble Job and reorient his perspective from questioning God to acknowledging His absolute sovereignty and wisdom.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 40:14 stands as a powerful declaration of God's unique and unchallengeable sovereignty, revealing the profound limitations of humanity and the ultimate source of all true deliverance. It asserts that no human being, no matter how righteous or afflicted, possesses the inherent power to administer cosmic justice, humble the proud on a global scale, or ultimately save themselves from their deepest predicaments. This truth humbles humanity, stripping away any illusion of self-sufficiency and redirecting all hope for salvation and vindication back to the Almighty. The verse implicitly teaches that divine intervention, not human effort, is the sole pathway to true rescue and restoration.

* [Psalm 3:8](/psalm/3-8 "Psalm 3:8 - Salvation Belongs to the Lord")
* [Isaiah 45:5-7](/isaiah/45-5 "Isaiah 45:5-7 - God as the Only Savior")
* [Romans 3:20](/romans/3-20 "Romans 3:20 - No One Justified by Works of the Law")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 40:14 serves as a timeless and humbling reminder of our place before a sovereign God. In a world that often champions self-reliance, personal strength, and the pursuit of self-actualization, this verse powerfully reorients our perspective. It calls us to recognize that true deliverance, whether from personal struggles, the weight of sin, or the injustices of life, does not originate from our own "right hand" or our finite capabilities. Instead, it compels us to surrender our illusion of control and embrace a posture of profound humility and dependence on God. Our struggles, like Job's, often serve to reveal the vast chasm between our limited power and God's infinite might, prompting us to trust in His wisdom, justice, and saving power alone. This verse invites us to release the burden of self-salvation and rest in the truth that only God can truly save.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you tempted to rely on your "own right hand" rather than God's?**
* **How does acknowledging God's absolute sovereignty humble your perspective on your own problems and capabilities?**
* **What specific burdens or challenges are you currently trying to "save yourself" from, and how might surrendering them to God's power change your approach?**
* **How does this verse deepen your understanding of the necessity of divine grace for salvation?**

### FAQ
**Does God's statement in Job 40:14 imply that He is being sarcastic towards Job?**

Answer: While the tone is certainly challenging and confrontational, "sarcasm" might not be the most precise term. God's statement is better understood as a rhetorical challenge designed to expose Job's limitations and humble him. God isn't genuinely offering to concede His power to Job; rather, He is setting an impossible standard to highlight the vast, unbridgeable chasm between human capability and divine omnipotence. The statement "Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee" is a conditional proposition where the condition (Job wielding divine power) is utterly unattainable. Its purpose is to lead Job to a profound realization of his own finitude and God's infinite sovereignty, ultimately leading to Job's repentance and renewed trust in God, as seen in [Job 42:1-6](/job/42-1 "Job 42:1-6 - Job's Response to God").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 40:14, with its profound declaration of human inability to save oneself and the exclusive power of God to deliver, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While Job could never wield his "own right hand" to establish justice or bring salvation, the New Testament reveals Jesus as the one whose "right hand" truly possesses all power and authority. He is the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), the one who, through His perfect life, atoning death, and powerful resurrection, accomplished what no human could. Unlike Job, who was humbled by his inability, Jesus, though [equal with God, humbled Himself](/philippians/2-6 "Philippians 2:6 - Christ's Humility") and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God exalted Him to His own "right hand" in heaven, granting Him [all authority in heaven and on earth](/matthew/28-18 "Matthew 28:18 - The Great Commission"). Thus, the salvation that Job could never achieve for himself, and that God alone could provide, is now offered to all humanity through the [saving power of Christ's right hand](/acts/2-33 "Acts 2:33 - Christ Exalted to God's Right Hand"), which delivers us not only from suffering but from the ultimate enemy: sin and death. He is the true deliverer, the one whose power truly saves.

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

Isaiah 40:29

He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength.

Romans 5:6

¶ For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Psalms 44:6

For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

Psalms 44:3

For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

Ephesians 2:4

¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Ephesians 2:9

Not of works, lest any man should boast.