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Commentary on Job 40 verses 6–14
Job was greatly humbled for what God had already said, but not sufficiently; he was brought low, but not low enough; and therefore God here proceeds to reason with him in the same manner and to the same purport as before, Job 40:6. Observe, 1. Those who duly receive what they have heard from God, and profit by it, shall hear more from him. 2. Those who are truly convinced of sin, and penitent for it, yet have need to be more thoroughly convinced and to be made more deeply penitent. Those who are under convictions, who have their sins set in order before their eyes and their hearts broken for them, must learn from this instance not to catch at comfort too soon; it will be everlasting when it comes, and therefore it is necessary that we be prepared for it by deep humiliation, that the wound be searched to the bottom and not skinned over, and that we do not make more haste out of our convictions than good speed. When our hearts begin to melt and relent within us, let those considerations be dwelt upon and pursued which will help to make a thorough effectual thaw of it.
God begins with a challenge (Job 40:7), as before (Job 38:3): "Gird up thy loins now like a man; if thou hast the courage and confidence thou hast pretended to, show them now; but thou wilt soon be made to see and own thyself no match for me." This is that which every proud heart must be brought to at last, either by its repentance or by its ruin; and thus low must every mountain and hill be, sooner or later, brought. We must acknowledge,
I. That we cannot vie with God for justice, that the Lord is righteous and holy in his dealings with us, but that we are unrighteous and unholy in our conduct towards him; we have a great deal to blame ourselves for, but nothing to blame him for (Job 40:8): "Wilt thou disannul my judgment? Wilt thou take exceptions to what I say and do, and bring a writ of error, to reverse the judgment I have given as erroneous and unjust?" Many of Job's complaints had too much of a tendency this way: I cry out of wrong, says he, but I am not heard; but such language as this is by no means to be suffered. God's judgment cannot, must not, be disannulled, for we are sure it is according to truth, and therefore it is a great piece of impudence and iniquity in us to call in question. "Wilt thou," says God, "condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? Must my honour suffer for the support of thy reputation? Must I be charged as dealing unjustly with thee because thou canst not otherwise clear thyself from the censures thou liest under?" Our duty is to condemn ourselves, that God may be righteous. David is therefore ready to own the evil he has done in God's sight, that God may be justified when he speaks and clear when he judges, Psa 51:4. See Neh 9:33; Dan 9:7. But those are very proud, and very ignorant both of God and themselves, who, to clear themselves, will condemn God; and the day is coming when, if the mistake be not rectified in time by repentance, the eternal judgment will be both the confutation of the plea and the confusion of the prisoner, for the heavens shall declare God's righteousness and all the world shall become guilty before him.
II. That we cannot vie with God for power; and therefore, as it is great impiety, so it is great impudence to contest with him, and is as much against our interest as it is against reason and justice (Job 40:9): "Hast thou an arm like God, equal to his in length and strength? Or canst thou thunder with a voice like him, as he did (Job 37:1, Job 37:2), or does now out of the whirlwind?" To convince Job that he was not so able as he thought himself to contest with God, he shows him, 1. That he could never fight it out with him, nor carry his cause by force of arms. Sometimes, among men, controversies have been decided by battle, and the victorious champion is adjudged to have justice on his side; but, if the controversy were put upon that issue between God and man, man would certainly go by the worse, for all the forces he could raise against the Almighty would be but like briers and thorns before a consuming fire, Isa 27:4. "Hast thou, a poor weak worm of the earth, an arm comparable to his who upholds all things?" The power of creatures, even of angels themselves, is derived from God, limited by him, and dependent on him; but the power of God is original, independent, and unlimited. He can do every thing without us; we can do nothing without him; and therefore we have not an arm like God. 2. That he could never talk it out with him, nor carry his cause by noise and big words, which sometimes among men go a great way towards the gaining of a point: "Canst thou thunder with a voice like him? No; his voice will soon drown thine and one of his thunders will overpower and overrule all thy whispers." Man cannot speak so convincingly, so powerfully, nor with such a commanding conquering force as God can, who speaks, and it is done. his creating voice is called his thunder (Psa 104:7), so is that voice of his with which he terrifies and discomfits his enemies, Sa1 2:10. The wrath of a king may sometimes be like the roaring of a lion, but can never pretend to imitate God's thunder.
III. That we cannot vie with God for beauty and majesty, Job 40:10. "If thou wilt enter into a comparison with him, and appear more amiable, put on thy best attire: Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency. Appear in all the martial pomp, in all the royal pageantry that thou hast; make the best of every thing that will set thee off: Array thyself with glory and beauty, such as may awe thy enemies and charm thy friends; but what is it all to the divine majesty and beauty? No more than the light of a glow-worm to that of the sun when he goes forth in his strength." God decks himself with such majesty and glory as are the terror of devils and all the powers of darkness and make them tremble; he arrays himself with such glory and beauty as are the wonder of angels and all the saints in light and make them rejoice. David could dwell all his days in God's house, to behold the beauty of the Lord. But, in comparison with this, what is all the majesty and excellency by which princes think to make themselves feared, and all the glory and beauty by which lovers think to make themselves beloved? If Job think, in contending with God, to carry the day by looking great and making a figure, he is quite mistaken. The sun shall be ashamed, and the moon confounded, when God shines forth.
IV. That we cannot vie with God for dominion over the proud, Job 40:11-14. here the cause is put upon this short issue: if Job can humble and abase proud tyrants and oppressors as easily and effectually as God can, it shall be acknowledged that he has some colour to compete with God. Observe here,
1.The justice Job is here challenged to do, and that is to bring the proud low with a look. If Job will pretend to be a rival with God, especially if he pretend to be a judge of his actions, he must be able to do this.
(1.)It is here supposed that God can do it and will do it himself, else he would not have put it thus upon Job. By this God proves himself to be God, that he resists the proud, sits Judge upon them, and is able to bring them to ruin. Observe here, [1.] That proud people are wicked people, and pride is at the bottom of a great deal of the wickedness that is in this world both towards God and man. [2.] Proud people will certainly be abased and brought low; for pride goes before destruction. If they bend not, they will break; if they humble not themselves by true repentance, God will humble them, to their everlasting confusion. The wicked will be trodden down in their place, that is, Wherever they are found, though they pretend to have a place of their own, and to have taken root in it, yet even there they shall be trodden down, and all the wealth, and power, and interest, to which their place entitles them, will not be their security. [3.] The wrath of God, scattered among the proud, will humble them, and break them, and bring them down. If he casts abroad the rage of his wrath, as he will do at the great day and sometimes does in this life, the stoutest heart cannot hold out against him. Who knows the power of his anger? [4.] God can and does easily abase proud tyrants; he can look upon them, and bring them low, can overwhelm them with shame, and fear, and utter ruin, by one angry look, as he can, by a gracious look, revive the hearts of the contrite ones. [5.] He can and will at last do it effectually (Job 40:13), not only bring them to the dust, from which they might hope to arise, but hide them in the dust, like the proud Egyptian whom Moses slew and hid in the sand (Exo 2:12), that is, they shall be brought not only to death, but to the grave, that pit out of which there is no return. They were proud of the figure they made, but they shall be buried in oblivion and be no more remembered than those that are hidden in the dust, out of sight and out of mind. They were linked in leagues and confederacies to do mischief, and are now bound in bundles. They are hidden together; not their rest, but their shame together is in the dust, Job 17:16. Nay, they are treated as malefactors (who, when condemned, had their faces covered, as Haman's was: He binds their faces in secret) or as dead men: Lazarus, in the grave, had his face bound about. Thus complete will be the victory that God will gain, at last, over proud sinners that set themselves in opposition to him. Now by this he proves himself to be God. Does he thus hate proud men? Then he is holy. Will he thus punish them? Then he is the just Judge of the world. Can he thus humble them? Then he is the Lord Almighty. When he had abased proud Pharaoh, and hidden him in the sand of the Red Sea, Jethro thence inferred that doubtless the Lord is greater than all gods, for wherein the proud enemies of his Israel dealt proudly he was above them, he was too hard for them, Exo 18:11. See Rev 19:1, Rev 19:2.
(2.)It is here proposed to Job to do it. He had been passionately quarrelling with God and his providence, casting abroad the rage of his wrath towards heaven, as if he thought thereby to bring God himself to his mind. "Come," says God, "try thy hand first upon proud men, and thou wilt soon see how little they value the rage of thy wrath; and shall I then regard it, or be moved by it?" Job had complained of the prosperity and power of tyrants and oppressors, and was ready to charge God with mal-administration for suffering it; but he ought not to find fault, except he could mend. If God, and he only, has power enough to humble and bring down proud men, no doubt he has wisdom enough to know when and how to do it, and it is not for us to prescribe to him or to teach him how to prescribe to him or to teach him how to govern the world. Unless we had an arm like God we must not think to take his work out of his hands.
2.The justice which is here promised to be done him if he can perform such mighty works as these (Job 40:14): "They will I also confess unto thee that thy right hand is sufficient to save thee, though, after all, it would be too weak to contend with me." It is the innate pride and ambition of man that he would be his own saviour (would have his own hands sufficient for him and be independent), but it is presumption to pretend that he is. Our own hands cannot save us by recommending us to God's grace, much less by rescuing us from his justice. Unless we could by our own power humble our enemies, we cannot pretend by our own power to save ourselves; but, if we could, God himself would confess it. He never did nor ever will defraud any man of his just praise, nor deny him the honour he has merited. But, since we cannot do this, we must confess unto him that our own hands cannot save us, and therefore into his hand we must commit ourselves.
When there is a reference to the voice or the “arm” [power] of God, we must be very careful not to attribute to him any corporeal feature. To enclose into corporeal dimensions him who cannot be circumscribed and fills and embraces everything would mean to fall into the heresy of the Anthropomorphites. But the almighty God, drawing us toward his condition, humiliates himself to our context, and in order to suggest to us sublime truths, he lowers himself to the humble ones. Therefore the soul of the little ones, being led by well-known models, rises to look for what is unknown, and moves with firm steps towards the Most High.
6. Because blessed Job transcended in merits the race of men, his merciful Creator and Teacher challenges him to consider the resemblance of His greatness, in order that, having known the great dissimilarity, he may keep himself down in humility.
7. But when a voice and arm are spoken of in God, we must take the greatest care that our mind imagines nothing corporeal in Him. For to confine Him within the lineaments of a body, Who without circumscription fills and embraces all things, is to fall into the heresy of the Anthropomorphites. But Almighty God, in drawing us to His own things, humbles Himself even to ours, and, to teach lofty, condescends to lowly things; in order that the mind of little ones, being nourished with the things it knows, may rise to enquire into those it knows not, and hearing from Him Who is far above it, some truths nigh itself, may move, as it were, some steps towards Him. Whence it happens, that in His own Scripture He sometimes from the bodies of men, sometimes from their minds, but sometimes from birds, and sometimes even from insensate objects, applies to Himself some very unlikely resemblances. For He frequently applies to Himself a resemblance from the bodies of men, as the Prophet says of Him to the Israelites, He that hath touched you, toucheth the apple of His eye. [Zech. 2, 8] And as it is said again of Him by the Prophet to a man who trusts in Him; He will make a shadow for thee with His shoulders. [Ps. 91, 4] It is doubtless admitted that God in His own nature has neither eye, nor shoulders; but since we see with our eye, but support burdens on our shoulders, God, because He sees all things, is said to have an eye; but because He carries us, and by carrying preserves us, He is said to make a shadow for us with His shoulders. For he says, He will make a shadow for thee with His shoulders. As if He were saying to man who was a sinner, and, after his sin asking pardon, The Lord protects thee with the same affection, with which He endured thee. For He shadows thee with His shoulders, because while He carries, He defends thee. But sometimes He applies to Himself a resemblance from our minds, as He to, says by the Prophet to Israel; I have remembered thee, having pity on thy youth. [Jer. 2, 2] And again speaking by the comparison of a wife, He says; Even if she shall have forgotten, yet will I not forget thee. [Is. 49, 15] For who can be ignorant, that the memory of God is neither broken off by oblivion, nor yet repaired by recollection? But when He neglects and passes over some things, He is said, after the manner of minds, to forget, and when, after a long time, He visits the things He wills, He is said, after the fashion of our changeableness, to have remembered. For how does oblivion weaken the strength of that Godhead, with Which even praiseworthy memory itself has no essential agreement. For men remember no things, except those which are either past or absent. How then does God remember past things, when the very things which in themselves pass away, stand ever present at His beck? Or how does He call to mind things absent, when every thing that is, is present to Him, from the fact that it exists in Him? For if it were not present to Him, it would not exist at all; for things nonexistent He creates, by looking on them, things existent He keeps together, by looking on them. Whatever, therefore, the Creator beholds not, is bereft of the essence of subsistence. But sometimes a resemblance is applied to Him from birds, as is said by Moses, He spread abroad His wings, and took them. [Deut. 32, 11] And the Prophet says; Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings. [Ps. 17, 8] For because when we are young He nourishes us, as He protects us, and cherishes us with no heavy and burdensome, but with light and gentle, protection, when He puts forth His mercies towards us, He extends His wings over us, as if after the manner of birds. He sometimes, with deep condescension, compares himself, on account of our infirmity, with objects without sense; as He says by the Prophet, Behold, I will shriek over you, as a cart creaketh laden with hay. [Amos 2, 13] For since the life of the carnal is hay, as it is written, All flesh is hay; [Is. 40, 6] in that the Lord endures the life of the carnal, He declares that He carries hay as a cart. And to creak under the weight of the hay is for Him to bear, with murmuring, the burdens and iniquities of sinners. When therefore He applies to Himself very unlike resemblances, we must carefully observe that some things of this kind are sometimes spoken of concerning God, on account of the effect of His doings, but sometimes to indicate the substance of His Majesty. For when an eye, shoulders, a foot, and wings, are said to be in God, the effect of His operation is set forth. But when hand, arm, right hand, or voice, is said to belong to God, by these words His Consubstantial Son is pointed out. For He is in truth both hand, and right hand, of Whose Ascension the Father speaks by Moses, saying, I will lift up My hand to heaven, and I will swear by My right hand. [Deut. 32, 40] He is the arm, of Whom the Prophet says, And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? [Is. 53, 1] He is the voice, because the Father said when He begat Him, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. [Ps. 2, 7] And of Whom it is written, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1, 1] By this Word David declares that the Father made all things, saying, He spake, and they were made. [Ps. 33, 9] For God, therefore, to have an arm, is for Him to beget a Son that worketh; to thunder with His voice, is for Him to manifest fearfully to the world His Consubstantial Son. When therefore the Lord says to blessed Job, Hast thou an arm like God, and dost thou thunder with a voice like Him? by a wonderful dispensation of mercy He exalts, while He reproves him. Because He proves him to be superior to all, whom He surpasses only by comparison with Himself.
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SUMMARY
Job 40:9 presents a profound rhetorical challenge from the whirlwind, where the Almighty directly confronts Job with questions designed to highlight God's unparalleled power and majesty. This verse encapsulates the Creator's infinite omnipotence, questioning Job's capacity to wield divine strength or command the elements with a voice like His own. It serves to humble Job, placing human limitations in stark contrast to God's boundless sovereignty, thereby reorienting Job's perspective from his personal suffering to the transcendent greatness and unchallengeable authority of the Creator.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 40:9 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its central message of divine supremacy and human limitation. The primary device is the Rhetorical Question, where God poses questions not to elicit information, but to make a forceful, self-evident point, expecting no answer or a clear negative one. This technique powerfully highlights Job's (and humanity's) utter inadequacy in comparison to God's infinite power. Anthropomorphism is also present, attributing human characteristics such as an "arm" and a "voice" to God. This makes His transcendent power more relatable and comprehensible to human understanding, even as it simultaneously emphasizes that His capacity far exceeds any human parallel. The "arm" and "voice" also function as powerful Metaphors, representing God's strength, authority, and His ability to act decisively and command all of creation. The use of Parallelism in the two clauses ("arm like God" and "thunder with a voice like him") reinforces the central idea of God's incomparable power through two distinct but complementary images, creating a rhythmic and emphatic declaration. The cumulative effect of these devices is to evoke a sense of overwhelming awe and profound humility in the face of God's majestic power, effectively silencing Job's complaints and prompting his eventual submission.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 40:9 serves as a profound theological anchor, asserting God's absolute sovereignty and unmatched power over all creation. It reminds us that the God who orchestrates the cosmos and commands the elements with a thundering voice is the very same God who governs the intricate affairs of humanity, even in the midst of inexplicable suffering. This verse challenges any anthropocentric view that attempts to bring God's actions under human scrutiny or judgment, firmly placing Him in His rightful position as the transcendent Creator, whose wisdom and ways are beyond human comprehension. The "arm of God" and His "thundering voice" are not mere poetic expressions but profound theological statements about His active, irresistible, and authoritative presence in the world, ensuring that His purposes, though often mysterious to us, will ultimately prevail in perfect wisdom and justice.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 40:9 calls us to a profound re-evaluation of our perspective, particularly when we face circumstances that seem unjust, chaotic, or utterly beyond our comprehension. In our human tendency to seek control and understanding, we often forget the vast, infinite chasm between our finite capacity and God's boundless power and wisdom. This verse invites us to cultivate a posture of deep humility, recognizing that our complaints and questions, while valid expressions of our pain and confusion, must ultimately yield to the undeniable reality of God's unassailable sovereignty. It encourages us to release our grip on the desperate need to understand every detail of God's plan and instead rest in the profound assurance that the One who can thunder with a voice like no other is also the One who holds all things together, working all things according to the counsel of His will. This surrender is not a passive resignation but an active, faith-filled trust that His mighty "arm" is always at work, not arbitrarily, but with perfect wisdom, unwavering justice, and ultimately, redemptive love, even when His purposes are hidden from our sight. Such a transformative shift in focus from our problems to God's incomparable greatness can transform anxiety into awe, leading to deeper worship, profound peace, and resilient faith.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does God respond to Job's suffering with questions about His power rather than an explicit explanation for the suffering?
Answer: God's response in Job 40:9 and throughout His speeches (which begin in Job 38:1) is not intended to provide a simple, direct explanation for Job's suffering. The book's profound purpose extends beyond merely answering the problem of evil. Instead, God's aim is to fundamentally reorient Job's perspective from his limited human understanding and self-justification to the infinite wisdom, power, and comprehensive control of the Creator. By posing a series of rhetorical questions about His dominion over the cosmos, His intricate design of creation, and His unparalleled might, God demonstrates that His ways are utterly beyond human comprehension and His authority is absolute. The core message is not to explain why Job suffered, but to definitively establish who God is in relation to humanity—a sovereign, all-powerful, and infinitely wise God whose purposes are always just, even when they remain mysterious to us. This re-establishes God's rightful, supreme place in Job's worldview, ultimately leading to Job's humble repentance, profound confession, and renewed trust in God's character, rather than merely His actions or explanations.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 40:9 powerfully declares God's incomparable arm and thundering voice, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment is found in the person and redemptive work of Jesus of Nazareth, who is the perfect embodiment and active expression of this divine power. The "arm of the Lord" that delivers, sustains, and establishes justice, so vividly portrayed in the Old Testament, is fully revealed in Christ. Through Him, "all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:16). Furthermore, the "thundering voice" that commands the elements and brings order to chaos is seen in the Gospels when Jesus, with a mere word, calms a raging storm, causing His disciples to marvel, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:41). This same authoritative voice that spoke creation into being is the voice that will one day call the dead from their graves (John 5:28) and usher in the new heavens and new earth. In Jesus, the transcendent power of God is made immanent and accessible, not as a frightening, unapproachable force, but as the loving, redemptive power of the Son who perfectly reveals the Father's heart and character (John 1:18). Thus, the awe inspired by God's might in Job 40:9 finds its ultimate and saving focus in the Christ who wields that power for our salvation, our sanctification, and our eternal good.