Job 5:18

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

For he maketh sore {H3510}, and bindeth up {H2280}: he woundeth {H4272}, and his hands {H3027} make whole {H7495}.

For he wounds, but he bandages the sore; his hands may strike, but they also heal.

For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal.

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole.

Commentary

Job 5:18 (KJV) declares God's ultimate authority over both affliction and restoration: "For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole." This verse, spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite, highlights a profound truth about divine sovereignty, even within a discourse that contains flawed human reasoning.

Context

This statement comes from Eliphaz, one of Job's three friends, during his first speech (Job 4-5). Eliphaz, operating under the traditional belief that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin, attempts to explain Job's immense distress. While his overall premise regarding Job's specific situation was incorrect, this particular verse articulates a general theological principle that holds true: God is the one who permits hardship, but He is also the one who has the power to heal and restore. Eliphaz uses this point to encourage Job to seek God, implying that if Job repents, God will heal him.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty over Suffering and Healing: The verse powerfully asserts God's absolute control over both the pain and the process of recovery. He is not merely a passive observer but the active agent in both "making sore" and "making whole." This speaks to a deeper truth about God's comprehensive power over all circumstances.
  • God's Restorative Power: Despite the initial "wounding," the verse emphasizes God's capacity and desire to "bind up" and "make whole." This highlights His compassionate nature and His ultimate goal of bringing wholeness and healing to those He afflicts or allows to be afflicted. It is a promise of divine intervention for good.
  • Hope in Adversity: For the one experiencing hardship, this verse offers a glimmer of hope. If God is the one who wounds, then He is also the only one capable of true healing. This perspective encourages reliance on God even in the darkest times, knowing His hand is involved in both the trial and the eventual restoration.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew parallelism in this verse reinforces its message. The phrase "maketh sore" (machats) and "woundeth" (also machats) both convey the idea of striking, bruising, or shattering. They denote a severe impact or injury. In direct contrast, "bindeth up" (chabash) refers to the act of wrapping a wound, providing first aid, and showing care. Similarly, "make whole" (from the root rapha, meaning to heal or restore) speaks to a complete and thorough recovery. The juxtaposition of these terms underscores God's complete control over the entire process from affliction to ultimate well-being.

Practical Application

Job 5:18 offers profound comfort and guidance for believers today. When facing trials, illnesses, or emotional pain, this verse reminds us that our suffering is not outside God's purview. Instead:

  • It encourages us to look to God as the source of all healing, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Even when life "wounds" us, we can trust that His hands can make us whole again.
  • It fosters a perspective of patience and perseverance during difficult times, knowing that God's discipline or permitted suffering often has a redemptive purpose, leading to greater wholeness and spiritual maturity.
  • It calls us to humble submission to God's sovereign will, acknowledging that even in pain, His ultimate intention for His children is good and restorative.
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Cross-References

  • Hosea 6:1

    ¶ Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

  • Deuteronomy 32:39

    ¶ See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there is] no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand.

  • Isaiah 30:26

    Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.

  • Psalms 147:3

    He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

  • 1 Samuel 2:6

    The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.