Job 5:27

KJV

Lo this, we have searched it, so it [is]; hear it, and know thou [it] for thy good.

KJV (with Strong's)

Lo this, we have searched {H2713} it, so it is; hear {H8085} it, and know {H3045} thou it for thy good.

Complete Jewish Bible

"We've looked into this, and that's how it is; listen, and know that it's for your own good."

Berean Standard Bible

Indeed, we have investigated, and it is true! So hear it and know for yourself.”

American Standard Version

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 5:27 serves as the emphatic conclusion to Eliphaz's first discourse, presenting his counsel to Job as thoroughly investigated, undeniable truth. In this verse, Eliphaz confidently asserts that his understanding of suffering and divine justice is established fact, urging Job to accept it as the path to his own restoration and well-being. This declaration encapsulates the conventional wisdom of the ancient Near East, which rigidly linked suffering to sin and prosperity to righteousness, thereby setting a crucial theological tension that the remainder of the Book of Job will profoundly explore and challenge.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 5:27 marks the culmination of Eliphaz the Temanite's initial speech, which commenced in [Job 4:1](/job/4-1 "Job 4:1 - Eliphaz's First Speech Begins"). Throughout chapters 4 and 5, Eliphaz has systematically constructed an argument founded on the premise that God is inherently just and righteous, thus concluding that suffering must inevitably be a direct consequence of personal transgression. His discourse progresses from appealing to his own spiritual experience and a vision (e.g., [Job 4:12-17](/job/4-12-17 "Job 4:12-17 - Eliphaz's Vision")), to general observations about the fate of the wicked, and finally to a promise of divine discipline leading to restoration for the repentant (e.g., [Job 5:17-26](/job/5-17-26 "Job 5:17-26 - Eliphaz's Promise of Restoration")). This concluding verse functions as a confident, almost dismissive, summary, leaving Job with the impression that the matter is settled and his only recourse is to acknowledge his presumed guilt. It powerfully sets the stage for Job's indignant response and the subsequent cycles of the friends' increasingly accusatory debates.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** This verse is deeply embedded in the ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition, which frequently championed a clear retributive principle: the righteous flourish, while the wicked suffer. This "Deuteronomic principle," while prominently featured in the Mosaic covenant, was a pervasive framework for understanding divine justice and human experience across the broader ancient Near East. Job's friends, including Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, operated firmly within this established worldview, genuinely believing their counsel to be both sound and beneficial. Their understanding of suffering was largely mechanistic and deterministic, failing to account for the complexities of divine sovereignty, the mystery of God's ways, or the possibility of suffering for reasons other than personal sin. Furthermore, the cultural expectation was that friends would offer comfort and sagacious advice to the afflicted; however, in Job's unique case, this well-intentioned counsel became an additional source of profound anguish due to its misapplication and misdiagnosis of his situation.
* **Key Themes:** Job 5:27 powerfully encapsulates several pivotal themes central to the Book of Job. Firstly, it starkly highlights the **Certainty of Human Wisdom**, as Eliphaz confidently declares, "Lo this, we have searched it, so it [is]," implying that his understanding of divine justice and the cause of human suffering is not mere conjecture but a thoroughly investigated and proven fact. This unwavering confidence, however, stands in stark contrast to God's later rebuke of the friends' limited and flawed understanding in [Job 42:7](/job/42-7 "Job 42:7 - God Rebukes Job's Friends"). Secondly, the imperative "hear it, and know thou [it] for thy good" represents a **Call to Hear and Know**, an earnest plea for Job to accept Eliphaz's counsel, genuinely believing that if Job acknowledges his supposed sin and repents, his fortunes will be restored, as promised earlier in [Job 5:17-26](/job/5-17-26 "Job 5:17-26 - Eliphaz's Promise of Restoration"). Lastly, and most critically for the book's overarching narrative, this verse exemplifies **Misguided Counsel**. While seemingly well-intentioned and rooted in traditional piety, Eliphaz's advice is ultimately flawed because it misdiagnoses the true cause of Job's suffering, representing a common ancient Near Eastern belief system that struggled to reconcile righteous suffering with a just and sovereign God—a central tension that the entire Book of Job profoundly explores and ultimately transcends.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **searched (Hebrew, _châqar'_):** From H2713, this primitive root means "to penetrate" or "to examine intimately." When Eliphaz states, "we have searched it," he is asserting that his understanding is not based on superficial observation or casual speculation, but on a diligent, thorough investigation and scrutiny. This implies a profound conviction in the truth and reliability of his findings, suggesting an established fact derived from experience and tradition, thereby lending an air of authority to his counsel.
* **hear (Hebrew, _shâmaʻ'_):** From H8085, this primitive root signifies "to hear intelligently," often implying attention, obedience, or even the causative act of telling. When Eliphaz commands Job to "hear it," he is calling for more than mere auditory reception; he demands attentive listening and intellectual reception that should lead to acceptance and acknowledgment of the truth being presented. It carries the weight of a firm directive, reflecting Eliphaz's conviction that his counsel is essential for Job's well-being.
* **know (Hebrew, _yâdaʻ'_):** From H3045, this primitive root means "to know," properly "to ascertain by seeing," but it extends to a vast array of senses including experiential, intimate, and transformative knowledge. When Eliphaz urges Job to "know thou it," he is calling for Job to internalize this truth, to appropriate it into his very being, and to live by it. It implies a knowledge that should lead to action and change in Job's life, specifically repentance and a return to the perceived correct path.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Lo this, we have searched it, so it [is];"**: This opening clause serves as Eliphaz's emphatic declaration of certainty and authority. "Lo this" (הִנֵּה־זֹאת, hinnēh-zōʾt) functions as an interjection, drawing immediate and urgent attention to the pronouncement that follows, presenting it as an undeniable truth. The phrase "we have searched it" (חֲקַרְנוּהָ, ḥāqarnūhā) asserts that the wisdom Eliphaz has presented is not speculative but has been thoroughly investigated and verified, presumably through observation, tradition, and collective experience. "So it [is]" (כֵּן־הִיא, kēn-hīʾ) acts as a definitive affirmation, proclaiming the absolute truth and established nature of his findings, leaving no room for doubt or debate from his perspective.
* **"hear it,"**: This is a direct imperative, a forceful command for Job to listen attentively and accept Eliphaz's words without reservation. It implies a call to intellectual reception and acknowledgment of the truth being presented. This is not merely a suggestion but a firm directive, reflecting Eliphaz's deep conviction that his counsel is not only correct but also vital for Job's restoration.
* **"and know thou [it] for thy good."**: This concluding imperative builds upon the previous one, urging Job not just to hear but to internalize, experientially grasp, and act upon the truth. The phrase "for thy good" (לְטוֹבָתֶכָה, ləṭōvāṯeḵā) underscores Eliphaz's sincere belief that accepting his wisdom—which entails acknowledging sin and repenting—will lead directly to Job's restoration, prosperity, and ultimate benefit. It represents a final, well-intentioned but ultimately misguided, appeal for Job to embrace the conventional wisdom as the sole path to alleviating his suffering.

#### Literary Devices
Job 5:27 employs several potent literary devices to convey Eliphaz's confident, yet ultimately flawed, message. The most prominent is **Assertion**, as Eliphaz emphatically declares his findings as absolute, undeniable truth with the phrase "so it [is]." This assertion is further bolstered by an appeal to **Authority** and **Experience**, encapsulated in the declaration "we have searched it," which implies a rigorous, collective investigation that validates his claims. The verse also utilizes **Rhetorical Imperative**, as Eliphaz issues direct commands to Job: "hear it, and know thou [it]." These imperatives serve as a persuasive technique, designed to compel Job to accept the counsel, especially when coupled with the promise of positive outcome, "for thy good." Finally, a profound **Dramatic Irony** permeates this verse. While Eliphaz genuinely believes his counsel is "for thy good" and based on "searched" truth, the reader is privy to the divine perspective (from the prologue of the book) that Job is righteous and his suffering is not a result of sin. This irony highlights the severe limitations of human wisdom when confronted with divine mystery and the true nature of suffering, setting up a central tension that the Book of Job masterfully explores.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 5:27 stands as a powerful theological statement about the inherent limitations of human wisdom and the profound dangers of offering simplistic, formulaic explanations for complex suffering. Eliphaz's confident declaration, "we have searched it, so it [is]," reflects a common human tendency to rely on our own understanding, accumulated experience, or established traditions as the ultimate arbiters of truth, even when confronted with realities that defy our neat categories. This verse sets up a core tension in the Book of Job: the clash between a rigid, retributive theology that demands a direct correlation between sin and suffering, and the stark reality of innocent suffering that profoundly challenges such a framework. The friends' well-intentioned but ultimately misguided counsel highlights the profound difference between human wisdom, which often seeks to rationalize, control, and explain away divine actions, and divine wisdom, which frequently transcends human comprehension and operates on a different, inscrutable plane. The book ultimately points to the necessity of profound humility before God's mysterious ways, rather than presuming to fully understand or explain His actions.

* [Job 42:7](/job/42-7 "Job 42:7 - God Rebukes Job's Friends")
* [Proverbs 3:5-7](/proverbs/3-5 "Proverbs 3:5-7 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart")
* [Isaiah 55:8-9](/isaiah/55-8-9 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts and Ways are Higher than Ours")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Eliphaz's concluding remarks in Job 5:27 offer profound lessons for us today, particularly in how we approach suffering, offer counsel, and discern truth. His unwavering confidence in his "searched" wisdom, despite its ultimate inaccuracy, serves as a cautionary tale against the human tendency to offer quick, formulaic, or overly simplistic answers to life's deepest pains. When we encounter others in distress, it is tempting to categorize their experience within our existing frameworks of understanding, sometimes even attributing suffering directly to sin without genuine insight or divine revelation. This verse challenges us to cultivate profound humility, recognizing that our understanding of God's ways and the complexities of human experience is inherently finite. True wisdom does not come from our exhaustive "searches" or adherence to tradition alone, but from a posture of dependence on God, acknowledging His sovereignty and the often-unfathomable nature of His plans. We are called to listen empathetically, offer comfort without judgment, and point to the God who is ultimately sovereign, rather than presuming to fully explain His intricate dealings or impose our limited understanding onto another's suffering.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Eliphaz's confidence challenge our own tendency to offer quick, definitive answers to complex suffering, especially when we lack full understanding?**
* **In what ways might we, like Eliphaz, inadvertently rely on human tradition, personal experience, or rigid theological frameworks more than divine revelation when counseling others?**
* **What does this verse teach us about the importance of humility when confronting life's mysteries, particularly when our understanding is limited and God's ways are beyond our full comprehension?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of Eliphaz's claim "we have searched it"?**

Answer: Eliphaz's claim "we have searched it" ([Job 5:27](/job/5-27 "Job 5:27 - Eliphaz's Concluding Assertion")) is highly significant because it underscores his conviction in the absolute validity and reliability of his traditional wisdom. By stating that he and his companions have "searched" or thoroughly investigated this truth, he presents his counsel not as mere opinion or speculation, but as an established, verifiable fact derived from observation, experience, and the accumulated wisdom of their ancestors. This assertion lends an air of authority and finality to his argument, implying that Job should accept it without question because it has been proven true. However, this confident declaration stands in stark contrast to the Book of Job's ultimate message, which reveals the limitations of human wisdom and the inscrutable nature of God's ways, particularly concerning suffering.

**How does Job 5:27 relate to the overall message of the Book of Job?**

Answer: [Job 5:27](/job/5-27 "Job 5:27 - Eliphaz's Concluding Assertion") is a pivotal verse that encapsulates the central theological conflict explored throughout the Book of Job. It represents the culmination of Eliphaz's argument, which is based on the conventional wisdom that suffering is a direct consequence of sin. By asserting that this truth has been "searched" and is "so it [is]," Eliphaz articulates the rigid, retributive framework that Job's friends apply to his situation. The entire book then proceeds to challenge and ultimately dismantle this simplistic understanding. Job's unwavering insistence on his innocence, despite his suffering, forces a deeper theological inquiry into divine justice, sovereignty, and the nature of righteous suffering. Thus, this verse serves as the thesis statement of the friends' flawed theology, setting the stage for God's ultimate revelation from the whirlwind in [Job 38](/job/38 "Job 38 - God's First Response to Job"), which transcends human comprehension and challenges the very foundations of Eliphaz's confidently "searched" wisdom.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Eliphaz's confident but ultimately flawed counsel in [Job 5:27](/job/5-27 "Job 5:27 - Eliphaz's Concluding Assertion") points to the profound need for perfect wisdom and true understanding, which are found only in Jesus Christ. While Eliphaz and his friends claimed to have "searched" for truth, their human wisdom proved utterly inadequate to comprehend the mystery of righteous suffering or the depths of God's redemptive plan. This inadequacy foreshadows the ultimate revelation of God's wisdom in Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" ([Colossians 2:3](/colossians/2-3 "Colossians 2:3 - Christ, in Whom are Hidden All Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge")). Unlike Eliphaz's conditional promise of "good" based on Job's repentance for a sin he didn't commit, Christ offers true and unconditional "good" through His finished work on the cross. He is the righteous sufferer, the innocent [Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), whose suffering was not for His own sin but for the sins of humanity. In Him, we find not only the ultimate explanation for suffering but also the perfect High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, having been tempted in every way, yet without sin ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our High Priest Who Sympathizes with Our Weaknesses")). Christ is the [Way, the Truth, and the Life](/john/14-6 "John 14:6 - Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life"), offering a wisdom that transcends all human reasoning and leads to eternal "good" far beyond any earthly restoration. He is our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption ([1 Corinthians 1:30](/1_corinthians/1-30 "1 Corinthians 1:30 - Christ is Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption")), providing the ultimate answer to life's deepest questions and the true path to reconciliation with 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

Psalms 111:2

The works of the LORD [are] great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

Job 32:11

Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.

Job 32:12

Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, [there was] none of you that convinced Job, [or] that answered his words:

Proverbs 9:12

If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but [if] thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear [it].

Deuteronomy 10:13

To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

Proverbs 2:3

Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;

Proverbs 2:5

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.