Job 34:24
in Job 34He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He breaketh in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, And setteth others in their stead.
KJV
He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.
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This verse in Job 34
Commentary
8 notes on this verseYet, when God destroys tyranny, he does not design anarchy; if those are brought down that ruled ill, it does not therefore follow that people must have no rulers; for, when he breaks mighty men, he sets others in their stead, that will rule better, or, if they do not, he overturns them also in the night, or in a night, so that they are destroyed,
This site's exposition
His eyes are on the ways of a man
on Job 34:21-25
“For His eyes are on the ways of a man” answers Job's complaint of a hidden God. Elihu shows justice in history, where “He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place”. “He recognizes their deeds”, and so “He overthrows them in the night”.
This site's exposition
He shatters the mighty without inquiry
Albert Barnes gives the Hebrew word here as chêqer, a searching out, the margin's reading in place of without number. God needs no drawn-out trial. Matthew Henry adds that the new rulers set in their place show God ends tyranny without leaving anarchy.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
There are two reasons why men especially deviate from justice. The first is because they defer to important persons. The second is because they defer to the majority against justice. He had shown already (vv. 18-23) the perfection of divine justice in that God did …
He shall break in pieces many and without number, and shall make others to stand in their stead. For after much had been said, concerning the punishment of the wicked, there is suddenly introduced the secret judgment, mercifully and justly passed upon us: how some lose that which they appeared to hold fast, and some receive that which others deservedly lose. This is daily occurring. But because the end of both parties is not seen as yet, it is less dreaded. For the reprobate never acknowledge their fault, excepting when under punishment.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He shall break in pieces mighty men without number,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
He shall break in pieces - In multitudes of cases God depresses the proud, and raises up the humble and meek. Neither their strength nor number can afford them security.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He shall break in pieces - He crushes or destroys the great. He is not intimidated by their wealth, their rank, or their number. Without number - Margin, more correctly, “searching out.” That is, he does it without the protracted process of a judicial investigation. The Hebrew word used here (חקר chêqer) means properly “a searching out,” “an examination”; and the meaning here is, that there is no need of his going into a protracted investigation into the lives of wicked people before he brings them to punishment. He sees them at once; knows all their conduct, and may proceed against them without delay. Hence, it is that he comes often in such a sudden manner, and cuts them off. A human tribunal is under a necessity of examining witnesses and of attending to all the palliating circumstances, before it can pronounce a sentence on an offender. But it is not so with God. He judges at once and directly, and comes forth therefore in a sudden manner to cut down the guilty. And set others in their stead - Place others in the situation which they now occupy. That is, he can with the utmost case make entire revolutions among people.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יָרֹ֣עַ | yaroa' | he breaks | H7489 → | 107 times |
| כַּבִּירִ֣ים | kabirim | mighty [ones] | H3524 → | 10 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| חֵ֑קֶר | cheker | inquiry | H2714 → | 12 times |
| וַיַּעֲמֵ֖ד | vaiyaamed | and he appointed | H5975 → | 521 times |
| אֲחֵרִ֣ים | ʾacherim | others | H312 → | 166 times |
| תַּחְתָּֽם׃ | tachtam | in place of them | H8478 → | 505 times |
יָרֹ֣עַhe breaks
yaroa'H7489 →107 times
כַּבִּירִ֣יםmighty [ones]
kabirimH3524 →10 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
חֵ֑קֶרinquiry
chekerH2714 →12 times
וַיַּעֲמֵ֖דand he appointed
vaiyaamedH5975 →521 times
אֲחֵרִ֣יםothers
ʾacherimH312 →166 times
תַּחְתָּֽם׃in place of them
tachtamH8478 →505 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Daniel 2:21He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
it leads to
- Psalms 75:5–7
Do not lift up your horn against heaven or speak with an outstretched neck.’”
- Psalms 31:14–15
But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
- Psalms 113:7–8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump
- Daniel 4:17
This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it…
- Daniel 7:25
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for…
- Psalms 75:5–7
Through
Psalms 2:9You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”
it leads to
- Revelation 12:5
And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
- Revelation 2:26–27
And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations.
- Revelation 12:5
Through
Psalms 72:4May he vindicate the afflicted among the people; may he save the children of the needy and crush the oppressor.
it leads to
- Isaiah 11:4
but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the…
- Isaiah 11:4
About Job
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Job; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXV; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.