Job 36:26
in Job 36Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable.
KJV
Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
⋯
This verse in Job 36
Commentary
10 notes on this verseBehold, God is great, surpassing our knowledge. The number of His years cannot be reckoned. He had said above, Behold, God is lofty. [ver. 22] He now says again, Behold, God is great. Why is it, that when speaking of God he says, 'Behold,' and again repeats, 'Behold,' if it be not that we say, 'Behold' of that thing, which we point out as present? And since God is every where present, when 'Behold' is said of Him, He is said to be present even to those who see Him not.
This site's exposition
God is exalted in His power
on Job 36:22-26
Elihu turns to praise, and asks who is “a teacher like Him”. Henry reads “Who has appointed His way for Him” as Elihu anticipating the whirlwind's appeal to God's unaccountable greatness. Delitzsch notes the next verses' clouds and light moving the speech toward the whirlwind's weather.
This site's exposition
the number of His years is unsearchable
Adam Clarke reads three truths here: God is mighty, beyond knowledge, and eternal in His years. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown give the greatness of God as the reason to bow under His hand. They apply His years to Christ at Hebrews 1:12.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
From this he concludes that God exceeds the knowledge of man in his excellence, and so he says, "Behold the great God who surpasses our science," for God cannot be known by us perfectly not because of some defect in him, as happens in motion …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said, 2 Suffer me a little, and I will show thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf. 3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. 4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:89%@v2-4
Behold, God is great,....
If the heavens become brass, the earth becomes iron; therefore thus the promise of plenty runs, I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth. This intimates to us that every good gift is from above, from him who is both Father of lights and Father of the rain, and it instructs us to direct our prayers to him and to look up.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
God is great - He is omnipotent. We know him not - He is unsearchable. Neither can the number of his years be searched out - He is eternal. These three propositions are an ample foundation for endless disquisition. As to paraphrase and comment, they need none in this place; they are too profound, comprehensive, and sublime.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
God's greatness in heaven and earth: a reason why Job should bow under His afflicting hand. know him not--only in part (Job 36:25; 1Co 13:12). his years-- (Ps 90:2; 102:24, 27); applied to Jesus Christ (Heb 1:12).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Behold, God is great, and we know him not - That is, we cannot fully comprehend him; see the notes at Job 11:7-9. Neither can the number of his years be searched out - That is, he is eternal. The object of what is said here is to impress the mind with a sense of the greatness of God, and with the folly of attempting fully to comprehend the reason of what he does. Man is of a few days, and it is presumption in him to sit in judgment on the doings of one who is from eternity. We may here remark that the doctrine that there is an Eternal Being presiding over the universe, was a doctrine fully held by the speakers in this book - a doctrine far in advance of all that philosophy ever taught, and which was unknown for ages in the lands on which the light of revelation never shone.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֶן־ | hen- | there! | H2005 → | 316 times |
| אֵ֣ל | ʾel | God | H410 → | 241 times |
| שַׂ֭גִּיא | sagi' | [is] exalted | H7689 → | |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נֵדָ֑ע | neda' | we know [him] | H3045 → | 945 times |
| מִסְפַּ֖ר | mispar | [the] number of | H4557 → | 134 times |
| שָׁנָ֣יו | shanav | years his | H8141 → | 877 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| חֵֽקֶר׃ | cheker | inquiry | H2714 → | 12 times |
הֶן־there!
hen-H2005 →316 times
אֵ֣לGod
ʾelH410 →241 times
שַׂ֭גִּיא[is] exalted
sagi'H7689 →
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
נֵדָ֑עwe know [him]
neda'H3045 →945 times
מִסְפַּ֖ר[the] number of
misparH4557 →134 times
שָׁנָ֣יוyears his
shanavH8141 →877 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
חֵֽקֶר׃inquiry
chekerH2714 →12 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
1 Corinthians 13:12Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
it leads to
- 1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as…
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 13:9–10
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
- Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
- 1 John 3:2
Through
Psalms 145:3Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.
it leads to
- Romans 11:33
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 147:5
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.
- Romans 11:33
Through
Psalms 90:2Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
- Hebrews 13:8
About Job
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXVII; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.