Job 11:8 Meaning and Explanation
“It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God's wisdom is higher than heaven and deeper than the grave, beyond all human reach.
What Does Job 11:8 Mean?
Zophar measures the wisdom of God against the dimensions of creation. It is higher than the heavens; what can a mortal do to reach it? It is deeper than the grave below; what can he hope to know of it? From the highest height to the lowest depth, God's understanding overflows every boundary a person might try to set.
These soaring words point past Zophar's argument to a wonder all believers share. The God whose wisdom towers above heaven and plumbs the depths beneath is not distant or cold; the same reach that exceeds us is the reach by which He saves. No height is too high and no depth too deep for His knowledge or His mercy to find us. What humbles us in this verse can also comfort us, for nothing lies outside the care of so great a God.
Job 11:8 in the Original Language
sheol (שְׁאוֹל), 'hell' -- the unseen realm of the dead, the deep place below.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 11:8
What does Job 11:8 mean?
God's wisdom is higher than heaven and deeper than the grave, beyond all human reach.