Job 34:13 Meaning and Explanation
“Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Elihu asks who appointed God over the earth, implying that His authority is His own and answers to no one.
What Does Job 34:13 Mean?
Elihu poses a rhetorical question: who gave God His charge over the earth, or set Him over the whole world? The implied answer is no one. Unlike a steward who answers to a master, God's authority is original and underived. He governs not by appointment but by His own right as Maker of all.
This truth secures God's justice from another angle. A ruler who owes his power to others may be tempted to favor them; but God owes His sovereignty to none and so can be perfectly impartial. The earth is His because He made and upholds it. 'The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof.' The One to whom all belongs has no reason to deal unjustly with any.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 34:13
What does Job 34:13 mean?
Elihu asks who appointed God over the earth, implying that His authority is His own and answers to no one.