Job 34:17 Meaning and Explanation
“Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Elihu argues that one who hated justice could not govern the world, so how can Job condemn the most just God?
What Does Job 34:17 Mean?
Elihu reasons from the nature of governance itself. Could one who 'hateth right' truly rule and sustain a world? The very order of creation argues against it. Then he turns the question on Job: how dare he 'condemn him that is most just'? To accuse God of injustice is to accuse the very source of justice.
The logic is sound and searching. The God who upholds the moral fabric of the universe cannot Himself despise what is right. To charge Him with unfairness is to saw off the branch on which all our notions of fairness rest. The believer learns to bring complaints to God honestly, yet never to set oneself up as judge over the Judge of all, who alone is perfectly just.
Job 34:17 in the Original Language
tsaddiq (צַדִּיק), 'just' -- one who is righteous, in the right, conforming fully to what is good.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 34:17
What does Job 34:17 mean?
Elihu argues that one who hated justice could not govern the world, so how can Job condemn the most just God?