Job 35:2 Meaning and Explanation
“Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Elihu challenges Job's implied claim that his own innocence outweighs God's justice.
What Does Job 35:2 Mean?
Elihu names the heart of his concern. In the long bitterness of his affliction, Job has protested his innocence so strongly that it begins to sound as if he counts himself more in the right than God. Elihu puts the question plainly: can such a claim possibly be just? He does not accuse Job of gross sin, but of letting suffering tilt his words toward self-justification.
The danger Elihu exposes is subtle and very human. When pain feels undeserved, the heart edges toward making itself the measure of fairness, setting its own sense of right above the Lord's. Scripture answers this gently elsewhere: 'Let God be true, but every man a liar' (Romans 3:4). To trust that God is righteous even when we cannot trace His ways is the harder, holier path.
Job 35:2 in the Original Language
tsedeq (צֶדֶק), 'righteousness' -- rightness or justice measured against God's own standard, not one's own.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 35:2
What does Job 35:2 mean?
Elihu challenges Job's implied claim that his own innocence outweighs God's justice.