Job 35:8 Meaning and Explanation
“Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Elihu notes that human deeds affect fellow humans, even if they cannot touch God Himself.
What Does Job 35:8 Mean?
Having said our deeds do not reach God to harm or enrich Him, Elihu adds the crucial other half: they powerfully reach our neighbors. Wickedness wounds the people around us; righteousness blesses them. The 'son of man' here is simply a fellow human being, who feels the weight of how we live in a way God's own being does not.
This is no small consolation but a calling. Our choices matter immensely on the human plane, where love or harm lands on real lives. The Lord ties love of Himself to love of neighbor, 'thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself' (Leviticus 19:18), and Jesus makes it the second great commandment. Goodness done in God's sight may not add to Him, yet it overflows to those He loves, and in that overflow we serve Him truly.
Job 35:8 in the Original Language
adam (אָדָם), 'man' -- humankind, here the fellow human who is helped or harmed by our deeds.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 35:8
What does Job 35:8 mean?
Elihu notes that human deeds affect fellow humans, even if they cannot touch God Himself.