Job 36:17 Meaning and Explanation
“But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Elihu charges that Job is preoccupied with the cause of the wicked, so judgment now grips him.
What Does Job 36:17 Mean?
Elihu warns Job that he has, in his complaints, taken up the kind of arguments the wicked make, and so the very judgment and justice he questions have laid hold of him. The accusation is pointed, though Elihu still hopes for Job's good.
The verse reminds us how easily grief can slide into charging God with wrong. Yet judgment and justice, rightly understood, are not Job's enemies. They are satisfied at last not by condemning the sufferer but by the One who bore judgment in our place so that justice and mercy meet.
Job 36:17 in the Original Language
mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט), 'judgment' -- a just verdict, the right ordering of a case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 36:17
What does Job 36:17 mean?
Elihu charges that Job is preoccupied with the cause of the wicked, so judgment now grips him.