Job 4:17

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר׃

Transliteration

Can ha-ʾĕnôš from mē-ʾĕlôah yiṣdāq if ʾim from mē-ʿōśēhû yiṭhar-gāber

Grammar Details

*ha-ʾĕnôš*: interrogative particle + noun, masculine singular - can mortal man
*mē-ʾĕlôah*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - than God
*yiṣdāq*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - be righteous/justified
*ʾim*: conjunction - if/or
*mē-ʿōśēhû*: preposition + Qal participle, masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - than his Maker
*yiṭhar-gāber*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular + noun, masculine singular - be pure a man

Word Meanings

*ʾĕnôš*: man/mortal man/mankind
*ʾĕlôah*: God/deity
*yiṣdāq*: to be righteous/justified/vindicated
*ʿōśēhû*: his maker/creator
*yiṭhar*: to be pure/clean/cleansed
*gāber*: man/strong man/warrior

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Job 9:2 : 2 Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?
Job 25:4 : 4 How then can man be just with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
Ps 143:2 : 2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant; For in thy sight no man living is righteous.
Ps 145:17 : 17 Jehovah is righteous in all his ways, And gracious in all his works.
Eccl 7:20 : 20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Jer 12:1 : 1 Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee; yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?
Jer 17:9 : 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?
Mark 7:20-23 : 20 And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: 23 all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man.
Rom 2:5 : 5 but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 3:4-7 : 4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. 5 But if our righteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.) 6 God forbid: {G1096} for then how shall God judge the world? 7 But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
Rom 9:20 : 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?
Rom 11:33 : 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
Rev 4:8 : 8 and the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.
Job 35:2 : 2 Thinkest thou this to be [thy] right, [Or] sayest thou, My righteousness is more than God's,
Job 35:10 : 10 But none saith, Where is God my Maker, Who giveth songs in the night,
Job 40:8 : 8 Wilt thou even annul my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?
Job 9:30-31 : 30 If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean; 31 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.
Job 14:4 : 4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Job 15:14 : 14 What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Gen 18:25 : 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Job 8:3 : 3 Doth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Job 15:13-16
4 verses
81%
13That against God thou turnest thy spirit, And lettest words go out of thy mouth?
14What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones; Yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight:
16How much less one that is abominable and corrupt, A man that drinketh iniquity like water!
Job 25:4
80%
4How then can man be just with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
Job 40:8-9
2 verses
78%
8Wilt thou even annul my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?
9Or hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
Job 7:17
77%
17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him,
Job 33:12-13
2 verses
77%
12Behold, I will answer thee, in this thou art not just; For God is greater than man.
13Why dost thou strive against him, For that he giveth not account of any of his matters?
Job 4:16
77%
16It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before mine eyes: [There was] silence, and I heard a voice, [saying],
Job 14:3-4
2 verses
76%
3And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with thee?
4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Hab 1:12-13
2 verses
76%
12Art not thou from everlasting, O Jehovah my God, my Holy One? we shall not die. O Jehovah, thou hast ordained him for judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established him for correction.
13Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;
Job 8:3
75%
3Doth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?
Job 35:2-3
2 verses
75%
2Thinkest thou this to be [thy] right, [Or] sayest thou, My righteousness is more than God's,
3That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? [And], What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?
Job 9:2
75%
2Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?
Job 34:23
75%
23For he needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.
Rom 9:20
75%
20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?
Job 4:18
74%
18Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; And his angels he chargeth with folly:
Job 11:4
74%
4For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in thine eyes.
Job 36:23
74%
23Who hath enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
Job 10:3-4
2 verses
74%
3Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, That thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, And shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
4Hast thou eyes of flesh? Or seest thou as man seeth?
Job 22:3-4
2 verses
74%
3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4Is it for thy fear [of him] that he reproveth thee, That he entereth with thee into judgment?
Job 31:2
73%
2For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?
Job 34:17
73%
17Shall even one that hateth justice govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous [and] mighty?—
Job 9:32
73%
32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment.
Ps 144:3
73%
3Jehovah, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?
Job 21:4
73%
4As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?
Ps 143:2
73%
2And enter not into judgment with thy servant; For in thy sight no man living is righteous.
Job 31:14
73%
14What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
Job 34:10
73%
10Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
Job 11:7
73%
7Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
Job 21:22
73%
22Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?
Job 4:7
73%
7Remember, I pray thee, who [ever] perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
Job 18:3
73%
3Wherefore are we counted as beasts, [And] are become unclean in your sight?
Ezek 18:5
72%
5But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
Job 34:12-13
2 verses
72%
12Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?
Job 13:7-8
2 verses
72%
7Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him?
8Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God?
Prov 20:9
72%
9Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Isa 40:18
72%
18To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Job 40:2
72%
2Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty? He that argueth with God, let him answer it.
Jer 16:20
72%
20Shall a man make unto himself gods, which yet are no gods?
Job 23:7
72%
7There the upright might reason with him; So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.