How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
The verse belongs to the long debate between Job and his three friends concerning his afflictions. It is Job's answer to Bildad's third speech about God's majesty and perfection. It stands in the middle of Job's last reply to his friends, after they have ceased troubling him with their constant accusations, implied and otherwise.
In it Job bitterly rebukes his friends and challenges the worth of their counsel and explanation, which have neither helped him nor convinced him that he is guilty. The rebuke turns their claim back upon them, for Job himself has wisdom, yet they presume to instruct him as one who has no wisdom. Their counsel was only their own wisdom and observation, and having never known a thoroughly good man to be so afflicted, they misapplied sayings true in themselves to Job's case.
Job himself judged to some extent from the same standpoint, and knowing his own integrity he could not understand God's dealings with him, yet he did not charge God foolishly. God saw the end from the beginning and was working out what would glorify Himself forever after, give comfort and hope to thousands of suffering ones, and prove a blessing to Job, all of which He has revealed in His word. The surrounding chapter in which the verse stands exalts and sublimely describes God's greatness, majesty, infinite power, perfection, and wisdom. That greatness, power, and wisdom of God human understanding can grasp only in part.
The verse belongs to the long debate between Job and his three friends concerning his afflictions. It is Job's answer to Bildad's third speech about God's majesty and perfection. It stands in the middle of Job's last reply to his friends, after they have ceased troubling him with their constant accusations, implied and otherwise.
In it Job bitterly rebukes his friends and challenges the worth of their counsel and explanation, which have neither helped him nor convinced him that he is guilty. The rebuke turns their claim back upon them, for Job himself has wisdom, yet they presume to instruct him as one who has no wisdom. Their counsel was only their own wisdom and observation, and having never known a thoroughly good man to be so afflicted, they misapplied sayings true in themselves to Job's case.
Job himself judged to some extent from the same standpoint, and knowing his own integrity he could not understand God's dealings with him, yet he did not charge God foolishly. God saw the end from the beginning and was working out what would glorify Himself forever after, give comfort and hope to thousands of suffering ones, and prove a blessing to Job, all of which He has revealed in His word. The surrounding chapter in which the verse stands exalts and sublimely describes God's greatness, majesty, infinite power, perfection, and wisdom. That greatness, power, and wisdom of God human understanding can grasp only in part.