God’s justice is unassailable, and His ways are perfect.
Elihu, the youngest of Job’s friends, admonishes in Job 34:10 with the words, “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong.” (v.10) In the context of this passage, Elihu is defending the righteousness of the LORD, firmly rejecting any notion that the Creator of the universe could engage in evil or injustice. The Book of Job is set during a time period traditionally believed to be around the era of the patriarchs (roughly 2000 B.C.), and in it, Elihu steps forward to declare that God’s moral perfection transcends human comprehension, urging others to acknowledge that God’s sovereignty does not include the capacity for wrongdoing. Though Job has suffered immense trials, Elihu reminds both him and the older friends that the Almighty’s ways are higher than ours and therefore beyond reproach.
When Elihu proclaims, “Far be it from God to do wickedness” (v.10), he underscores a truth repeatedly found in Scripture: God’s character is flawless. Even in the midst of pain and loss, as seen in Job’s own story, God remains compassionate and just, allowing His purposes to unfold in ways that our limited understanding cannot fully grasp. This verse emphatically contradicts the misguided assumption voiced earlier in Job’s story that only the unrighteous suffer while the righteous are mysteriously shielded from hardship. Such false reasoning arises again in other accounts of Scripture. For instance, religious scoffers in the New Testament also revealed “the prideful ignorance of Job’s friends,” criticizing Jesus for His suffering on the cross as though affliction were proof of unrighteousness, a notion refuted by Elihu’s reminder that God cannot do wrong.
This assurance of the LORD’s moral purity resonates powerfully through the awakenings of both Old and New Testament writings, culminating in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice for sin (Romans 3:23-26) illustrates perfectly how God remains just and loving, even in scenarios we struggle to interpret. By declaring, “And from the Almighty to do wrong” (v.10), Elihu points forward to a timeless scriptural theme: everything God does, He does with holiness and righteousness, offering us a firm foundation for our faith when life’s circumstances defy human explanation.
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Job 34:10 meaning
Elihu, the youngest of Job’s friends, admonishes in Job 34:10 with the words, “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong.” (v.10) In the context of this passage, Elihu is defending the righteousness of the LORD, firmly rejecting any notion that the Creator of the universe could engage in evil or injustice. The Book of Job is set during a time period traditionally believed to be around the era of the patriarchs (roughly 2000 B.C.), and in it, Elihu steps forward to declare that God’s moral perfection transcends human comprehension, urging others to acknowledge that God’s sovereignty does not include the capacity for wrongdoing. Though Job has suffered immense trials, Elihu reminds both him and the older friends that the Almighty’s ways are higher than ours and therefore beyond reproach.
When Elihu proclaims, “Far be it from God to do wickedness” (v.10), he underscores a truth repeatedly found in Scripture: God’s character is flawless. Even in the midst of pain and loss, as seen in Job’s own story, God remains compassionate and just, allowing His purposes to unfold in ways that our limited understanding cannot fully grasp. This verse emphatically contradicts the misguided assumption voiced earlier in Job’s story that only the unrighteous suffer while the righteous are mysteriously shielded from hardship. Such false reasoning arises again in other accounts of Scripture. For instance, religious scoffers in the New Testament also revealed “the prideful ignorance of Job’s friends,” criticizing Jesus for His suffering on the cross as though affliction were proof of unrighteousness, a notion refuted by Elihu’s reminder that God cannot do wrong.
This assurance of the LORD’s moral purity resonates powerfully through the awakenings of both Old and New Testament writings, culminating in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice for sin (Romans 3:23-26) illustrates perfectly how God remains just and loving, even in scenarios we struggle to interpret. By declaring, “And from the Almighty to do wrong” (v.10), Elihu points forward to a timeless scriptural theme: everything God does, He does with holiness and righteousness, offering us a firm foundation for our faith when life’s circumstances defy human explanation.