Job 24:25
And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
Original Language Analysis
וְאִם
H518
וְאִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
1 of 8
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
לֹ֣א
H3808
לֹ֣א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
2 of 8
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
אֵ֭פוֹ
And if it be not so now
H645
אֵ֭פוֹ
And if it be not so now
Strong's:
H645
Word #:
3 of 8
strictly a demonstrative particle, here; but used of time, now or then
מִ֣י
H4310
מִ֣י
Strong's:
H4310
Word #:
4 of 8
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
יַכְזִיבֵ֑נִי
me a liar
H3576
יַכְזִיבֵ֑נִי
me a liar
Strong's:
H3576
Word #:
5 of 8
to lie (i.e., deceive), literally or figuratively
וְיָשֵׂ֥ם
and make
H7760
וְיָשֵׂ֥ם
and make
Strong's:
H7760
Word #:
6 of 8
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
Historical Context
Ancient wisdom discourse involved challenges to debate and prove claims (similar to Job 13:22, where Job challenges God to debate). Intellectual rigor and evidence-based reasoning weren't foreign to ancient thought. However, Job's speeches show tension between empirical observation (what we see) and theological tradition (what we've been taught). This tension persists in all generations when experience seems to contradict doctrine.
Questions for Reflection
- How should Christians balance intellectual honesty about troubling observations with faith in God's goodness?
- What does Job's willingness to be proven wrong teach about genuine pursuit of truth?
- How do we distinguish between observations that challenge false theology versus those that challenge true faith?
Analysis & Commentary
Job challenges anyone to disprove his observations: "And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?" The conditional "if not so" questions his arguments' validity. The verb kazav (כָּזַב, "make me a liar") means to prove false or deceptive. The phrase "make my speech nothing worth" uses al-belima (אַל־בְּלִימָה), meaning futility or worthlessness. Job stakes his credibility on empirical observation: the wicked often prosper while the righteous suffer. From a Reformed perspective, this demonstrates intellectual honesty in theology—faith must engage reality, not deny it. Job's willingness to be proven wrong shows genuine pursuit of truth rather than defense of position. This anticipates the Berean spirit (Acts 17:11) of examining Scripture to verify claims. Yet Job's challenge will ultimately be answered not by refuting his observations but by God revealing purposes transcending simple retribution. Truth involves both accurate observation and theological interpretation.