Job 35:7

Authorized King James Version

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If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?

Original Language Analysis

אִם H518
אִם
Strong's: H518
Word #: 1 of 9
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
צָ֭דַקְתָּ If thou be righteous H6663
צָ֭דַקְתָּ If thou be righteous
Strong's: H6663
Word #: 2 of 9
to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense)
מַה H4100
מַה
Strong's: H4100
Word #: 3 of 9
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and
תִּתֶּן what givest H5414
תִּתֶּן what givest
Strong's: H5414
Word #: 4 of 9
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
ל֑וֹ H0
ל֑וֹ
Strong's: H0
Word #: 5 of 9
א֥וֹ H176
א֥וֹ
Strong's: H176
Word #: 6 of 9
desire (and so probably in proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
מַה H4100
מַה
Strong's: H4100
Word #: 7 of 9
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and
מִיָּדְךָ֥ he of thine hand H3027
מִיָּדְךָ֥ he of thine hand
Strong's: H3027
Word #: 8 of 9
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
יִקָּֽח׃ thou him or what receiveth H3947
יִקָּֽח׃ thou him or what receiveth
Strong's: H3947
Word #: 9 of 9
to take (in the widest variety of applications)

Analysis & Commentary

If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? (אִם־צָדַקְתָּ מַה־תִּתֶּן־לוֹ, im-tsadaqta mah-titten-lo)—The verb tsadaq (צָדַק) means 'to be righteous' or 'to be in the right.' Elihu's rhetorical question challenges Job's implicit claim that his righteousness obligates God to respond favorably. Or what receiveth he of thine hand? (אוֹ מַה־מִיָּדְךָ יִקָּח, o mah-miyadkha yiqqach)—laqach (לָקַח), 'to receive' or 'take,' emphasizes that God gains nothing from human righteousness.

Elihu articulates divine aseity—God's self-sufficiency and independence from creation. This theological truth appears throughout Scripture: 'If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof' (Psalm 50:12); 'Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?' (Romans 11:35). Human righteousness doesn't create divine debt or obligate blessing.

Yet this truth requires nuance: while God needs nothing from us, He chooses covenant relationship where obedience pleases Him and sin grieves Him. The incarnation reveals God's voluntary vulnerability to human action—we can wound Christ, serve Him, feed Him (Matthew 25:40). Elihu grasps God's transcendent self-sufficiency but underestimates covenantal mutuality. Job later learns (42:5-6) that seeing God matters infinitely more than receiving answers—relationship transcends transaction.

Historical Context

Ancient Near Eastern polytheism often depicted gods as needing human service—sacrifices fed deities, temples housed them, rituals maintained cosmic order. Biblical monotheism radically rejected this transactional framework, asserting God's absolute self-sufficiency. Elihu's argument defends this distinctive theology against any suggestion that human righteousness creates divine obligation.

Questions for Reflection