Job 36:17
But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
Original Language Analysis
דִּ֖ין
judgment
H1779
דִּ֖ין
judgment
Strong's:
H1779
Word #:
1 of 6
judgement (the suit, justice, sentence or tribunal); by implication also strife
רָשָׁ֥ע
of the wicked
H7563
רָשָׁ֥ע
of the wicked
Strong's:
H7563
Word #:
2 of 6
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
מָלֵ֑אתָ
But thou hast fulfilled
H4390
מָלֵ֑אתָ
But thou hast fulfilled
Strong's:
H4390
Word #:
3 of 6
to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)
דִּ֖ין
judgment
H1779
דִּ֖ין
judgment
Strong's:
H1779
Word #:
4 of 6
judgement (the suit, justice, sentence or tribunal); by implication also strife
Cross References
Revelation 18:4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.Romans 1:32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern legal terminology permeates this verse. Court proceedings in patriarchal society involved public assembly where cases were heard and verdicts rendered. Elihu uses judicial language to frame Job's situation as a legal matter between him and God, reflecting the lawsuit motif that runs through Job's speeches (9:32-35, 13:3, 23:3-7).
Questions for Reflection
- How can suffering tempt us to adopt the very attitudes and behaviors we've previously rejected?
- In what ways does prolonged hardship test whether we'll maintain integrity or slide into bitterness and accusation against God?
- How do we distinguish between honest lament (like the Psalms) and sinful complaint that crosses into accusing God of injustice?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked (וְדִין־רָשָׁע מָלֵאתָ, v'din rasha maleta)—Elihu's accusation intensifies. The verb male (to fill, fulfill, complete) suggests Job has filled up the full measure of wicked judgment by his complaints against God. Rather than submitting to discipline, Job has adopted the posture of the wicked—questioning divine justice. This echoes Jesus's warning about those who 'fill up the measure' of their fathers' sins (Matthew 23:32).
Judgment and justice take hold on thee (דִּין וּמִשְׁפָּט יִתְמֹכוּ, din u-mishpat yitmokhu)—The paired terms din (judgment, legal case) and mishpat (justice, verdict) represent the full legal process. The verb tamak (to grasp, seize, support) suggests these principles have gripped Job like a vise. Elihu argues that Job's own words have entrapped him in the very judgment he protests. This represents the friends' consistent error: assuming Job's suffering must result from personal sin, when the prologue reveals it's a test of faith. Yet Elihu's warning carries truth—how we respond to suffering matters. Bitter complaint can indeed lead us into the sin we're falsely accused of.