Job 40:9
Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
Original Language Analysis
וְאִם
H518
וְאִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
1 of 7
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
זְר֖וֹעַ
Hast thou an arm
H2220
זְר֖וֹעַ
Hast thou an arm
Strong's:
H2220
Word #:
2 of 7
the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, force
כָּאֵ֥ל׀
like God
H410
כָּאֵ֥ל׀
like God
Strong's:
H410
Word #:
3 of 7
strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the almighty (but used also of any deity)
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern gods often depicted with mighty arms and voices like thunder (storm gods). God's questions assert that only Yahweh possesses true cosmic power. No created being—human or supposed deity—has God's strength. This would comfort Israel facing powerful empires, reminding them that only Yahweh has ultimate power.
Questions for Reflection
- How does recognizing God's unique power affect your willingness to trust His governance?
- What situations tempt you to judge God's actions despite lacking power to do better?
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Analysis & Commentary
"Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?" God questions whether Job possesses divine power. The "arm" (zero'a, זְרוֹעַ) symbolizes strength and might throughout Scripture. Thunder represents God's powerful voice (Psalm 29). These rhetorical questions expose the vast gulf between Creator and creature. Job cannot replicate divine power, therefore cannot judge divine governance. This teaches that moral authority to judge requires power to remedy—Job can do neither. Only God possesses both the power and the right to govern creation.