Job 42:2
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Job 42 records Job's final response after God's speeches from the whirlwind (chapters 38-41). God never directly explained Job's suffering—instead, He revealed His own majesty, wisdom, and power through creation's wonders. This pedagogical approach teaches that knowing God Himself matters more than understanding His specific actions.
Ancient Near Eastern literature rarely portrayed humans acknowledging divine sovereignty so completely without resentment. Job's transformation from demanding answers to confessing trust shows authentic faith maturation. The book's resolution vindicates Job—God declares he spoke rightly about God (42:7-8) and restores his fortunes doubly (42:10-17)—but only after Job releases his demand for explanations and trusts God's character.
This pattern recurs throughout Scripture: Abraham trusting God's promise despite impossibility (Romans 4:18-21), Mary submitting to God's plan despite incomprehension (Luke 1:38), Paul learning that God's grace suffices (2 Corinthians 12:9). Christian theology affirms divine sovereignty while acknowledging human inability to comprehend God's purposes fully. Job's confession models the faith response: trusting that God's purposes, though mysterious, are wise, good, and unstoppable.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Job's confession of God's omnipotence and sovereignty differ from his earlier demands for answers and vindication?
- What does it mean practically to trust that 'no thought can be withholden from God'—that His purposes cannot be thwarted?
- How can we cultivate Job's mature faith that trusts God's character even without understanding His specific actions?
- In what ways does this verse challenge modern assumptions that we deserve explanations for our suffering?
- How does confessing God's absolute sovereignty provide comfort rather than fatalism when facing difficult circumstances?
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Analysis & Commentary
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Job responds to God's speeches (chapters 38-41) with this profound confession of divine omnipotence and sovereignty. "Thou canst do every thing" (kol tukhal, כֹּל תּוּכָל) literally means "all things you are able"—absolute power belongs to God alone. This echoes Genesis 18:14 ("Is any thing too hard for the Lord?") and anticipates Jesus' teaching that with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
"No thought can be withholden from thee" translates lo-yibatser mimkha mezimmah (לֹא־יִבָּצֵר מִמְּךָ מְזִמָּה), meaning "no purpose/plan is impossible for you" or "no purpose of yours can be thwarted." The noun mezimmah (מְזִמָּה) means purpose, plan, or intention. Job acknowledges that God's purposes cannot be frustrated by human ignorance, resistance, or questioning. What God intends, He accomplishes.
Job's confession represents transformation. Earlier he demanded answers, questioned God's justice, and insisted on vindication. After encountering God personally, he submits—not because he understands his suffering's purpose but because he trusts God's character. This models mature faith: trusting divine sovereignty even when specific purposes remain mysterious. The verse anticipates Romans 8:28, affirming that God works all things according to His purpose, and Ephesians 1:11, declaring that God works all things according to the counsel of His will.