Job 34:17
New International Version
Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One?

New Living Translation
Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge?

English Standard Version
Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,

Berean Standard Bible
Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,

King James Bible
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

New King James Version
Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just?

New American Standard Bible
“Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

NASB 1995
“Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

NASB 1977
“Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn a righteous mighty one,

Legacy Standard Bible
Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

Amplified Bible
“Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern? And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?

Christian Standard Bible
Could one who hates justice govern the world? Will you condemn the mighty Righteous One,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Could one who hates justice govern the world? Will you condemn the mighty Righteous One,

American Standard Version
Shall even one that hateth justice govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty?�

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Whoever hates judgment is unjust, and if one is innocent, he is not justly condemned

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold then the one that hates iniquities, and that destroys the wicked, who is for ever just.

Contemporary English Version
The mighty God is the one who brings about justice, and you are condemning him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Can he be healed that loveth not judgment? and how dost thou so far condemn him that is just?

English Revised Version
Shall even one that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is just and mighty?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Should anyone who hates justice be allowed to govern? Will you condemn the one who is righteous and mighty?

Good News Translation
Are you condemning the righteous God? Do you think that he hates justice?

International Standard Version
Can one who hates justice really govern? And if God is righteous and mighty, can you condemn him?

JPS Tanakh 1917
Shall even one that hateth right govern? And wilt thou condemn Him that is just and mighty--

Literal Standard Version
Indeed, does one hating justice govern? Or do you condemn the Most Just?

Majority Standard Bible
Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,

New American Bible
Can an enemy of justice be in control, will you condemn the supreme Just One,

NET Bible
Do you really think that one who hates justice can govern? And will you declare guilty the supremely righteous One,

New Revised Standard Version
Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn one who is righteous and mighty,

New Heart English Bible
Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?--

Webster's Bible Translation
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

World English Bible
Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,

Young's Literal Translation
Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elihu Confirms God's Justice
16If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words. 17Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One, 18who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’…

Cross References
2 Samuel 23:3
The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, 'He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,

Job 34:16
If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.

Job 34:18
who says to kings, 'You are worthless!' and to nobles, 'You are wicked,'

Job 34:30
that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.

Job 40:8
Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?


Treasury of Scripture

Shall even he that hates right govern? and will you condemn him that is most just?

even

Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

2 Samuel 23:3
The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

Romans 3:5-7
But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) …

govern.

Job 1:22
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Job 40:8
Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

2 Samuel 19:21
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?

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Job 34
1. Elihu accuses Job for charging God with injustice
10. God omnipotent cannot be unjust
31. Man must humble himself unto God
34. Elihu reproves Job














(17) Shall even he. . . .--The argument is that one who holds such a position of absolute rule cannot be other than most just. He who is fit to rule must be just, and He who is the ultimate ruler must be fit to rule, and must, therefore, be just; but if He is absolutely just, how shall we condemn His government or Him on account of it, even though we cannot explain it all or reconcile it with our view of what is right?

Him that is most just, is rather him that is just and mighty, i.e., not only just, but able also to execute justice because mighty.

Verse 17. - Shall even he that hateth right govern? Is it conceivable that there can be at the head of the universe, its Ruler and Guide, One who hates justice? The appeal is to the instinctive feeling that in the one God perfect goodness and omnipotence are united. Its spirit is exactly that of Abraham's question, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (see Genesis 18:5). And wilt thou condemn him that is most just? rather, him that is both just and strong (see the Revised Version).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Could
הַאַ֬ף (ha·’ap̄)
Conjunction
Strong's 637: Meaning accession, yea, adversatively though

one who hates
שׂוֹנֵ֣א (śō·w·nê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8130: To hate

justice
מִשְׁפָּ֣ט (miš·pāṭ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

govern?
יַחֲב֑וֹשׁ (ya·ḥă·ḇō·wōš)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2280: To wrap firmly, to stop, to rule

Will you condemn
תַּרְשִֽׁיעַ׃ (tar·šî·a‘)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7561: To be, wrong, to disturb, violate

the just
צַדִּ֖יק (ṣad·dîq)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

and mighty One,
כַּבִּ֣יר (kab·bîr)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3524: Great, mighty, much


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OT Poetry: Job 34:17 Shall even one who hates justice govern? (Jb)
Job 34:16
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