Job 11:7
Job 11:7 in Multiple Translations
Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
Are you able to take God's measure, to make discovery of the limits of the Ruler of all?
Can you find out the mysteries of God? Can you discover all the wisdom of the Almighty?
Canst thou by searching finde out God? canst thou finde out ye Almighty to his perfection?
By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?
“Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?
Peradventure thou wilt comprehend the steps of God, and wilt find out the Almighty perfectly?
“Tell me, will you ever be able to find out the things about God that are very difficult to understand? Will you be able to find out everything that there is to know about Almighty God?
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 11:7
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 11:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
הַ/חֵ֣קֶר
אֱל֣וֹהַ
תִּמְצָ֑א
אִ֤ם
עַד
תַּכְלִ֖ית
שַׁדַּ֣י
תִּמְצָֽא
הַ/חֵ֣קֶר
chêqer
H2714
search
Part | N-ms
אֱל֣וֹהַ
ʼĕlôwahh
H433
god
N-ms
תִּמְצָ֑א
mâtsâʼ
H4672
to find
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
אִ֤ם
ʼim
H518
if
Conj
עַד
ʻad
H5704
till
Prep
תַּכְלִ֖ית
taklîyth
H8503
limit
N-fs
שַׁדַּ֣י
Shadday
H7706
Almighty
N-proper
תִּמְצָֽא
mâtsâʼ
H4672
to find
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 11:7
הַ/חֵ֣קֶר
chêqer
H2714
"search"
Part | N-ms
This word refers to a search or investigation, like trying to find something out. It is used in the Bible to describe examining or inquiring about something, and is often translated as search or finding out.
Definition: a search, investigation, searching, enquiry, thing to be searched out
Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: finding out, number, (un-) search(-able, -ed, out, -ing). See also: Judges 5:16; Job 36:26; Psalms 145:3.
אֱל֣וֹהַ
ʼĕlôwahh
H433
"god"
N-ms
Eloah refers to God or a deity, and is used to describe the one true God or false gods. It is often translated as God in the KJV, and is related to the word Elohim, which also refers to God.
Definition: 1) God 2) false god Aramaic equivalent: e.lah (אֱלָהּ "god" H0426)
Usage: Occurs in 59 OT verses. KJV: God, god. See H430 (אֱלֹהִים). See also: Deuteronomy 32:15; Job 22:26; Psalms 18:32.
תִּמְצָ֑א
mâtsâʼ
H4672
"to find"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in 1b2b) to be in the possession of 1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be 1b2d) to be left (after war) 1b2e) to be present 1b2f) to prove to be 1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to find, attain 1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come 1c3) to cause to encounter 1c4) to present (offering)
Usage: Occurs in 425 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on. See also: Genesis 2:20; Deuteronomy 22:3; 2 Kings 9:35.
אִ֤ם
ʼim
H518
"if"
Conj
This Hebrew word is used to express conditions or questions, like if or whether. It can also be used to make oaths or express wishes, as in Oh that! It appears in various forms in the KJV, including if, though, and when.
Definition: : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather
Usage: Occurs in 931 OT verses. KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), though, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] unless, [phrase] verily, when, whereas, whether, while, [phrase] yet. See also: Genesis 4:7; Exodus 22:3; Leviticus 27:27.
עַד
ʻad
H5704
"till"
Prep
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Definition: prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)
Usage: Occurs in 1128 OT verses. KJV: against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet. See also: Genesis 3:19; Exodus 32:20; Numbers 23:24.
תַּכְלִ֖ית
taklîyth
H8503
"limit"
N-fs
Means the end or completion of something, like the end of a task or a journey, implying a sense of finality or perfection. It is used in Psalm 119 to describe the completeness of Gods law.
Definition: 1) end, perfection, consummation, completion, completeness 1a) end 1b) completeness
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: end, perfect(-ion). See also: Nehemiah 3:21; Job 26:10; Psalms 139:22.
שַׁדַּ֣י
Shadday
H7706
"Almighty"
N-proper
Shadday means Almighty, referring to God's great power. It is another name for the Lord, emphasizing His strength and might. This name is used in the Bible to describe God's power and authority.
Definition: Shaddai, the Almighty (God) Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G) This name means almighty, most powerful
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: Almighty. See also: Genesis 17:1; Job 22:25; Psalms 68:15.
תִּמְצָֽא
mâtsâʼ
H4672
"to find"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in 1b2b) to be in the possession of 1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be 1b2d) to be left (after war) 1b2e) to be present 1b2f) to prove to be 1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to find, attain 1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come 1c3) to cause to encounter 1c4) to present (offering)
Usage: Occurs in 425 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on. See also: Genesis 2:20; Deuteronomy 22:3; 2 Kings 9:35.
Study Notes — Job 11:7
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 11:7 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 11:7
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 11:7
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 11:7
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 11:7
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 11:7
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 11:7
- Cambridge Bible on Job 11:7
- Barnes' Notes on Job 11:7
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 11:7
- Sermons on Job 11:7
Context — Zophar Rebukes Job
5But if only God would speak and open His lips against you,
6and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.
7Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
8They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know? 9Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romans 11:33 | O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! |
| 2 | Ecclesiastes 3:11 | He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end. |
| 3 | Psalms 145:3 | Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable. |
| 4 | Psalms 77:19 | Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, but Your footprints were not to be found. |
| 5 | Job 5:9 | the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number. |
| 6 | Ephesians 3:8 | Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, |
| 7 | Job 37:23 | The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness He does not oppress. |
| 8 | Isaiah 40:28 | Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out. |
| 9 | 1 Corinthians 2:10 | But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. |
| 10 | Matthew 11:27 | All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. |
Job 11:7 Summary
[This verse reminds us that God's thoughts and ways are much deeper and bigger than ours, and we can't fully understand them, just like it says in Isaiah 55:9, which compares God's thoughts to the heavens being higher than the earth. It's like trying to measure the depth of the ocean or the height of the sky - it's just beyond our ability. As Psalm 139:6 says, God's knowledge is too wonderful for us, and it's too high for us to attain. We can trust that God is good and wise, even when we don't understand what He's doing, and that's what Romans 11:33 encourages us to do, to trust in His unsearchable ways.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to fathom the deep things of God?
To fathom the deep things of God means to fully understand and comprehend His nature, plans, and ways, which is beyond human capability, as stated in Job 11:7, and supported by Romans 11:33, which says that God's ways are unsearchable.
Can humans discover the limits of the Almighty?
No, humans cannot discover the limits of the Almighty because God's power and wisdom are infinite and boundless, as stated in Job 11:7, and echoed in Psalm 147:5, which says that God's understanding is infinite.
Why is it important to recognize our limitations in understanding God?
Recognizing our limitations in understanding God helps us to humble ourselves, acknowledge our dependence on Him, and trust in His sovereignty, as encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6, which advises us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not to lean on our own understanding.
How can we respond to the reality that God's ways are beyond our understanding?
We can respond by cultivating a spirit of humility, reverence, and awe, and by trusting in God's goodness and love, as expressed in Psalm 103:11, which says that God's mercy is great towards those who fear Him.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I am trying to figure out God's plans or ways, and how can I surrender those to Him?
- In what ways do I try to put God in a box or limit His power and wisdom, and how can I break free from those limitations?
- How can I cultivate a deeper sense of humility and reverence in my relationship with God, recognizing that His ways are beyond my understanding?
- What are some Bible verses or stories that help me to understand and appreciate the vastness and mystery of God's nature and plans?
Gill's Exposition on Job 11:7
Canst thou by searching find out God?.... God is not to be found out by human search; that there is a God may be found out by inquiring into the book of nature, by considering the creatures that are
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 11:7
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 11:7
Find out God, i.e. discover all the depths of his wisdom, and the reasons of all his actions.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 11:7
Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?Ver. 7. Canst thou by searching find out God?] i.e. The nature of God, or the course of his providence, and the reason of his proceedings? thou canst never do it. Neither did Job ever take upon him to do it, but had excellently and accurately set out the same things, Job 9:4, &c., that Zophar here doth; so that he might well have spared his pains in this discourse as to Job; but that being too pertinacious in his evil opinion of him, he chose rather to thwart him than to close with him, as contentious people use to do. Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?] No, nor the brightest angel in heaven, the highest graduate in glory. Find him we may possibly, but not find him out, much less find him out to perfection. Tantum recedit, quantum capitur, so much slips away and how much is retained, saith Nazianzen. The nearer you draw unto God the farther off he is from you, and you are as much to seek as ever; he is indeed like the pool Polycritus writeth of (cited by Aristotle), which in compass at the first scarce seemed to exceed the breadth of a shield, but if any went in to wash, it extended itself more and more. A country fellow thinks, if he were upon such a mountain he could touch heaven, and take a star in his hand; but when he comes thither heaven is as far off as it was, &c. So it is here, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard," &c., 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Chrysostom, speaking of God’ s love in Christ, saith, I am like a man digging in a deep spring; I stand here, and the water riseth up upon me, and I stand there, and still the water riseth upon me. What the apostle saith of this infinite love of God, that it passeth knowledge, as having all the dimensions, Ephesians 3:18-19, the same is true of the wisdom of God, as Zophar setteth forth in the following verses.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 11:7
(7) Canst thou by searching find out God? Literally, Canst thou attain to the searching out of God?
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 11:7
Verse 7. Canst thou by searching find out God?] What is God? A Being self-existent, eternal, infinite, immense, without bounds, incomprehensible either by mind, or time, or space. Who then can find this Being out? Who can fathom his depths, ascend to his heights, extend to his breadths, and comprehend the infinitude of his perfections?
Cambridge Bible on Job 11:7
7–12. Panegyric on the Divine Wisdom or Omniscience. This wisdom cannot be fathomed by man (Job 11:7). It fills all things (Job 11:8-9). And this explains the sudden calamities that befall men, for God perceives their hidden wickedness (Job 11:10-11). But man is of no understanding (Job 11:12).
Barnes' Notes on Job 11:7
Canst then, by searching, find out God? - In order to illustrate the sentiment which he had just expressed, that the secrets of divine wisdom must be far above our comprehension, Zophar introduces
Whedon's Commentary on Job 11:7
Second division, double strophe — THE OF DIVINE WISDOM AN AND OF THE HEART, Job 11:7-12.a. God’s wisdom is unsearchable — heaven, hell, earth, and sea may be measured, but this divine wisdom knows no limits, Job 11:7-9.7.
Sermons on Job 11:7
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Abraham, My Friend: 04 When He Was called... by Ron Bailey | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the story of Abraham and his obedience to God's call. The speaker emphasizes the importance of obeying God's word without demanding explanati |
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Filled With the Lord of Christ by Bill McLeod | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the concept of forgiveness and the importance of forgiving others. He uses the analogy of a drop of water in a bucket to illustrate how insi |
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Knowing God Eng to Korean by Peter Maiden | In this sermon, the speaker begins by reading the first five verses of Psalm 103. He then poses the question of whether it is possible for finite human beings to truly know and com |
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Distress of Job - Part 2 by W.F. Anderson | The video is a sermon on the book of Job in the Bible. It begins by describing the structure of the book, with a prologue and three cycles of speeches between Job and his friends. |
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The Son of God Became the Son of Man That the Sons of Men Might Become the Sons of God-Calvin by Timothy Tow | Timothy Tow preaches about the profound truth of the Tao in Taoism, as explored by Lao Zi, and its connection to the Biblical concept of the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ. While |
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What Can You Know? by J.C. Ryle | J.C. Ryle addresses the profound questions posed by Zophar in Job 11:7-8, emphasizing that while we cannot fully comprehend God, we can know enough to affirm our faith amidst a wav |
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God by W.R. Inge | W.R. Inge delves into the ineffable nature of God, emphasizing that human language and understanding fall short in describing His essence. Inge challenges conventional notions by s |