Job 17:10
Job 17:10 in Multiple Translations
But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.
But as for you all, come on now again; And I shall not find a wise man among you.
But come back, now, all of you, come; and I will not see a wise man among you.
Why don't you come back and repeat again what you've been saying?—yet I still won't find a wise man among you!
All you therefore turne you, and come nowe, and I shall not finde one wise among you.
Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.
But as for you all, come back. I will not find a wise man among you.
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.
Wherefore be you all converted, and come, and I shall not find among you any wise man.
“But even if all of those people came and stood in front of me, I would not find anyone among them who is wise.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 17:10
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 17:10 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְֽ/אוּלָ֗ם
כֻּלָּ֣/ם
תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ
וּ/בֹ֣אוּ
נָ֑א
וְ/לֹֽא
אֶמְצָ֖א
בָ/כֶ֣ם
חָכָֽם
וְֽ/אוּלָ֗ם
ʼûwlâm
H199
but
Conj | Adv
כֻּלָּ֣/ם
kôl
H3605
all
N-ms | Suff
תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ
shûwb
H7725
to return
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp
וּ/בֹ֣אוּ
bôwʼ
H935
Lebo
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2mp
נָ֑א
nâʼ
H4994
please
Part
וְ/לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Conj | Part
אֶמְצָ֖א
mâtsâʼ
H4672
to find
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
בָ/כֶ֣ם
Prep | Suff
חָכָֽם
châkâm
H2450
wise
Adj
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 17:10
וְֽ/אוּלָ֗ם
ʼûwlâm
H199
"but"
Conj | Adv
This word is used to show contrast, like 'but' or 'however', and is often used to emphasize a point, as seen in its various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) but, but indeed (a strong adversative) 2) however, nevertheless
Usage: Occurs in 19 OT verses. KJV: as for, but, howbeit, in very deed, surely, truly, wherefore. See also: Genesis 28:19; Job 2:5; Micah 3:8.
כֻּלָּ֣/ם
kôl
H3605
"all"
N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ
shûwb
H7725
"to return"
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Definition: : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back 1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment 1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore 1d3) to bring back, report to, answer 1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense) 1d5) to turn back or backward, repel, defeat, repulse, hinder, reject, refuse 1d6) to turn away (face), turn toward 1d7) to turn against 1d8) to bring back to mind 1d9) to show a turning away 1d10) to reverse, revoke 1e) (Hophal) to be returned, be restored, be brought back 1f) (Pulal) brought back
Usage: Occurs in 953 OT verses. KJV: ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw. See also: Genesis 3:19; Numbers 8:25; Judges 8:13.
וּ/בֹ֣אוּ
bôwʼ
H935
"Lebo"
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2mp
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Definition: A shortened name of Lebo Hamath complined withcha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574) This name means to go in, enter
Usage: Occurs in 2307 OT verses. KJV: abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. See also: Genesis 2:19; Genesis 32:7; Exodus 1:19.
נָ֑א
nâʼ
H4994
"please"
Part
The Hebrew word 'nâ'' is used to express a polite request, like 'please' or 'I pray', and is often added to verbs to make them more polite. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Ezra's reading of the law to the people.
Definition: 1) I (we) pray, now, please 1a) used in entreaty or exhortation
Usage: Occurs in 374 OT verses. KJV: I beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh. See also: Genesis 12:11; Judges 4:19; 1 Kings 13:6.
וְ/לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Conj | Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
אֶמְצָ֖א
mâtsâʼ
H4672
"to find"
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
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.
בָ/כֶ֣ם
""
Prep | Suff
חָכָֽם
châkâm
H2450
"wise"
Adj
This word means wise or skilled, describing someone intelligent or crafty, like a cunning man or a prudent leader.
Definition: 1) wise, wise (man) 1a) skilful (in technical work) 1b) wise (in administration) 1c) shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle 1d) learned, shrewd (class of men) 1e) prudent 1f) wise (ethically and religiously)
Usage: Occurs in 133 OT verses. KJV: cunning (man), subtil, (un-), wise((hearted), man). See also: Genesis 41:8; Proverbs 16:14; Psalms 49:11.
Study Notes — Job 17:10
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 17:10 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 17:10
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 17:10
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 17:10
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 17:10
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 17:10
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 17:10
- Cambridge Bible on Job 17:10
- Barnes' Notes on Job 17:10
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 17:10
- Sermons on Job 17:10
Context — Job Prepares for Death
8The upright are appalled at this, and the innocent are stirred against the godless.
9Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.
10But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.
11My days have passed; my plans are broken off— even the desires of my heart. 12They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 42:7 | After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has. |
| 2 | Job 6:29 | Reconsider; do not be unjust. Reconsider, for my righteousness is at stake. |
| 3 | 1 Corinthians 6:5 | I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers? |
| 4 | Job 32:9 | It is not only the old who are wise, or the elderly who understand justice. |
| 5 | Malachi 3:18 | So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” |
| 6 | Job 12:2 | “Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die! |
| 7 | Job 17:4 | You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them. |
| 8 | Job 15:9 | What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us? |
| 9 | 1 Corinthians 1:20 | Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? |
Job 17:10 Summary
[In this verse, Job is saying that he is not finding any wisdom or helpful advice from his friends, and he is inviting them to try again to provide him with the support and understanding he needs. This is a difficult and relatable situation, as many of us have been in similar circumstances where we feel like we are not getting the help we need from those around us, as seen in Job 16:20. Job is looking for true wisdom, the kind that comes from God, as seen in Proverbs 9:10, and he is not finding it in the words of his friends. He is holding on to his faith in God, and trusting that God will provide him with the wisdom and understanding he needs, as seen in Psalms 119:105.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Job say he will not find a wise man among his friends?
Job says this because his friends have not been able to provide him with any helpful or wise counsel, despite their claims of being wise, as seen in Job 17:10. This is also reflected in other parts of the Bible, such as Proverbs 9:8, where it says that wise people are open to correction and instruction.
Is Job being arrogant when he says he will not find a wise man among his friends?
No, Job is not being arrogant, he is simply stating the reality of the situation, as he feels that his friends have not been able to provide him with the wisdom and understanding he is seeking, as seen in Job 17:10 and supported by Job 16:2.
What does this verse reveal about Job's relationship with his friends?
This verse reveals that Job feels his friends have failed to provide him with the wisdom and support he needs, and he is inviting them to try again, as seen in Job 17:10, this is also reflected in Job 16:20 where Job says his friends are his tormentors.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the book of Job?
This verse is part of Job's response to his friends, and it reflects the ongoing theme of the book of Job, which is the question of why God allows suffering, as seen in Job 1:1-3 and Job 2:1-10, and the search for wisdom and understanding in the midst of that suffering, as seen in Job 28:1-28.
Reflection Questions
- What are some times in my life when I have felt like I was not receiving wise counsel from those around me, and how did I respond?
- How can I, like Job, discern between true wisdom and false wisdom, as I seek to follow God's will for my life?
- What are some ways that I can, like Job, invite others to 'come back and try again' when they have failed to provide me with the support and wisdom I need?
- How can I, in the midst of difficult circumstances, hold on to the wisdom and understanding that God provides, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6?
Gill's Exposition on Job 17:10
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now,.... This is an address to his three friends, all and everyone of them, who he perceived were nettled with his reply, and were either departing, or
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 17:10
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you. Return - if you have anything to advance really wise, though I doubt it, recommended your speech.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 17:10
Return, and come now, i.e. come now again, (as this phrase is oft used,) and renew the debate, as I see you are prepared and resolved to do, and I am ready to receive you. Or, return into yourselves, and consider my cause again; peradventure your second thoughts may be wiser. One wise man, to wit, in this matter. None of you speak like wise or good men, but like rash and heady persons; you censure me as a rotten hypocrite, and misjudge of God’ s ways, and condemn the generation of God’ s children upon frivolous grounds.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 17:10
Job 17:10 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find [one] wise [man] among you.Ver. 10. But as for you all, do you return, &c.] Change your minds, as Malachi 3:18, and close with me, lay aside your prejudiced opinions, deliver up yourselves to my discipline, who am ready to teach you things both weighty and necessary, Siquis culturae patientum accommodet aurem. For I cannot find one wise man amongst you] Nihil hic ex odio dicit, saith an interpreter. This Job speaketh not out of hatred to their persons, but freely uttereth that which he was persuaded to be the truth, and wisheth them a better understanding of the thing controverted between himself and them at this time. Now it is no fault to speak of men as we find them. See 1 Corinthians 6:5, "I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you?" and yet, Job 10:15, "I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say." Oυδειςανθρωπωναυτοςαπαντασοφος (Theog.).
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 17:10
(10) But as for you all, do ye return.—This is probably said with irony. “Come again and renew the argument between us; but I shall not be able to find a wise man among you. I am willing to listen to your argument, but I am confident as to the result of it.” For I cannot find.—Rather, and I shall not find: i.e., if ye renew the argument.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 17:10
Verse 10. But as for you all] Ye are too proud, and too full of self-importance, to profit by what ye see. Return - enter into yourselves, consider your ways, go again to school, get back to your own houses, and endeavour to acquire humility and knowledge; for there is not one wise man among you.
Cambridge Bible on Job 17:10
10–16. Final repudiation by Job of the false hopes of recovery which the friends held out to him. He knows better, his hope is in the grave. Turning with a last word to his friends Job bids them renew as often as they chose their attempts to explain his condition, they should only shew themselves ignorant and incapable (Job 17:10). The hopes they held out were vain; his days were at an end and all the enterprises and dearest purposes of his life for ever broken off (Job 17:11-12). His hope was in the grave, where alone he would find rest (Job 17:13-16).
Barnes' Notes on Job 17:10
But as for you all, do you return - This may mean, either, “return to the debate;” or, “return from your unjust and uncharitable opinion concerning me.” The former seems to accord best with the scope of the passage.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 17:10
10. Return… now — “The friends of Job, irritated by his vehement words, threaten to retire.” — Renan.
Sermons on Job 17:10
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Mark of a True Prophet by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the painful message of God's judgment and how people often reject both the message and the messenger. He gives an example of a church service |
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(Through the Bible) Job 1-4 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Job from the Bible. Job was a man who experienced extreme loss and suffering, losing his wealth, possessions, and even his child |
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A Non-Judgmental Life by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of not judging others but showing compassion and love, highlighting the dangers of legalism and self-righteousness. It encourages treating oth |
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Ger-17 True Repentance for the German by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of a church that truly loves and cares for its members' souls. They argue that such a church will not shy away from speaking t |
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Worshipping God When Suffering by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of following the example of Jesus and Job in living a life of humility, mercy, and forgiveness. It highlights the need to focus on our own sin |
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Christian Cannibalism - a Critical Spirit by Don Courville | This sermon emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and avoiding criticalness towards others, God, and His ways. It warns against being consumed by distractions and possession |
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(Through the Bible) Job - Part 2 by Zac Poonen | This sermon delves into the Book of Job, highlighting the profound lessons learned from Job's suffering and interactions with his friends. It emphasizes the importance of humility, |