Job 25:4

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Job 25:4 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

King James Version KJV

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

American Standard Version ASV

How then can man be just with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Bible in Basic English BBE

How then is it possible for man to be upright before God? or how may he be clean who is a son of woman?

Free Bible Version FBV

How can a human being be right before God? Can anyone born of woman be pure?

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

And howe may a man be iustified with God? or how can he be cleane, that is borne of woman?

Young's Literal Translation YLT

And what? is man righteous with God? And what? is he pure — born of a woman?

World English Bible WEB

How then can man be just with God? Or how can he who is born of a woman be clean?

Noah Webster Bible WBS

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

Can man be justified compared with God, or he that is born of a woman appear clean?

Translation for Translators T4T

So, ◄how can God consider anyone to be righteous?/God certainly cannot consider anyone to be righteous.► [RHQ] ◄How can any human being be truly pure?/No human being can be truly pure.► [RHQ]

Study Highlights

Key words in the translations above are automatically highlighted. Names of God and Jesus are marked in purple, the Holy Spirit in orange, divine action verbs are underlined, and repeated key words are highlighted in yellow.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Job 25:4

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 25:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB וּ/מַה יִּצְדַּ֣ק אֱנ֣וֹשׁ עִם אֵ֑ל וּ/מַה יִּ֝זְכֶּ֗ה יְל֣וּד אִשָּֽׁה

וּ/מַה mâh H4100 what? Conj | Part

יִּצְדַּ֣ק tsâdaq H6663 to justify V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

אֱנ֣וֹשׁ ʼĕnôwsh H582 human N-ms

עִם ʻim H5973 with Prep

אֵ֑ל ʼêl H410 god N-ms

וּ/מַה mâh H4100 what? Conj | Part

יִּ֝זְכֶּ֗ה zâkâh H2135 to clean V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

יְל֣וּד yâlad H3205 to beget V-Qal-Inf-c

אִשָּֽׁה ʼishshâh H802 woman N-fs

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 25:4

וּ/מַה mâh H4100 "what?" Conj | Part

This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.

Definition: interr pron 1) what, how, of what kind 1a) (interrogative) 1a1) what? 1a2) of what kind 1a3) what? (rhetorical) 1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what 1b) (adverb) 1b1) how, how now 1b2) why 1b3) how! (exclamation) 1c) (with prep) 1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means? 1c2) because of what? 1c3) the like of what? 1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often? 1c3b) for how long? 1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose? 1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore? indef pron 2) anything, aught, what may

Usage: Occurs in 655 OT verses. KJV: how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why. See also: Genesis 2:19; Numbers 21:5; 1 Samuel 19:5.

יִּצְדַּ֣ק tsâdaq H6663 "to justify" V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

Refers to the act of making something right, either by justifying oneself or being declared righteous by God. It is used to describe God's justice and people's attempts to do what is right. This concept is key to understanding the Bible's teachings on sin and redemption.

Definition: 1) to be just, be righteous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to have a just cause, be in the right 1a2) to be justified 1a3) to be just (of God) 1a4) to be just, be righteous (in conduct and character) 1b) (Niphal) to be put or made right, be justified 1c) (Piel) justify, make to appear righteous, make someone righteous 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to do or bring justice (in administering law) 1d2) to declare righteous, justify 1d3) to justify, vindicate the cause of, save 1d4) to make righteous, turn to righteousness 1e) (Hithpael) to justify oneself

Usage: Occurs in 40 OT verses. KJV: cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness). See also: Genesis 38:26; Job 33:32; Psalms 19:10.

אֱנ֣וֹשׁ ʼĕnôwsh H582 "human" N-ms

Enosh refers to a human or mankind in general, used to describe individuals or people as a whole in the Bible.

Definition: 1) man, mortal man, person, mankind 1a) of an individual 1b) men (collective) 1c) man, mankind Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: another, [idiom] (blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, [idiom] in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ([idiom] of them), [phrase] stranger, those, [phrase] their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word. Compare H376 (אִישׁ). See also: Deuteronomy 32:26; Psalms 8:5; Psalms 9:20.

עִם ʻim H5973 "with" Prep

This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.

Definition: 1) with 1a) with 1b) against 1c) toward 1d) as long as

Usage: Occurs in 919 OT verses. KJV: accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al). See also: Genesis 3:6; Exodus 21:14; Deuteronomy 29:11.

אֵ֑ל ʼêl H410 "god" N-ms

In the Bible, 'el means strength or power, and is often used to refer to God or false gods. It describes something or someone as mighty or powerful, like the Almighty. This concept is central to understanding the Bible's view of God.

Definition: : god 1) god, god-like one, mighty one 1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes 1b) angels 1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations) 1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah 2) mighty things in nature 3) strength, power Also means: ": power" (el אֵל H0410L)

Usage: Occurs in 235 OT verses. KJV: God (god), [idiom] goodly, [idiom] great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in '-el.' See also: Genesis 14:18; Job 33:14; Psalms 5:5.

וּ/מַה mâh H4100 "what?" Conj | Part

יִּ֝זְכֶּ֗ה zâkâh H2135 "to clean" V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

This verb means to make something clean, like washing away sins. In the Bible, it's used to describe God's people being purified and made righteous. It appears in Leviticus and Ezekiel, emphasizing God's desire for cleanliness.

Definition: 1) to be clean, be pure, be clear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be clean, be pure 1a2) to be clear, be justified 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make clean, make pure, keep clean, keep pure 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to cleanse 1c2) to make yourself clean, purify oneself

Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: be (make) clean, cleanse, be clear, count pure. See also: Job 15:14; Psalms 119:9; Psalms 51:6.

יְל֣וּד yâlad H3205 "to beget" V-Qal-Inf-c

In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.

Definition: 1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to bear, bring forth 1a1a) of child birth 1a1b) of distress (simile) 1a1c) of wicked (behaviour) 1a2) to beget 1b) (Niphal) to be born 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cause or help to bring forth 1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife 1c3) midwife (participle) 1d) (Pual) to be born 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to beget (a child) 1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity) 1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive) 1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)

Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 30:19; 2 Samuel 21:22.

אִשָּֽׁה ʼishshâh H802 "woman" N-fs

The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.

Definition: : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)

Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. See also: Genesis 2:22; Genesis 34:4; Numbers 5:12.

Study Notes — Job 25:4

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Job 25:4 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Job 25:4
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 25:4
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 25:4
Trapp's Commentary on Job 25:4
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 25:4
Cambridge Bible on Job 25:4
Barnes' Notes on Job 25:4
Whedon's Commentary on Job 25:4
Sermons on Job 25:4

Context — Bildad: Man Cannot Be Righteous

2“Dominion and awe belong to God; He establishes harmony in the heights of heaven. 3Can His troops be numbered? On whom does His light not rise?

4How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

5If even the moon does not shine, and the stars are not pure in His sight, 6how much less man, who is but a maggot, and the son of man, who is but a worm!”

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Romans 5:1	Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2	Psalms 130:3	If You, O LORD, kept track of iniquities, then who, O Lord, could stand?
3	Job 4:17–19	‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker? If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error, how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth!
4	Job 15:14–16	What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous? If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes, how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
5	Job 9:2	“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
6	Psalms 143:2	Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.
7	Psalms 51:5	Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
8	Job 14:3–4	Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You? Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
9	1 John 1:9	If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10	Zechariah 13:1	“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

Job 25:4 Summary

This verse asks a profound question about how a human can be considered just or pure in God's sight, given our inherent sinfulness and frailty. The answer, as seen in other parts of the Bible, such as Romans 3:20 and Psalm 51:4, is that we cannot be just or pure on our own, but rather through faith in Jesus Christ, who died to cleanse us from sin. This realization should lead us to humility and a deeper understanding of our need for God's grace, as expressed in Ephesians 2:8-9, where it says that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works. By acknowledging our own sinfulness and inability to be just before God, we can find freedom and hope in His love and redemption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to be 'just before God' in Job 25:4?

To be just before God means to be righteous and without sin in His sight, as described in Romans 3:20, where it says that no one will be justified by the works of the law, and in Psalm 51:4, where David acknowledges his sin before God and asks for cleansing.

How can we understand the phrase 'one born of woman' in this verse?

The phrase 'one born of woman' emphasizes the humanity and frailty of human beings, as seen in Job 14:1, where it says that man is born of woman and is short of days and full of trouble, and in Galatians 4:4, which mentions that God sent His Son, born of a woman, to redeem those under the law.

Is it possible for humans to be 'pure' in God's sight?

According to Scripture, such as in Job 15:14, which says that no one is pure, not even one, and in Proverbs 20:9, which asks who can say they are pure from sin, humans are not inherently pure, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be made pure and cleansed from sin, as seen in 1 John 1:7-9.

What is the main point of Job 25:4?

The main point of this verse is to emphasize the vast difference between God's holiness and human sinfulness, highlighting the impossibility of humans being just or pure before God on their own, as also seen in Isaiah 64:6, where it says that our righteousness is like filthy rags, and in Romans 3:23, which states that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory.

Reflection Questions

How does recognizing my own sinfulness and inability to be just before God affect my relationship with Him?
In what ways do I try to justify myself or prove my own righteousness before God, and how can I surrender these efforts to Him?
What does it mean for me to acknowledge my own 'birth of woman' and the implications of being human, and how can I find hope in this reality?
How can I apply the truth of my own impurity and sinfulness to my daily life, and what steps can I take to seek cleansing and purification through faith in Christ?

Gill's Exposition on Job 25:4

How then can man be justified with God?] Since he sees all his ways and works, his secret as well as open sins; either be more just than he, as Eliphaz expresses it, Job 4:17; which no man in his

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 25:4

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, He tries to show Job's rashness (Job 23:3), by arguments borrowed from Eliphaz (Job 15:15), with which cf. Job 11:17. Verse 2. Power and terror - i:e., terror-inspiring power.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 25:4

Man: the word signifies man that is miserable, which supposeth him to be sinful; and that such a creature should quarrel with that dominion of God, to which the sinless, and happy, and glorious angels willingly submit, is most absurd and impious. With God i.e. before God’ s tribunal, to which thou dost so boldly appeal. Thou mayst plead thy cause with thy fellow worms, as we are, and expect to be justified; but woe to thee if the great God undertake to plead his cause against thee! how severely and certainly wouldst thou then be condemned! That is born of a woman, to wit, after the ordinary course; for otherwise Christ was born of a woman, but in a singular manner. This birth is alleged as an evidence of man’ s filthiness, 15:14 , and of his liableness to God’ s curse and wrath, , and consequently of his condemnation, opposite to the justification here mentioned, and confidently expected by Job in this contest.

Trapp's Commentary on Job 25:4

Job 25:4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean [that is] born of a woman?Ver. 4. How then can man be justified with God?] Homo frivolus, so the Tygurines translate. How can frivolous man, sorry man, morbis mortique obnoxius, man subject to diseases and death; how can such a man, so mortal and miserable, a mass of mortalities, a map of miseries, a very mixture and compound of dirt and sin, be justified with God? How can he be perfect within himself without the gift of grace, without an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Just One, who alone is the propitiation for our sins, 1 John 2:2 Romans 3:25, who is made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness, &c.? 1 Corinthians 1:30. Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?] And therefore born in sin and under a curse, the sign whereof appears in the woman’ s bearing and bringing forth, Genesis 3:6. Our whole nativity is impure. Hence in the law it is commanded, that the woman should be unclean seven days, that the child should be circumcised on the eighth day; and that the mother should remain three and thirty days in the blood of her purification, Leviticus 12:4. For by nature we are all children of wrath; and that which is born of the flesh is flesh. Neither can any one bring a clean thing out of an unclean, Job 14:4. Surely as a slave begetteth a slave, so doth a sinner beget a sinner. Hence we are loathsome to God, as a toad is to us, because poison is in the nature of it. Infantes ergo non sunt insontes, Infants are not innocents, though we commonly call them so, because free from actual sin, they having not yet "sinned after the similitude of Adam’ s transgression," as the apostle expresseth it, Romans 5:14. But. the first sheet or blanket wherein they are covered is woven of sin, shame, blood, and filth, as may be seen Ezekiel 16:4; Ezekiel 16:6. This should teach us modesty and lowly mindedness. Unde superbit homo cuius conceptio turpis? Whence with the man overcome whose conception is shameful.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 25:4

Verse 4. How then can man be justified?] Or, ונה umah, With what, shall a man be justified with God? Though this is no conclusion from Bildad's premises, yet the question is of the highest importance to man. Neither Bildad nor any of his fellows could answer it; the doctrine of redemption through the blood of the cross was then known only through types and shadows. We who live in the Gospel dispensation, can readily answer the question, With what shall miserable man (אנוש enosh) be justified with God.? - Ans. By bringing forward, by faith, to the throne of the Divine justice, the sacrificial offering of the Lord Jesus Christ; and confiding absolutely in it, as being a full, sufficient, and complete atonement and sacrifice for his sins, and for the salvation of a lost world. How, or with what (ומה umah) shall he be clean that is born of a woman? - Ans. By receiving that grace or heavenly influence communicated by the power and energy of the eternal Spirit applying to the heart the efficacy of that blood which cleanses from all unrighteousness. This, and this only, is the way in which a sinner, when truly penitent, can be justified before God: and in which a believer, convinced of indwelling sin, can be sanctified and cleansed from all unrighteousness. This is the only means of justification and sanctification, without which there can be no glorification. And these two great works, which constitute the whole of salvation, have been procured for a lost world by the incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was delivered for our offences, and rose again for our justification; to whom be glory and dominion now and for evermore, Amen!

Cambridge Bible on Job 25:4

4–5. Such is the Majesty and the universal power of God. How then should a man be righteous before Him? be justified with God] i. e. be just or righteous before God; comp. Job 4:17 seq., Job 14:1, Job 15:14.

Barnes' Notes on Job 25:4

How then can man be justified with God? - see Job 4:17-18; Job 15:15-16. Instead of meeting the facts to which Job had appealed, all that Bildad could now do was to repeat what had been said before.

Whedon's Commentary on Job 25:4

4. Justified with God — Just with God. Same word as in Job 4:17; Job 9:2. Sin and corruption are no more inseparable in the human heart than justification and regeneration in the divine scheme.

Sermons on Job 25:4

	Sermon	Description
	The Doctrine of Justification 1. Introduction by A.W. Pink	A.W. Pink introduces the doctrine of justification, emphasizing its critical importance in the Christian faith and the alarming ignorance surrounding it in contemporary times. He a
	Our Daily Homily - Job Part 2 by F.B. Meyer	F.B. Meyer explores the profound themes of justice and divine knowledge in the Book of Job, emphasizing the connection between wrongdoing and its consequences. He highlights that w
	The Doctrine of Justification 3. Its Problem by A.W. Pink	A.W. Pink addresses the profound problem of justification, emphasizing that no sinner can achieve acceptance with God through their own efforts. He explains that the dilemma of sav
	The Almost Christian (Reading) by John Wesley	In this sermon, John Wesley emphasizes the importance of living a truly Christian life. He describes the characteristics of an "almost Christian" who may appear to be religious but
	Being What You Are - Romans 6 and Regeneration by Paul Washer	In this sermon, Charles uses a scenario involving physics students to illustrate the concept of being justified in sin. He explains that when someone is not born again, they can co
	A State of No Known Sin by Andrew Strom	In this sermon, the speaker laments the lack of true Christianity being preached in churches today. He emphasizes the importance of understanding how to overcome sin, obtain a clea
	Ministering to the Lord by Paul Washer	In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the book of Romans, particularly chapters 1-11. He highlights how Paul, empowered by the Holy Spirit, condemns the entire human race through