Job 35:13

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it.

American Standard Version (1901)

Surely God will not hear an empty cry, Neither will the Almighty regard it.

Bible in Basic English

But God will not give ear to what is false, or the Ruler of all take note of it;

Free Bible Version

God doesn't listen to their empty cries; the Almighty doesn't pay them any attention.

King James (Authorized) Version

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Translation for Translators

It is useless for them to cry out, because God, the Almighty One, does not pay any attention to what they say.

Unlocked Literal Bible

God will certainly not hear a foolish cry; the Almighty will pay no attention to it.

Noah Webster Bible

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

World English Bible

Surely God will not hear an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Young's Literal Translation

Surely vanity God doth not hear, And the Mighty doth not behold it.

Context

Elihu Recalls God’s Justice

¹²There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men. ¹³Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it. ¹⁴How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him, that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him,

Summary

Elihu, in this verse, questions Job's belief that God does not pay attention to people's circumstances or that God's justice is delayed. Elihu asserts that God does not ignore the cries of the afflicted, nor does He show partiality towards the mighty. This verse serves as a reminder that God is just and attentive to the needs of all individuals, regardless of their status or situation. It emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's timing and justice, even when it may seem delayed or unclear to us. Ultimately, it encourages faith in God's righteous character and His sovereign control over all things.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Surely God will not hear vanity - He will not attend to such vain cries; they cry from their oppressions, but they cry not to God.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Surely God will not hear vanity,.... Or "a lie" (z), than which nothing is more an abomination to him; if men come to him with a lie in their mouths, they cannot expect to be heard by him; he is only nigh to those who call upon him in truth: or that which is "rash" (a); which is rashly uttered, and in a passionate wrathful manner, savouring of a revengeful spirit, too often the case of those that cry under oppression; see Ecc 5:2; or vain and empty prayers, a speech of vanity, as Aben Ezra; which as to the matter of them are about vain and empty things; only for outward mercies, worldly goods; and not for spiritual mercies, or such things as are according to the will of God; but what are pleasing to the flesh, and sought for to consume on the lusts of it, and therefore such prayers are not heard, Psa 4:6; and as to the manner of them, they are not put up in the name of Christ, nor under the influence of the spirit of Christ, nor in the exercise of any grace, nor with reverence of God, nor with sincerity of soul, not in faith, nor with fervency: or "vanity" is put for vain men, as sin for sinners; such as are proud men, and are vainly puffed up in their fleshly mind. God hears humble penitent sinners, who find mercy with him; and humble saints, to whom he gives more grace; but not proud Pharisees, or men not humbled by afflictions; see Luk 18:11; nor light and empty persons, who are without God and Christ, destitute of the spirit, devoid of all grace, and full of all unrighteousness; unstable ones, who are vanity itself, and lighter than vanity, tossed to and fro like a wave of the sea, and double minded, Jam 1:6; nor men of vain conversations, that walk in the vanity of their minds, whose words are vain, and especially such as take the name of God in vain; and all whose actions are vain, or such that live a vain and sinful course of life; God hears not sinners, Joh 9:31; neither will the Almighty regard it; vanity, vain prayers and vain persons; he regards the prayer of the destitute, the lowly, and the humble, but not the prayer of such as before described; he cannot "look" at, it (b), nor at them: he looks to the poor and contrite, and desires to see their countenance and hear their voice in prayer; but he is of purer eyes thou to look on vain persons and their vain prayers; and a greater contempt cannot be shown to petitioners and their petitions than when those to whom they apply will not so much as look at them, but turn both a deaf ear to them, and their eyes away from them. (z) "falsitatem", Beza; "mendacium", Pagninus, Montanus. (a) "Quod temerarium est", Cocceius. (b) "non intuatur illud", Pagninus, Montanus; "non videt illud", Cocceius; so Michaelis and Schultens.