Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
Parallel translations
- WEB “Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
- KJV Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
- NKJV “Is not God in the height of heaven? And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
- NASB ¶“Is God not in the height of heaven? Look also at the highest stars, how high they are!
- NLT “God is so great—higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Eliphaz declares that God is enthroned in the highest heavens, above even the loftiest stars. He emphasizes God's exalted transcendence over all.
Overview
Eliphaz affirms a true and majestic doctrine: God dwells on high, far above the highest stars (cf. Ps 113:4-6). However, he is setting up an accusation that Job is using God's distance to excuse sin. The truth of God's transcendence is sound, but Eliphaz misuses it, falsely imputing to Job a denial of God's all-seeing knowledge.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 8:3–4When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place—
- Isa 66:1This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?
- Job 11:8They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
- Eccl 5:2Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
- Ps 115:3Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.
- Isa 57:15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
- Ps 115:16The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth He has given to mankind.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 22:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.