“Behold, God does all these things, twice, yes three times, with a man,
Parallel translations
- KJV Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
- BSB Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times,
- NKJV “Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man,
- NASB ¶“Behold, God does all these things for a man two or three times,
- NLT “Yes, God does these things again and again for people.
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
Elihu states that God repeatedly works this way with people. It stresses that God's gracious dealing is His consistent practice.
Overview
Elihu summarizes his argument: God does 'all these things'-warning, disciplining, and delivering-again and again ('twice, yes three times') in a person's life. The point is that God is patient and persistent in seeking to rescue people from death. This reflects the steadfast mercy of God, who does not desire that any should perish but pursues sinners repeatedly toward repentance.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Eph 1:11in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will;
- 1 Cor 12:6There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all.
- Phil 2:13For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
- 2 Cor 5:5Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.
- Heb 13:21make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Job 33:14–17For God speaks once, yes twice, though man pays no attention.
- 2 Kgs 6:10The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once or twice.
- Col 1:29for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.
- Job 40:5I have spoken once, and I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
- 2 Cor 12:8Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
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 33:29 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.