Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?
Parallel translations
- WEB Who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?
- BSB who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
- NKJV Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘You are worthless,’ And to nobles, ‘You are wicked’?
- NASB Who says to a king, ‘You worthless one,’ To nobles, ‘You wicked one’;
- NLT For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’ and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’
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 points out that even kings and nobles can be rightly called wicked. It shows that God answers to no human authority.
Overview
Elihu observes that God may justly rebuke kings as 'vile' and nobles as 'wicked,' something no mere human could presume to do. The point underscores God's supreme authority over all earthly rulers. Since God judges even the highest human powers, it is unthinkable that He Himself could be unjust-a sovereignty ultimately vested in Christ, King of kings (Revelation 19:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Exod 22:28Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
- Prov 17:26Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
- Rom 13:7Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
- Acts 23:3Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
- Acts 23:5Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
- Jude 1:8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
- 2 Pet 2:10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
- 1 Pet 2:17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
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 34:18 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
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