who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
Parallel translations
- WEB Who doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respects the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands.
- KJV How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.
- NKJV Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands.
- NASB Who shows no partiality to the prominent, Nor regards the rich as above the poor, Since they are all the work of His hands?
- NLT He doesn’t care how great a person may be, and he pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all.
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
God shows no partiality to princes or the rich over the poor, since all are His handiwork. It affirms God's impartial justice.
Overview
Elihu declares that God does not favor the powerful or wealthy, for prince and pauper alike are the work of His hands. God's justice is utterly impartial, grounded in His role as Creator of all. This truth carries into the New Testament, where God 'shows no partiality' (Acts 10:34) and the gospel comes freely to rich and poor alike.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- Deut 10:17For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
- Acts 10:34Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
- Jas 2:5Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
- Rom 2:11For God does not show favoritism.
- Col 3:25Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
- Lev 19:15You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
- 2 Chr 19:7And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”
- Gal 2:6But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.
- Eph 6:9And masters, do the same for your slaves. Give up your use of threats, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.
- 1 Pet 1:17Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners.
- Prov 22:2The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.
- Prov 14:31Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
- Eccl 5:8If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.
- Job 31:15Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
- Isa 3:14The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
- Ps 2:2–4The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:
- Job 10:3Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked?
- Job 36:19Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?
- Job 12:21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
- Job 12:19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
- Job 13:8Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?
- Ps 49:6–7They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
- Heb 12:28Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
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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.
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Original language
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