But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
Parallel translations
- WEB When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? Alike whether to a nation, or to a man,
- KJV When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:
- NKJV When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?—
- NASB When He keeps quiet, who can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can look at Him, That is, regarding both nation and a person?—
- NLT But if he chooses to remain quiet, who can criticize him? When he hides his face, no one can find him, whether an individual or a nation.
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
Whether God grants peace or hides His face, none can overturn His will, and He governs nations and individuals alike. His sovereignty is absolute and beyond human challenge.
Overview
Elihu affirms that God's actions, whether bestowing quietness or withdrawing His favor, cannot be condemned or reversed by any creature. He rules equally over a whole nation or a single man, leaving no realm outside His authority. The hiddenness of God's face here points to the seriousness of divine judgment, ultimately answered in Christ, who endured God's hidden face so His people might see His favor.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Job 23:13But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires.
- John 14:27Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
- Rom 8:31–34What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Ps 27:9Hide not Your face from me, nor turn away Your servant in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or forsake me, O God of my salvation.
- Isa 26:3You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- Phil 4:7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Ps 30:7O LORD, You favored me; You made my mountain stand strong. When You hid Your face, I was dismayed.
- Isa 32:17The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.
- Jer 27:8As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation by sword and famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I have destroyed it by his hand.
- Ps 143:7Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit.
- Job 12:14What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
- Job 23:8–9If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot find Him.
- 2 Kgs 18:9–12In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it.
- Isa 14:3–8On the day that the LORD gives you rest from your pain and torment, and from the hard labor into which you were forced,
- Ps 13:1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?
- 2 Sam 7:1After the king had settled into his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him,
- 2 Chr 36:14–17Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, following all the abominations of the nations, and they defiled the house of the LORD, which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.
- Job 29:1–3And Job continued his discourse:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 34:29 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.