Bible Strands

Job 34:16

If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Elihu addresses his audience immediately after verse 15 describes all flesh returning to dust, preparing to answer the challenge regarding divine justice posed in verse 17.

The words — The Hebrew בִּינָה (Bi.nah) literally means understanding, paired with the imperative שִׁמְעָה (shim'a) meaning hear, establishing a direct link between cognitive capacity and attentive listening.

The thread — The assertion of personal understanding appears in Job 12:3 and Job 13:2, where the speaker claims equal mental capacity to his interlocutors.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to acknowledge their own capacity for discernment before engaging with the argument, making comprehension a prerequisite for hearing the message.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאִם־ve./'im-and/ ifבִּ֥ינָהBi.nahunderstandingשִׁמְעָה־shim.'a/h-hear/ !זֹּ֑אתZotthisהַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָהha.'a.Zi.na/hgive ear/ !לְק֣וֹלle./Kolto/ [the] sound ofמִלָּֽי׃mi.La/iwords/ my

King James Version

If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

Cross-references