Bible Strands
Job 37:24
Therefore, men fear Him, for He is not partial to the wise in heart.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Elihu addresses Job and the assembled listeners, concluding his discourse on God’s unmatched power and justice. He speaks at the climax of his argument to establish God’s absolute sovereignty over human understanding.
The words — כֵּן (khen) translates literally as “therefore,” linking the preceding description of God’s justice to human response. חַכְמֵי לֵב (chakhmei lev) means “wise of heart,” denoting those who trust their own insight.
The thread — The theme of divine reversal of human wisdom appears in Job 5:13 and 1 Corinthians 1:26, while Matthew 10:28 redirects fear toward God alone. These passages trace a consistent scriptural thread that human status or intellect does not exempt one from divine authority.
Why it lands — The text states that people fear God because He does not show favoritism to the wise, demanding that readers abandon reliance on their own understanding. It requires a posture of reverent fear rather than intellectual pride.
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
King James Version
Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.
Cross-references
- Matthew 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
- 1 Corinthians 1:26 Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.
- Job 5:13 He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.
- Psalms 130:4 But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared.
- Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
- Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
- Romans 2:4 Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
- Ecclesiastes 9:11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.
- Jeremiah 32:39 I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
- Jeremiah 33:9 So this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and glory before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the good I do for it. They will tremble in awe because of all the goodness and prosperity that I will provide for it.