The big picture
Job 35 opens in verse 1 with “Elihu spake moreover, and said,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 8 with “Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of…”, and closes in verse 16 with “Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.” Repeated or prominent terms include answer, doest, giveth, profit, reason. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Job · King James Version · 16Job 35:1-8
1–8: Elihu spake moreover, and said,
Job 35:1–8 opens with “Elihu spake moreover, and said,” and reaches “Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 35 develops its own movement around answer, doest, giveth, profit, reason, with particular weight carried by doest, profit, righteousness.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 4 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Elihu spake moreover, and said,” Naming Elihu keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Job 35:1-8
King James Version1Elihu spake moreover, and said,
2Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?
3For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
4I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
5Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
6If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
7If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
8Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
Job 35:9-16
9–16: By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to…
Job 35:9–16 opens with “By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason…” and reaches “Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 35 develops its own movement around answer, doest, giveth, profit, reason, with particular weight carried by giveth, reason, Almighty.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include reason, mighty, multitude. Its relationship to verses 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
Job 35:9-16
King James Version9By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
11Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
12There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
13Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
15But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
16Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Job 35:1 begins with “Elihu spake moreover, and said,”
Where the chapter turns
Job 35:7 forms a natural hinge: “If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?”
The final note
Job 35:16 leaves the reader with “Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words answer, doest, giveth, profit, reason, righteousness help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the return to Bethel require beyond travel?
The removal of foreign gods and a renewed orientation toward the God who answered Jacob.
Which relationships are remembered at Isaac's burial?
Both sons participate, despite their long history of rivalry.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.