Job Chapter 4 verse 17 Holy Bible
Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
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May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?
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Shall [mortal] man be more just than +God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?
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Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
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Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
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'Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
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`Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 17. - Shall mortal man be more just than God? Is it to be supposed that the ways of God can be rightly criticized and condemned by man? Surely not; for then man must be more penetrated with the spirit of justice than the Almighty. If our thoughts are not as God's thoughts, it must be, our thoughts that are wrong. Shall a man be more pure than his Maker? Equally impossible. God alone is absolutely pure. The best man must be conscious to himself, as Isaiah was (Isaiah 6:5), of uncleanness.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Shall mortal man be more just than God?--This is the burden, or refrain, upon which the friends of Job are for ever harping. It is perfectly orthodox, but at the same time perfectly inadequate to deal with the necessities of Job's case. He is willing to admit that it is impossible for any man to be just with God; but then arises Job's dilemma, Where is God's justice if He punishes the innocent as the guilty? The word rendered "mortal" man is really weak, frail man, involving, it may be, the idea of mortality, but not immediately suggesting it. As far as mortality implies sin, the notion of being just is absurd; and even a strong man--such is the antithesis--cannot be more pure than He that made him, who, it is assumed, must be both strong and righteous.