The Meaning of Job 33:12 Explained

Job 33:12

KJV: Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

YLT: Lo, in this thou hast not been righteous, I answer thee, that greater is God than man.

Darby: Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for +God is greater than man.

ASV: Behold, I will answer thee, in this thou art not just; For God is greater than man.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, [in] this thou art not just:  I will answer  thee, that God  is greater  than man. 

What does Job 33:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 33:1-33 - The Interpreter
It is not wonderful that Elihu has been mistaken for the Mediator Himself, so helpfully does he interpose between Job and his Maker. He dwells especially on his own likeness to Job in his manhood, and quotes this as the reason why he could specially help him: I also am formed out of the clay. So also our High Priest is man. Elihu takes up Job's words protesting his innocence, and he insists that Job was not right in those protestations, or in the conclusions that he drew from them.
Then follows one of the grandest passages in the book. Elihu tells how God speaks in nature and through conscience, and is often disregarded; and how then he speaks by revelation, opening the ears of men to withdraw them from their purpose. He shows that God often lays a man upon a bed of pain, that He may speak to his heart. Happy is the afflicted if an interpreter stands beside him to point the path to repentance. Finally, broken and penitent, he turns back to God, and sees His face with joy, and sings before men the story of his restoration. Thus Elihu argues that affliction is often sent as discipline to read to man God's deepest truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 33

1  Elihu offers himself instead of God to reason with Job
8  He excuses God from giving man an account of his ways, by his greatness
14  God calls man to repentance by visions, by afflictions, and by his ministry
31  He incites Job to attention

What do the individual words in Job 33:12 mean?

Look [in] this not you are righteous I will answer you for is greater God than man
הֶן־ זֹ֣את לֹא־ צָדַ֣קְתָּ אֶעֱנֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי־ יִרְבֶּ֥ה אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ מֵאֱנֽוֹשׁ

הֶן־  Look 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
זֹ֣את  [in]  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
צָדַ֣קְתָּ  you  are  righteous 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: צָדַק  
Sense: to be just, be righteous.
אֶעֱנֶ֑ךָּ  I  will  answer  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
יִרְבֶּ֥ה  is  greater 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹוהַּ  
Sense: God.
מֵאֱנֽוֹשׁ  than  man 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.