The Meaning of Job 34:19 Explained

Job 34:19

KJV: How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

YLT: That hath not accepted the person of princes, Nor hath known the rich before the poor, For a work of His hands are all of them.

Darby: How then to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich man more than the poor? for they are all the work of his hands.

ASV: That respecteth not the persons of princes, Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[How much less to him] that accepteth  not the persons  of princes,  nor regardeth  the rich  more than  the poor?  for they all [are] the work  of his hands. 

What does Job 34:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 34:1-37 - The Almighty Must Be Just
Elihu stands in Job 34:10 as God's apologist. God's absolute and impartial justice is at all times a matter of untold comfort. There will be no cause of ultimate complaint, but from the lips of the holiest beings in the universe, most able to pass an opinion, the cry will ascend, "Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God the Almighty. Righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages"¦. Thy righteous acts have been made manifest," Revelation 15:3-4, r.v.
Ponder those last words. God's righteous acts have not yet been made manifest; it is therefore foolish and wrong to pass judgment upon an unfinished program. Wait, mortal man, until, at the great white throne, God shall unfold His inner reasons. If it is not fit to say to a king, "Thou art vile," how much less to Him who lives through the ages, while the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand! [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 34

1  Elihu accuses Job for charging God with injustice
10  God omnipotent cannot be unjust
31  Man must humble himself unto God
34  Elihu reproves Job

What do the individual words in Job 34:19 mean?

yet not He is partial to princes nor does He regard the rich more than the poor for the work of His hands they [are] all
אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ נָשָׂ֨א ׀ פְּנֵ֥י שָׂרִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א נִכַּר־ שׁ֭וֹעַ לִפְנֵי־ ؟ דָ֑ל כִּֽי־ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדָ֣יו כֻּלָּֽם

אֲשֶׁ֤ר  yet 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נָשָׂ֨א ׀  He  is  partial 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
שָׂרִ֗ים  princes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
וְלֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נִכַּר־  does  He  regard 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
שׁ֭וֹעַ  the  rich 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁועַ  
Sense: independent, noble, free, rich, generous.
לִפְנֵי־  more  than 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
؟ דָ֑ל  the  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: דַּל  
Sense: low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low.
מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה  the  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
יָדָ֣יו  of  His  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
כֻּלָּֽם  they  [are]  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.