The Meaning of Job 36:26 Explained

Job 36:26

KJV: Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

YLT: Lo, God is high, And we know not the number of His years, Yea, there is no searching.

Darby: Lo, God is great, and we comprehend him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

ASV: Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, God  [is] great,  and we know  [him] not, neither can the number  of his years  be searched out. 

What does Job 36:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 36:1-33 - He Despiseth Not Any
God is mighty, but He does not despise thee, though thou be the least of saints. His eyes are upon thee for good, and He will set thee before His throne forever. He will stoop to thy low dungeon, whispering instruction to thine ear and commanding thee to return. There are broad places before thee in which there shall be no straitness; tables await thee full of fatness. Thy path leads from thy present prison-house into liberty and light.
Remember the unsearchable numbers of His years. Behold the wonderful machinery by which He collects from ocean, lake, and stream the clouds which, like floating cisterns, carry the waters to be bleached in the snow of the hills, and oxidized in the torrent beds! There is more love than terror in creation. Nature's myriad voices proclaim with Scripture, "God is love." He cannot, therefore, be indifferent to the righteous man or neglect him. He may discipline him to make him hate sin; but, when this end is attained, He will assuredly withdraw His rod, Job 36:10-11. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 36

1  Elihu shows how God is just in his ways
16  How Job's sins hinder God's blessings
24  God's works are to be magnified

What do the individual words in Job 36:26 mean?

Behold God [is] great and not we do know [Him] the number of His years nor can [be] discovered
הֶן־ אֵ֣ל שַׂ֭גִּיא וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע מִסְפַּ֖ר שָׁנָ֣יו וְלֹא־ חֵֽקֶר

הֶן־  Behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
אֵ֣ל  God  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
שַׂ֭גִּיא  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שַׂגִּיא  
Sense: great (of God).
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נֵדָ֑ע  we  do  know  [Him] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
מִסְפַּ֖ר  the  number 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִסְפָּר  
Sense: number, tale.
שָׁנָ֣יו  of  His  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
וְלֹא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חֵֽקֶר  can  [be]  discovered 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵקֶר  
Sense: a search, investigation, searching, enquiry, thing to be searched out.