Job 21:22
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judges those that are high.
American King James Version (AKJV)
Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judges those that are high.
American Standard Version (ASV)
Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high.
Webster's Revision
Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
World English Bible
"Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
English Revised Version (ERV)
Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
Clarke's Job 21:22 Bible Commentary
Shall any teach God knowledge? - Who among the sons of men can pretend to teach God how to govern the world, who himself teaches those that are high - the heavenly inhabitants, that excel us infinitely both in knowledge and wisdom? Neither angels nor men can comprehend the reasons of the Divine providence. It is a depth known only to God.
Barnes's Job 21:22 Bible Commentary
Shall any teach God knowledge? - This commences the reply of Job to the sentiments of his friends to which he had just adverted. The substance of the reply is, that no one could prescribe to God how he should deal with people, and that it; was not a FACT that people were treated as they had supposed. Instead of its being true, as they maintained, that wicked people would all be cut down in some fearful and violent manner, as a punishment for their sins, Job goes on Job 21:23-26 to show that they died in a great variety of ways - one in full age and prosperity, and another in another manner. This, he says, God directs as he pleases. No one can teach him knowledge; no one can tell him what he ought to do. The reasoning of his friends, Job seems to imply, had been rather an attempt to teach God how he "ought" to deal with people, than a patient and candid inquiry into the "facts" in the case, and he says the facts were not as they supposed they ought to be.
Seeing he judgeth those that are high - Or rather, he judges "among the things" that are high. He rules over the great affairs of the universe, and it is presumptuous in us to attempt to prescribe to him how he shall govern the world. The design of this and the following verses is to show, that, from the manner in which people actually die, no argument can be derived to determine what was their religious condition, or their real character. Nothing is more fallacious than that kind of reasoning.
Wesley's Job 21:22 Bible Commentary
21:22 Teach - How to govern the world? For so you do, while you tell him that he must not afflict the godly, nor give the wicked prosperity.That he must invariably punish the wicked, and reward the righteous in this world. No: he will act as sovereign, and with great variety in his providential dispensations. High - The highest persons, on earth, he exactly knows them, and gives sentence concerning them, as he sees fit.