Lexical Summary yissor: Discipline, correction, chastisement Original Word: יִסּוֹר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance instruct From yacar; a reprover -- instruct. see HEBREW yacar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yasar Definition one who reproves, faultfinder NASB Translation faultfinder (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs יִסּוֺר noun masculine one who reproves, fault-finder, הֲרֹשׁ עִםשַֿׁדַּי יִסּוֺר Job 40:2 shall a reprover contend with Shadday? Topical Lexicon Meaning and Occurrence The word appears once in the Hebrew canon, at Job 40:2, where the LORD asks, “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? Let him who argues with God give an answer”. The term designates a challenger who presumes the right to discipline, correct, or reprove the Almighty. Context in Job 40 Job has poured out lament and protest; his three friends and Elihu have tried unsuccessfully to explain his suffering. When the LORD speaks from the whirlwind (Job 38–42), He does not offer explanations. Instead He confronts Job’s impulse to become יִסּוֹר—a self-appointed corrector of God. The single‐use noun therefore crystallizes the whole tension of the book: finite humanity confronting infinite sovereignty. Theological Emphasis 1. Divine Sovereignty. The verse underscores that God alone sets the standard of righteousness (Job 40:8). Any attempt to “correct” Him is self-exalting. Comparative Scriptural Parallels Isaiah 45:9 echoes the same warning: “Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker.” Paul applies the motif in Romans 9:20: “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” Both texts highlight the audacity in assuming God needs human correction and reinforce that Job 40:2 expresses a timeless principle. Historical and Cultural Insights In the Ancient Near East, kings were viewed as unquestionable. For an ordinary subject to rebuke a king was treasonous. Job 40:2 elevates the setting: it is not an earthly monarch but the Creator who is challenged. The literary strategy—God interrogating Job—mirrors ancient royal court scenes where a vassal is summoned to answer charges, reversing Job’s expectation of putting God on trial (Job 13:3, 15; 23:3–7). Application for Ministry • Pastoral Counseling: Suffering believers often voice hard questions. Scripture does not silence lament (see Psalms of lament) but warns against presuming moral superiority over God. Job models both honest anguish and eventual surrender. Christological and New Testament Echoes Jesus never adopted the stance of יִסּוֹר toward His Father (John 5:19). In Gethsemane He asked if the cup might pass yet submitted, “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). The obedient Son contrasts sharply with the hypothetical corrector in Job 40:2 and shows the redemptive path for all who face inexplicable suffering (Hebrews 5:8). Devotional Reflection Job’s account invites believers to bring every perplexity to God while relinquishing the prerogative to judge Him. When tempted to become a יִסּוֹר, recall the cross, where ultimate innocence met ultimate suffering for our salvation (1 Peter 3:18). There, God proves Himself both just and justifier, silencing every future accusation. Forms and Transliterations יִסּ֑וֹר יסור yis·sō·wr yisSor yissōwrLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 40:2 HEB: עִם־ שַׁדַּ֣י יִסּ֑וֹר מוֹכִ֖יחַ אֱל֣וֹהַּ NAS: Will the faultfinder contend KJV: with the Almighty instruct [him]? he that reproveth INT: with the Almighty will the faultfinder reproveth God 1 Occurrence |
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