Job 11:7
New International Version
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

New Living Translation
“Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty?

English Standard Version
“Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?

Berean Standard Bible
Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

King James Bible
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

New King James Version
“Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?

New American Standard Bible
“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

NASB 1995
“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

NASB 1977
“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

Legacy Standard Bible
“Can you find the depths of God? Can you find the limits of the Almighty?

Amplified Bible
“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you [by searching] discover the limits of the Almighty [ascend to His heights, extend to His widths, and comprehend His infinite perfection]?

Christian Standard Bible
Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

American Standard Version
Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

Contemporary English Version
Can you understand the mysteries surrounding God All-Powerful?

English Revised Version
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Can you discover God's hidden secrets, or are you able to find the Almighty's limits?

Good News Translation
Can you discover the limits and bounds of the greatness and power of God?

International Standard Version
"Can you search through God's complex things? Can you uncover the limits of the Almighty?

Majority Standard Bible
Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

NET Bible
"Can you discover the essence of God? Can you find out the perfection of the Almighty?

New Heart English Bible
"Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of Shaddai?

Webster's Bible Translation
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

World English Bible
“Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do you find out God by searching? To perfection find out the Mighty One?

Young's Literal Translation
By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

Smith's Literal Translation
Searching shalt thou and God? Shalt thou find the Almighty even to completeness?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Peradventure thou wilt comprehend the steps of God, and wilt find out the Almighty perfectly?

Catholic Public Domain Version
By chance, will you comprehend the footsteps of God and reach all the way to the perfection of the Almighty?

New American Bible
Can you find out the depths of God? or find out the perfection of the Almighty?

New Revised Standard Version
“Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Can you understand the deep things of God? Or can you stand at the outer boundary of the Almighty?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Can you know the declaration of God, or can you stand at the uttermost limit of The Almighty?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Canst thou find out the deep things of God? Canst thou attain unto the purpose of the Almighty?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Wilt thou find out the traces of the Lord? or hast thou come to the end of that which the Almighty has made?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Zophar Rebukes Job
6and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves. 7Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? 8They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?…

Cross References
Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.

Romans 11:33
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!

Psalm 145:3
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.

1 Corinthians 2:10-11
But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. / For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Psalm 139:6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. / “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Psalm 147:5
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.

Deuteronomy 29:29
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.

1 Timothy 6:16
He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.

Ephesians 3:18-19
will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth / of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Psalm 92:5
How great are Your works, O LORD, how deep are Your thoughts!

Jeremiah 23:18
But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and obeyed it?

Colossians 2:2-3
that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, / in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.


Treasury of Scripture

Can you by searching find out God? can you find out the Almighty to perfection?

Canst

Job 5:9
Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

Job 26:14
Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

Job 37:23
Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

Jump to Previous
Able Almighty Attain Deep Depths Discover Discovery Fathom Find God's Limits Measure Mysteries Mystery Perfection Probe Purpose Ruler Searching
Jump to Next
Able Almighty Attain Deep Depths Discover Discovery Fathom Find God's Limits Measure Mysteries Mystery Perfection Probe Purpose Ruler Searching
Job 11
1. Zophar reproves Job for justifying himself
5. God's wisdom is unsearchable
13. The assured blessing of repentance














Can you fathom
The Hebrew word for "fathom" here is "חָקַר" (chaqar), which means to search out, examine, or investigate thoroughly. This word suggests a deep, almost scientific inquiry into the mysteries of God. In the context of Job, it challenges human presumption in understanding divine wisdom. Historically, this reflects the ancient Near Eastern view that the divine realm is beyond human comprehension, emphasizing humility before God.

the deep things of God
The phrase "deep things" translates from the Hebrew "עֲמֻקּוֹת" (amukot), indicating profound, hidden, or mysterious aspects of God. This suggests that God's nature and plans are not only vast but also beyond human understanding. Scripturally, this aligns with passages like Isaiah 55:8-9, which highlight the transcendence of God's thoughts and ways compared to human understanding.

or discover
The Hebrew root "מָצָא" (matsa) means to find, attain, or come upon. This implies an active pursuit or quest for knowledge. In the context of Job, it underscores the futility of human efforts to fully grasp God's essence or purposes. This reflects a broader biblical theme that true wisdom and understanding are gifts from God, not merely the result of human effort.

the limits of the Almighty
The term "limits" comes from the Hebrew "תַּכְלִית" (takhlit), meaning end, completeness, or perfection. It suggests boundaries or extents, which in this context, are beyond human reach. "The Almighty" is translated from "שַׁדַּי" (Shaddai), a name for God that emphasizes His power and sovereignty. Historically, this name is associated with God's might and authority over creation. The rhetorical question posed here serves to remind believers of God's infinite nature and the limitations of human understanding.

(7) Canst thou by searching find out God? Literally, Canst thou attain to the searching out of God?

Verse 7. - Canst thou by searching find out God? literally, Canst thou attain to the searching out of God? Canst thou suppose, that is, that, whatever thy wisdom, learning, subtlety, sagacity, power of insight, thou wilt be able to search out and fully know the character, attributes, modes of thought and action, of the Most High? No. In one sense, all men do well to profess them. selves "Agnostics" - not that they can know nothing of God, but that they can never know him fully, never exhaust the knowledge of him. As the apostle says, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God l how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?" (Romans 11:33, 34). Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? rather. Canst thou attain to the perfection of the Almighty? understand, i.e., his inconceivable perfectness.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Can you fathom
תִּמְצָ֑א (tim·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

the deep things
הַחֵ֣קֶר (ha·ḥê·qer)
Article | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2714: A searching, a thing (to be) searched out

of God
אֱל֣וֹהַ (’ĕ·lō·w·ha)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 433: God -- a deity, the Deity

or
אִ֤ם (’im)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

discover
תִּמְצָֽא׃ (tim·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

the limits
תַּכְלִ֖ית (taḵ·lîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8503: Completion, an extremity

of the Almighty?
שַׁדַּ֣י (šad·day)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7706: The Almighty


Links
Job 11:7 NIV
Job 11:7 NLT
Job 11:7 ESV
Job 11:7 NASB
Job 11:7 KJV

Job 11:7 BibleApps.com
Job 11:7 Biblia Paralela
Job 11:7 Chinese Bible
Job 11:7 French Bible
Job 11:7 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Job 11:7 Can you fathom the mystery of God? (Jb)
Job 11:6
Top of Page
Top of Page