· Translation: KJV

Job 34:9For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.'

The setting

Ancient Uz (possibly Jordan/Saudi Arabia). Elihu, the youngest friend, quotes what cynics say about serving God...

The emotion here: indignant at hearing such blasphemy

The original word

yiskōn (יִסְכֹּן) — to be profitable, to benefit, from sakhar meaning wage or reward

Why it matters

Elihu was not mentioned in the opening chapters but appears suddenly as the angry young man

Read with care

What most readers miss in Job 34:9

This is Elihu QUOTING what people say, not stating his own belief

Common misconceptionPeople think this is Job or his friends expressing doubt, but it's actually Elihu quoting what faithless people say to show how wrong they are.

Bible Genome reading

Job 34:9 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerElihu
EraPatriarchal
Primary emotionangry
Literary typedialogue

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability60%
Memorability70%
Crisis relevance60%
Standalone70%
Themes:futilitygodliness

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Job 34

Job 34:9 comes from the book of Job, written during the Patriarchal period. These words are attributed to Elihu. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include futility, godliness. Notable phrases: profits nothing; delight with God.

Your reflection

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