Job 40

I am sometimes asked why I don’t quote from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible in this blog, as there are many Christians who believe that the KJV is the only “pure” translation of the Scriptures. I certainly have nothing against the KJV—in fact, many of the beloved memory verses I learned as a child were from that translation—and I’m glad it’s still around for those who love to read the old English. However, I subscribe to my father’s school of thought regarding Bible versions: The “best” one to read is the one you will actually read.

That being said, there is a potential pitfall with reading much older translations: Words change meaning over time. The word atonement is a great example. What that English word meant in 1611 when the KJV was published is not the same thing it has come to mean today. Thus, when we read Bible verses in the KJV that use the word atone or atonement, we “hear” something different today than what was meant four centuries ago.

Job chapter 40 bears another example of this sort of language shift that can lead to misunderstanding… and I was surprised to see that this verse hasn’t been updated either in the New King James Version or the 21st Century King James Version. Here’s the verse: “Then Job answered the Lord, and said, ‘Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.’” (vs 3-4)

Because of this verse, many commentators have concluded that God’s discourse with Job was conducted in such a way as to convince Job of his wickedness and that, finally, God accomplished what Job’s friends couldn’t—He got Job to admit that he was a vile, wicked man. Of course, that perspective always seemed odd to me because of what God said about Job in chapter 1—that he was upright and blameless. Why in the world would God seek to contradict Himself? Yet, there is the problem of that word vile.

But that problem is cleared up immediately when you examine the original Hebrew word, qalal. This word does not mean wicked or evil or sinful. It means “to be of little account” or “insignificant.” And, in 1611, that’s also what the word vile meant. Not anymore.

Job is not confessing to some secret wickedness here. Nor, as others have suggested, is he suddenly confronted with his dirty, sinful nature in the light of God’s holy presence. This is what Job is saying: Wow. I’m a teeny, tiny speck.

Is this a surprising realization in light of God’s questioning? God has been asking Job questions designed to enlarge his vision of the universe and its government. He has been asking questions about the way things work—even the things Job takes for granted, such as rain that waters the crops and animals that till the soil. And Job catches the vision! All of a sudden, he sees himself in relationship to the entire universe. And he goes, Whoa. I’m a teeny, tiny speck. No, wait, that’s too big. I’m just a speck on a teeny, tiny speck.

He is the first to think what King David would memorialize in Scripture centuries later: “I look at your heavens, which you made with your fingers. I see the moon and stars, which you created. So why are people even important to you? Why do you take care of human beings?” (Ps 8:3-4)

Job realized that, in the grand scheme of things, he was a “little” person. He was nothing. And yet, I have to imagine that, right on the heels of that realization came this one: But God Himself showed up to talk to ME!

Job, this little “nothing,” called on the God who made the universe… and that great God heard him and came running. Whoa.

God loves the “little” people. In fact, in His kingdom, there are no “little” people. Every single person is important in God’s eyes. Heaven is not built on a hierarchy. That’s why Jesus told the people in His day that even the sparrows—which they counted as meaningless and cheap—were important to God. And if the sparrows didn’t fail to escape His notice, how much more does He care about those who are made in His own image!

In the grand scheme of the universe, our planet is a speck. And that makes each one of us a speck on a speck. Yet our great God also became a speck on a speck so we would know that, to Him, we are not insignificant. We are not vile. We are infinitely valuable.