They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's often missed is that this isn't necessarily a spoken prayer, but the language of their lives. Their actions are shouting, "We don't want you interfering with our plans, and we certainly don't want to learn how you expect us to live." This verse reveals a profound rejection of God's presence and wisdom because it would disrupt their preferred, self-directed path.
They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is confronting his friends' rigid view that suffering always means sin. He pivots to describe the prosperity of the wicked, those who live long, successful lives without apparent divine punishment. These are the people who, in their comfort and disregard for God, actively push Him away, wanting nothing to do with His commands or wisdom.
When Job’s friends accuse him of sin, Job turns the tables. He describes the outwardly prosperous wicked who aren’t suffering. What are they saying to God?
The verse says, 'They say to God...'. But did they literally speak these words? The ancient commentators point out that often, this isn't spoken aloud. It's the 'language of their lives,' the 'thoughts and affections,' and their 'conduct.' Think about it: when people consistently choose to ignore God's commands, avoid spiritual practices, and prioritize worldly desires, their actions speak volumes. They aren't necessarily shouting defiance, but their choices reveal a deep-seated desire for God to keep His distance.
What does it mean to 'not desire the knowledge of your ways'?
This isn't just about lacking information. It's a deliberate turning away from understanding how God operates and what He expects. The commentaries explain that the wicked don't want to know God's ways because that knowledge would highlight their disobedience and make their sin uncomfortable. Imagine someone knowing a shortcut is safer, but deliberately taking the dangerous, longer route because they don't want to be told what to do. They're choosing willful ignorance. This rejection isn't passive; it's an active preference for a path that bypasses God's wisdom and truth.
Understand the original words
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sur · Hebrew Verb
To turn away or withdraw; in this context, it expresses a defiant rejection of God's presence and authority over one's life.
da'ath · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, knowledge is not merely intellectual information but a deep, experiential relationship and intimate acquaintance with God and His moral expectations.
Shadday · Hebrew Noun
A title for God emphasizing His omnipotence, sovereign power, and sufficiency; He is the One who is all-mighty and able to perform His will.
abad · Hebrew Verb
To serve God is to acknowledge His lordship through worship, obedience, and submission; it is the act of living in accordance with His commands.
yathar · Hebrew Noun
An advantage, benefit, or gain; here, the wicked question the pragmatic value of maintaining a relationship with or seeking God.
paga · Hebrew Verb
A form of communication with God involving adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication; it is an act of dependence on God’s grace and intervention.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Job's wicked speakers, stating that 'no one is righteous, no not one' and that 'all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.' It highlights the pervasive human tendency to stray from God's ways.
Luke 10:38-42Martha's distraction with her many preparations contrasts sharply with Mary's desire for God's presence and teaching ('the one thing that is necessary'). This shows the difference between those who are busy with worldly affairs and those who prioritize spiritual knowledge, mirroring the choice described in Job.
Matthew 8:28-34The Gerasene demoniacs begged Jesus to 'Depart from their region,' fearing the loss of their livelihood from their herds. This provides a parallel where people actively ask God to leave them alone because His presence and ways threaten their comfortable, albeit sinful, way of life.
John 3:19-20This passage explains that 'light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.' This directly connects to why people reject the knowledge of God's ways: it exposes their sin.
bensonJob 21:14: "Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways."
Job 21:14 . Therefore — Because of their constant prosperity, they say unto God — Sometimes in words, but commonly in their thoughts and affections, and by the language of their lives, Depart from us — Let us not be troubled with the apprehension of our being under God’s eye, nor be restrained by the fear of him. Or, they bid him depart as one they do not need, nor have any occasion to apply t…
ellicottJob 21:14: "Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways."
(14) Therefore they say unto God. —Should be, Yet they said unto God, Depart from us, &c.
What's often missed is that this isn't necessarily a spoken prayer, but the language of their lives. Their actions are shouting, "We don't want you interfering with our plans, and we certainly don't want to learn how you expect us to live." This verse reveals a profound rejection of God's presence and wisdom because it would disrupt their preferred, self-directed path.
Job is confronting his friends' rigid view that suffering always means sin. He pivots to describe the prosperity of the wicked, those who live long, successful lives without apparent divine punishment. These are the people who, in their comfort and disregard for God, actively push Him away, wanting nothing to do with His commands or wisdom.
Job is confronting his friends' rigid view that suffering always means sin. He pivots to describe the prosperity of the wicked, those who live long, successful lives without apparent divine punishment. These are the people who, in their comfort and disregard for God, actively push Him away, wanting nothing to do with His commands or wisdom.
"They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’" — What's often missed is that this isn't necessarily a spoken prayer, but the language of their lives. Their actions are shouting, "We don't want you interfering with our plans, and we certainly don'…
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Last reviewed October 2026