who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse isn't just saying God is powerful; it highlights that His great and marvelous works are unsearchable. This means we shouldn't expect to fully understand why He does what He does, especially when His actions seem mysterious or difficult, correcting the tendency to judge God by human logic.
who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;
English Standard Version (ESV)
Eliphaz is encouraging Job to turn to God and trust Him, arguing that God's power is immense and beyond human comprehension. He's emphasizing that God does great, mysterious, and countless marvelous things, suggesting that Job's current suffering, though unfathomable, is within the scope of God's vast and intricate workings. This is part of Eliphaz's ongoing argument that Job should not question God's justice but rather submit to His sovereign power.
Have you ever felt like you just can't understand why something is happening? Job's friends offer a perspective on the vastness of God's ways.
Eliphaz, in his attempt to comfort and correct Job, points to the very nature of God's actions. He emphasizes that God does 'great things and unsearchable.' This means God's plans and actions are so profound, so complex, that human minds cannot fully comprehend them.
Why Unsearchable?
Imagine trying to count every star, every grain of sand, every ripple in the ocean. That's the scale of God's 'marvelous things.'
The verse doesn't just say God does great things; it calls them 'marvelous things without number.' This speaks to the sheer abundance and astonishing nature of God's creative and providential acts.
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What Are These Marvels?
Understand the original words
cheqer · Hebrew Adjective
An adjective describing actions that are far beyond human comprehension or investigation; used to highlight the transcendence and sovereignty of God.
pele · Hebrew Adjective
An adjective or participle referring to things that are wondrous, extraordinary, or miraculous, specifically those wrought by God that evoke awe and amazement.
This Psalm echoes Job's verse by proclaiming the greatness and unsearchable nature of God's might, emphasizing that His majesty is beyond human comprehension.
Romans 11:33Paul exclaims about the depth of God's wisdom and knowledge, directly paralleling Job's statement about God's unsearchable ways and marvelous deeds.
Isaiah 55:8-9These verses highlight the vast difference between God's thoughts and ways and ours, reinforcing the idea that His plans are beyond our full understanding and far greater than we can imagine.
Job 9:10In this passage, Job himself acknowledges God's incomprehensible power and marvelous works, showing a similar awe for the divine mysteries that Eliphaz is describing.
bensonJob 5:9: "Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:"
Job 5:9 . Which doth great things and unsearchable — Here Eliphaz enters upon a discourse of the infinite perfection of God’s nature and works; which he does as an argument to enforce the exhortation to seek and commit his cause to God, Job 5:8 , because God was infinitely able either to punish him yet far worse, if he continued to provoke him, or to raise him from the dust, if he humbly addressed himself to…
clarkeJob 5:9: "Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:"
Which doeth great things - No work, however complicated, is too deep for his counsel to plan; none, however stupendous, is too great for his power to execute. He who is upright is always safe in referring his cause to God, and trusting in him.
The verse isn't just saying God is powerful; it highlights that His great and marvelous works are unsearchable. This means we shouldn't expect to fully understand why He does what He does, especially when His actions seem mysterious or difficult, correcting the tendency to judge God by human logic.
Eliphaz is encouraging Job to turn to God and trust Him, arguing that God's power is immense and beyond human comprehension. He's emphasizing that God does great, mysterious, and countless marvelous things, suggesting that Job's current suffering, though unfathomable, is within the scope of God's vast and intricate workings. This is part of Eliphaz's ongoing argument that Job should not question God's justice but rather submit to His sovereign power.
Eliphaz is encouraging Job to turn to God and trust Him, arguing that God's power is immense and beyond human comprehension. He's emphasizing that God does great, mysterious, and countless marvelous things, suggesting that Job's current suffering, though unfathomable, is within the scope of God's vast and intricate workings. This is part of Eliphaz's ongoing argument that Job should not question God's justice but rather submit to His sovereign power.
"who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;" — The verse isn't just saying God is powerful; it highlights that His great and marvelous works are unsearchable. This means we shouldn't expect to fully understand why He does what He does, especi…
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Last reviewed October 2026