Job 9:5
he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "and they know not" doesn't mean the mountains are literally unaware, but highlights the sheer, sudden speed of God's power. It captures how devastating divine anger can strike without any warning, transforming the earth in the blink of an eye.
Job is grappling with immense suffering and trying to understand God's justice. He's not just asking abstract questions; he's facing unimaginable loss and feels completely overpowered, leading him to question God's fairness in the face of such immense and terrifying displays of divine power, like sudden, catastrophic earthquakes that reshaped the earth without warning.
Ever felt like disaster struck out of nowhere? Job paints a picture of God's power that operates with startling speed and surprise.
Job is using powerful imagery to describe God's awesome might, contrasting it with human limitations. The phrase 'and they know not' isn't about the mountains being oblivious; it's a way to say that God's actions are so swift and unexpected that they happen before anyone can perceive or react. Think of earthquakes or volcanic eruptions – immense geological events that can reshape landscapes in an instant, catching everyone completely off guard.
This highlights God's sovereignty over the very foundations of the earth. He can bring about monumental changes without warning, demonstrating a power far beyond human comprehension or control.
Job connects the earth-shattering power of God to His emotions. What does this mean for us?
Job doesn't just speak of God's power in the abstract; he links it directly to God's 'anger.' This isn't a petty, human rage, but a righteous, holy opposition to evil and injustice. When Job describes God overturning mountains 'in his anger,' he's suggesting that these immense displays of power can be acts of judgment.
This helps us understand that the forces of nature, and indeed all of history, can be instruments in God's hand to express His displeasure with sin and to bring about His purposes. It’s a sobering thought, reminding us of the seriousness of sin and the reality of divine judgment.
Understand the original words
aph · Hebrew Noun
The divine emotion of displeasure or righteous indignation against sin, ungodliness, or opposition; it is God’s settled, holy reaction against that which violates His nature.
This passage describes the earth shaking and mountains trembling before the Lord, powerfully illustrating God's immense power over creation, just as Job is describing.
Psalm 65:6This psalm echoes Job's language, speaking of God who 'by his strength set fast the mountains,' highlighting His sovereign control over even the most massive geological features.
Jeremiah 4:24This prophetic passage uses similar imagery of mountains smoking and trembling, linking these natural upheavals to divine judgment and anger.
Matthew 17:20Jesus speaks of faith that can move mountains, directly referencing the idea of mountains being shifted, and connecting it to the power God grants to His followers.
Zechariah 14:4This prophecy foretells a future event where the Mount of Olives will be split by God's power, directly illustrating the concept of mountains being moved as a demonstration of divine might and intervention.
clarkeJob 9:5: "Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger."
Removeth the mountains, and they know not - This seems to refer to earthquakes. By those strong convulsions, mountains, valleys, hills, even whole islands, are removed in an instant; and to this latter circumstance the words, they know not, most probably refer. The work is done in the twinkling of an eye; no warning is given; the mountain, that seemed to be as firm as the earth on which it rested, w…
barnesJob 9:5: "Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger."
Which removeth the mountains - In order to show how vain it was to contend with God, Job refers to some exhibitions of his power and greatness. The "removal of the mountains" here denotes the changes which occur in earthquakes and other violent convulsions of nature. This illustration of the power of God is often referred to in the Scriptures; compare Judges 5:5 ; 1 Kings 19:11 ; Psalm 65:6 ; Psalm…
The phrase "and they know not" doesn't mean the mountains are literally unaware, but highlights the sheer, sudden speed of God's power. It captures how devastating divine anger can strike without any warning, transforming the earth in the blink of an eye.
Job is grappling with immense suffering and trying to understand God's justice. He's not just asking abstract questions; he's facing unimaginable loss and feels completely overpowered, leading him to question God's fairness in the face of such immense and terrifying displays of divine power, like sudden, catastrophic earthquakes that reshaped the earth without warning.
Job is grappling with immense suffering and trying to understand God's justice. He's not just asking abstract questions; he's facing unimaginable loss and feels completely overpowered, leading him to question God's fairness in the face of such immense and terrifying displays of divine power, like sudden, catastrophic earthquakes that reshaped the earth without warning.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Job 9:5 is available in the Sola app.
"he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger," — The phrase "and they know not" doesn't mean the mountains are literally unaware, but highlights the sheer, sudden speed of God's power. It captures how devastating divine anger can strike without any…
