he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "and they know not" isn't just about mountains being unaware; it highlights the sheer suddenness of God's power, like an earthquake striking without warning. This isn't about God being angry at the mountains, but rather demonstrating his overwhelming might in ways that humans can’t predict or control, even when it impacts their world drastically.
he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is reeling from unimaginable loss and questioning God's justice, so he launches into a powerful description of God's immense, untamable power. He's not just listing random facts about God; he's arguing that God's sovereign might is so vast and mysterious that humans can't possibly comprehend or contend with it. This verse, with its imagery of mountains being moved as if they were nothing, serves as a stark example of God's terrifying, awe-inspiring ability to reshape the world in an instant, often in ways we can't perceive or understand until it's too late.
How can something as immense as a mountain just disappear? Job uses imagery of massive, inexplicable change to describe God's power.
Job is painting a picture of God's overwhelming might, not through slow, planned actions, but through sudden, almost undetectable events. Think of earthquakes – they can reshape landscapes in an instant, yet people are often caught completely unaware. The phrase 'and they know not' highlights this unexpectedness. It's a power so immense and swift that its effects are realized only after it has happened, leaving us astonished and unaware until it's too late.
This isn't just about natural disasters; it's a metaphor for how God can bring about massive shifts, sometimes in ways we don't anticipate or even understand until they're upon us. It’s a power that operates beyond human perception and control.
What does it mean for God's 'anger' to move mountains? Job connects immense natural power with God's emotional response.
Job isn't just talking about abstract power; he's linking this mountain-moving force to God's 'anger.' This isn't a petty, human-like rage. Instead, it signifies God's righteous opposition to evil and injustice. When the earth shakes and mountains are overturned, Job sees it as a manifestation of God's displeasure with humanity and its sin.
This imagery serves as a stark reminder that God is not indifferent to the world's brokenness. His power, when unleashed in judgment or correction, is formidable and can lead to dramatic, landscape-altering events, reflecting His holy opposition to sin.
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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.
ragaz · Hebrew Verb
An act of God, often manifesting His power in creation or judgment, causing the foundations of the world to move or react to His presence.
ammud · Hebrew Noun
Metaphorical or literal supports of the earth, often representing the stability of the created order, which rests entirely upon the sustaining power of God.
This passage vividly describes mountains shaking and trembling before the Lord, echoing the immense, uncontrollable power that Job is describing.
Psalm 114:3-7These verses poetically recount how the sea, Jordan, mountains, and hills react to the presence of the Lord, showing how creation itself is subject to His might.
Jeremiah 4:24This prophetic declaration paints a picture of cosmic upheaval where mountains melt and the heavens are dark, illustrating God's power to utterly dismantle His creation in judgment.
Matthew 17:20Jesus speaks about having faith that can move mountains, directly referencing the imagery of moving mountains as a demonstration of extraordinary, divine power.
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" isn't just about mountains being unaware; it highlights the sheer suddenness of God's power, like an earthquake striking without warning. This isn't about God being angry at the mountains, but rather demonstrating his overwhelming might in ways that humans can’t predict or control, even when it impacts their world drastically.
Job is reeling from unimaginable loss and questioning God's justice, so he launches into a powerful description of God's immense, untamable power. He's not just listing random facts about God; he's arguing that God's sovereign might is so vast and mysterious that humans can't possibly comprehend or contend with it. This verse, with its imagery of mountains being moved as if they were nothing, serves as a stark example of God's terrifying, awe-inspiring ability to reshape the world in an instant, often in ways we can't perceive or understand until it's too late.
Job is reeling from unimaginable loss and questioning God's justice, so he launches into a powerful description of God's immense, untamable power. He's not just listing random facts about God; he's arguing that God's sovereign might is so vast and mysterious that humans can't possibly comprehend or contend with it. This verse, with its imagery of mountains being moved as if they were nothing, serves as a stark example of God's terrifying, awe-inspiring ability to reshape the world in an instant, often in ways we can't perceive or understand until it's too late.
"he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;" — The phrase "and they know not" isn't just about mountains being unaware; it highlights the sheer suddenness of God's power, like an earthquake striking without warning. This isn't about God being ang…
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Last reviewed October 2026