What Does Job 42:7 Mean in the King James?

And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

Job 42:7 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

“Right” carries the sense of what stands established, so God accepts Job’s words while rebuking his friends’ speech about him.

THE MEANING

This verse puts the reader before a hard measure: words that claim to defend God can still fail to speak truly about him. It allows speech that wrestles openly with God to stand as truer than explanations that defend him falsely.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

Confidently defending God does not automatically mean speaking rightly about God.

THE ROOT

נְכוֹנָה

nekhonah

GROWS FROM

כון

⁨כון⁩ (kun) means to be firm, established, set up, or prepared.

The phrase translated “the thing that is right” uses ⁨נְכוֹנָה⁩, from ⁨כון⁩: what is spoken is weighed as established, sound, or rightly set. The distinction is between words that stand true before God and words that do not, not between polished speech and rough speech.

ALSO GROWS

hekin: to establish, prepare, or make ready

הֵכִין

This verb shares the root ⁨כון⁩ and shows how what is sound can be set in place or made ready.

makon: a fixed place, dwelling, or foundation

מָכוֹן

A ⁨מָכוֹן⁩ is something established in place, echoing the firmness carried by “right” in this verse.

THE PATTERN

Speech about God is measured by its truth, even when its speaker claims to honor or defend him.

He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

Proverbs 12:17 · KJVThis verse also makes truthfulness, rather than the speaker’s claim, the measure of what their words reveal.

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Matthew 15:8 · KJVWords of honor can fail to express what is true within the speaker.

And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

John 8:45 · KJVTruth can be rejected even when it is spoken plainly, so reception and confidence do not determine whether words are true.

THE THREAD

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Proverbs 4:26 · KJV

“Right” in Job comes from ⁨כון⁩ (kun), the root of being established; Proverbs uses the same root when it says, “let all thy ways be established.” The shared root connects truthful speech with what can stand firm.

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