Job 34:16 (KJV)

What does Job 34:16 mean?

In Job 34:16, Elihu asks his listener to pay close attention and use discernment as he continues his argument. The verse marks a shift from addressing a group of listeners to addressing one person directly, preparing for the pointed questions that follow.

Elihu had been speaking to people he called wise in Job 34:2. Here the singular “thou” draws the address toward an individual, with Job as the likely listener in the wider conversation. Elihu’s repeated appeal to listen gives weight to what he is about to say.

The Hebrew behind Job 34:16

• “understanding” — בִּינָה (binah): This word often refers to discernment or the ability to grasp a matter. Elihu appeals to his listener’s capacity to weigh an argument, not merely to hear a sound.
• “hearken” — אָזַן (ʾazan): This word carries the sense of giving ear or listening attentively. Alongside “hear,” it strengthens Elihu’s call for attention.

Why Job 34:16 matters

• Elihu is inviting a response to an argument, not simply announcing a conclusion. The questions that follow in Job 34:17 press his listener to consider whether someone who hates justice could govern.
• The phrase “the voice of my words” presents Elihu’s speech as something to be heard in the moment. Job’s story is framed as a spoken exchange, and this verse makes the listener’s attention part of that exchange.
• The conditional wording, “If now thou hast understanding,” makes Elihu’s appeal pointed. It calls on the listener’s discernment while also challenging that listener to demonstrate it.