Job 5:17 (KJV)

What does Job 5:17 mean?

Job 5:17 says that a person is fortunate when God corrects them, and so they should not reject or resent the discipline that comes from God. The verse encourages accepting God’s correction as something ultimately good, not as something to be despised.

In this verse, Eliphaz is speaking to Job, trying to comfort him by saying that God’s correction is a sign of care, not rejection. Eliphaz’s point is that suffering or discipline from God should be seen as a blessing, because it means God is involved in a person’s life. This is part of Eliphaz’s broader argument that God uses hardship to teach and improve people.

The Hebrew behind Job 5:17

• "happy" (אַשְׁרֵי, ’ashrei): This word means "blessed" or "fortunate," not just a feeling of happiness. It points to a deeper sense of well-being that comes from being in the right place with God.
• "chastening" (מוּסָר, musar): This word means "discipline," "instruction," or "correction." It often refers to the kind of teaching that comes through correction or even hardship, not just punishment.
• "despise" (מָאַס, ma’as): This means to "reject" or "treat as worthless." The verse warns not to treat God’s discipline lightly or with contempt, but to value it.

Why Job 5:17 matters

• Job 5:17 helps clear up the idea that God’s correction is a sign of anger or abandonment; instead, it is presented as a sign of care and blessing.
• The verse highlights a theme found throughout the Bible: discipline from God is meant for growth and good, not just for punishment.
• In the context of Job, this verse shows how Job’s friends interpret suffering—as something that always has a corrective purpose—though the book as a whole later challenges this simple view.