What does Job Chapter 25 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Baldad speaks of power, terror, peace in high places, soldiers and light. He asks whether man can be justified compared with God or one born of woman appear clean. His speech uses moon, stars, rottenness and worm comparisons; it does not report a decision or an achieved judgment.

Chapter breakdown

Baldad the Suhite answers with a brief speech about power and terror with God, who makes peace in His high places. He asks whether His soldiers can be numbered and upon whom His light will not arise. The passage does not expressly identify the soldiers as angels.

Baldad asks whether man can be justified compared with God or one born of a woman appear clean. He says even the moon does not shine and the stars are not pure in His sight, then asks how much less man, described as rottenness, and the son of man as a worm. These remain Baldad's comparisons and questions. The separate edition heading describes his argument as representing God's justice, before whom no man can be justified.

The story inside

Opening: Baldad speaks of power, terror, peace in high places, soldiers and light. Development: He asks whether man can be justified compared with God or one born of woman appear clean. Conclusion: His speech uses moon, stars, rottenness and worm comparisons; it does not report a decision or an achieved judgment.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Baldad speaks of power, terror, peace in high places, soldiers and light.
2
He asks whether man can be justified compared with God or one born of woman appear clean.
3
His speech uses moon, stars, rottenness and worm comparisons; it does not report a decision or an achieved judgment.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 56215–56219
25:2. Power and terror are with him, who maketh peace in his high places. 25:3. Is there any numbering of his soldiers? and upon whom shall not his light arise?
Lines 56221–56228
25:4. Can man be justified compared with God, or he that is born of a woman appear clean? 25:5. Behold even the moon doth not shine, and the stars are not pure in his sight. 25:6. How much less man that is rottenness and the son of man who is a worm?