King James Version

What Does Job 21:34 Mean?

Job 21:34 in the King James Version says “How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? falsehood: Heb. transgression?” — study this verse from Job chapter 21 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? falsehood: Heb. transgression?”

Job 21:34 · KJV

Comfort

Context

32

Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb. grave: Heb. graves remain: Heb. watch in the heap

33

The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

34

How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? falsehood: Heb. transgression?

Read Job 21 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Job concludes his response: 'How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?' The verb nacham (נָחַם, comfort) means to console or encourage. Hevel (הֶבֶל, vain) means emptiness, breath, or futility—the same word translated 'vanity' in Ecclesiastes. Ma'al (מַעַל, falsehood) denotes treachery, unfaithfulness, or deceit. Job indicts his friends' counsel as worthless because founded on false premises—they assumed his suffering proved sin. Their theological error made their comfort not merely ineffective but harmful.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient Near Eastern friendship included obligation to support friends in distress. Job's friends fulfilled formal requirements (sitting with him seven days, offering counsel) but failed substantively because their theology was flawed. The verse teaches that good intentions don't compensate for false doctrine—pastoral care requires both compassion and truth. Job's accusation anticipates God's verdict (42:7) that the friends spoke wrongly.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Job's critique teach us about the necessity of sound doctrine in pastoral care?
  2. What is the difference between comfort based on truth and well-intentioned counsel based on falsehood?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 6 words
וְ֭אֵיךְ1 of 6
H349

how? or how!; also where

תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי2 of 6

“How then comfort”

H5162

properly, to sigh, i.e., breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e., (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavo

הָ֑בֶל3 of 6

“ye me in vain”

H1892

emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb

וּ֝תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם4 of 6

“seeing in your answers”

H8666

a recurrence (of time or place); a reply (as returned)

נִשְׁאַר5 of 6

“there remaineth”

H7604

properly, to swell up, i.e., be (causatively, make) redundant

מָֽעַל׃6 of 6

“falsehood”

H4604

treachery, i.e., sin

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Job. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Job 21:34 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Job 21:34 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Job 16:2Job 32:3Job 13:4Job 42:7

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