Old Testament • 6 Verses
Job 25 opens with the words: "Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:" Across its 6 verses, two threads run through the text: holiness and justice and care for the poor. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.
1Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:
2Power and terror are with him, who maketh peace in his high places.
3Is there any numbering of his soldiers? and upon whom shall not his light arise?
4Can man be justified compared with God, or he that is born of a woman appear clean?
5Behold even the moon doth not shine, and the stars are not pure in his sight.
6How much more is man than rottenness and the son of man than a worm?
“Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:”
Job 25:1
“Can man be justified compared with God, or he that is born of a woman appear clean?”
Job 25:4
Job belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for all who wrestle with the mystery of suffering and God's justice. Chapter 25 of 42 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a wisdom instruction on how to live before God in ordinary circumstances with 6 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter begins: "Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:" The final verse reads: "How much more is man than rottenness and the son of man than a worm? " In terms of historical background, Job confronts the deepest human question: why do the innocent suffer? Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Job around Uncertain; commonly dated between the 7th and 4th centuries BC.
Unknown inspired poet of Israel
Uncertain; commonly dated between the 7th and 4th centuries BC
The sage addresses concrete situations—speech, work, relationships, and fear of the Lord. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:" The passage repeatedly touches on holiness before God.
According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of suffering, faith, and divine mystery. the Church sees Job as prefiguring Christ in innocent suffering (CIC 1502). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 1700).
For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.
Catholic exegesis approaches Job Chapter 25 with reverence, seeking both the literal sense and the spiritual meaning ordered to Christ.
Catholic theology recognizes that suffering, faith, and divine mystery is not an abstract idea but a reality encountered in prayer, sacraments, and charity. This chapter contributes to that vision by stressing the reality of spiritual combat and vigilance.
May your reading of Job Chapter 25 become true lectio divina: read the words, meditate on their meaning, respond in prayer, and rest in God's presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to show how God's ways transcend human understanding applies to your life today.
💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings
Deepen your understanding with these related articles
You read God's Word daily — but do you know where you truly stand in your Catholic life?
Join 10,000+ Catholics who have already discovered their level of faith practice. Takes only 5 minutes. No registration needed.
Instant results • Discover your faith level