17
You have worn the Lord out by what you keep saying. "How have we worn him out?" you ask. You have done it by saying, "All those who do evil things are good in the Lord's sight. And he is pleased with them." Or you ask, "Is God really fair?"
Reference
Greek: κατέχω (katéchō)
to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively)
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: ῥαββονί (rhabboní)
God
Hebrew: ʼâdôwn
sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)
Hebrew: ʻim
{adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)}
Hebrew: mân
who or what (properly, interrogatively, hence, also indefinitely and relatively)
Greek: διατηρέω (diatēréō)
to watch thoroughly, i.e. (positively and transitively) to observe strictly, or (negatively and reflexively) to avoid wholly
Hebrew: ʼâtsal
to separate; hence, to select, refuse, contract
Greek: λαλιά (laliá)
talk
Greek: πῶς (pōs)
an interrogative particle of manner; in what way? (sometimes the question is indirect, how?); also as exclamation, how much!
Hebrew: ʼay
where? hence how?
Greek: κατέχω (katéchō)
to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively)
Hebrew: ʼănûw
we
Greek: τοῦτον (toûton)
this (person, as objective of verb or preposition)
Greek: αἰτέω (aitéō)
to ask (in genitive case)
Hebrew: bᵉʻâʼ
to seek or ask
Greek: κατέχω (katéchō)
to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively)
Hebrew: hêm
they (only used when emphatic)
Hebrew: ʻim
{adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)}
Greek: λαλιά (laliá)
talk
Greek: ὅλος (hólos)
"whole" or "all", i.e. complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb
Hebrew: kôl
{properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)}
Greek: κατατίθημι (katatíthēmi)
to place down, i.e. deposit (literally or figuratively)
Greek: φαῦλος (phaûlos)
"foul" or "flawy", i.e. (figuratively) wicked
Greek: ἐστί (estí)
he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are
Greek: βίος (bíos)
life, i.e. (literally) the present state of existence; by implication, the means of livelihood
Hebrew: rᵉkûwsh
property (as gathered)
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: ῥαββονί (rhabboní)
God
Hebrew: ʼâdôwn
sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)
Greek: θεωρία (theōría)
spectatorship, i.e. (concretely) a spectacle
Hebrew: chăzôwth
a view
Greek: καίγε (kaíge)
and at least (or even, indeed)
Hebrew: kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: αἰτέω (aitéō)
to ask (in genitive case)
Hebrew: bᵉʻâʼ
to seek or ask
Greek: κύριος (kýrios)
supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title)
Hebrew: ʼĕlâhh
God
Greek: ἀστεῖος (asteîos)
urbane, i.e. (by implication) handsome
Hebrew: ṭûwb
good (as a noun), in the widest sense, especially goodness (superlative concretely, the best), beauty, gladness, welfare
Evil
Zephaniah 1:12
Ecclesiastes 8:11
Judgment
Isaiah 30:18
Job 36:17
Parallel theme
Isaiah 43:24
Isaiah 1:14
Job 34:17
Amos 2:13
References God
Isaiah 7:13
References Lord
Jeremiah 15:6
Verse Explanation
The people have exhausted God with their words by claiming that those who do evil are good in His sight or asking where the God of justice is, revealing their confusion about God's apparent silence toward wrongdoing.
History
Post-exilic disappointment: The community struggled with the gap between God's promises and the difficult conditions they continued to experience.