Job 23:13 (LSB)

Passage

But He is unique and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does.

Nearby Context

Job 23:11 My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.

Job 23:12 I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my portion of food.

Job 23:13 But He is unique and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does.

Job 23:14 For He performs what is apportioned for me, And many such decrees are with Him.

Job 23:15 Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence; I carefully consider, and I am in dread of Him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "unique", "turn", "soul", "desires", and "does". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "unique" and "turn", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "I have not departed from the command..." into verse 14's "For He performs what is apportioned for...", so "unique" and "turn" belong inside that flow. In Job context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "unique" and "turn" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.