Job 35:12 Meaning: The Cry That Goes Unanswered
There they cry, but no one answers, because of the pride of evil men.
There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
There they cry, but none giveth answer, Because of the pride of evil men.
There they cry, and He doth not answer, Because of the pride of evil doers.
There they cry, and he answereth not, because of the pride of evil men.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Job 35:12 say they cry but no one answers? Pride blocks the cry from becoming true prayer. Find out what this means for you.
Context
Elihu is speaking to Job in the middle of the story. Job has been insisting that God ignores the suffering of innocent people. In chapter 24, he said the oppressed groan and God does not hold the oppressors accountable. Now Elihu answers that charge. He points out that people cry out when they are crushed, but they do not ask for God himself. They complain about their pain, but they never say, “Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?” The verse we are looking at draws a line between that kind of cry and the one God hears. Something is in the way.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for “pride” here is ga’on. It can mean majesty or excellence, but more often it carries the sense of arrogance, the kind that lifts a person up and refuses to bend. That is the force in this verse. The other key word is the phrase “because of,” which in Hebrew is mippeney, literally “from the face of.” It pictures the cry coming out of the presence of pride. So the problem is not simply that evil people are proud; the problem is that the cry itself is shaped by that pride. The word for “cry,” tsa’aq, is the same word used elsewhere for desperate calls for help. But here the cry is hollow. It is noise made in the direction of pain, not toward the One who can help. That is why there is no answer.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this verse in two main ways. Some, like Matthew Henry and Adam Clarke, see the pride as belonging to the oppressors. The sufferers cry because of the arrogance of wicked people, but they do not call on God, so He does not answer. Others, like Albert Barnes and the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary, see the pride as the sufferers’ own. Even in their affliction, they are too proud to humble themselves and pray. Both readings agree on one thing: the silence is not because God is distant. It is because the cry is not directed toward Him. The difference is in who is proud, and both interpretations have support from the text.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that Job 35:12 teaches that God ignores the cries of the oppressed. In fact, the verse is about the kind of cry that comes from pride, whether the oppressor’s or the sufferer’s. The problem is not that God is unwilling to hear; it is that the cry never reaches Him as a prayer. It is a complaint, not a call to the Maker who gives songs in the night.
Living This Out
Think about the last time you were hurt or treated unfairly. Did you cry out to anyone who would listen? Or did you stop and say, “Where is God in this?” Elihu is not blaming the victim, but he is asking an honest question: are you looking for relief, or are you looking for God? This week, when something stings, try turning your complaint into a question for the Lord. Even a simple “God, I need You” changes the direction of your cry.
Main takeaway: Pride turns our cries for help into empty noise, but humility opens the way for God to answer.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When you are sad or someone is mean, you can cry. But God wants you to talk to Him. Don’t just cry, call out to Jesus. He hears you when you ask for His help.
For ages 9, 12
Have you ever complained about something but never actually prayed about it? That is what this verse is talking about. Sometimes we are so upset that we just shout about how unfair it is, but we don’t stop to ask God for help. Pride can keep us from praying. The next time you feel crushed by a problem, try taking a breath and saying, “God, I need You.” That changes everything.
Questions People Ask
Does Job 35:12 mean God doesn’t care about people who are treated unfairly?
No. The verse is not about how God feels; it is about what kind of cry He responds to. The people in the verse cry out because of oppression, but they do not call on God. Their cry is not a prayer. God cares deeply about injustice, but He wants us to turn to Him, not just vent our pain.
What does “pride of evil men” refer to in this verse?
There are two common interpretations. Some think it means the arrogance of the oppressors that causes the suffering. Others think it means the pride in the sufferers themselves, they are too proud to humble themselves and pray. Both views see pride as the reason the cry is not answered.
How does this verse connect with other parts of the Bible about unanswered prayer?
It echoes passages like Psalm 18:41, where the people cry but God does not save because they did not trust Him. It also connects to Proverbs 1:28, where they call but God does not answer because they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. The pattern is that the quality of the cry matters, not just the volume.
Is Elihu right in what he says to Job?
Elihu’s point is that God is not unjust if He does not answer a cry that is not directed to Him. However, Elihu does not know that Job’s suffering is not a punishment for hidden pride. So his explanation is partial. The book of Job eventually shows that God answers out of His own freedom, not because we have perfected our prayers.
What does “there” mean in Job 35:12?
The Hebrew word sham means “there” or “then.” It points back to the situation described in verses 9, 11: the setting where people cry under oppression but do not ask for God. So verse 12 means, “In that condition, they cry, but no one answers.” It is the same place, the same moment, but the cry is still empty.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study