Job 36:24 Meaning: Remember to Magnify His Work
“Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.
Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
Remember that thou magnify his work, Whereof men have sung.
Remember that thou magnify His work That men have beheld.
Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
Meaning in one sentence
Elihu calls Job to remember to magnify God's work that people have sung about, a plea to trust God's greatness even in suffering.
Context
The book of Job pulls back the curtain on a man who lost everything, and on the friends who came to explain why. By chapter 36, Elihu, the youngest of those friends, has been speaking for some time. He is not accusing Job of secret sin, as the others did. Instead, he insists that God is always just and always great. In this verse, Elihu gives Job a direct command: remember to magnify God's work. The phrase has the ring of something people already do, they sing about what God has made and done. Elihu is saying that this posture of praise, not complaint, is the right response to a God whose ways we cannot fully track.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this verse. The first is zakhar, 'remember.' It is not a gentle suggestion to call something to mind if you happen to think of it. This is an active, intentional remembering, the kind that shapes how you see everything else. The second word is tasgi, translated 'magnify.' It comes from a root that means to grow great or increase. You are not making God's work bigger than it is. You are letting it become large in your own mind and speech, acknowledging its full size. The third word is shoreru, 'they have sung.' This is public, joyful praise. People have been lifting their voices about God's work for generations. Elihu is telling Job to join that song, not because the pain has stopped, but because the song is true.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have heard this verse as a call to trust. Matthew Henry, in his Reformed commentary, says Elihu is trying to 'possess Job with great and high thoughts of God.' He sees the command as a reason to accept God's providence without grumbling. The Baptist commentator John Gill takes it further, saying 'his work' includes the specific affliction God has placed on Job. To magnify that work is to bear it patiently. Adam Clarke, a Methodist, urges readers to survey God's works in nature and see wisdom, power and goodness. Each tradition finds the same core: when you cannot understand God's ways, you can still honor what He does. The song does not depend on your circumstances.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think 'magnify' means to flatter God or stretch the truth about His work, as if we are polishing something dull. In fact, the Hebrew word means to make something great in your mind and to speak of it as great. The work already is magnificent. The command is to stop shrinking it down to fit our small understanding, and instead let it fill our vision the way it deserves.
Living This Out
This week you will face something you wish were different. A doctor's report. A boss who does not see your effort. A silence in prayer that leaves you wondering. Before the complaint forms, try this: stop and name one thing God has done that is genuinely good. Maybe it is the rain that soaked the garden last night. Maybe it is the friend who texted you. Say it out loud. That act of remembering is the beginning of magnifying. You do not have to understand everything to declare that His work is great. People have been singing about it for thousands of years. Today you can add your voice.
Main takeaway: God's work is great, and our calling is to remember and declare that greatness, even when we do not understand it.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
People sing about how great God is. This verse says we should remember to tell others how great God's work is, too. You can do that today.
For ages 9, 12
When something hard happens, it is easy to think God is not doing anything good. Elihu told Job to remember to magnify God's work, to think about how big and amazing it really is. People have been praising God for thousands of years, even when life was difficult. You can join that song today by looking for one good thing God has done and saying thank you.
Questions People Ask
Who is Elihu and why is he telling Job to magnify God's work?
Elihu is the youngest of Job's friends. He speaks after the other three have finished. He believes God is just and great, and he wants Job to stop accusing God and start trusting Him. This verse is part of that appeal.
What does it mean to 'magnify' God's work?
The Hebrew word means to make great in your mind and to speak of as great. You are not making God's work bigger than it is. You are fully acknowledging its true size and worth, especially when you are tempted to shrink it down to fit your suffering.
What is the 'work' Elihu is talking about?
It includes everything God does, creation, providence, and also the specific affliction Job is experiencing. Commentators like John Gill see the affliction itself as God's work that deserves to be magnified with patience.
How does this verse help with suffering?
It moves the focus from asking 'why' to remembering 'who.' By calling Job to magnify God's work that people sing about, Elihu invites him to stand with the generations who have praised God even when they did not fully understand.
Does 'sung' mean literal singing, or is it a metaphor?
The Hebrew word is about singing, joyful, public praise. It suggests that people have always responded to God's greatness with songs. Elihu is telling Job to join that tradition, not to replace it with complaint.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study