Sakan (H5532) asks a fundamental question: is this useful? Does it have real value? The word appears in contexts both practical (is this profitable?) and relational (to be acquainted/familiar with). In Job it appears in God's rebuke: 'Can a man be profitable [sakan] to God?' β forcing a reckoning with the nature of human usefulness before the Almighty.
Job 22:2-3 and 34:9 use sakan to probe the transactional view of righteousness β can we actually benefit God? The answer reshapes the motivation for worship: not to make ourselves useful to God (He needs nothing) but to receive from Him. The word also describes intimacy: to 'be acquainted with' God (Job 22:21) is presented as the path to prosperity and peace.