Bible in 90 Days
Bildad Says Man Is Inferior
25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,
2
“Dominion and awe belong to God;
He establishes peace and order in His high places.
3
“Is there any number to His [vast celestial] armies?
And upon whom does His light not rise?
4
“How then can man be justified and righteous with God?
Or how can he who is born of a woman be pure and clean?(A)
5
“Behold, even the moon has no brightness [compared to God’s majesty and glory]
And the stars are not pure in His sight,
6
How much less man, that maggot,
And the son of man, that worm!”
Job Rebukes Bildad
26 But Job answered and said,
2
“What a help you are to the weak (powerless)!
How you have saved the arm that is without strength!
3
“How you have counseled the one who has no wisdom!
And how abundantly you have provided sound wisdom and helpful insight!
4
“To whom have you uttered [these] words?
And whose spirit [inspired what] came forth from you?
The Greatness of God
5
“The spirits of the dead tremble
Underneath the waters and their inhabitants.
6
“Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) is naked before God,
And Abaddon (the place of destruction) has no covering [from His eyes].
7
“It is He who spreads out the north over emptiness
And [a]hangs the earth on nothing.
8
“He wraps the waters in His clouds [which otherwise would spill on earth all at once],
And the cloud does not burst under them.
9
“He covers the face of the [b]full moon
And spreads His cloud over it.
10
“He has inscribed a circular limit (the horizon) on the face of the waters
At the boundary between light and darkness.
11
“The pillars of the heavens tremble
And are terrified at His rebuke.
12
“He stirred up the sea by His power,
And by His understanding He smashed [proud] [c]Rahab.
13
“By His breath the heavens are cleared;
His hand has pierced the [swiftly] fleeing serpent.(B)
14
“Yet these are just the fringes of His ways [mere samples of His power],
The faintest whisper of His voice!
Who can contemplate the thunder of His [full] mighty power?”
Job Affirms His Righteousness
27 Job continued his discourse and said,
2
“As God lives, who has taken away my right and denied me justice,
And the Almighty, who has caused bitterness and grief for my soul,
3
As long as my life is within me,
And the breath of God is [still] in my nostrils,
4
My lips will not speak unjustly,
Nor will my tongue utter deceit.
5
“Far be it from me that I should admit you are right [in your accusations against me];
Until I die, I will not remove my integrity from me.
6
“I hold fast my uprightness and my right standing with God and I will not let them go;
My heart does not reproach me for any of my days.
The State of the Godless
7
“May my enemy be as the wicked,
And he who rises up against me be as the unrighteous (unjust).
8
“For what is the hope of the godless, even though he has gained [in this world],
When God takes his life?
9
“Will God hear his cry
When trouble and distress come upon him?
10
“Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11
“I will teach you regarding the hand (power) of God;
I will not conceal what is with the Almighty [God’s actual treatment of the wicked].
12
“Behold, all of you have seen it;
Why then do you act vainly and foolishly [cherishing worthless concepts]?
13
“This [which I am about to explain] is the portion of a wicked man from God,
And the inheritance which tyrants and oppressors receive from the Almighty:
14
“Though his children are many, they are destined for the sword;
And his descendants will not have sufficient bread.
15
“Those who survive him will be buried because of the plague,
And [their] widows will not be able to weep.
16
“Though he heaps up silver like dust
And piles up clothing like clay,
17
He may prepare it, but the just will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18
“He builds his house like a spider’s web,
Like a (temporary) hut which a watchman makes.
19
“He lies down rich, but never will again;
He opens his eyes, and it is gone.
20
“Terrors overtake him like a [suddenly rising] flood;
A windstorm steals him away in the night.
21
“The east wind lifts him up, and he is gone;
It sweeps him out of his place.
22
“For it will hurl [thunderbolts of God’s wrath] at him unsparingly and without compassion;
He flees in haste from its power.
23
“People will clap their hands at him [to mock and ridicule him]
And hiss him out of his place.
Job Tells of Earth’s Treasures
28 “Surely there is a mine for silver,
And a place where they refine gold.
2
“Iron is taken out of the earth,
And copper is smelted from the stone ore.
3
“Man puts an end to darkness [by bringing in a light],
And to the farthest bounds he searches out
The rock buried in gloom and deep shadow.
4
“He breaks open (mine) shafts far away from where people live,
[In places] forgotten by the [human] foot;
They dangle [in the mines] and hang away from men.
5
“[As for] the earth, out of it comes food,
But underneath [its surface, down deep] it is turned over as fire.
6
“Its stones are the bed of sapphires;
It holds dust of gold.
7
“The path [deep within] no bird of prey knows,
And the falcon’s eye has not caught sight of it.
8
“The proud beasts [and their young] have not walked on it,
Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.
9
“Man puts his hand on [and tears apart] the flinty rock;
He overturns the mountains at the base [looking for treasure].
10
“He cuts out channels and passages among the rocks;
And his eye sees every precious thing.
11
“Man dams up the streams from flowing [so that they do not trickle into the mine],
And what is hidden he brings out to the light.
The Search for Wisdom Is Harder
12
“But where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13
“Man does not know the value of it;
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14
“The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;
And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15
“It cannot be obtained for pure gold,
Nor can silver be weighed as its price.
16
“It cannot be valued in [terms of] the gold of Ophir,
In the precious onyx or beryl, or the sapphire.
17
“Gold and glass cannot equal wisdom,
Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold.
18
“No mention of coral and crystal can be made;
For the possession of wisdom is even above [that of] rubies or pearls.
19
“The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it,
Nor can it be valued in pure gold.
20
“From where then does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
21
“It is hidden from the eyes of all the living
And concealed from the birds of the heavens.
22
“Abaddon (the place of destruction) and Death say,
‘We have [only] heard a report of it with our ears.’
23
“God understands the way [to wisdom]
And He knows its place [for wisdom is with God alone].
24
“For He looks to the ends of the earth
And sees everything under the heavens.
25
“When He gave weight and pressure to the wind
And allotted the waters by measure,
26
When He made a limit for the rain
And a way for the thunderbolt,
27
Then He saw wisdom and declared it;
He established it and searched it out.
28
“But to man He said, ‘Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord—that is wisdom;
And to depart from evil is understanding.’”
Job’s Past Was Glorious
29 And Job again took up his discussion and said,
2
“Oh, that I were as in the months of old,
As in the days when God watched over me,(C)
3
When His lamp shone upon my head
And by His light I walked through darkness;
4
As I was in the prime of my days,
When the friendship and counsel of God were over my tent,
5
When [d]the Almighty was still with me
And my boys were around me,
6
When my steps [through rich pastures] were washed with butter and cream [from my livestock],
And the rock poured out for me streams of oil [from my olive groves].
7
“When I went out to the gate of the city,
When I took my seat [as a city father] in the square,
8
The young men saw me and hid themselves,
The aged arose and stood [respectfully];
9
The princes stopped talking
And put their hands on their mouths;
10
The voices of the nobles were hushed,
And their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11
“For when an ear heard [my name mentioned], it called me happy and fortunate;
And when an eye saw [me], it testified for me [approvingly],
12
Because I rescued the poor who cried for help,
And the orphan who had no helper.
13
“The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me,
And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14
“I put on [e]righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban!
15
“I was eyes to the blind
And I was feet to the lame.
16
“I was a father to the needy;
I investigated the case I did not know [and assured justice].
17
“And I smashed the jaws of the wicked
And snatched the prey from his teeth.
18
“Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest,
And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19
‘My root is spread out and open to the waters,
And the dew lies all night upon my branch.
20
‘My glory and honor are fresh in me [being constantly renewed],
And my bow gains [ever] new strength in my hand.’
21
“They listened to me and waited
And kept silent for my counsel.
22
“After I spoke, they did not speak again,
And my speech dropped upon them [like a refreshing shower].
23
“They waited for me [and for my words] as for the rain,
And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24
“I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not diminish the light of my face.
25
“I chose a way for them and sat as chief,
And dwelt as a king among his soldiers,
As one who comforts mourners.
Job’s Present State Is Humiliating
30 “But now those younger than I mock and laugh at me,
Whose fathers I refused to put with the sheepdogs of my flock.
2
“Indeed, how could the strength of their hands profit me?
Vigor had perished from them.
3
“They are gaunt with want and famine;
They gnaw the dry and barren ground by night in [the gloom of] waste and desolation.
4
“They pluck [and eat] [f]saltwort (mallows) among the bushes,
And their food is the root of the broom shrub.
5
“They are driven from the community;
They shout after them as after a thief.
6
“They must dwell on the slopes of [g]wadis
And in holes in the ground and in rocks.
7
“Among the bushes they cry out [like wild animals];
Beneath the prickly scrub they gather and huddle together.
8
“They are the sons of [worthless and nameless] fools,
They have been driven out of the land.
9
“And now I have become [the subject of] their taunting;
Yes, I am a [h]byword and a laughingstock to them.
10
“They hate me, they stand aloof from me,
And do not refrain from spitting in my face.
11
“For God has loosed His bowstring [attacking me] and [He has] afflicted and humbled me;
They have cast off the bridle [of restraint] before me.
12
“On my right the [rabble] brood rises;
They push my feet away, and they build up their ways of destruction against me [like an advancing army].
13
“They break up and clutter my path [upsetting my plans],
They profit from my destruction;
No one restrains them.
14
“As through a wide breach they come,
Amid the crash [of falling walls] they roll on [over me].
15
“Terrors are turned upon me;
They chase away my honor and reputation like the wind,
And my prosperity has passed away like a cloud.
16
“And now my soul is poured out within me;
The days of affliction have seized me.
17
“My bones are pierced [with aching] in the night season,
And the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
18
“By the great force [of my disease] my garment (skin) is disfigured and blemished;
It binds about me [choking me] like the collar of my coat.
19
“God has cast me into the mire [a swampland of crisis],
And I have become [worthless] like dust and ashes.
20
“I cry to You for help, [Lord,] but You do not answer me;
I stand up, but You [only] gaze [indifferently] at me.
21
“You have become harsh and cruel to me;
With the might of Your hand You [keep me alive only to] persecute me.
22
“You lift me up on the wind and cause me to ride [upon it];
And You toss me about in the tempest and dissolve me in the storm.
23
“For I know that You will bring me to death
And to the house of meeting [appointed] for all the living.
24
“However, does not one falling in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand?
Or in his disaster [will he not] therefore cry out for help?
25
“Did I not weep for one whose life was hard and filled with trouble?
Was not my heart grieved for the needy?
26
“When I expected good, then came evil [to me];
And when I waited for light, then came darkness.
27
“I am seething within and my heart is troubled and cannot rest;
Days of affliction come to meet me.
28
“I go about mourning without comfort [my skin blackened by disease, not by the heat of the sun];
I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.
29
“I am a brother to [howling] jackals,
And a companion to ostriches [which scream dismally].
30
“My skin falls from me in blackened flakes,
And my bones are burned with fever.
31
“Therefore my lyre (harp) is used for [the sound of] mourning,
And my flute for the [sound of the] voices of those who weep.
Job Asserts His Integrity
31 “I have made a covenant (agreement) with my eyes;
How then could I gaze [lustfully] at a virgin?
2
“For what is the portion I would have from God above,
And what heritage from the Almighty on high?
3
“Does not tragedy fall [justly] on the unjust
And disaster to those who work wickedness?
4
“Does not God see my ways
And count all my steps?
5
“If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has chased after deceit,
6
Oh, let Him weigh me with accurate scales,
And let God know my integrity.
7
“If my step has turned away from the way [of God],
Or if my heart has [covetously] followed my eyes,
Or if any spot [of guilt] has stained my hands,
8
Then let me plant and [let] another eat [from the results of my labor],
And let my crops be uprooted and ruined.
9
“If my heart has been enticed and I was made a fool by a woman,
Or if I have [covetously] lurked at my neighbor’s door [until his departure],
10
Let my wife grind [meal, like a bond slave] for another [man],
And let others [i]kneel down over her.
11
“For adultery is a heinous and lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be a sin punishable by the judges.(D)
12
“For it is a fire which consumes to Abaddon (destruction, ruin, final torment);
And [illicit passion] would burn and rage and uproot all my [life’s] increase [destroying everything].
13
“If I have despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants
When they filed a complaint against me,
14
What then could I do when God arises [to judge me]?
When He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?(E)
15
“Did not He who made me in the womb make my servant,
And did not the same One fashion us both in the womb?(F)
16
“If I have withheld from the poor what they desired,
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to look in vain [for relief],
17
Or have eaten my morsel [of food] alone,
And did not share it with the orphan
18
(But from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father,
And from my mother’s womb I have been the widow’s guide),
19
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor person without covering,
20
If his loins have not thanked and blessed me [for clothing them],
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21
If I have lifted my hand against the orphan,
Because I saw [that the judges would be] my help at the [council] gate,
22
Then let my shoulder fall away from its socket,
And my arm be broken off at the elbow.
23
“For tragedy from God is a terror to me,
And because of His majesty and exaltation I can do nothing [nor endure facing Him].(G)
24
“If I have put my trust and confidence in gold,
Or have declared fine gold my hope and assurance,
25
If I gloated and rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my [powerful] hand [alone] had obtained so much,
26
If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shone
Or the moon going in its splendor,
27
And my heart became secretly enticed [by them],
And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth [in respect to them],
28
This also would have been [a heinous] sin calling for judgment,
For I would have denied God above.(H)
29
“Have I rejoiced at the destruction of the enemy [who hated me],
Or exulted [in malicious triumph] when evil overtook him?
30
“No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By cursing my enemy and asking for his life.
31
“I assure you, the men of my tent have said,
‘Who can find one [in need] who has not been satisfied with his meat’?
32
“The stranger has not lodged in the street,
Because I have opened my door to the traveler.
33
“Have I concealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men,
By hiding my wickedness in my bosom,
34
Because I feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?
35
“Oh, that I had one to listen to me!
Look, here is my signature (mark);
Let the Almighty answer me!
Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].
36
“Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder,
And bind the scroll around my head like a crown.
37
“I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life],
Approaching His presence as if I were a prince.
38
“For if my land has cried out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39
If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them,
Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives,
40
Let thorns grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley.”
So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.
Elihu Rebukes Job
32 So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes [and could not be persuaded otherwise by them]. 2 But Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became indignant. His indignation was kindled and burned and he became upset with Job because he justified himself rather than God [and even expressed doubts about God’s character]. 3 Elihu’s anger burned against Job’s three friends because they had found no answer [and were unable to determine Job’s error], and yet they had condemned Job and declared him to be in the wrong [and responsible for his own afflictions]. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were years older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, he burned with anger.
6 Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said,
“I am young, and you are aged;
For that reason I was anxious and dared not tell you what I think.
7
“I thought age should speak,
And a multitude of years should teach wisdom.
8
“But there is [a vital force and] a spirit [of intelligence] in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.(I)
9
“Those [who are] abundant in years may not [always] be wise,
Nor may the elders [always] understand justice.
10
“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
I also will give you my opinion [about Job’s situation] and tell you plainly what I think.’
11
“You see, I waited for your words,
I listened to your [wise] reasons,
While you pondered and searched out what to say.
12
“I even paid close attention to [what] you [said],
Indeed, not one of you convinced Job [nor could you refute him],
Not one of you supplied [satisfactory] answers to his words.
13
“Beware if you say,
‘We have found wisdom;
God thrusts Job down [justly], not man [for God alone is dealing with him].’
14
“Now Job has not directed his words against me [therefore I have no reason to be offended],
Nor will I answer him with arguments like yours. [I speak for truth, not for revenge.]
15
“They (Job’s friends) are dismayed and embarrassed, they no longer answer;
The words have moved away and failed them,” [says Elihu].
16
“And shall I wait, because they say nothing,
But stand still and say no more?
17
“I too will give my share of answers;
I too will express my opinion and share my knowledge.
18
“For I am full of words;
The spirit within me constrains me.
19
“My belly is like unvented wine;
Like new wineskins it is about to burst.
20
“I must speak so that I may get relief;
I will open my lips and answer.
21
“I will not [I warn you] be partial to any man [that is, let my respect for you mitigate what I say];
Nor flatter any man.
22
“For I do not know how to flatter, [in an appropriate way, and I fear that],
My Maker would soon take me away.
Elihu Claims to Speak for God
33 “However, Job, please listen to my words,
And pay attention to everything I say.
2
“Behold, I have opened my mouth [to begin my speech];
My tongue in my mouth is going to speak.
3
“My words will express the uprightness of my heart,
And my lips will speak what they know with utter sincerity.
4
“The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of [j]the Almighty gives me life [which inspires me].
5
“Answer me, if you can;
Set yourselves before me, take your stand.
6
“Behold, I belong to God like you;
I too was formed out of the clay.
7
“Behold, I will not make you afraid or terrified of me [for I am only mortal and not God],
Nor should any pressure from me weigh heavily upon you.
8
“Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying:
9
‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.
10
‘Behold, God finds pretexts against me;
He counts me as His enemy.
11
‘He puts my feet in the stocks [to hinder and humiliate me];
He [suspiciously] watches all my paths,’ [you say].
12
“Look, let me answer you, in this you are not right or just;
For God is greater and far superior to man.
13
“Why do you complain against Him?
That He does not answer [you with] all His doings.
14
“For God speaks once,
And even twice, yet no one notices it [including you, Job].
15
“In a dream, a vision of the night [one may hear God’s voice],
When deep sleep falls on men
While slumbering upon the bed,
16
Then He opens the ears of men
And seals their instruction,
17
That He may turn man aside from his conduct,
And keep him from pride;
18
He holds back his soul from the pit [of destruction],
And his life from passing over into Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).
19
“Man is also disciplined with pain on his bed,
And with unceasing complaint in his bones,
20
So that his life makes him loathe food,
And his soul [loathe] even his favorite dishes.
21
“His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
And his bones which were not seen now stick out.
22
“Then his soul draws near to the pit [of destruction],
And his life to those who bring death (the destroyers).
23
“If there is an angel as a mediator for him,
One out of a thousand,
To explain to a man what is right for him [that is, how to be in right standing with God],
24
Then [k]the angel is gracious to him, and says,
‘Spare him from going down to the pit [of destruction];
I have found a ransom [a consideration, or reason for redemption, an atonement]!’
25
“Let his flesh be restored and become fresher than in youth;
Let him return to the days of his youthful strength.
26
“He will pray to God, and He shall be favorable to him,
So that he looks at His face with joy;
For God restores to man His righteousness [that is, his right standing with God—with its joys].
27
“He sings out to other men,
‘I have sinned and perverted that which was right,
And it was not proper for me!
28
‘God has redeemed my life from going to the pit [of destruction],
And my life shall see the light.’”
29
[Elihu comments,] “Behold, God does all these things [l]twice, yes, three times, with a man,
30
To bring his life back from the pit [of destruction],
That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31
“Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will speak.
32
“If you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I desire to justify you.
33
“If not [and you have nothing to say], listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice
34 Elihu continued his discourse and said,
2
“Hear my words, you wise men,
And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.
3
“For the ear puts words to the test
As the palate tastes food.
4
“Let us choose for ourselves that which is right;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5
“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous [and innocent],
But God has taken away my right;(J)
6
Although I am right, I am accounted a liar.
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7
“What man is like Job,
Who drinks up derision like water,
8
Who goes in company with those who do evil
And walks with wicked men?
9
“For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
When he takes delight and is pleased with God and obeys Him.’
10
“Therefore hear me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God that He would do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11
“For God pays a man according to his work,
And He will make every man find [appropriate] compensation according to his way.
12
“Surely God will not act wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13
“Who put God in charge over the earth?
And who has laid on Him the whole world?
14
“If God should determine to do so,
If He should gather to Himself [that is, withdraw from man] His [life-giving] spirit and His breath,
15
All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.(K)
16
“If you now have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words.
17
“Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern?
And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?
18
“God who says to a king, ‘You are worthless and vile,’
Or to princes and nobles, ‘You are wicked and evil’?
19
“Who is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich above the poor,
For they all are the work of His hands.
20
“In a moment they die, even at midnight
The people are shaken and pass away,
And the powerful are taken away without a [human] hand.
21
“For God’s eyes are on the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.(L)
22
“There is no darkness nor deep shadow
Where the evildoers may hide themselves.
23
“For He sets no appointed time for a man,
That he should appear before Him in judgment.
24
“He breaks mighty men without inquiry,
And sets others in their place.(M)
25
“Therefore He knows of their works,
And He overthrows them in the night,
So that they are crushed and destroyed.
26
“He strikes them like the wicked
In a public place,
27
Because they turned aside from following Him
And would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,(N)
28
So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And He heard the cry of the afflicted.(O)
29
“When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
When He hides His face [withdrawing His favor and help], who then can behold Him [and make supplication to Him],
Whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—
30
So that godless men would not rule
Nor be snares for the people.
31
“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured my chastisement;
I will not offend anymore;
32
Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned];
If I have done wrong (injustice, unrighteousness),
I will not do it again’?
33
“Shall God’s retribution [for your sins] be on your terms, because you refuse to accept it?
For you must do the choosing, and not I;
Therefore say what you [truthfully] know.
34
“Men of understanding will tell me,
Indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],
35
‘Job speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom and insight.
36
‘Job ought to be tried [m]to the limit
Because he answers like wicked men!
37
‘For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his [unacknowledged] sin;
He claps his hands among us [in open mockery and contempt of God],
And he multiplies his words [of accusation] against God.’”
Elihu Sharply Reproves Job
35 Elihu continued speaking [to Job] and said,
2
“Do you think this is according to [your] justice?
Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
3
“For you say, ‘What advantage have you [by living a righteous life]?
What profit will I have, more [by being righteous] than if I had sinned?’
4
“I will answer you,
And your companions with you.
5
“Look to the heavens and see;
And behold the skies which are [much] higher than you.
6
“If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?
7
“If you are righteous, what do you give God,
Or what does He receive from your hand?
8
“Your wickedness affects only a man such as you,
And your righteousness affects only [n]a son of man [but it cannot affect God, who is sovereign].
9
“Because of the multitudes of oppressions the people cry out;
They cry for help because of the [violent] arm of the mighty.
10
“But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
Who gives songs [of rejoicing] in the night,(P)
11
Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12
“The people cry out, but He does not answer
Because of the pride of evil men.
13
“Surely God will not listen to an empty cry [which lacks trust],
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14
“Even though you say that you do not see Him [when missing His righteous judgment on earth],
Yet your case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!
15
“And now, because He has not [quickly] punished in His anger,
Nor has He acknowledged transgression and arrogance well [and seems unaware of the wrong of which a person is guilty],
16
Job uselessly opens his mouth
And multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].”
Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men
36 Elihu continued and said,
2
“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you,
That there is yet more to say on God’s behalf.
3
“I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4
“For truly my words are not false;
He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5
“Behold, God is mighty, and yet does not despise anyone [nor regard any as trivial];
He is mighty in the strength and power of understanding.
6
“He does not prolong the life of the wicked,
But gives the afflicted their justice.
7
“He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous [those in right standing with Him];
But with kings upon the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
8
“And if they are bound in bonds [of adversity],
And held by cords of affliction,(Q)
9
Then He declares to them [the true character of] their deeds
And their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly [with presumption and notions of self-sufficiency].
10
“He opens their ears to instruction and discipline,
And commands that they return from evil.
11
“If they hear and serve Him,
They will end their days in prosperity
And their years in pleasantness and joy.
12
“But if they do not hear and obey, they will die by the sword [of God’s destructive judgments]
And they will die [in ignorance] without [true] knowledge.
13
“But the godless in heart store up anger [at the divine discipline];
They do not cry [to Him] for help when He binds them [with cords of affliction].(R)
14
“They die in youth,
And their life ends among the [o]cult prostitutes.(S)
15
“He rescues the afflicted in their affliction,
And opens their ears [so that they pay attention to His voice] in times of oppression.
16
“Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress and confinement,
Into a broad place where there is no constraint or distress;
And that which was set on your table was full of fatness (rich food).
17
“But you [Job] were full of judgment on the wicked,
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18
“Do not let wrath entice you into scoffing;
And do not let the greatness and the extent of the ransom turn you aside.
19
“Will your wealth [be sufficient to] keep you from [the confinement of] distress,
Or will all the force of your strength do it?
20
“Do not long for the night,
When people vanish from their places.
21
“Take heed and be careful, do not turn to wickedness,
For you have chosen this [the vice of complaining against God] rather than [learning from] affliction.
22
“Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a ruler or a teacher like Him?
23
“Who has appointed God His way,
And who can say [to Him], ‘You have done wrong’?
24
“Remember that you should magnify God’s work,
Of which men have sung.
25
“All men have seen God’s work;
Man looks at it from a distance.
26
“Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him;
The number of His years is unsearchable.(T)
27
“For He draws up the drops of water,
They distill rain from the mist,
28
Which the clouds pour down,
They drop abundantly upon mankind.”
29
“Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds
Or the thundering of His pavilion?(U)
30
“Behold, He spreads His lightning around Him [against the dark clouds],
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31
“For by these [mighty acts] He judges the peoples;
He gives food in abundance.
32
“He covers His hands with the lightning,
And commands it to strike the mark.
33
“His thundering voice declares [awesomely] His presence;
The cattle also are told of His coming storm.
Elihu Says God has Authority over the Storm
37 “Indeed, at His thundering my heart trembles
And leaps out of its place.
2
“Listen carefully to the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out of His mouth!
3
“He lets it loose under the whole heaven,
And His lightning to the ends of the earth.
4
“After it, His voice roars;
He thunders with the voice of His majesty,
And He does not restrain His lightning [against His adversaries] when His voice is heard.
5
“God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
6
“For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’;
And [He speaks] to the showers and to the downpour [of His mighty rains], ‘Be strong.’
7
“God seals (brings to a standstill, stops) [by severe weather] the hand of every man,
That all men [whom He has made] may know His work [that is, His sovereign power and their subjection to it].
8
“Then the beast goes into its lair
And remains in its hiding place.
9
“Out of its chamber comes the storm,
And cold from the north wind.
10
“Ice is made by the breath of God,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.(V)
11
“He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
He disperses the cloud of His lightning.
12
“Its direction is turned around by His guidance,
That it may do whatever He commands it
On the face of the inhabited earth.
13
“Whether [it be] for correction, or for His earth [generally]
Or for [His] mercy and lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.(W)
14
“Listen to this, Job;
Stand still and consider the wonders of God.
15
“Do you know how God establishes and commands them,
And makes the lightning of His [storm] cloud shine?
16
“Do you know about the layers of thick clouds [and how they are balanced and poised in the heavens],
The wonderful works of Him who is perfect in knowledge,
17
You whose garments are hot,
When He quiets the earth [in sultry summer] with the [oppressive] south wind?
18
“Can you, with Him, spread out the sky,
Strong as a molten mirror?
19
“Tell us [Job] what words [of man] shall we say to such a Being;
We cannot state our case because of darkness [that is, our ignorance in the presence of the unsearchable God].
20
“So shall it be told Him that I wish to speak?
Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up [and destroyed by God]?
21
“Now people cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies [without being blinded],
When the wind has passed and cleared them.
22
“Out of the north comes golden splendor [and people can hardly look on it];
Around God is awesome splendor and majesty [far too glorious for man’s eyes].
23
“The Almighty—we cannot find Him;
He is exalted in power
And He will not do violence to [nor disregard] justice and abundant righteousness.(X)
24
“Men therefore fear Him;
He does not regard nor respect any who are wise in heart [in their own understanding and conceit].”(Y)
God Speaks Now to Job
38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2
“Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning my authority and wisdom]
By words without knowledge?(Z)
3
“Now [p]gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
4
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know and have understanding.
5
“Who determined the measurements [of the earth], if you know?
Or who stretched the [measuring] line on it?
6
“On what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7
When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God (angels) shouted for joy?
8
“Or who enclosed the sea with doors
When it burst forth and went out of the womb;
9
When I made the clouds its garment
And thick darkness its swaddling band,
10
And marked for it My [appointed] boundary
And set bars and doors [defining the shorelines],(AA)
11
And said, ‘This far you shall come, but no farther;
And here your proud waves shall stop’?(AB)
God’s Mighty Power
12
“Since your days began, have you ever commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13
So that light may take hold of the corners of the earth
And shake the wickedness out of it?
14
“The earth is changed like clay into which a seal is pressed;
And the things [of the earth] stand out like a [multi-colored] garment.
15
“Their light is withheld from the wicked,
And the uplifted arm is broken.
16
“Have you entered and explored the springs of the sea
Or [have you] walked in the recesses of the deep?
17
“Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18
“Have you understood the expanse of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
19
“Where is the [q]way where light dwells?
And as for darkness, where is its place,
20
That you may take it to its territory
And that you may know the paths to its house?
21
“You [must] know, since you were born then,
And [r]because you are so extremely old!
22
“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23
Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
For the day of battle and war?(AC)
24
“Where is the way that the light is distributed,
Or the east wind scattered over the earth?
25
“Who has prepared a channel for the torrents of rain and for the flood,
Or a path for the thunderbolt,
26
To bring rain on the uninhabited land,
And on the desert where no man lives,
27
To satisfy the barren and desolate ground
And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?
28
“Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29
“Out of whose womb has come the ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
30
“Water becomes like stone [and hides itself],
And the surface of the deep is frozen and imprisoned.
31
“Can you bind the chains of [the cluster of stars called] Pleiades,
Or loose the cords of [the constellation] Orion?
32
“Can you lead forth a [s]constellation in its season,
And guide [the stars of] the Bear with her [t]sons?
33
“Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,
Or [can you] establish their rule over the earth?
34
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
So that an abundance of water will cover you?
35
“Can you send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36
“Who has put wisdom in the innermost being [of man, or in the layers of clouds]
Or given understanding to the mind [of man, or to the heavenly display]?
37
“Who can count the clouds by [earthly] wisdom,
Or pour out the water jars of the heavens,
38
When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together [because of the heat]?
39
“Can you [Job] hunt the prey for the lion,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions
40
When they crouch in their dens
And lie in wait in their lair?
41
“Who provides prey for the raven
When its young cry to God
And wander about without food?
God Speaks of Nature and Its Beings
39 “Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock give birth [to their young]?
Do you observe the calving of the deer?
2
“Can you count the months that they [u]carry offspring,
Or do you know the time when they give birth?
3
“They kneel down, they bring forth their young,
They cast out their labor pains.
4
“Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field;
They leave and do not return to them.
5
“Who sent out the wild donkey free [from dependence on man]?
And who has loosed the bonds of the wild donkey [to survive in the wild],
6
To whom I gave the wilderness as his home
And the salt land as his dwelling place?
7
“He scorns the tumult of the city,
And does not hear the shouting of the taskmaster.
8
“He explores the mountains as his pasture
And searches after every green thing.
9
“Will the wild ox be willing to serve you,
Or remain beside your manger at night?
10
“Can you bind the wild ox with a harness [to the plow] in the furrow?
Or will he plow the valleys for you?
11
“Will you trust him because his strength is great
And leave your labor to him?
12
“Will you have faith and depend on him to return your grain
And gather it from your threshing floor?
13
“The [flightless] wings of the ostrich wave joyously;
With the pinion (shackles, fetters) and plumage of love,
14
For she leaves her eggs on the ground
And warms them in the dust,
15
Forgetting that a foot may crush them,
Or that the wild beast may trample them.
16
“She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers;
Though her labor is in vain because she is unconcerned [for the safety of her brood],
17
For God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.
18
“Yet when she lifts herself [v]on high,
[So swift is she that] she laughs at the horse and his rider.
19
“Have you given the horse his might?
Have you clothed his neck with quivering and a shaking mane?
20
“Have you [Job] made him leap like a locust?
The majesty of his snorting [nostrils] is terrible.
21
“He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength;
He goes out to meet the weapons [of armed men].
22
“He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;
And [in battle] he does not turn back from the sword.
23
“The quiver rattles against him,
[As do] the flashing spear and the lance [of his rider].
24
“With fierceness and rage he races to devour the ground,
And he does not stand still at the sound of the [war] trumpet.
25
“As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’
And he smells the battle from far away,
And senses the thunder of the captains and the war cry.
26
“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south [as winter approaches]?
27
“Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
And makes his nest on high [in an inaccessible place]?
28
“On the cliff he dwells and remains [securely],
Upon the point of the rock and the inaccessible stronghold.
29
“From there he spies out the prey;
His eyes see it from far away.
30
“His young ones suck up blood;
And where the slain are, there is he.”
Job: What Can I Say?
40 Then the Lord said to Job,
2
“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
Let him who disputes with God answer it.”
3 Then Job replied to the Lord and said,
4
“Behold, I am of little importance and contemptible; what can I reply to You?
I lay my hand on my mouth.(AD)
5
“I have spoken once, but I will not reply again—
Indeed, twice [I have answered], and I will add nothing further.”
God Questions Job
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,
7
“Now [w]gird up your loins (prepare yourself) like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me.
8
“Will you really annul My judgment and set it aside as void?
Will you condemn Me [your God] that you may [appear to] be righteous and justified?
9
“Have you an arm like God,
And can you thunder with a voice like His?
10
“Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity [since you question the Almighty],
And array yourself with honor and majesty.
11
“Pour out the overflowings of your wrath,
And look at everyone who is proud and make him low.
12
Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him,
And [if you are so able] tread down the wicked where they stand.
13
“[Crush and] hide them in the dust together;
Shut them up in the hidden place [the house of death].
14
“[If you can do all this, Job, proving your divine power] then I [God] will also praise you and acknowledge
That your own right hand can save you.
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
15
“Behold now, [x]Behemoth, which I created as well as you;
He eats grass like an ox.
16
“See now, his strength is in his loins
And his power is in the muscles and sinews of his belly.
17
“He sways his tail like a cedar;
The tendons of his thighs are twisted and knit together [like a rope].
18
“His bones are tubes of bronze;
His [y]limbs are like bars of iron.
19
“He is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God;
[Only] He who made him can bring near His sword [to master him].
20
“Surely the mountains bring him food,
And all the wild animals play there.
21
“He lies down under the lotus plants,
In the hidden shelter of the reeds in the marsh.
22
“The lotus plants cover him with their shade;
The willows of the brook surround him.
23
“If a river rages and overflows, he does not tremble;
He is confident, though the Jordan [River] swells and rushes against his mouth.
24
“Can anyone capture him when he is on watch,
Or pierce his nose with barbs [to trap him]?
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
41 “[z]Can you draw out [aa]Leviathan with a fishhook?
Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2
“Can you put a rope [made] of rushes into his nose
Or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
3
“Will he make many supplications to you [begging to be spared]?
Or will he speak soft words to you [to coax you to treat him kindly]?
4
“Will he make a covenant or an arrangement with you?
Will you take him for your servant forever?
5
“Will you play with him as with a bird?
Or will you bind him [and put him on a leash] for your maidens?
6
“Will traders bargain over him?
Will they divide him up among the merchants?
7
“Can you fill his skin with harpoons,
Or his head with fishing spears?
8
“Lay your hand on him;
Remember the battle [with him]; you will not do such [an ill-advised thing] again!
9
“[ab]Behold, his [assailant’s] hope and expectation [of defeating Leviathan] is false;
Will not one be overwhelmed even at the sight of him?
10
“No one is so fierce [and foolhardy] that he dares to stir up Leviathan;
Who then is he who can stand before Me [or dares to contend with Me, the beast’s creator]?
11
“Who has first given to Me that I should repay him?
Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine. [Who can have a claim against Me who made the unmastered beast?](AE)
12
“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
Nor his mighty strength, nor his orderly frame.
13
“Who can penetrate or strip off his outer armor?
Who can come to his jaws with a double bridle?
14
“Who can open the doors (jaws) of his face?
Around his [open jaws and] teeth there is terror.
15
“His strong scales are his pride,
Bound together as with a tight seal.
16
“One is so near to another
That no air can come between them.
17
“They are joined one to another;
They stick together and cannot be separated.
18
“His sneezes flash forth light,
And his eyes are like the [reddish] eyelids of the dawn.
19
“Out of his mouth go burning torches,
And sparks of fire leap out.
20
“Out of his nostrils smoke goes forth
As from a boiling pot and [as from] burning rushes.
21
“His breath kindles coals,
And a flame goes forth from his mouth.
22
“In Leviathan’s neck resides strength,
And dismay and terror dance before him.
23
“The folds of his flesh are joined together,
Firm on him and immobile [when he moves].
24
“His heart is as hard as a stone,
Indeed, as solid as a lower millstone.
25
“When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;
Because of the crashing they are bewildered.
26
“The sword that reaches him cannot avail,
Nor [does] the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27
“He considers iron as straw,
Bronze as rotten wood.
28
“The arrow cannot make him flee;
Slingstones are treated as stubble by him.
29
“Clubs [also] are regarded as stubble;
He laughs at the rushing and the rattling of the javelin.
30
“His underparts are like sharp pieces of broken pottery;
He moves across and spreads out [grooves] like a threshing sledge on the mire (muddy river banks).
31
“He makes the deep water boil like a pot;
He makes the sea like a [foaming] pot of ointment.
32
“Behind him he makes a shining wake;
One would think the deep to be gray-haired [with foam].
33
“Upon earth there is nothing like him—no equal exists,
A creature made without fear.
34
“He looks on everything that is high [without terror];
He is monarch over all the sons of pride. [And now, Job, [ac]who are you who does not dare to disturb the beast, yet who dares resist Me, the beast’s creator? Everything under the heavens is Mine; therefore, who can have a claim against God?]”
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.