Job 36
Common English Bible
Reason for continuing
36 Continuing, Elihu said,
2 Wait a little while so I can demonstrate for you
that there is still something more to say about God.
3 I will draw from my broad knowledge,
attribute justice to my maker.
4 My words are certainly truthful;
one with total knowledge is present with you.
Divine discipline
5 Look, God is mighty and doesn’t reject anyone;
he is mighty in strength and mind.
6 He doesn’t let the wicked live,
but grants justice to the poor.
7 He doesn’t avert his eyes from the righteous;
he seats kings on thrones forever,
and they are lifted up.
8 If they are tied with ropes,
caught in cords of affliction,
9 he informs them about their offenses
and their grave sins.
10 He opens their ears with discipline
and commands them to turn from wrong.
11 If they listen and serve,
they spend their days in plenty,
their years contentedly.
12 But if they don’t listen,
they perish by the sword,
breathe their last without understanding.
13 Those with impious hearts become furious;
they don’t cry out even though he binds them.
14 They die young;
they are among the holy ones.
15 He saves the weak in their affliction,
opens their ears through oppression.
16 Surely he draws you up from the brink of trouble
to a wide place without distress;
your table is set with rich food.
17 You are overly concerned about the case of the wicked;
justice will be upheld in it.
18 Don’t let them lure you with wealth;
don’t let a huge bribe mislead you.
19 Will he arrange your rescue from distress
or from all your exertions of strength?
20 Don’t wish for the night
when people vanish from their place.
21 Take care; don’t turn to evil
because you’ve chosen it over affliction.
22 Look, God is inaccessible due to his power;
who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has repaid him for his action,
and who would ever say, “You’ve done wrong”?
24 Remember to praise his work
that all of us have seen.
25 Every person has seen him;
people can observe at great distance.
God’s control of the storm
26 Look, God is exalted and unknowable;
the number of his years is beyond counting.
27 He draws up drops of water
that distill rain from his flood;
28 the clouds pour moisture
and drip continually on humans.
29 Even if one perceives a spreading cloud
and the thunder of his pavilion,[a]
30 look how he spreads lightning across it
and covers the seabed;
31 for by water[b] he judges peoples
and gives food in abundance.
32 He conceals lightning in his palms
and orders it to its target.
33 His thunder announces it;
even cattle proclaim its rising.
Job 36
Amplified Bible
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,(A)
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].(B)
14
“They die in youth,
And their life ends among the [a]cult prostitutes.(C)
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.(D)
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?(E)
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.
Footnotes
- Job 36:14 I.e. those practicing sodomy and prostitution in pagan religious rites.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
