Job 42
EasyEnglish Bible
Job replies to God[a]
42 Then Job replied to the Lord. He said this:
2 ‘I know that you can do all things.
You can do anything that you want to do.
Nobody can stop you.
3 You asked me, “Why do you ask questions about my wisdom,
when you do not understand anything?”
It is true. I was speaking about things that I do not understand.
They are things that are too wonderful for me to know.
4 You said to me, “Listen carefully to what I will say.
I will ask you questions and you must answer them.”
5 In the past, I had heard about you from other people.
Now I have seen you for myself.
6 So I am ashamed of the things that I said.
I sit here in dirt and in ashes
to show you that I am very sorry.’
The end of the story[b]
7 When the Lord had spoken to Job, he said this to Eliphaz, the man from Teman:
‘I am very angry with you and with your two friends. The things that my servant Job has said about me are true. But the things that you said were not right. 8 You three men must now go to Job. Take seven bulls and seven male sheep with you. Burn them as sacrifices for yourselves. After you have done that, my servant Job will pray for you. I will answer his prayer. Then I will not punish you as you deserve because of your foolish words. My servant Job has spoken the truth about me, but you have not.’
9 So Eliphaz, the man from Teman, Bildad, the man from Shuah, and Zophar, the man from Naamah, did what the Lord had told them to do. And the Lord answered Job's prayer.
10 After Job prayed for his three friends, the Lord made him a rich man again. He gave Job twice as many things as he had before. 11 Then Job's brothers and sisters came to eat a big meal with him in his house. People who had been Job's friends came also. They all told him that they were sad about his troubles. They were upset because the Lord had caused him to suffer. Each of them gave Job a piece of silver and a gold ring.
12 After this, the Lord blessed Job more than in the beginning of his life. All these animals belonged to Job: 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 pairs of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The daughters' names were Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch. 15 They were the most beautiful women in the whole land of Uz. Job said that they should receive some of his things after he died, along with their brothers.[c]
16 Job lived for 140 years after this. He was still alive when his grandchildren and their grandchildren were born. 17 So when Job died, he had lived for a long time.
Footnotes
- 42:1 Job has heard God speak. Job has heard God speak about himself. And now Job sees that God's wisdom is so much greater than Job's wisdom. He sees that God's power is so much greater than the power of any man. Job is now sorry about the things that he said. He is ready to believe God again.
- 42:7 At the end of this chapter, God speaks to Job's three friends. He tells them that Job was right. And he tells them that they said wrong things about Job. But he asks Job to pray for them and he promises to forgive them. God is kind to Job after all his troubles. And he makes Job richer than he had been before.
- 42:15 This shows that Job loved his daughters very much.
Job 42
King James Version
42 Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted Job.
10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
12 So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.
17 So Job died, being old and full of days.
Job 42
English Standard Version
Job's Confession and Repentance
42 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
2 “I know that you can (A)do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 (B)‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things (C)too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;
(D)I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself,
and repent in[a] (E)dust and ashes.”
The Lord Rebukes Job's Friends
7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz (F)the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take (G)seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and (H)offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall (I)pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9 (J)So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer.
The Lord Restores Job's Fortunes
10 And the Lord (K)restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job (L)twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came to him all his (M)brothers and sisters and all who had (N)known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they (O)showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil[b] that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him (P)a piece of money[c] and (Q)a ring of gold.
12 And the Lord blessed (R)the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had (S)14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had also (T)seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance (U)among their brothers. 16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and (V)saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man, and (W)full of days.
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