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Jacob Meets Rachel

29 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and lo, three flocks of sheep lying beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place upon the mouth of the well.

Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” He said, “Behold, it is still high day, it is not time for the animals to be gathered together; water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them. 10 Now when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

13 When Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

Jacob Marries Laban’s Daughters

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and lovely. 18 Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife. 29 (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben;[a] for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard[b] that I am hated, he has given me this son also”; and she called his name Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined[c] to me, because I have borne him three sons”; therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise[d] the Lord”; therefore she called his name Judah; then she ceased bearing.

30 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister; and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, that she may bear upon my knees, and even I may have children through her.” So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife; and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son”; therefore she called his name Dan.[e] Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled[f] with my sister, and have prevailed”; so she called his name Naph′tali.

When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune!” so she called his name Gad.[g] 12 Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For the women will call me happy”; so she called his name Asher.[h]

14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Give me, I pray, some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him, and said, “You must come in to me; for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my hire[i] because I gave my maid to my husband”; so she called his name Is′sachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry; now my husband will honor[j] me, because I have borne him six sons”; so she called his name Zeb′ulun. 21 Afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach”; 24 and she called his name Joseph,[k] saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”

Jacob Prospers at Laban’s Expense

25 When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know the service which I have given you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If you will allow me to say so, I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you; 28 name your wages, and I will give it.” 29 Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your cattle have fared with me. 30 For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly; and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?” 31 He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything; if you will do this for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it: 32 let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages. 33 So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” 34 Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” 35 But that day Laban removed the he-goats that were striped and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in charge of his sons; 36 and he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob; and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flock.

37 Then Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the rods. 38 He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the runnels, that is, the watering troughs, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, 39 the flocks bred in front of the rods and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own droves apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. 41 Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding Jacob laid the rods in the runnels before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the rods, 42 but for the feebler of the flock he did not lay them there; so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 Thus the man grew exceedingly rich, and had large flocks, maidservants and menservants, and camels and asses.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:32 That is See, a son
  2. Genesis 29:33 Heb shama
  3. Genesis 29:34 Heb lawah
  4. Genesis 29:35 Heb hodah
  5. Genesis 30:6 That is He judged
  6. Genesis 30:8 Heb niphtal
  7. Genesis 30:11 That is Fortune
  8. Genesis 30:13 That is Happy
  9. Genesis 30:18 Heb sakar
  10. Genesis 30:20 Heb zabal
  11. Genesis 30:24 That is He adds

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.(A) There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well.(B) The stone(C) over the mouth of the well was large. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone(D) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.(E) Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”(F)

“We’re from Harran,(G)” they replied.

He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”(H)

“Yes, we know him,” they answered.

Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”

“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel(I) with the sheep.(J)

“Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

“We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone(K) has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water(L) the sheep.”

While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,(M) for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel(N) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone(O) away from the mouth of the well and watered(P) his uncle’s sheep.(Q) 11 Then Jacob kissed(R) Rachel and began to weep aloud.(S) 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative(T) of her father and a son of Rebekah.(U) So she ran and told her father.(V)

13 As soon as Laban(W) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him(X) and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”(Y)

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative(Z) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages(AA) should be.”

16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,(AB) and the name of the younger was Rachel.(AC) 17 Leah had weak[a] eyes, but Rachel(AD) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.(AE) 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel(AF) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”(AG)

19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,(AH) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.(AI)

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.(AJ)

22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.(AK) 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah(AL) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah(AM) to his daughter as her attendant.(AN)

25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?(AO) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?(AP)

26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.(AQ) 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week;(AR) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.(AS)

28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.(AT) 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah(AU) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.(AV) 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.(AW) And he worked for Laban another seven years.(AX)

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(AY) he enabled her to conceive,(AZ) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(BA) She named him Reuben,[b](BB) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(BC) Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,(BD) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[c](BE)

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(BF) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[d](BG)

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[e](BH) Then she stopped having children.(BI)

30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,(BJ) she became jealous of her sister.(BK) So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God,(BL) who has kept you from having children?”(BM)

Then she said, “Here is Bilhah,(BN) my servant.(BO) Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”(BP)

So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(BQ) Jacob slept with her,(BR) and she became pregnant and bore him a son. Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(BS) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(BT) Because of this she named him Dan.[f](BU)

Rachel’s servant Bilhah(BV) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(BW) So she named him Naphtali.[g](BX)

When Leah(BY) saw that she had stopped having children,(BZ) she took her servant Zilpah(CA) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(CB) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(CC) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[h] So she named him Gad.[i](CD)

12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me(CE) happy.”(CF) So she named him Asher.[j](CG)

14 During wheat harvest,(CH) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(CI) which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough(CJ) that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”

“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”(CK)

16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”(CL) So he slept with her that night.

17 God listened to Leah,(CM) and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.”(CN) So she named him Issachar.[k](CO)

19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor,(CP) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[l](CQ)

21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(CR)

22 Then God remembered Rachel;(CS) he listened to her(CT) and enabled her to conceive.(CU) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(CV) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(CW) 24 She named him Joseph,[m](CX) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(CY)

Jacob’s Flocks Increase

25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way(CZ) so I can go back to my own homeland.(DA) 26 Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,(DB) and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.”

27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(DC) please stay. I have learned by divination(DD) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”(DE) 28 He added, “Name your wages,(DF) and I will pay them.”

29 Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you(DG) and how your livestock has fared under my care.(DH) 30 The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.(DI) But now, when may I do something for my own household?(DJ)

31 “What shall I give you?” he asked.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: 32 Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat.(DK) They will be my wages.(DL) 33 And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored,(DM) will be considered stolen.(DN)

34 “Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.” 35 That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs,(DO) and he placed them in the care of his sons.(DP) 36 Then he put a three-day journey(DQ) between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond(DR) and plane trees(DS) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.(DT) 38 Then he placed the peeled branches(DU) in all the watering troughs,(DV) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat(DW) and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches.(DX) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.(DY) 40 Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals(DZ) that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals. 41 Whenever the stronger females were in heat,(EA) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,(EB) 42 but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.(EC) 43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.(ED)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:17 Or delicate
  2. Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
  3. Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
  4. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
  5. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
  6. Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
  7. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
  8. Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
  9. Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
  10. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
  11. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
  12. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
  13. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.

Job Replies: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

19 Then Job answered:

“How long will you torment me,
    and break me in pieces with words?
These ten times you have cast reproach upon me;
    are you not ashamed to wrong me?
And even if it be true that I have erred,
    my error remains with myself.
If indeed you magnify yourselves against me,
    and make my humiliation an argument against me,
know then that God has put me in the wrong,
    and closed his net about me.
Behold, I cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered;
    I call aloud, but there is no justice.
He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass,
    and he has set darkness upon my paths.
He has stripped from me my glory,
    and taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone,
    and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.
11 He has kindled his wrath against me,
    and counts me as his adversary.
12 His troops come on together;
    they have cast up siegeworks[a] against me,
    and encamp round about my tent.

13 “He has put my brethren far from me,
    and my acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk and my close friends have failed me;
15     the guests in my house have forgotten me;
my maidservants count me as a stranger;
    I have become an alien in their eyes.
16 I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer;
    I must beseech him with my mouth.
17 I am repulsive to my wife,
    loathsome to the sons of my own mother.
18 Even young children despise me;
    when I rise they talk against me.
19 All my intimate friends abhor me,
    and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh,
    and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends,
    for the hand of God has touched me!
22 Why do you, like God, pursue me?
    Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?

23 “Oh that my words were written!
    Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 Oh that with an iron pen and lead
    they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer[b] lives,
    and at last he will stand upon the earth;[c]
26 and after my skin has been thus destroyed,
    then from[d] my flesh I shall see God,[e]
27 whom I shall see on my side,[f]
    and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
    My heart faints within me!
28 If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’
    and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him’;
29 be afraid of the sword,
    for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
    that you may know there is a judgment.”

Zophar Speaks: Wickedness Receives Just Retribution

20 Then Zophar the Na′amathite answered:

“Therefore my thoughts answer me,
    because of my haste within me.
I hear censure which insults me,
    and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
Do you not know this from of old,
    since man was placed upon earth,
that the exulting of the wicked is short,
    and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
Though his height mount up to the heavens,
    and his head reach to the clouds,
he will perish for ever like his own dung;
    those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
He will fly away like a dream, and not be found;
    he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
The eye which saw him will see him no more,
    nor will his place any more behold him.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
    and his hands will give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of youthful vigor,
    but it will lie down with him in the dust.

12 “Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth,
    though he hides it under his tongue,
13 though he is loath to let it go,
    and holds it in his mouth,
14 yet his food is turned in his stomach;
    it is the gall of asps within him.
15 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again;
    God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of asps;
    the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17 He will not look upon the rivers,
    the streams flowing with honey and curds.
18 He will give back the fruit of his toil,
    and will not swallow it down;
from the profit of his trading
    he will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has crushed and abandoned the poor,
    he has seized a house which he did not build.

20 “Because his greed knew no rest,
    he will not save anything in which he delights.
21 There was nothing left after he had eaten;
    therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he will be in straits;
    all the force of misery will come upon him.
23 To fill his belly to the full
    God[g] will send his fierce anger into him,
    and rain it upon him as his food.[h]
24 He will flee from an iron weapon;
    a bronze arrow will strike him through.
25 It is drawn forth and comes out of his body,
    the glittering point comes out of his gall;
    terrors come upon him.
26 Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures;
    a fire not blown upon will devour him;
    what is left in his tent will be consumed.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
    and the earth will rise up against him.
28 The possessions of his house will be carried away,
    dragged off in the day of God’s[i] wrath.
29 This is the wicked man’s portion from God,
    the heritage decreed for him by God.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:12 Heb their way
  2. Job 19:25 Or Vindicator
  3. Job 19:25 Or dust
  4. Job 19:26 Or without
  5. Job 19:26 The meaning of this verse is uncertain
  6. Job 19:27 Or for myself
  7. Job 20:23 Heb he
  8. Job 20:23 Cn: Heb in his flesh
  9. Job 20:28 Heb his

Job

19 Then Job replied:

“How long will you torment(A) me
    and crush(B) me with words?
Ten times(C) now you have reproached(D) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error(E) remains my concern alone.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me(F)
    and use my humiliation against me,
then know that God has wronged me(G)
    and drawn his net(H) around me.(I)

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(J)
    though I call for help,(K) there is no justice.(L)
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(M)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(N)
He has stripped(O) me of my honor(P)
    and removed the crown from my head.(Q)
10 He tears me down(R) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope(S) like a tree.(T)
11 His anger(U) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.(V)
12 His troops advance in force;(W)
    they build a siege ramp(X) against me
    and encamp around my tent.(Y)

13 “He has alienated my family(Z) from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(AA)
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends(AB) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(AC) and my female servants(AD) count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome(AE) to my own family.
18 Even the little boys(AF) scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.(AG)
19 All my intimate friends(AH) detest me;(AI)
    those I love have turned against me.(AJ)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;(AK)
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.[a]

21 “Have pity on me, my friends,(AL) have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck(AM) me.
22 Why do you pursue(AN) me as God does?(AO)
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?(AP)

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,(AQ)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool(AR) on[b] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!(AS)
25 I know that my redeemer[c](AT) lives,(AU)
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[d]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet[e] in[f] my flesh I will see God;(AV)
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes(AW)—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns(AX) within me!

28 “If you say, ‘How we will hound(AY) him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,[g]
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,(AZ)
    and then you will know that there is judgment.[h](BA)

Zophar

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(BB) replied:

“My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
    because I am greatly disturbed.(BC)
I hear a rebuke(BD) that dishonors me,
    and my understanding inspires me to reply.

“Surely you know how it has been from of old,(BE)
    ever since mankind[i] was placed on the earth,
that the mirth of the wicked(BF) is brief,
    the joy of the godless(BG) lasts but a moment.(BH)
Though the pride(BI) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(BJ)
    and his head touches the clouds,(BK)
he will perish forever,(BL) like his own dung;
    those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(BM)
Like a dream(BN) he flies away,(BO) no more to be found,
    banished(BP) like a vision of the night.(BQ)
The eye that saw him will not see him again;
    his place will look on him no more.(BR)
10 His children(BS) must make amends to the poor;
    his own hands must give back his wealth.(BT)
11 The youthful vigor(BU) that fills his bones(BV)
    will lie with him in the dust.(BW)

12 “Though evil(BX) is sweet in his mouth
    and he hides it under his tongue,(BY)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
    and lets it linger in his mouth,(BZ)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;(CA)
    it will become the venom of serpents(CB) within him.
15 He will spit out the riches(CC) he swallowed;
    God will make his stomach vomit(CD) them up.
16 He will suck the poison(CE) of serpents;
    the fangs of an adder will kill him.(CF)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
    the rivers(CG) flowing with honey(CH) and cream.(CI)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;(CJ)
    he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.(CK)
19 For he has oppressed the poor(CL) and left them destitute;(CM)
    he has seized houses(CN) he did not build.

20 “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;(CO)
    he cannot save himself by his treasure.(CP)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
    his prosperity will not endure.(CQ)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;(CR)
    the full force of misery will come upon him.(CS)
23 When he has filled his belly,(CT)
    God will vent his burning anger(CU) against him
    and rain down his blows on him.(CV)
24 Though he flees(CW) from an iron weapon,
    a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.(CX)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
    the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors(CY) will come over him;(CZ)
26     total darkness(DA) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire(DB) unfanned will consume him(DC)
    and devour what is left in his tent.(DD)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
    the earth will rise up against him.(DE)
28 A flood will carry off his house,(DF)
    rushing waters[j] on the day of God’s wrath.(DG)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
    the heritage appointed for them by God.”(DH)

Footnotes

  1. Job 19:20 Or only by my gums
  2. Job 19:24 Or and
  3. Job 19:25 Or vindicator
  4. Job 19:25 Or on my grave
  5. Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
  6. Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from
  7. Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts me
  8. Job 19:29 Or sword, / that you may come to know the Almighty
  9. Job 20:4 Or Adam
  10. Job 20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh[a]
    and refreshment[b] to your bones.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:8 Heb navel
  2. Proverbs 3:8 Or medicine

Trust in the Lord(A) with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths(B) straight.[a](C)

Do not be wise in your own eyes;(D)
    fear the Lord(E) and shun evil.(F)
This will bring health to your body(G)
    and nourishment to your bones.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths