But oh, that God would speak,
And open His lips against you,

Read full chapter

Oh, how I wish that God would speak,(A)
    that he would open his lips against you

Read full chapter

The Lord Reveals His Omnipotence to Job(A)

38 Then the Lord answered Job (B)out of the whirlwind, and said:

“Who(C) is this who darkens counsel
By (D)words without knowledge?

Read full chapter

The Lord Speaks

38 Then the Lord spoke to Job(A) out of the storm.(B) He said:

“Who is this that obscures my plans(C)
    with words without knowledge?(D)

Read full chapter

And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.

Read full chapter

Epilogue

After the Lord had said these things to Job(A), he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends,(B) because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.(C)

Read full chapter

“Would(A) you indeed [a]annul My judgment?
Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 40:8 nullify

“Would you discredit my justice?(A)
    Would you condemn me to justify yourself?(B)

Read full chapter

God’s Power and Wisdom

40 Moreover the Lord (A)answered Job, and said:

“Shall (B)the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?
He who (C)rebukes God, let him answer it.”

Job’s Response to God

Then Job answered the Lord and said:

“Behold,(D) I am vile;
What shall I answer You?
(E)I lay my hand over my mouth.
Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

Read full chapter

40 The Lord said to Job:(A)

“Will the one who contends with the Almighty(B) correct him?(C)
    Let him who accuses God answer him!”(D)

Then Job answered the Lord:

“I am unworthy(E)—how can I reply to you?
    I put my hand over my mouth.(F)
I spoke once, but I have no answer(G)
    twice, but I will say no more.”(H)

Read full chapter

(A)Truly I am [a]as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay.
(B)Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.

“Surely you have spoken [b]in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
‘I(C) am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Yet He finds occasions against me,
(D)He counts me as His enemy;
11 (E)He puts my feet in the stocks,
He watches all my paths.’

12 “Look, in this you are not righteous.
I will answer you,
For God is greater than man.
13 Why do you (F)contend with Him?
For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
14 (G)For God may speak in one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.
15 (H)In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,
16 (I)Then He opens the ears of men,
And seals their instruction.
17 In order to turn man from his deed,
And conceal pride from man,
18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit,
And his life from [c]perishing by the sword.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 33:6 Lit. as your mouth
  2. Job 33:8 Lit. in my ears
  3. Job 33:18 Lit. passing

I am the same as you in God’s sight;(A)
    I too am a piece of clay.(B)
No fear of me should alarm you,
    nor should my hand be heavy on you.(C)

“But you have said in my hearing—
    I heard the very words—
‘I am pure,(D) I have done no wrong;(E)
    I am clean and free from sin.(F)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.(G)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;(H)
    he keeps close watch on all my paths.’(I)

12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
    for God is greater than any mortal.(J)
13 Why do you complain to him(K)
    that he responds to no one’s words[a]?(L)
14 For God does speak(M)—now one way, now another(N)
    though no one perceives it.(O)
15 In a dream,(P) in a vision(Q) of the night,(R)
    when deep sleep(S) falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak(T) in their ears
    and terrify them(U) with warnings,(V)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,(W)
18 to preserve them from the pit,(X)
    their lives from perishing by the sword.[b](Y)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 33:13 Or that he does not answer for any of his actions
  2. Job 33:18 Or from crossing the river

35 (A)Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, (B)that the Almighty would answer me,
That my [a]Prosecutor had written a book!

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 31:35 Lit. Accuser

35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!(A)
    I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
    let my accuser(B) put his indictment in writing.

Read full chapter

(A)Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
(B)Would He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me.
There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

Read full chapter

If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!(A)
I would state my case(B) before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.(C)
I would find out what he would answer me,(D)
    and consider what he would say to me.
Would he vigorously oppose me?(E)
    No, he would not press charges against me.(F)
There the upright(G) can establish their innocence before him,(H)
    and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(I)

Read full chapter