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Job 21-22
New King James Version
Job 21-22
New King James Version
Job’s Discourse on the Wicked
21 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your [a]consolation.
3 Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep (A)mocking.
4 “As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be astonished;
(B)Put your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
7 (C)Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear,
(D)Neither is [b]the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves (E)without miscarriage.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13 They (F)spend their days in wealth,
And [c]in a moment go down to the [d]grave.
14 (G)Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 (H)Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And (I)what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16 Indeed [e]their prosperity is not in their hand;
(J)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
How often does their destruction come upon them,
The sorrows God (K)distributes in His anger?
18 (L)They are like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that a storm [f]carries away.
19 They say, ‘God [g]lays up [h]one’s iniquity (M)for his children’;
Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
20 Let his eyes see his destruction,
And (N)let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut in half?
22 “Can(O) anyone teach God knowledge,
Since He judges those on high?
23 One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and secure;
24 His [i]pails are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is moist.
25 Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
26 They (P)lie down alike in the dust,
And worms cover them.
27 “Look, I know your thoughts,
And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
28 For you say,
‘Where is the house of the prince?
And where is [j]the tent,
The dwelling place of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the road?
And do you not know their signs?
30 (Q)For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
31 Who condemns his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
(R)Everyone shall follow him,
As countless have gone before him.
34 How then can you comfort me with empty words,
Since [k]falsehood remains in your answers?”
Eliphaz Accuses Job of Wickedness
22 Then (S)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “Can(T) a man be profitable to God,
Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?
Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?
4 “Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you,
And enters into judgment with you?
5 Is not your wickedness great,
And your iniquity without end?
6 For you have (U)taken pledges from your brother for no reason,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have not given the weary water to drink,
And you (V)have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But the [l]mighty man possessed the land,
And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty,
And the [m]strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you,
And sudden fear troubles you,
11 Or darkness so that you cannot see;
And an abundance of (W)water covers you.
12 “Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 And you say, (X)‘What does God know?
Can He judge through the deep darkness?
14 (Y)Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see,
And He walks above the circle of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
Which wicked men have trod,
16 Who (Z)were cut down before their time,
Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 (AA)They said to God, ‘Depart from us!
What can the Almighty do to [n]them?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things;
But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 “The(AB) righteous see it and are glad,
And the innocent laugh at them:
20 ‘Surely our [o]adversaries are cut down,
And the fire consumes their remnant.’
21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and (AC)be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive, please, (AD)instruction from His mouth,
And (AE)lay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;
You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
24 Then you will (AF)lay your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 Yes, the Almighty will be your [p]gold
And your precious silver;
26 For then you will have your (AG)delight in the Almighty,
And lift up your face to God.
27 (AH)You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also declare a thing,
And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways.
29 When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’
Then (AI)He will save the humble person.
30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent;
Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”
Footnotes
- Job 21:2 comfort
- Job 21:9 The rod of God’s chastisement
- Job 21:13 Without lingering
- Job 21:13 Or Sheol
- Job 21:16 Lit. their goal
- Job 21:18 steals away
- Job 21:19 stores up
- Job 21:19 Lit. his
- Job 21:24 LXX, Vg. bowels; Syr. sides; Tg. breasts
- Job 21:28 Vg. omits the tent
- Job 21:34 faithlessness
- Job 22:8 Lit. man of arm
- Job 22:9 Lit. arms
- Job 22:17 LXX, Syr. us
- Job 22:20 LXX substance is
- Job 22:25 Ancient vss. suggest defense; MT gold, as in v. 24
Job 21-22
New International Version
Job 21-22
New International Version
Job
21 Then Job replied:
2 “Listen carefully to my words;(A)
let this be the consolation you give me.(B)
3 Bear with me while I speak,
and after I have spoken, mock on.(C)
4 “Is my complaint(D) directed to a human being?
Why should I not be impatient?(E)
5 Look at me and be appalled;
clap your hand over your mouth.(F)
6 When I think about this, I am terrified;(G)
trembling seizes my body.(H)
7 Why do the wicked live on,
growing old and increasing in power?(I)
8 They see their children established around them,
their offspring before their eyes.(J)
9 Their homes are safe and free from fear;(K)
the rod of God is not on them.(L)
10 Their bulls never fail to breed;
their cows calve and do not miscarry.(M)
11 They send forth their children as a flock;(N)
their little ones dance about.
12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;(O)
they make merry to the sound of the pipe.(P)
13 They spend their years in prosperity(Q)
and go down to the grave(R) in peace.[a](S)
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!(T)
We have no desire to know your ways.(U)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
What would we gain by praying to him?’(V)
16 But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(W)
17 “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?(X)
How often does calamity(Y) come upon them,
the fate God allots in his anger?(Z)
18 How often are they like straw before the wind,
like chaff(AA) swept away(AB) by a gale?(AC)
19 It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’(AD)
Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!(AE)
20 Let their own eyes see their destruction;(AF)
let them drink(AG) the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.(AH)
21 For what do they care about the families they leave behind(AI)
when their allotted months(AJ) come to an end?(AK)
22 “Can anyone teach knowledge to God,(AL)
since he judges even the highest?(AM)
23 One person dies in full vigor,(AN)
completely secure and at ease,(AO)
24 well nourished(AP) in body,[b]
bones(AQ) rich with marrow.(AR)
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul,(AS)
never having enjoyed anything good.
26 Side by side they lie in the dust,(AT)
and worms(AU) cover them both.(AV)
27 “I know full well what you are thinking,
the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,(AW)
the tents where the wicked lived?’(AX)
29 Have you never questioned those who travel?
Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30 that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,(AY)
that they are delivered from[c] the day of wrath?(AZ)
31 Who denounces their conduct to their face?
Who repays them for what they have done?(BA)
32 They are carried to the grave,
and watch is kept over their tombs.(BB)
33 The soil in the valley is sweet to them;(BC)
everyone follows after them,
and a countless throng goes[d] before them.(BD)
34 “So how can you console me(BE) with your nonsense?
Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”(BF)
Eliphaz
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(BG) replied:
2 “Can a man be of benefit to God?(BH)
Can even a wise person benefit him?(BI)
3 What pleasure(BJ) would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?(BK)
What would he gain if your ways were blameless?(BL)
4 “Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
and brings charges against you?(BM)
5 Is not your wickedness great?
Are not your sins(BN) endless?(BO)
6 You demanded security(BP) from your relatives for no reason;(BQ)
you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.(BR)
7 You gave no water(BS) to the weary
and you withheld food from the hungry,(BT)
8 though you were a powerful man, owning land(BU)—
an honored man,(BV) living on it.(BW)
9 And you sent widows(BX) away empty-handed(BY)
and broke the strength of the fatherless.(BZ)
10 That is why snares(CA) are all around you,(CB)
why sudden peril terrifies you,(CC)
11 why it is so dark(CD) you cannot see,
and why a flood of water covers you.(CE)
12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven?(CF)
And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know?(CG)
Does he judge through such darkness?(CH)
14 Thick clouds(CI) veil him, so he does not see us(CJ)
as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’(CK)
15 Will you keep to the old path
that the wicked(CL) have trod?(CM)
16 They were carried off before their time,(CN)
their foundations(CO) washed away by a flood.(CP)
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
What can the Almighty do to us?’(CQ)
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,(CR)
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(CS)
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;(CT)
the innocent mock(CU) them, saying,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed,(CV)
and fire(CW) devours their wealth.’
21 “Submit to God and be at peace(CX) with him;(CY)
in this way prosperity will come to you.(CZ)
22 Accept instruction from his mouth(DA)
and lay up his words(DB) in your heart.(DC)
23 If you return(DD) to the Almighty, you will be restored:(DE)
If you remove wickedness far from your tent(DF)
24 and assign your nuggets(DG) to the dust,
your gold(DH) of Ophir(DI) to the rocks in the ravines,(DJ)
25 then the Almighty will be your gold,(DK)
the choicest silver for you.(DL)
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty(DM)
and will lift up your face(DN) to God.(DO)
27 You will pray to him,(DP) and he will hear you,(DQ)
and you will fulfill your vows.(DR)
28 What you decide on will be done,(DS)
and light(DT) will shine on your ways.(DU)
29 When people are brought low(DV) and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
then he will save the downcast.(DW)
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent,(DX)
who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”(DY)
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.