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26 1-2 What a big help you are to me—
    poor, weak man that I am!
You give such good advice
    and share your knowledge with a fool like me!
Who do you think will hear all your words?
    Who inspired you to speak like this?

[Bildad][a]

The spirits of the dead tremble
    in the waters under the earth.
The world of the dead lies open to God;
    no covering shields it from his sight.
God stretched out the northern sky
    and hung the earth in empty space.
It is God who fills the clouds with water
    and keeps them from bursting with the weight.
He hides the full moon behind a cloud.
10 He divided light from darkness
    by a circle drawn on the face of the sea.
11 When he threatens the pillars that hold up the sky,
    they shake and tremble with fear.
12 It is his strength that conquered the sea;[b]
    by his skill he destroyed the monster Rahab.[c]
13 It is his breath that made the sky clear,
    and his hand that killed the escaping monster.[d]
14 But these are only hints of his power,
    only the whispers that we have heard.
Who can know how truly great God is?

Footnotes

  1. Job 26:5 Bildad is not named in the text, but this speech is usually assigned to him.
  2. Job 26:12 A reference to an ancient story in which the sea fought against God.
  3. Job 26:12 See 9.13.
  4. Job 26:13 See 9.8.

Job Replies: God’s Majesty Is Unsearchable

26 Then Job answered:

“How you have helped one who has no power!
    How you have assisted the arm that has no strength!(A)
How you have counseled one who has no wisdom
    and given much good advice!
With whose help have you uttered words,
    and whose spirit has come forth from you?
The shades below tremble,
    the waters and their inhabitants.
Sheol is naked before God,
    and Abaddon has no covering.(B)
He stretches out Zaphon[a] over the void
    and hangs the earth upon nothing.(C)
He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,
    and the cloud is not torn open by them.(D)
He covers the face of the full moon
    and spreads over it his cloud.(E)
10 He has described a circle on the face of the waters,
    at the boundary between light and darkness.(F)
11 The pillars of heaven tremble
    and are astounded at his rebuke.
12 By his power he stilled the Sea;
    by his understanding he struck down Rahab.(G)
13 By his wind the heavens were made fair;
    his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.(H)
14 These are indeed but the outskirts of his ways,
    and how small a whisper do we hear of him!
    But the thunder of his power who can understand?”(I)

Footnotes

  1. 26.7 Or the North

26 Then Iyov replied,

“What great help you bring to the powerless!
what deliverance to the arm without strength!
Such wonderful advice for a man lacking wisdom!
So much common sense you’ve expressed!
Who helped you to say these words?
Whose spirit is it, coming forth from you?

“The ghosts of the dead tremble
beneath the water, with its creatures.
Sh’ol is naked before him;
Abaddon lies uncovered.
He stretches the north over chaos
and suspends the earth on nothing.
He binds up the water in his thick clouds,
yet no cloud is torn apart by it.
He shuts off the view of his throne
by spreading his cloud across it.
10 He fixed a circle on the surface of the water,
defining the boundary between light and dark.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble,
aghast at his rebuke.
12 He stirs up the sea with his power,
and by his skill he strikes down Rahav.
13 With his Spirit he spreads the heavens;
his hand pierces the fleeing serpent.
14 And these are but the fringes of his ways;
how faint the echo we hear of him!
But who is able to grasp the meaning
of his thundering power?”

Job’s Defense

God Sets a Boundary Between Light and Darkness

26 1-4 Job answered:

“Well, you’ve certainly been a great help to a helpless man!
    You came to the rescue just in the nick of time!
What wonderful advice you’ve given to a mixed-up man!
    What amazing insights you’ve provided!
Where in the world did you learn all this?
    How did you become so inspired?

5-14 “All the buried dead are in torment,
    and all who’ve been drowned in the deep, deep sea.
Hell is ripped open before God,
    graveyards dug up and exposed.
He spreads the skies over unformed space,
    hangs the earth out in empty space.
He pours water into cumulus cloud-bags
    and the bags don’t burst.
He makes the moon wax and wane,
    putting it through its phases.
He draws the horizon out over the ocean,
    sets a boundary between light and darkness.
Thunder crashes and rumbles in the skies.
    Listen! It’s God raising his voice!
By his power he stills sea storms,
    by his wisdom he tames sea monsters.
With one breath he clears the sky,
    with one finger he crushes the sea serpent.
And this is only the beginning,
    a mere whisper of his rule.
    Whatever would we do if he really raised his voice!”