Job 33
Christian Standard Bible
Elihu Confronts Job
33 But now, Job, pay attention to my speech,
and listen to all my words.
2 I am going to open my mouth;
my tongue will form words on my palate.
3 My words come from my upright(A) heart,
and my lips speak with sincerity what they know.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty(B) gives me life.(C)
5 Refute me if you can.
Prepare(D) your case against me; take your stand.(E)
6 I am just like you before God;
I was also pinched off from a piece of clay.(F)
7 Fear(G) of me should not terrify you;
no pressure from me should weigh you down.
8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
and I have heard these very[a] words:
9 “I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean and have no iniquity.(H)
10 But he finds reasons to oppose me;
he regards me as his enemy.(I)
11 He puts my feet in the stocks;
he stands watch(J) over all my paths.”
12 But I tell you that you are wrong in this matter,
since God is greater than man.(K)
13 Why do you take(L) him to court
for not answering anything a person asks?[b]
14 For God speaks time and again,
but a person may not notice it.
15 In a dream, a vision(M) in the night,
when deep sleep comes over people(N)
as they slumber on their beds,
16 he uncovers their ears(O)
and terrifies them[c] with warnings,
17 in order to turn a person from his actions
and suppress the pride of a person.
18 God spares his soul from the Pit,(P)
his life from crossing the river of death.[d]
19 A person may be disciplined on his bed(Q) with pain
and constant distress in his bones,(R)
20 so that he detests bread,
and his soul despises his favorite food.(S)
21 His flesh wastes away to nothing,[e]
and his unseen bones stick out.
22 He draws near to the Pit,
and his life to the executioners.
23 If there is an angel(T) on his side,
one mediator out of a thousand,
to tell a person what is right for him[f]
24 and to be gracious to him and say,
“Spare him from going down to the Pit;
I have found a ransom,”(U)
25 then his flesh will be healthier[g] than in his youth,
and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor.(V)
26 He will pray to God, and God will delight in him.
That person will see his face(W) with a shout of joy,
and God will restore his righteousness to him.(X)
27 He will look at men and say,
“I have sinned and perverted what was right;
yet I did not get what I deserved.[h]
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and I will continue to see the light.”
29 God certainly does all these things
two or three times to a person
30 in order to turn him back from the Pit,
so he may shine with the light of life.(Y)
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me.
Be quiet, and I will speak.
32 But if you have something to say,[i] answer me;
speak, for I would like to justify you.
33 If not, then listen to me;
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.
Footnotes
- 33:8 Lit heard a sound of
- 33:13 Lit court, for he does not answer all his words
- 33:16 LXX; MT reads and seals
- 33:18 Or from perishing by the sword
- 33:21 Lit away from sight
- 33:23 Or to vouch for a person’s uprightness
- 33:25 Hb obscure
- 33:27 Lit and the same was not to me
- 33:32 Lit If there are words
Job 33
New American Standard Bible
Elihu Claims to Speak for God
33 “However, please (A)hear my speech, Job,
And listen to all my words.
2 Behold now, I open my mouth,
My tongue in my [a]mouth speaks.
3 My words are from the integrity of my heart,
And my lips speak (B)knowledge sincerely.
4 The (C)Spirit of God has made me,
And the (D)breath of [b]the Almighty gives me life.
5 (E)Refute me if you can;
Line up against me, take your stand.
6 Behold, I belong to God, like you;
I too have been [c]formed out of the (F)clay.
7 Behold, (G)no fear of me should terrify you,
Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.
8 “You have in fact spoken [d]while I listened,
And I heard the sound of your words:
9 ‘I am (H)pure, (I)without wrongdoing;
I am innocent and there (J)is no guilt in me.
10 Behold, He [e]invents [f]criticisms against me;
He (K)counts me as His enemy.
11 He (L)puts my feet in the stocks;
He watches all my paths.’
12 Behold, let me respond to you, (M)you are not right in this,
For God is greater than mankind.
13 “Why do you (N)complain to Him
That He does not give an account of all His doings?
14 Indeed (O)God speaks once,
Or twice, yet no one notices it.
15 In a (P)dream, a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls on people,
While they slumber in their beds,
16 Then (Q)He opens the ears of people,
And horrifies them with warnings,
17 So that He may turn a person away from bad conduct,
And [g]keep a man from pride;
18 He (R)keeps his soul back from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the (S)spear.
19 “A person is also rebuked by (T)pain in his bed,
And with constant complaint in his bones,
20 So that his life (U)loathes bread,
And his soul, food [h]that he should crave.
21 His (V)flesh wastes away from sight,
And his (W)bones, which were not seen, stick out.
22 Then (X)his soul comes near to the pit,
And his life to those who bring death.
23 “If there is an (Y)interceding angel for him,
One out of a thousand,
To remind a person of what is [i]right for him,
24 And he is gracious to him, and says,
‘Free him from (Z)going down to the pit,
I have found a (AA)ransom’;
25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,
Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;
26 Then he will (AB)pray to God, and He will accept him,
So that (AC)he may see His face with joy,
And He will restore His righteousness to that person.
27 He will sing to people and say,
‘I (AD)have sinned and perverted what is right,
And it is not (AE)proper for me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,
And my life will (AF)see the light.’
29 “Behold, God does (AG)all these things for a man two or three times,
30 To (AH)bring back his soul from the pit,
So that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Keep silent, and let me speak.
32 Then if [j]you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I would take pleasure in justifying you.
33 If not, (AI)listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
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