Job 34
Expanded Bible
34 Then Elihu answered:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you who know a lot.
3 The ear tests words
as the ·tongue [L palate] tastes food.
4 Let’s ·decide [choose] for ourselves what is ·right [just],
and let’s learn together what is good.
5 “Job says, ‘I am ·not guilty [right/righteous],
and God has ·refused me a fair trial [L turned justice away from me].
6 ·Instead of getting a fair trial [concerning my case],
I am ·called [considered] a liar.
·I have been seriously hurt [An arrow has given me an incurable wound; L My arrow is incurable],
even though I have not sinned.’
7 ·There is no other [L Who is a…?] man like Job;
he ·takes [or receives] ·insults [ridicule; scoffing] as if he were drinking water.
8 He ·keeps company [travels] with those who do evil
and ·spends time [L goes] with wicked men,
9 because he says, ‘It is no use
to try to please God.’
10 “So listen to me, you who ·can understand [or are sensible].
God can never do wrong!
It is impossible for the Almighty to do evil.
11 God pays people back for what they have done
and ·gives them what their actions deserve [L finds them out according to their ways].
12 Truly God will never do wrong;
the Almighty will never ·twist [pervert] ·what is right [justice].
13 ·No one [L Who…?] chose God to rule over the earth
or put him in charge of the whole world.
14 If God should ·decide [L set his mind/heart to himself]
to take away ·life [L spirit] and breath,
15 then ·everyone [L all flesh] would ·die [expire] together
and turn back into dust.
16 “If you can understand, hear this;
·listen to what I have to say [L give ear to my words].
17 Can anyone govern who hates what is right?
How can you ·blame God [L condemn one] who is both ·fair [righteous] and powerful?
18 ·God [L Who…?] is the one who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
or to important people, ‘You are evil.’
19 He ·is not nicer to princes than other people [L shows no favoritism to princes],
nor ·kinder [L gives more recognition] to ·rich people [nobles] than poor people,
because he made them all with his own hands [Prov. 14:31; 17:5; 22:2].
20 They can die in a moment, in the middle of the night.
·They are struck down [L The people are shaken], and then they pass away;
powerful people ·die [are taken away] ·without help [or not by human hand].
21 “·God watches where people go [L His eyes are on the path of people];
he sees every step they take.
22 There is no dark place or deep shadow
where those who do evil can hide from him.
23 He does not set a time
for people to come before him for judging.
24 Without ·asking questions [investigation; inquiry], God breaks powerful people into pieces
and puts others in their place.
25 Because God knows what people do,
he ·defeats [overturns] them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He ·punishes [slaps] them for the evil they do
so that everyone else can watch,
27 because they ·stopped [turned away from] following God
and did not care about any of his ways.
28 The cry of the poor comes to God;
he hears the cry of the ·needy [afflicted].
29 But if God keeps quiet, who can blame him?
If he hides his face, who among nations or people can see him?
30 He keeps the wicked from ruling
and from trapping others.
31 “But suppose someone says to God,
‘I ·am guilty, but [or have endured punishment, so] I will not sin anymore.
32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
33 So, Job, should God ·reward [or make peace with] you as you want
·when [or since] you refuse to change?
You must ·decide [choose], not I,
so tell me what you know.
34 “Those ·who understand [with sense] speak,
and the wise who hear me say,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowing what is true;
his words show he ·does not understand [has no insight].’
36 I wish Job would be ·tested completely [examined forever],
because he answered like an evil man!
37 Job now adds to his sin ·by turning against God [with transgression].
He ·claps his hands in protest [L claps among us; C clapping is a sign of protest or contempt],
speaking more and more against God.”
Job 34
Amplified Bible
Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice
34 Elihu continued his discourse and said,
2
“Hear my words, you wise men,
And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.
3
“For the ear puts words to the test
As the palate tastes food.
4
“Let us choose for ourselves that which is right;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5
“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous [and innocent],
But God has taken away my right;(A)
6
Although I am right, I am accounted a liar.
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7
“What man is like Job,
Who drinks up derision like water,
8
Who goes in company with those who do evil
And walks with wicked men?
9
“For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
When he takes delight and is pleased with God and obeys Him.’
10
“Therefore hear me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God that He would do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11
“For God pays a man according to his work,
And He will make every man find [appropriate] compensation according to his way.
12
“Surely God will not act wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13
“Who put God in charge over the earth?
And who has laid on Him the whole world?
14
“If God should determine to do so,
If He should gather to Himself [that is, withdraw from man] His [life-giving] spirit and His breath,
15
All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.(B)
16
“If you now have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words.
17
“Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern?
And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?
18
“God who says to a king, ‘You are worthless and vile,’
Or to princes and nobles, ‘You are wicked and evil’?
19
“Who is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich above the poor,
For they all are the work of His hands.
20
“In a moment they die, even at midnight
The people are shaken and pass away,
And the powerful are taken away without a [human] hand.
21
“For God’s eyes are on the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.(C)
22
“There is no darkness nor deep shadow
Where the evildoers may hide themselves.
23
“For He sets no appointed time for a man,
That he should appear before Him in judgment.
24
“He breaks mighty men without inquiry,
And sets others in their place.(D)
25
“Therefore He knows of their works,
And He overthrows them in the night,
So that they are crushed and destroyed.
26
“He strikes them like the wicked
In a public place,
27
Because they turned aside from following Him
And would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,(E)
28
So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And He heard the cry of the afflicted.(F)
29
“When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
When He hides His face [withdrawing His favor and help], who then can behold Him [and make supplication to Him],
Whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—
30
So that godless men would not rule
Nor be snares for the people.
31
“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured my chastisement;
I will not offend anymore;
32
Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned];
If I have done wrong (injustice, unrighteousness),
I will not do it again’?
33
“Shall God’s retribution [for your sins] be on your terms, because you refuse to accept it?
For you must do the choosing, and not I;
Therefore say what you [truthfully] know.
34
“Men of understanding will tell me,
Indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],
35
‘Job speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom and insight.
36
‘Job ought to be tried [a]to the limit
Because he answers like wicked men!
37
‘For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his [unacknowledged] sin;
He claps his hands among us [in open mockery and contempt of God],
And he multiplies his words [of accusation] against God.’”
Footnotes
- Job 34:36 Or to the end.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
