Job 36
Amplified Bible
Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men
36 Elihu continued and said,
2
“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you,
That there is yet more to say on God’s behalf.
3
“I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4
“For truly my words are not false;
He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5
“Behold, God is mighty, and yet does not despise anyone [nor regard any as trivial];
He is mighty in the strength and power of understanding.
6
“He does not prolong the life of the wicked,
But gives the afflicted their justice.
7
“He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous [those in right standing with Him];
But with kings upon the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
8
“And if they are bound in bonds [of adversity],
And held by cords of affliction,(A)
9
Then He declares to them [the true character of] their deeds
And their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly [with presumption and notions of self-sufficiency].
10
“He opens their ears to instruction and discipline,
And commands that they return from evil.
11
“If they hear and serve Him,
They will end their days in prosperity
And their years in pleasantness and joy.
12
“But if they do not hear and obey, they will die by the sword [of God’s destructive judgments]
And they will die [in ignorance] without [true] knowledge.
13
“But the godless in heart store up anger [at the divine discipline];
They do not cry [to Him] for help when He binds them [with cords of affliction].(B)
14
“They die in youth,
And their life ends among the [a]cult prostitutes.(C)
15
“He rescues the afflicted in their affliction,
And opens their ears [so that they pay attention to His voice] in times of oppression.
16
“Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress and confinement,
Into a broad place where there is no constraint or distress;
And that which was set on your table was full of fatness (rich food).
17
“But you [Job] were full of judgment on the wicked,
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18
“Do not let wrath entice you into scoffing;
And do not let the greatness and the extent of the ransom turn you aside.
19
“Will your wealth [be sufficient to] keep you from [the confinement of] distress,
Or will all the force of your strength do it?
20
“Do not long for the night,
When people vanish from their places.
21
“Take heed and be careful, do not turn to wickedness,
For you have chosen this [the vice of complaining against God] rather than [learning from] affliction.
22
“Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a ruler or a teacher like Him?
23
“Who has appointed God His way,
And who can say [to Him], ‘You have done wrong’?
24
“Remember that you should magnify God’s work,
Of which men have sung.
25
“All men have seen God’s work;
Man looks at it from a distance.
26
“Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him;
The number of His years is unsearchable.(D)
27
“For He draws up the drops of water,
They distill rain from the mist,
28
Which the clouds pour down,
They drop abundantly upon mankind.”
29
“Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds
Or the thundering of His pavilion?(E)
30
“Behold, He spreads His lightning around Him [against the dark clouds],
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31
“For by these [mighty acts] He judges the peoples;
He gives food in abundance.
32
“He covers His hands with the lightning,
And commands it to strike the mark.
33
“His thundering voice declares [awesomely] His presence;
The cattle also are told of His coming storm.
Footnotes
- Job 36:14 I.e. those practicing sodomy and prostitution in pagan religious rites.
Job 36
New American Standard Bible
Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Mankind
36 Then Elihu continued and said,
2 “Wait for me a little, and I will show you
That there [a]is still more to be said on God’s behalf.
3 I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And ascribe (A)righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly (B)my words are not false;
One who is (C)perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold, God is mighty but does not (D)reject anyone;
He is (E)mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not (F)keep the wicked alive,
But gives justice to (G)the afflicted.
7 He does not (H)withdraw His eyes from the righteous,
But (I)with kings on the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they are bound in shackles,
And are caught in the snares of (J)misery,
9 Then He declares to them their work
And their wrongdoings, that they have (K)been arrogant.
10 (L)He opens their ears to instruction,
And (M)commands that they return from injustice.
11 If they listen and serve Him,
They will (N)end their days in prosperity,
And their years in (O)happiness.
12 But if they do not listen, they will [b]perish (P)by the sword,
And (Q)die without knowledge.
13 But the godless in heart nurture anger;
They do not call for help when He binds them.
14 [c]They die in youth,
And their life perishes among the (R)cult prostitutes.
15 He rescues the afflicted in [d]their (S)misery,
And (T)opens their ears in time of oppression.
16 Then indeed, He induced you away from the mouth of distress,
And instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;
And your table was full of [e]rich food.
17 “But you were full of (U)judgment on the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Beware that (V)wrath does not entice you to mockery;
And do not let the greatness of the (W)ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your cry for help keep you from distress,
Or all the exertions of your strength?
20 Do not long for (X)the night,
When people [f]vanish in their places.
21 Be careful, do (Y)not turn to evil,
For you preferred this to (Z)misery.
22 Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a (AA)teacher like Him?
23 Who has appointed Him His way,
And who has said, ‘(AB)You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember that you are to (AC)exalt His work,
Of which people have (AD)sung.
25 All people have seen it;
Mankind looks at it from afar.
26 Behold, God is (AE)exalted, and (AF)we do not know Him;
The (AG)number of His years is unsearchable.
27 For (AH)He draws up the drops of water;
They distill rain from its [g]celestial stream,
28 Which clouds pour down;
They drip upon mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand the (AI)spreading of the clouds,
The (AJ)thundering of His [h]pavilion?
30 Behold, He spreads His [i]lightning about Him,
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31 For by them He (AK)judges peoples;
He (AL)gives food in abundance.
32 He covers His hands with the [j]lightning,
And (AM)commands it to strike the target.
33 Its (AN)thundering voice declares [k]His presence;
The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.
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