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Job 36
International Standard Version
Job 36
International Standard Version
Elihu Concludes His Arguments
36 Elihu responded again and said:
2 “Be patient with me a moment longer,
and I’ll show you that there’s more to say on God’s behalf.
3 I’ll take what I know to its logical conclusion[a]
and ascribe righteousness to my Creator,
4 because what I have to say isn’t deceptive,
and the one who has perfect knowledge is with you.”
God Disciplines
5 “Indeed God is mighty and he doesn’t show disrespect;
he is mighty and strong of heart.
6 He doesn’t let the wicked live;
he grants justice to the afflicted.
7 He won’t stop looking at righteous people;
he seats them on thrones with kings forever,
and they are exalted.
8 “If they’re bound in chains,
caught in ropes of affliction,
9 he’ll reveal their actions to them,
when their transgressions have become excessive.
10 He opens their ears and instructs them,
commanding them to repent from evil.
11 If they listen and serve him,[b]
they’ll finish[c] their lives in prosperity
and their years will be pleasant.
12 “But if they won’t listen,
they’ll perish[d] by the sword
and die in their ignorance.
13 The godless at heart cherish[e] anger;
they won’t cry out for help when God[f] afflicts[g] them.
14 They[h] die in their youth;
and their life will end[i] among temple prostitutes.
15 He’ll deliver the afflicted through their afflictions
and open their ears when they are oppressed.”
God is an All-Powerful and Just Teacher
16 “Indeed, he drew you away from the brink of distress
to a spacious place without constraints,
filling your festive[j] table with bountiful[k] food.
17 But now you are occupied with the case of the wicked;
but justice and judgment will be served.
18 So that no one entices you with riches,
don’t let a large ransom turn you astray.
19 “Will your wealth sustain you when you’re in distress,
despite your most powerful efforts?[l]
20 Don’t long for night,
when people vanish[m] in their place.
21 Be careful! Don’t turn to evil,
because of this you will be tried by more than affliction.
22 “Indeed, God is exalted in his power.
Who is like him as a teacher?
23 Who ordained his path for him,
and who has asked him, ‘You are wrong, aren’t you?’
24 Remember to magnify his awesome activities,
about which mortal man has sung.
25 All of mankind sees him;
human beings observe him from afar off.”
God Controls the Weather
26 “God is truly awesome, beyond what we know;
the number of his years is unknowable.[n]
27 He draws up drops of water,
distilling it to rain and mist.[o]
28 When the clouds pour down;[p]
they drop their rain on all of humanity.
29 “Furthermore, can anyone understand cloud patterns,
or the thundering in his pavilion?
30 He scatters his lightning above it,
and covers the bottom[q] of the sea.
31 He uses them to judge some people
and give food to many.
32 His hands are covered with lightning
that he commands to strike his designated target.
33 His thunder[r] declares his presence;
and tells the animals what is coming.”
Footnotes
- Job 36:3 Lit. I’ll bring my knowledge from a long ways away
- Job 36:11 The Heb. lacks him
- Job 36:11 Or finish
- Job 36:12 Lit. by the sword they’ll pass through
- Job 36:13 Lit. lay up
- Job 36:13 Lit. he
- Job 36:13 Lit. binds
- Job 36:14 Lit. Their souls
- Job 36:14 The Heb. lacks will end
- Job 36:16 Lit. restful
- Job 36:16 Lit. fat
- Job 36:19 Or your force of strength
- Job 36:20 Lit. go up
- Job 36:26 Or unreachable
- Job 36:27 Or distilling rain into mist
- Job 36:28 Or drops
- Job 36:30 Or root
- Job 36:33 Lit. shout
Job 36
New International Version
Job 36
New International Version
36 Elihu continued:
2 “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;(A)
I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(B)
4 Be assured that my words are not false;(C)
one who has perfect knowledge(D) is with you.(E)
5 “God is mighty,(F) but despises no one;(G)
he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(H)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive(I)
but gives the afflicted their rights.(J)
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(K)
he enthrones them with kings(L)
and exalts them forever.(M)
8 But if people are bound in chains,(N)
held fast by cords of affliction,(O)
9 he tells them what they have done—
that they have sinned arrogantly.(P)
10 He makes them listen(Q) to correction(R)
and commands them to repent of their evil.(S)
11 If they obey and serve him,(T)
they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(U)
and their years in contentment.(V)
12 But if they do not listen,
they will perish by the sword[a](W)
and die without knowledge.(X)
13 “The godless in heart(Y) harbor resentment;(Z)
even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(AA)
14 They die in their youth,(AB)
among male prostitutes of the shrines.(AC)
15 But those who suffer(AD) he delivers in their suffering;(AE)
he speaks(AF) to them in their affliction.(AG)
16 “He is wooing(AH) you from the jaws of distress
to a spacious place(AI) free from restriction,(AJ)
to the comfort of your table(AK) laden with choice food.(AL)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(AM)
judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(AN)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
do not let a large bribe(AO) turn you aside.(AP)
19 Would your wealth(AQ) or even all your mighty efforts
sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(AR)
to drag people away from their homes.[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(AS)
which you seem to prefer to affliction.(AT)
22 “God is exalted in his power.(AU)
Who is a teacher like him?(AV)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(AW) for him,(AX)
or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(AY)
24 Remember to extol his work,(AZ)
which people have praised in song.(BA)
25 All humanity has seen it;(BB)
mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(BC)
The number of his years is past finding out.(BD)
27 “He draws up the drops of water,(BE)
which distill as rain to the streams[c];(BF)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
and abundant showers(BG) fall on mankind.(BH)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders(BI) from his pavilion?(BJ)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(BK) about him,
bathing the depths of the sea.(BL)
31 This is the way he governs[d] the nations(BM)
and provides food(BN) in abundance.(BO)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.(BP)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(BQ)
even the cattle make known its approach.[e](BR)
Job 36
King James Version
Job 36
King James Version
36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.