Job 36
Legacy Standard Bible
Elihu Says God Gives the Afflicted Justice
36 Then Elihu continued and said,
2 “Wait for me a little, and I will show you
That there [a]is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 I will take up my knowledge from afar,
And I will ascribe (A)righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly (B)my words are not a lie;
One who is [b](C)perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold, God is mighty but does not (D)reject;
He is (E)mighty in the power of His heart.
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 fetters,
And are caught in the cords of (J)affliction,
9 Then He declares to them their work
And their transgressions, that they have (K)magnified themselves.
10 (L)He opens their ear to discipline,
And (M)says that they return from wickedness.
11 If they hear and serve Him,
They will (N)end their days in prosperity
And their years in (O)pleasures.
12 But if they do not hear, they shall pass away (P)by a weapon
And they will (Q)breathe their last without knowledge.
13 But the godless in heart lay up anger;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
14 [c]They die in youth,
And their life perishes among the (R)cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers the afflicted in [d]their (S)affliction,
And (T)opens their ear in [e]time of oppression.
16 Then indeed, He (U)enticed you from the mouth of distress,
Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;
And the comfort of your table full of [f]fatness.
17 “But you were full of (V)judgment on the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Beware lest (W)wrath entice you to scoffing;
And do not let the greatness of the (X)atonement turn you aside.
19 Will your [g]cries keep you from distress,
Or all the forces of your power?
20 Do not long for (Y)the night,
When people [h]vanish in their place.
21 Be careful, do (Z)not turn to wickedness,
For you have chosen this to (AA)affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a (AB)teacher like Him?
23 Who has appointed Him His way,
And who has said, ‘(AC)You have worked out [i]unrighteousness’?
24 “Remember that you should (AD)exalt His work,
Of which men have (AE)sung.
25 All men have beheld it;
Man looks from afar.
26 Behold, God is (AF)exalted, and (AG)we do not know Him;
The (AH)number of His years is unsearchable.
27 For (AI)He draws up the drops of water,
They distill rain for His [j]stream,
28 Which the clouds pour down,
They drip upon man abundantly.
29 Can anyone discern the (AJ)spreading of the clouds,
The (AK)thundering of His [k]pavilion?
30 Behold, He spreads His [l]lightning about Him,
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31 For by these He (AL)judges peoples;
He (AM)gives food in abundance.
32 He covers His hands with the [m]lightning,
And (AN)commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its (AO)thundering declares about Him;
The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.
Job 36
Revised Standard Version
Elihu Exalts God’s Goodness
36 And Eli′hu continued, and said:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any;
he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives the afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but with kings upon the throne
he sets them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they are bound in fetters
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
10 He opens their ears to instruction,
and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not hearken, they perish by the sword,
and die without knowledge.
13 “The godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them.
14 They die in youth,
and their life ends in shame.[a]
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction,
and opens their ear by adversity.
16 He also allured you out of distress
into a broad place where there was no cramping,
and what was set on your table was full of fatness.
17 “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing;
and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your cry avail to keep you from distress,
or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for the night,
when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, do not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, ‘Thou hast done wrong’?
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
24 “Remember to extol his work,
of which men have sung.
25 All men have looked on it;
man beholds it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
the number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water,
he[b] distils his mist in rain
28 which the skies pour down,
and drop upon man abundantly.
29 Can any one understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him,
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he judges peoples;
he gives food in abundance.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning,
and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its crashing declares concerning him,
who is jealous with anger against iniquity.
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Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.