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Job Responds to the Lord

42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

“I know that you can do anything,
    and no one can stop you.
You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
    It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
    things far too wonderful for me.
You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
    I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.’
I had only heard about you before,
    but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
I take back everything I said,
    and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

Conclusion: The Lord Blesses Job

After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

10 When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! 11 Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the Lord had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money[a] and a gold ring.

12 So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. 14 He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers.

16 Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. 17 Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life.

Footnotes

  1. 42:11 Hebrew a kesitah; the value or weight of the kesitah is no longer known.

Job’s Confession

42 Then Job answered the Lord and said,

“I know that (A)You can do all things,
And that no plan is impossible for You.
‘Who is this who (B)conceals advice without knowledge?’
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things (C)too wonderful for me, which I do not know.
‘Please listen, and I will speak;
I will (D)ask You, and You instruct me.’
I have (E)heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
But now my (F)eye sees You;
Therefore I retract,
And I repent, sitting on dust and ashes.”

God Is Displeased with Job’s Friends

It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is trustworthy, (G)as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves (H)seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a (I)burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will (J)pray for you. (K)For I will [a]accept him so as not to do with you as your foolishness deserves, because you have not spoken of Me what is trustworthy, as My servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord told them; and the Lord [b]accepted Job.

God Restores Job’s Fortunes

10 The Lord also (L)restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased double all that Job had. 11 Then all his (M)brothers, all his sisters, and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they (N)sympathized with him and comforted him for all the adversities that the Lord had brought on him. And each one gave him a [c]piece of money, and each a ring of gold. 12 (O)The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; (P)and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys. 13 (Q)He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land no women were found as beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritances among their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. 17 (R)And Job died, an old man and full of days.

Footnotes

  1. Job 42:8 Lit lift up his face
  2. Job 42:9 Lit lifted up the face of
  3. Job 42:11 Heb qesitah