Job 22-37
New American Standard Bible
Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,
2 “Can a strong (A)man be of use to God,
Or a wise one be useful to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to [a]the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or gain if you make your ways blameless?
4 Is it because of your [b]reverence that He punishes you,
That He (B)enters into judgment against you?
5 Is (C)your wickedness not abundant,
And is there no end to your guilty deeds?
6 For you have (D)seized pledges from your brothers without cause,
And [c](E)stripped people naked.
7 You have (F)given the weary no water to drink,
And you have (G)withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But the earth (H)belongs to the (I)powerful man,
And (J)the one who is honorable dwells on it.
9 You have sent (K)widows away empty,
And the [d]strength of (L)orphans has been crushed.
10 Therefore (M)traps surround you,
And sudden (N)dread terrifies you,
11 Or (O)darkness, so that you cannot see,
And a (P)flood of water covers you.
12 “Is God not (Q)in the height of heaven?
Look also at the [e]highest stars, how high they are!
13 But you say, ‘(R)What does God know?
Can He judge through the thick darkness?
14 (S)Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the [f]vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the ancient path
Which (T)wicked people have walked,
16 Who were snatched away (U)before their time,
Whose (V)foundations were [g]washed away by a river?
17 They (W)said to God, ‘Go away from us!’
And ‘What can [h]the Almighty do to them?’
18 Yet He (X)filled their houses with good things;
But (Y)the advice of the wicked is far from me.
19 The (Z)righteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them, saying,
20 ‘Truly our enemies are eliminated,
And (AA)fire has consumed their [i]abundance.’
21 “(AB)Be reconciled with Him, and be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Please receive [j](AC)instruction from His mouth,
And put His words in your heart.
23 If you (AD)return to [k]the Almighty, you will be [l]restored;
If you (AE)remove injustice far from your tent,
24 And (AF)put your [m]gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Then [n]the Almighty will be your [o]gold
And abundant silver to you.
26 For then you will (AG)take pleasure in [p]the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.
27 You will (AH)pray to Him, and (AI)He will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also decide something, and it will be established for you;
And (AJ)light will shine on your ways.
29 When [q]they have brought you low, you will speak with [r]confidence,
And He will save the [s](AK)humble person.
30 He will rescue one who is not innocent,
And he will be (AL)rescued due to the cleanness of your hands.”
Job Says He Longs for God
23 Then Job responded,
2 “Even today my (AM)complaint is rebellion;
[t]His hand is (AN)heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew how to find Him,
That I might come to His home!
4 I would (AO)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn the words which He would [u]answer,
And perceive what He would tell me.
6 Would He contend with me by (AP)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 There the upright would (AQ)argue with Him;
And I [v]would be (AR)free of my Judge forever.
8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (AS)cannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him;
He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the [w]way I take;
When He has (AT)put me to the test, I will come out as gold.
11 My foot has (AU)held on to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not [x]failed the command of His lips;
I have treasured the (AV)words of His mouth [y]more than my [z]necessary food.
13 But He is unique, and who can [aa]make Him turn?
Whatever His soul desires, He does it.
14 For He carries out what is destined for me,
And many such destinies are with Him.
15 Therefore, I would be terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am frightened of Him.
16 It is God who has made my (AW)heart faint,
And the Almighty who has terrified me,
17 But I (AX)am not destroyed by darkness,
Nor by (AY)deep gloom which covers me.
Job Says God Seems to Ignore Wrongs
24 “(AZ)Why are [ab]times not stored up by the Almighty,
And why do those who know Him not see (BA)His [ac]days?
2 People (BB)remove landmarks;
They seize and [ad]devour flocks.
3 They drive away the donkeys of (BC)orphans;
They seize the (BD)widow’s ox as a pledge.
4 They push (BE)the needy aside from the road;
The (BF)poor of the land have to hide themselves together.
5 Behold, like (BG)wild donkeys in the wilderness
They (BH)go out scavenging for food in their activity,
As [ae]bread for their children in the desert.
6 They harvest their feed in the field
And glean the vineyard of the wicked.
7 (BI)They spend the night naked, without clothing,
And have no covering against the cold.
8 They are wet from the mountain rains,
And they hug the rock for lack of a shelter.
9 Others snatch an (BJ)orphan from the breast,
And they seize it as a pledge against the poor.
10 The poor move about naked without clothing,
And they carry sheaves, while going hungry.
11 Within the walls they produce oil;
They tread wine presses but go thirsty.
12 From the city people groan,
And the souls of the wounded cry for help;
Yet God (BK)does not pay attention to the offensiveness.
13 “[af]Others have been with those who rebel against the light;
They do not want to know its ways
Nor stay in its paths.
14 The murderer (BL)arises at dawn;
He (BM)kills the poor and the needy,
And at night he is like a thief.
15 The eye of the (BN)adulterer watches for [ag]twilight,
Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’
And he [ah]disguises his face.
16 In the darkness they (BO)dig into houses,
They (BP)shut themselves up by day;
They do not know the light.
17 For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness,
For he is familiar with the (BQ)terrors of thick darkness.
18 “They are [ai](BR)insignificant on the surface of the water;
Their plot of land on the earth is (BS)cursed.
They do not turn [aj]toward the (BT)vineyards.
19 Dryness and heat (BU)snatch away the snow waters,
As [ak](BV)Sheol snatches those who have sinned.
20 A [al](BW)mother will forget him;
The (BX)maggot feeds sweetly until he is (BY)no longer remembered.
And injustice will be broken (BZ)like a tree.
21 He wrongs the [am]infertile woman,
And does no good for (CA)the widow.
22 But He drags off the mighty by (CB)His power;
He rises, but (CC)no one has assurance of life.
23 He provides them (CD)with security, and they are supported;
And His (CE)eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted a (CF)little while, then they are gone;
Moreover, they are (CG)brought low, and like everything they are gathered up;
Like the heads of grain they wither.
25 Now if it is not so, (CH)who can prove me a liar,
And make my speech worthless?”
Bildad Says Mankind Is Inferior
25 Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,
2 “(CI)Dominion and awe [an]belong to Him
Who makes peace in (CJ)His heights.
3 Is there any number to (CK)His troops?
And upon whom does His light not rise?
4 How then can mankind be (CL)righteous with God?
Or how can anyone who is born of woman be (CM)pure?
5 If even (CN)the moon has no brightness
And the (CO)stars are not pure in His sight,
6 How much less (CP)man, that (CQ)maggot,
And a son of man, that worm!”
Job Rebukes Bildad
26 Then Job responded,
2 “What a help you are to [ao](CR)the weak!
You have saved the arm (CS)without strength!
3 What advice you have given to one without wisdom!
What helpful insight you have abundantly [ap]provided!
4 To whom have you uttered words?
And whose [aq]spirit was expressed through you?
The Greatness of God
5 “The [ar](CT)departed spirits are made to tremble
Under the waters and their inhabitants.
6 [as](CU)Sheol is naked before Him,
And [at](CV)Abaddon has no covering.
7 He (CW)stretches out the north over empty space
And hangs the earth on nothing.
8 He (CX)wraps up the waters in His clouds,
And the cloud does not burst under them.
9 He [au](CY)obscures the face of the [av]full moon
And spreads His cloud over it.
10 He has inscribed a (CZ)circle on the surface of the waters
At the (DA)boundary of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble
And are amazed at His rebuke.
12 With His power He (DB)quieted the sea,
And by His (DC)understanding He shattered [aw](DD)Rahab.
13 By His breath the (DE)heavens are [ax]cleared;
His hand has pierced (DF)the fleeing serpent.
14 Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;
And how faint (DG)a word we hear of Him!
But His mighty (DH)thunder, who can understand?”
Job Affirms His Righteousness
27 Job again took up his (DI)discourse and said,
2 “As God lives, (DJ)who has taken away my right,
And the Almighty, (DK)who has embittered my soul,
3 For as long as [ay]life is in me,
And the [az](DL)breath of God is in my nostrils,
4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,
Nor will (DM)my tongue mutter deceit.
5 Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Until I die, (DN)I will not [ba]give up my integrity.
6 I have (DO)kept hold of my righteousness and will not let it go.
My heart does not rebuke any of my days.
The State of the Godless
7 “May my enemy be as the wicked,
And [bb]my opponent as the criminal.
8 For what is (DP)the hope of the godless when he makes an end of life,
When God requires (DQ)his [bc]life?
9 Will God (DR)hear his cry
When (DS)distress comes upon him?
10 Or will he take (DT)pleasure in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11 I will instruct you in the [bd]power of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Behold, all of you have seen it;
Why then do you talk of nothing?
13 “This is (DU)the portion of a wicked person from God,
And the inheritance which (DV)tyrants receive from the Almighty:
14 Though his sons are many, [be]they are destined (DW)for the sword;
And his (DX)descendants will not be satisfied with bread.
15 His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And [bf]their (DY)widows will not be able to weep.
16 Though he piles up silver like dust,
And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
17 He may prepare it, (DZ)but the righteous will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He has built his (EA)house like the [bg]spider’s web,
Or a hut which the watchman has made.
19 He lies down rich, but never [bh]again;
He opens his eyes, and (EB)it no longer exists.
20 (EC)Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A storm steals him away (ED)in the night.
21 The east (EE)wind carries him away, and he is gone;
For it sweeps him (EF)away from his place.
22 For it will hurl at him (EG)without mercy;
He will certainly try to (EH)flee from its [bi]power.
23 People will [bj]clap their hands at him,
And will (EI)whistle at him from their places.
Job Tells of Earth’s Treasures
28 “Certainly there is a [bk]mine for silver
And a place [bl]for refining gold.
2 Iron is taken from the dust,
And copper is smelted from rock.
3 Man puts an end to darkness,
And (EJ)to the farthest limit he searches out
The rock in gloom and deep shadow.
4 He [bm]sinks a shaft away from [bn]inhabited areas,
Forgotten by the foot;
They hang and swing, away from people.
5 [bo]From the earth comes food,
And underneath, it is turned over like fire.
6 Its rocks are the [bp]source of sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.
7 No bird of prey knows the path,
Nor has the falcon’s eye caught sight of it.
8 The [bq]proud animals have not trodden it,
Nor has the lion passed over it.
9 He puts his hand on the flint;
He overturns the mountains at the [br]base.
10 He carves out channels through the rocks,
And his eye sees anything precious.
11 He dams up the streams from [bs]flowing,
And brings to light what is hidden.
The Search for Wisdom Is Harder
12 “But (EK)where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13 (EL)Mankind does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 The ocean depth says, ‘It is not in me’;
And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15 (EM)Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it,
Nor can silver be weighed as its price.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx, or sapphire.
17 (EN)Gold or glass cannot equal it,
Nor can it be exchanged for articles of pure gold.
18 Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;
And the acquisition of (EO)wisdom is more valuable than pearls.
19 The topaz of [bt]Cush cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in (EP)pure gold.
20 (EQ)Where then does wisdom come from?
And where is this place of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living creature,
And concealed from the birds of the sky.
22 [bu](ER)Abaddon and Death say,
‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’
23 “(ES)God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
24 For He (ET)looks to the ends of the earth;
He sees everything under the heavens.
25 When He imparted (EU)weight to the wind,
And (EV)assessed the waters by measure,
26 When He made a (EW)limit for the rain,
And a course for the (EX)thunderbolt,
27 Then He saw it and declared it;
He established it and also searched it out.
28 And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the (EY)fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Job’s Past Was Glorious
29 Job again took up his (EZ)discourse and said,
2 “Oh that I were as in months gone by,
As in the days when God (FA)watched over me;
3 When (FB)His lamp shone over my head,
And (FC)by His light I walked through darkness;
4 Just as I was in the days of my youth,
When the (FD)protection of God was over my tent;
5 When [bv]the Almighty was still with me,
And my children were around me;
6 When my steps were bathed in (FE)cream,
And the (FF)rock poured out streams of oil for me!
7 When I went out to (FG)the gate of the city,
When I [bw]took my seat in the public square,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the old men arose and stood.
9 The leaders (FH)stopped talking
And (FI)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voices of the prominent people were [bx](FJ)hushed,
And their (FK)tongues stuck to their palates.
11 For when (FL)an ear heard, it called me blessed,
And when an eye saw, it testified in support of me,
12 Because I saved (FM)the poor who cried for help,
And the (FN)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one who (FO)was about to perish came upon me,
And I made the (FP)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (FQ)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a headband.
15 I was (FR)eyes to those who were blind,
And feet to those who [by]could not walk.
16 I was a father to (FS)the poor,
And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17 I (FT)broke the jaws of the wicked
And rescued the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [bz]thought, ‘I will die with my [ca]family,
And I will multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (FU)root is spread out to the waters,
And (FV)dew lies on my branch all night.
20 My glory is ever new with me,
And my (FW)bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “To me (FX)they listened and waited,
And they kept silent for my advice.
22 After my words (FY)they did not speak again,
And (FZ)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
24 I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not look at [cb]my kindness ungraciously.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (GA)chief,
And lived as a king among the troops,
As one who (GB)comforted the mourners.
Job’s Present State Is Humiliating
30 “But now those who are younger than I (GC)mock me,
Whose fathers I refused to put with the dogs of my flock.
2 Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me?
Vigor had perished from them.
3 From poverty and famine they are gaunt,
They who gnaw at the dry ground by night in waste and desolation,
4 Who pluck saltweed by the bushes,
And whose food is the root of the broom shrub.
5 They are driven from the community;
They shout against them as against a thief,
6 So that they live on the slopes of ravines,
In holes in the ground and among the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they [cc]cry out;
Under the weeds they are gathered together.
8 Worthless [cd]fellows, even [ce]those without a name,
They were cast out from the land.
9 “And now I have become their [cf](GD)taunt,
And I have become a [cg](GE)byword to them.
10 They loathe me and stand aloof from me,
And they do not [ch]refrain from (GF)spitting in my face.
11 Because He has undone [ci]my [cj]bowstring and (GG)afflicted me,
They have cast off (GH)the bridle before me.
12 On the right hand their [ck]mob arises;
They (GI)push aside my feet (GJ)and pile up their ways of destruction against me.
13 They (GK)break up my path,
They promote my destruction;
No one restrains them.
14 As through a wide gap they come,
[cl]Amid the storm they roll on.
15 (GL)Sudden terrors are turned upon me;
They chase away my dignity like the wind,
And my [cm]prosperity has passed away (GM)like a cloud.
16 “And now (GN)my soul is poured out [cn]within me;
Days of misery have seized me.
17 At night it pierces (GO)my bones [co]within me,
And my gnawing pains do not rest.
18 By a great force my garment is (GP)distorted;
It ties me up like the collar of my coat.
19 He has thrown me into the (GQ)mire,
And I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I (GR)cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me;
I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me.
21 You have [cp]become cruel to me;
With the strength of Your hand You (GS)persecute me.
22 You (GT)lift me up to the wind and make me ride it;
And You dissolve me in a storm.
23 For I know that You (GU)will bring me to death,
And to the (GV)house of meeting for all living.
24 “Yet does one in a heap of ruins not reach out with his hand,
Or in his disaster does he not (GW)cry out for help?
25 Have I not (GX)wept for the [cq]one whose life is hard?
Was my soul not grieved for (GY)the needy?
26 When I (GZ)expected good, evil came;
When I waited for light, (HA)darkness came.
27 [cr]I am seething (HB)within and cannot rest;
Days of misery confront me.
28 I go about [cs](HC)mourning without comfort;
I stand up in the assembly and (HD)cry out for help.
29 I have become a brother to (HE)jackals,
And a companion of ostriches.
30 My (HF)skin turns black [ct]on me,
And my (HG)bones burn with [cu]fever.
31 Therefore my (HH)harp [cv]is turned to mourning,
And my flute to the sound of those who weep.
Job Asserts His Integrity
31 “I have made a covenant with my (HI)eyes;
How then could I look at a virgin?
2 And what is (HJ)the portion of God from above,
Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is it not (HK)disaster to the criminal,
And misfortune to (HL)those who practice injustice?
4 Does He not (HM)see my ways,
And (HN)count all my steps?
5 “If I have (HO)walked with deception,
And my foot has hurried after deceit,
6 Let Him (HP)weigh me with [cw]accurate scales,
And let God know (HQ)my integrity.
7 If my step has (HR)turned from the way,
Or my heart [cx]followed my eyes,
Or if any (HS)spot has stuck to my hands,
8 Let me (HT)sow and another eat,
And let my [cy](HU)crops be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been (HV)enticed by a woman,
Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,
10 May my wife (HW)grind grain for another,
And let (HX)others [cz]kneel down over her.
11 For that would be a (HY)lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be (HZ)wrongdoing punishable by judges.
12 For it would be (IA)fire that consumes to [da](IB)Abaddon,
And would (IC)uproot all my [db]increase.
13 “If I have (ID)rejected the claim of my male or female slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, how am I to answer Him?
15 Did (IE)He who made me in the womb not make him,
And the same one create us in the womb?
16 “If I have kept (IF)the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of (IG)the widow to fail,
17 Or have (IH)eaten my morsel alone,
And (II)the orphan has not [dc]shared it
18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from [dd]my infancy I guided her),
19 If I have seen anyone perish (IJ)for lack of clothing,
Or that (IK)the needy had no covering,
20 If his waist has not [de]thanked me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against (IL)the orphan,
Because I saw [df]I had support (IM)in the gate,
22 May my shoulder fall from its [dg]socket,
And my (IN)arm be broken off [dh]at the elbow.
23 For (IO)disaster from God is a terror to me,
And because of (IP)His majesty I can do nothing.
24 “If I have put my confidence in (IQ)gold,
And called fine gold my trust,
25 If I have (IR)gloated because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had obtained so much;
26 If I have (IS)looked at the [di]sun when it shone,
Or the moon going in splendor,
27 And my heart was secretly enticed,
And my hand [dj]threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 That too would have been (IT)a guilty deed calling for [dk]judgment,
For I would have (IU)denied God above.
29 “Have I (IV)rejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy,
Or become excited when evil found him?
30 [dl]No, (IW)I have not [dm]allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for his life in (IX)a curse.
31 Have the people of my tent not said,
‘Who can [dn]find one who has not been (IY)satisfied with his meat’?
32 The stranger has not spent the night outside,
For I have opened my doors to the [do]traveler.
33 Have I (IZ)covered my wrongdoings like a man,
By hiding my guilt in my shirt pocket,
34 Because I (JA)feared the great multitude
And the contempt of families terrified me,
And I kept silent and did not go out of doors?
35 Oh that I had one to hear me!
Here is my [dp]signature;
(JB)Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my (JC)adversary has written,
36 I would certainly carry it on my shoulder,
I would tie it to myself like a garland.
37 I would declare to Him (JD)the number of my steps;
Like (JE)a prince, I would approach Him.
38 “If my (JF)land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If I have (JG)eaten its [dq]fruit without money,
Or have (JH)caused [dr]its owners to lose their lives,
40 May the (JI)thorn-bush [ds]grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Elihu Rebukes Job in Anger
32 Then these three men stopped answering Job, because he was (JJ)righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the (JK)Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned against Job; his anger burned (JL)because he justified himself [dt](JM)before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, yet they had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited [du]to speak to Job because they were years older than he. 5 But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, his anger burned.
6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite [dv]spoke out and said,
“I am young in years and you are (JN)old;
Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you [dw]what I think.
7 I [dx]thought [dy](JO)age should speak,
And [dz]increased years should teach wisdom.
8 But it is a spirit that is in mankind,
And the (JP)breath of the Almighty gives them (JQ)understanding.
9 The [ea]abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may (JR)elders understand justice.
10 So I [eb]say, ‘Listen to me,
I too will tell [ec]what I think.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened to your skillful speech,
While you [ed]pondered what to say.
12 I also paid close attention to you;
But [ee]indeed, there was no one who refuted Job,
Not one of you who answered his words.
13 So do not say,
‘(JS)We have found wisdom:
God will [ef]defeat him, not man.’
14 But he has not presented his words against me,
Nor will I reply to him with your [eg]arguments.
15 “They are dismayed, they no longer answer;
Words have [eh]failed them.
16 Should I wait, because they are not speaking,
Because they have [ei]stopped and no longer answer?
17 I too will [ej]give my share of answers;
I also will tell my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
The spirit within me compels me.
19 Behold, my belly is like unvented wine;
Like new wineskins, it is about to burst.
20 Let me speak so that I may get relief;
Let me open my lips and answer.
21 Let me (JT)be partial to no one,
Nor flatter any man.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
Otherwise my Maker would quickly take me away.
Elihu Claims to Speak for God
33 “However, please (JU)hear my speech, Job,
And listen to all my words.
2 Behold now, I open my mouth,
My tongue in my [ek]mouth speaks.
3 My words are from the integrity of my heart,
And my lips speak (JV)knowledge sincerely.
4 The (JW)Spirit of God has made me,
And the (JX)breath of [el]the Almighty gives me life.
5 (JY)Refute me if you can;
Line up against me, take your stand.
6 Behold, I belong to God, like you;
I too have been [em]formed out of the (JZ)clay.
7 Behold, (KA)no fear of me should terrify you,
Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.
8 “You have in fact spoken [en]while I listened,
And I heard the sound of your words:
9 ‘I am (KB)pure, (KC)without wrongdoing;
I am innocent and there (KD)is no guilt in me.
10 Behold, He [eo]invents [ep]criticisms against me;
He (KE)counts me as His enemy.
11 He (KF)puts my feet in the stocks;
He watches all my paths.’
12 Behold, let me respond to you, (KG)you are not right in this,
For God is greater than mankind.
13 “Why do you (KH)complain to Him
That He does not give an account of all His doings?
14 Indeed (KI)God speaks once,
Or twice, yet no one notices it.
15 In a (KJ)dream, a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls on people,
While they slumber in their beds,
16 Then (KK)He opens the ears of people,
And horrifies them with warnings,
17 So that He may turn a person away from bad conduct,
And [eq]keep a man from pride;
18 He (KL)keeps his soul back from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the (KM)spear.
19 “A person is also rebuked by (KN)pain in his bed,
And with constant complaint in his bones,
20 So that his life (KO)loathes bread,
And his soul, food [er]that he should crave.
21 His (KP)flesh wastes away from sight,
And his (KQ)bones, which were not seen, stick out.
22 Then (KR)his soul comes near to the pit,
And his life to those who bring death.
23 “If there is an (KS)interceding angel for him,
One out of a thousand,
To remind a person of what is [es]right for him,
24 And he is gracious to him, and says,
‘Free him from (KT)going down to the pit,
I have found a (KU)ransom’;
25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,
Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;
26 Then he will (KV)pray to God, and He will accept him,
So that (KW)he may see His face with joy,
And He will restore His righteousness to that person.
27 He will sing to people and say,
‘I (KX)have sinned and perverted what is right,
And it is not (KY)proper for me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,
And my life will (KZ)see the light.’
29 “Behold, God does (LA)all these things for a man two or three times,
30 To (LB)bring back his soul from the pit,
So that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Keep silent, and let me speak.
32 Then if [et]you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I would take pleasure in justifying you.
33 If not, (LC)listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice
34 Then Elihu continued and said,
2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
And listen to me, you who understand.
3 For (LD)the ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right;
Let us understand among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘(LE)I am righteous,
But (LF)God has taken away my right;
6 [eu]Should I lie about my right?
My [ev](LG)wound is incurable, though I am without wrongdoing.’
7 What man is like Job,
Who (LH)drinks up derision like water,
8 Who goes (LI)in company with the workers of injustice,
And walks with wicked people?
9 For he has said, ‘(LJ)It is of no use to a man
When he becomes friends with God.’
10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to (LK)do evil,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 For He repays a person for (LL)his work,
And lets things happen in correspondence to a man’s [ew]behavior.
12 (LM)God certainly will not act wickedly,
And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who (LN)gave Him authority over the earth?
And who (LO)has placed the whole world on Him?
14 If He were to [ex]determine to do so,
If He were to (LP)gather His [ey]spirit and His breath to Himself,
15 [ez](LQ)Humanity would perish together,
And mankind would (LR)return to dust.
16 “But if you have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words.
17 Shall (LS)one who hates justice rule?
And (LT)will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
18 Who says to a king, ‘You worthless one,’
To nobles, ‘You wicked one’;
19 Who shows no (LU)partiality to the prominent,
Nor regards the rich as above the poor,
Since they are all the (LV)work of His hands?
20 In a moment they die, and (LW)at midnight
People are shaken and pass away,
And (LX)the powerful are taken away without a hand.
21 “For (LY)His eyes are upon the ways of a person,
And He sees all his steps.
22 There is (LZ)no darkness or deep shadow
Where the workers of injustice can hide themselves.
23 For He does not (MA)need to consider a person further,
That he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces the (MB)mighty without investigation,
And sets others in their place.
25 Therefore He (MC)knows their deeds,
And (MD)He overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.
26 He (ME)strikes them like the wicked
[fa]In a public place,
27 Because they (MF)turned aside from following Him,
And (MG)had no regard for any of His ways,
28 So that they caused (MH)the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And that He would (MI)hear the cry of the afflicted—
29 When He keeps quiet, who can condemn?
And when He hides His face, who then can look at Him,
That is, regarding both nation and a person?—
30 So that (MJ)godless people would not rule,
Nor be snares for the people.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured punishment;
I will not offend anymore;
32 Teach me what I do not see;
If I have (MK)done wrong,
I will not do it again’?
33 Shall God (ML)repay on your terms, because you have rejected His?
For you must choose, and not I;
Therefore declare what you know.
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
And a wise man who hears me,
35 ‘Job (MM)speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom.
36 Oh that Job were tested [fb]to the limit,
Because [fc]he answers (MN)like sinners.
37 For he adds (MO)rebellion to his sin;
He (MP)claps his hands among us,
And multiplies his words against God.’”
Elihu Sharply Rebukes Job
35 Then Elihu continued and said,
2 “Do you think this is in accordance with (MQ)justice?
Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
3 For you say, ‘(MR)What advantage will it be to [fd]You?
(MS)What benefit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
4 I will answer you,
And your friends with you.
5 (MT)Look at the heavens and see;
And look at (MU)the clouds—they are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, (MV)what do you accomplish against Him?
And if your wrongdoings are many, what do you do to Him?
7 If you are righteous, (MW)what do you give to Him,
Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,
And your righteousness is for a son of man.
9 “Because of the (MX)multitude of oppressions they cry out;
They cry for help because of the arm (MY)of the mighty.
10 But (MZ)no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
Who (NA)gives songs in the night,
11 Who (NB)teaches us more than the animals of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
12 There (NC)they cry out, but He does not answer
Because of the pride of evil people.
13 (ND)God certainly will not listen to [fe]an empty cry,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when (NE)you say you do not look at Him,
The (NF)case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!
15 And now, because He has not avenged His anger,
Nor has He acknowledged [ff]wrongdoing well,
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty words;
He multiplies words (NG)without knowledge.”
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 [fg]is still more to be said on God’s behalf.
3 I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And ascribe (NH)righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly (NI)my words are not false;
One who is (NJ)perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold, God is mighty but does not (NK)reject anyone;
He is (NL)mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not (NM)keep the wicked alive,
But gives justice to (NN)the afflicted.
7 He does not (NO)withdraw His eyes from the righteous,
But (NP)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 (NQ)misery,
9 Then He declares to them their work
And their wrongdoings, that they have (NR)been arrogant.
10 (NS)He opens their ears to instruction,
And (NT)commands that they return from injustice.
11 If they listen and serve Him,
They will (NU)end their days in prosperity,
And their years in (NV)happiness.
12 But if they do not listen, they will [fh]perish (NW)by the sword,
And (NX)die without knowledge.
13 But the godless in heart nurture anger;
They do not call for help when He binds them.
14 [fi]They die in youth,
And their life perishes among the (NY)cult prostitutes.
15 He rescues the afflicted in [fj]their (NZ)misery,
And (OA)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 [fk]rich food.
17 “But you were full of (OB)judgment on the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Beware that (OC)wrath does not entice you to mockery;
And do not let the greatness of the (OD)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 (OE)the night,
When people [fl]vanish in their places.
21 Be careful, do (OF)not turn to evil,
For you preferred this to (OG)misery.
22 Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a (OH)teacher like Him?
23 Who has appointed Him His way,
And who has said, ‘(OI)You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember that you are to (OJ)exalt His work,
Of which people have (OK)sung.
25 All people have seen it;
Mankind looks at it from afar.
26 Behold, God is (OL)exalted, and (OM)we do not know Him;
The (ON)number of His years is unsearchable.
27 For (OO)He draws up the drops of water;
They distill rain from its [fm]celestial stream,
28 Which clouds pour down;
They drip upon mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand the (OP)spreading of the clouds,
The (OQ)thundering of His [fn]pavilion?
30 Behold, He spreads His [fo]lightning about Him,
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31 For by them He (OR)judges peoples;
He (OS)gives food in abundance.
32 He covers His hands with the [fp]lightning,
And (OT)commands it to strike the target.
33 Its (OU)thundering voice declares [fq]His presence;
The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.
Elihu Says God Has Authority Over the Storm
37 “At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2 Listen closely to the (OV)thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
And His [fr]lightning travels to the (OW)ends of the earth.
4 After it, a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain [fs]the lightning when His voice is heard.
5 God (OX)thunders wondrously with His voice,
Doing (OY)great things which we do not comprehend.
6 For to (OZ)the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
And to the [ft](PA)downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’
7 He (PB)seals the hand of every person,
So that (PC)all people may know His work.
8 Then the animal goes into its (PD)lair
And remains in its [fu]den.
9 From the [fv](PE)south comes the storm,
And from the north wind the cold.
10 From the breath of God (PF)ice is made,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.
11 He also (PG)loads the clouds with moisture;
He (PH)disperses (PI)the cloud of His [fw]lightning.
12 It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,
That [fx]it may do whatever He (PJ)commands [fy]it
On the (PK)face of the inhabited earth.
13 Whether for [fz](PL)correction, or for (PM)His earth,
Or for (PN)goodness, He causes it to [ga]happen.
14 “Listen to this, Job;
Stand and consider the wonders of God.
15 Do you know how God establishes them,
And makes the [gb]lightning of His clouds to shine?
16 Do you know about the hovering of the clouds,
The (PO)wonders of One who is (PP)perfect in knowledge,
17 You whose garments are hot
When the land is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, with Him, (PQ)spread out the skies,
Strong as a cast metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we are to say to Him;
We (PR)cannot present our case because of darkness.
20 Shall it be told Him that I would speak?
[gc]Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?
21 “Now people do not see the light which is bright in the skies;
But the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 From the north comes golden splendor;
Around God is awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty—(PS)we cannot find Him;
He is (PT)exalted in power
And (PU)He will not violate (PV)justice and abundant righteousness.
24 Therefore people (PW)fear Him;
He does not (PX)regard any who are wise of heart.”
Footnotes
- Job 22:3 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:4 Or fear
- Job 22:6 Lit stripped clothing of the naked
- Job 22:9 Lit arms
- Job 22:12 Lit head, top-most
- Job 22:14 Lit circle
- Job 22:16 Lit poured out
- Job 22:17 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:20 Or excess
- Job 22:22 Or law
- Job 22:23 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:23 Lit built up
- Job 22:24 Lit ore
- Job 22:25 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:25 Lit ore
- Job 22:26 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:29 Lit they cast you down
- Job 22:29 Lit pride
- Job 22:29 Lit lowly of eyes
- Job 23:2 As in LXX and Syriac; MT My
- Job 23:5 Lit answer me
- Job 23:7 Or bring forth my justice forever
- Job 23:10 Lit way with me
- Job 23:12 Lit ceased from
- Job 23:12 Or with some ancient versions, in my breast
- Job 23:12 Lit prescribed portion
- Job 23:13 Or deprive Him of anything
- Job 24:1 I.e., of judgment for the wicked
- Job 24:1 I.e., of judgment for the wicked
- Job 24:2 Or pasture
- Job 24:5 Lit his bread
- Job 24:13 Lit They
- Job 24:15 Lit the twilight
- Job 24:15 Or puts a covering on his face
- Job 24:18 Or light; or swift
- Job 24:18 Lit to the path of
- Job 24:19 I.e., the netherworld
- Job 24:20 Lit womb
- Job 24:21 Lit infertile who does not bear
- Job 25:2 Lit are with Him
- Job 26:2 Lit no strength
- Job 26:3 Lit made known
- Job 26:4 Lit breath has gone forth
- Job 26:5 Or shades; Heb Rephaim
- Job 26:6 I.e., the netherworld
- Job 26:6 I.e., the place of destruction
- Job 26:9 Lit covers
- Job 26:9 Or throne
- Job 26:12 I.e., a sea monster, not to be confused with Rahab in Joshua 2
- Job 26:13 Lit beauty
- Job 27:3 Lit breath
- Job 27:3 Or spirit
- Job 27:5 Lit remove from me
- Job 27:7 Lit one who rises up against me
- Job 27:8 Or soul
- Job 27:11 Lit hand
- Job 27:14 Lit the sword is for them
- Job 27:15 As in ancient versions; Heb his
- Job 27:18 As in ancient versions; Heb moth
- Job 27:19 As in ancient versions; Heb will be gathered
- Job 27:22 Lit hand
- Job 27:23 I.e., mock and ridicule him
- Job 28:1 Lit source
- Job 28:1 Lit for gold they refine
- Job 28:4 Lit breaks open
- Job 28:4 Lit sojourning
- Job 28:5 Lit Earth, from it
- Job 28:6 Or place
- Job 28:8 Lit sons of pride
- Job 28:9 Lit root
- Job 28:11 Lit weeping
- Job 28:19 Or Ethiopia
- Job 28:22 I.e., Destruction
- Job 29:5 Heb Shaddai
- Job 29:7 Lit set up
- Job 29:10 Lit hidden
- Job 29:15 Or limped
- Job 29:18 Lit said
- Job 29:18 Lit nest
- Job 29:24 Lit the light of my face
- Job 30:7 Or bray
- Job 30:8 Lit sons
- Job 30:8 Lit sons
- Job 30:9 Lit song
- Job 30:9 I.e., prob. a word of insult
- Job 30:10 Lit withhold spit from my face
- Job 30:11 Some mss His
- Job 30:11 Or cord
- Job 30:12 Or youth arise
- Job 30:14 Lit Under
- Job 30:15 Or welfare
- Job 30:16 Lit upon
- Job 30:17 Lit from upon
- Job 30:21 Lit turned to be
- Job 30:25 Lit hard of day
- Job 30:27 Lit My inward parts are boiling
- Job 30:28 Or blackened, but not by the heat of the sun
- Job 30:30 Lit from upon
- Job 30:30 Lit heat
- Job 30:31 Lit becomes
- Job 31:6 Lit just
- Job 31:7 Lit walked after
- Job 31:8 Or offspring
- Job 31:10 I.e., have sexual relations with her
- Job 31:12 I.e., the place of destruction
- Job 31:12 Or yield
- Job 31:17 Lit eaten from it
- Job 31:18 Lit my mother’s womb
- Job 31:20 Lit blessed; i.e., for clothing
- Job 31:21 Lit my help
- Job 31:22 Lit neck-joint
- Job 31:22 Lit from the bone of the upper arm
- Job 31:26 Lit light
- Job 31:27 Lit kissed my mouth
- Job 31:28 Lit judges
- Job 31:30 Lit And
- Job 31:30 Lit given my palate
- Job 31:31 Lit give
- Job 31:32 MT way
- Job 31:35 Lit mark
- Job 31:39 Lit strength
- Job 31:39 Lit the soul of its owners to expire
- Job 31:40 Lit come forth
- Job 32:2 Or more than
- Job 32:4 Lit for Job with words; or possibly while they were speaking with Job
- Job 32:6 Lit answered
- Job 32:6 Lit my knowledge
- Job 32:7 Lit said
- Job 32:7 Lit days
- Job 32:7 Lit many
- Job 32:9 Lit great (i.e., in years); or nobles
- Job 32:10 Or said
- Job 32:10 Lit my knowledge
- Job 32:11 Lit searched out words
- Job 32:12 Lit Behold
- Job 32:13 Lit scatter
- Job 32:14 Lit words
- Job 32:15 Lit moved away from
- Job 32:16 Lit stand
- Job 32:17 Lit answer my share
- Job 33:2 Lit palate
- Job 33:4 Heb Shaddai
- Job 33:6 Lit cut out of
- Job 33:8 Lit in my ears
- Job 33:10 Lit finds
- Job 33:10 Or complaints
- Job 33:17 Lit hide
- Job 33:20 Lit of craving
- Job 33:23 Lit his uprightness
- Job 33:32 Lit there are words
- Job 34:6 Or Although I am right I am accounted a liar.
- Job 34:6 Lit arrow
- Job 34:11 Lit way
- Job 34:14 Lit set His mind on Himself
- Job 34:14 Or Spirit
- Job 34:15 Lit All flesh
- Job 34:26 Lit In the place of the ones seeing
- Job 34:36 Or to the end
- Job 34:36 Lit of answers like
- Job 35:3 Or me
- Job 35:13 Or falsehood
- Job 35:15 Or arrogance
- Job 36:2 Lit are yet words for God
- Job 36:12 Lit pass away
- Job 36:14 Lit Their soul dies
- Job 36:15 Lit his
- Job 36:16 Or fatness
- Job 36:20 Lit go up
- Job 36:27 Or mist
- Job 36:29 Lit booth
- Job 36:30 Lit light
- Job 36:32 Lit light
- Job 36:33 Lit concerning Him
- Job 37:3 Lit light
- Job 37:4 Lit them
- Job 37:6 Lit shower of rain and shower of rains
- Job 37:8 Lit dens
- Job 37:9 Lit chamber
- Job 37:11 Lit light
- Job 37:12 Lit they
- Job 37:12 Lit them
- Job 37:13 Lit the rod
- Job 37:13 Lit be found
- Job 37:15 Lit light
- Job 37:20 Or If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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