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Bildad’s Third Attack

Even the Stars Aren’t Perfect in God’s Eyes

25 1-6 Bildad the Shuhite again attacked Job:

“God is sovereign, God is fearsome—
    everything in the cosmos fits and works in his plan.
Can anyone count his angel armies?
    Is there any place where his light doesn’t shine?
How can a mere mortal presume to stand up to God?
    How can an ordinary person pretend to be guiltless?
Why, even the moon has its flaws,
    even the stars aren’t perfect in God’s eyes,
So how much less, plain men and women—
    slugs and maggots by comparison!”

Bildad Speaks

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

Dominion and dread(A) belong to him,
the one who establishes harmony in his heights.
Can his troops be numbered?
Does his light not shine on everyone?
How can a human be justified before God?(B)
How can one born of woman be pure?(C)
If even the moon does not shine
and the stars are not pure in his sight,(D)
how much less a human, who is a maggot,
a son of man,[a] who is a worm!(E)

Footnotes

  1. 25:6 Or a mere mortal

Bildad: How Can Man Be Righteous?

25 Then (A)Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

“Dominion and fear belong to Him;
He makes peace in His high places.
[a]Is there any number to His armies?
Upon whom does (B)His light not rise?
(C)How then can man be righteous before God?
Or how can he be (D)pure who is born of a woman?
If even the moon does not shine,
And the stars are not pure in His (E)sight,
How much less man, who is (F)a maggot,
And a son of man, who is a worm?”

Footnotes

  1. Job 25:3 Can His armies be counted?

25 Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and I said:

Power and terror are with him, who maketh peace in his high places.

Is there any numbering of his soldiers? and upon whom shall not his light arise?

Can man be justified compared with God, or he that is born of a woman appear clean?

Behold even the moon doth not shine, and the stars are not pure in his sight.

How much less man that is rottenness and the son of man who is a worm?

Bildad

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

“Dominion and awe belong to God;(B)
    he establishes order in the heights of heaven.(C)
Can his forces be numbered?
    On whom does his light not rise?(D)
How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?(E)
If even the moon(F) is not bright
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes,(G)
how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot—
    a human being,(H) who is only a worm!”(I)