Job 26
Lexham English Bible
Job’s Ninth Speech: A Response to Bildad
26 Then[a] Job answered and said,
2 “How you[b] have helped one who has no power![c]
How you[d] have assisted the arm that has no strength![e]
3 How you[f] have advised one who has no wisdom![g]
And what sound wisdom you[h] have made known in abundance![i]
4 With whose help[j] have you[k] uttered words,
and whose breath has come forth from you?[l]
5 “The spirits of the dead tremble
below the waters and their inhabitants.
6 Sheol is naked before him,
and there is no covering for Abaddon.
7 He stretches out the north over emptiness;
he hangs the earth over nothing.[m]
8 He ties up the water in its clouds,
and the cloud is not torn open beneath it.[n]
9 He covers the face of the full moon;[o]
he spreads his cloud over it.
10 He has described a circle[p] on the face of the water
between light and darkness.[q]
11 “The pillars of heaven tremble,
and they are astounded at his rebuke.
12 By his power he stilled the sea,
and by his understanding he struck down Rahab.
13 By his breath the heavens were made clear;[r]
his hand pierced the fleeing snake.
14 Look, these are the outer fringes of his ways,
and how faint is the word[s] that we hear of him!
But[t] who can understand the thunder of his power?”
Footnotes
- Job 26:1 Hebrew “And”
- Job 26:2 Singular
- Job 26:2 Literally “for not power”
- Job 26:2 Singular
- Job 26:2 Literally “not strength”
- Job 26:3 Singular
- Job 26:3 Literally “for not wisdom”
- Job 26:3 Singular
- Job 26:3 Literally “as far as the multitude,” or “for multitude”
- Job 26:4 Literally “With whom”
- Job 26:4 Singular
- Job 26:4 Singular
- Job 26:7 Literally “over not what”
- Job 26:8 Hebrew “them”; antecedent for “them” is “water” (literally “waters”)
- Job 26:9 Text reads “throne”; “full moon” is based on a change of the vowels
- Job 26:10 NRSV; literally “a limit he has circled”
- Job 26:10 Literally “at the end of light with darkness”
- Job 26:13 Literally “heavens clearness”
- Job 26:14 Literally “how whisper of word”
- Job 26:14 Hebrew “And”
Job 26
New King James Version
Job: Man’s Frailty and God’s Majesty
26 But Job answered and said:
2 “How have you helped him who is without power?
How have you saved the arm that has no strength?
3 How have you counseled one who has no wisdom?
And how have you declared sound advice to many?
4 To whom have you uttered words?
And whose spirit came from you?
5 “The dead tremble,
Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.
6 (A)Sheol is naked before Him,
And Destruction has no covering.
7 (B)He stretches out the north over empty space;
He hangs the earth on nothing.
8 (C)He binds up the water in His thick clouds,
Yet the clouds [a]are not broken under it.
9 He covers the face of His throne,
And spreads His cloud over it.
10 (D)He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters,
At the boundary of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble,
And are [b]astonished at His rebuke.
12 (E)He stirs up the sea with His power,
And by His understanding He breaks up [c]the storm.
13 (F)By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;
His hand pierced (G)the fleeing serpent.
14 Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?”
Job 26
King James Version
26 But Job answered and said,
2 How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?
3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
4 To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?
5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
9 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.
10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.
12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.
13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?
Job 26
English Standard Version
Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable
26 Then Job answered and said:
2 “How you have (A)helped him who has no power!
How you have saved (B)the arm that has no strength!
3 How you have (C)counseled him who has no wisdom,
and plentifully declared sound knowledge!
4 With whose help have you uttered words,
and whose breath (D)has come out from you?
5 The (E)dead tremble
under the waters and their inhabitants.
6 Sheol is (F)naked before God,[a]
and (G)Abaddon has no covering.
7 He (H)stretches out the north over (I)the void
and hangs the earth on nothing.
8 He (J)binds up the waters in his thick clouds,
and the cloud is not split open under them.
9 He covers the face of the full moon[b]
and (K)spreads over it his cloud.
10 He has inscribed (L)a circle on the face of the waters
at the boundary between light and darkness.
11 (M)The pillars of heaven tremble
and are astounded at his (N)rebuke.
12 By his power he (O)stilled the sea;
by his understanding he shattered (P)Rahab.
13 (Q)By his wind the heavens were made fair;
his hand pierced (R)the fleeing serpent.
14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his (S)ways,
and how small (T)a whisper do we hear of him!
But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
