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?”
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
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Job’s Reply to Bildad
26 Then Job answered:
2 How you have helped(A) the powerless
and delivered the arm that is weak!
3 How you have counseled the unwise(B)
and thoroughly explained the path to success!
4 Who did you speak these words to?
Whose breath came out of your mouth?
5 The departed spirits tremble
beneath the waters and all that inhabit them.(C)
6 Sheol(D) is naked before God,
and Abaddon(E) has no covering.(F)
7 He stretches the northern skies over empty space;
He hangs the earth on nothing.
8 He wraps up the waters in His clouds,
yet the clouds do not burst beneath their weight.(G)
9 He obscures the view of His throne,
spreading His cloud over it.
10 He laid out the horizon on the surface of the waters(H)
at the boundary between light and darkness.
11 The pillars that hold up the sky tremble,
astounded at His rebuke.(I)
12 By His power He stirred(J) the sea,
and by His understanding He crushed Rahab.(K)
13 By His breath the heavens gained their beauty;
His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.[a](L)
14 These are but the fringes of His ways;
how faint is the word we hear of Him!
Who can understand His mighty thunder?
Footnotes
- Job 26:13 = Leviathan
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.