Job 29-36
English Standard Version
Job's Summary Defense
29 And Job again (A)took up his discourse, and said:
2 “Oh, that I were as in the months of old,
as in the days when God watched over me,
3 when his (B)lamp shone upon my head,
and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 as I was in my prime,[a]
when the (C)friendship of God was upon my tent,
5 when the Almighty was yet with me,
when my (D)children were all around me,
6 when my steps were (E)washed with (F)butter,
and (G)the rock poured out for me streams of (H)oil!
7 When I went out to (I)the gate of the city,
when I prepared my seat in the square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
and the aged rose and stood;
9 the princes refrained from talking
and (J)laid their hand on their mouth;
10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,
and their (K)tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed,
and when the eye saw, it approved,
12 because I (L)delivered the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 (M)The blessing of him who was (N)about to perish came upon me,
and I caused (O)the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I (P)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and (Q)a turban.
15 I was (R)eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I searched out (S)the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I (T)broke (U)the fangs of the unrighteous
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18 (V)Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my (W)nest,
and I shall multiply my days as (X)the sand,
19 my (Y)roots spread out to (Z)the waters,
with the dew all night on my (AA)branches,
20 my glory fresh with me,
and my (AB)bow ever (AC)new in my hand.’
21 “Men listened to me and waited
and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After I spoke they did not speak again,
and my word (AD)dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
and they (AE)opened their mouths as for the (AF)spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and (AG)the light of my (AH)face they did not cast down.
25 I chose their way and sat as chief,
and I lived like (AI)a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
30 “But now they (AJ)laugh at me,
men who are (AK)younger than I,
whose fathers I would have disdained
to set with the dogs of my flock.
2 What could I gain from the strength of their hands,
(AL)men whose (AM)vigor is gone?
3 Through want and hard hunger
they (AN)gnaw (AO)the dry ground by night in (AP)waste and desolation;
4 they pick saltwort and the leaves of bushes,
and the roots of the broom tree for their food.[b]
5 (AQ)They are driven out from human company;
they shout after them as after a thief.
6 In the gullies of the torrents they must dwell,
in holes of the earth and of (AR)the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they (AS)bray;
under (AT)the nettles they huddle together.
8 A senseless, a nameless brood,
they have been whipped out of the land.
9 “And now I have become their (AU)song;
I am (AV)a byword to them.
10 They (AW)abhor me; they keep aloof from me;
they do not hesitate to (AX)spit at the sight of me.
11 Because God has loosed my cord and humbled me,
they have cast off restraint[c] in my presence.
12 On my (AY)right hand the rabble rise;
they push away my feet;
they (AZ)cast up against me their ways of destruction.
13 They break up my path;
they promote my (BA)calamity;
they need no one to help them.
14 As through a wide (BB)breach they come;
amid the crash they roll on.
15 (BC)Terrors are turned upon me;
my honor is pursued as by the wind,
and my prosperity has passed away like (BD)a cloud.
16 “And now my soul is (BE)poured out within me;
days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 (BF)The night (BG)racks my bones,
and the pain that (BH)gnaws me takes no rest.
18 With great force my garment is (BI)disfigured;
it binds me about like the collar of my tunic.
19 God[d] has cast me into the mire,
and I have become like (BJ)dust and ashes.
20 I cry to you for help and you do not answer me;
I stand, and you only look at me.
21 You have (BK)turned cruel to me;
with the might of your hand you (BL)persecute me.
22 (BM)You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it,
and you toss me about in the roar of the storm.
23 (BN)For I know that you will bring me to death
and to the house appointed for (BO)all living.
24 “Yet does not one in a (BP)heap of ruins stretch out his hand,
and in his disaster cry for help?[e]
25 Did not I (BQ)weep for him whose day was hard?
Was not my soul grieved for the needy?
26 But (BR)when I hoped for good, evil came,
and when I waited for light, (BS)darkness came.
27 My inward parts are in turmoil and never still;
days of affliction (BT)come to meet me.
28 I (BU)go about darkened, but not by the sun;
I stand up in (BV)the assembly and cry for help.
29 I am a brother of (BW)jackals
and a companion of (BX)ostriches.
30 My (BY)skin turns black and falls from me,
and my (BZ)bones burn with heat.
31 My (CA)lyre is (CB)turned to mourning,
and my (CC)pipe to the voice of those who weep.
Job's Final Appeal
31 “I have made a covenant with my (CD)eyes;
how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2 What would be (CE)my portion from God above
and (CF)my heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 (CG)Does not he see my ways
and (CH)number all my steps?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood
and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6 (Let me be (CI)weighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!)
7 if my step has turned aside from the way
and (CJ)my heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any (CK)spot has stuck to my hands,
8 then let me (CL)sow, and another eat,
and let what grows for me[f] be rooted out.
9 “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have (CM)lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10 then let my wife (CN)grind for another,
and let others (CO)bow down on her.
11 For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be an iniquity (CP)to be punished by the judges;
12 for that would be a fire (CQ)that consumes as far as Abaddon,
and it would burn to the root all my increase.
13 “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
when they brought a complaint against me,
14 what then shall I do when God rises up?
When he (CR)makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15 Did (CS)not he who made me in the womb make him?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have (CT)withheld anything that the poor desired,
or have (CU)caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 or have eaten my morsel alone,
and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 (for from my youth the fatherless[g] grew up with me as with a father,
and from my mother's womb I guided the widow[h]),
19 if I have seen anyone (CV)perish for (CW)lack of clothing,
or the needy without (CX)covering,
20 if his body has not (CY)blessed me,[i]
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against (CZ)the fatherless,
because I saw my help in (DA)the gate,
22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23 For I was (DB)in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his (DC)majesty.
24 (DD)“If I have made gold my (DE)trust
or called (DF)fine gold my confidence,
25 if I have (DG)rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because (DH)my hand had found much,
26 (DI)if I have looked at the sun[j] when it shone,
or (DJ)the moon moving in splendor,
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed,
and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28 this also would be (DK)an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.
29 “If I have (DL)rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook him
30 ((DM)I have not let my mouth sin
by asking for his life with a curse),
31 if the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been filled with his (DN)meat?’
32 ((DO)the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33 if I (DP)have concealed my transgressions (DQ)as others do[k]
by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 because I stood in great fear of (DR)the multitude,
and the contempt of families terrified me,
so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
35 Oh, that I had one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty (DS)answer me!)
Oh, that I had (DT)the indictment written by my adversary!
36 Surely I would carry it on my (DU)shoulder;
I would (DV)bind it on me as (DW)a crown;
37 I would give him an account of all my steps;
like a prince I would approach him.
38 “If my land has cried out against me
and its furrows have wept together,
39 (DX)if I have eaten its yield without payment
and made its owners (DY)breathe their last,
40 let (DZ)thorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Elihu Rebukes Job's Three Friends
32 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was (EA)righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu the son of Barachel (EB)the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself (EC)rather than God. 3 He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had (ED)declared Job to be in the wrong. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.
6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:
“I am young in years,
and you are (EE)aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
to declare my opinion to you.
7 I said, ‘Let days speak,
and many years teach wisdom.’
8 But it is (EF)the spirit in man,
(EG)the breath of the Almighty, that makes him (EH)understand.
9 (EI)It is not the old[l] who are wise,
nor the aged who understand what is right.
10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
let me also declare my opinion.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened for your wise sayings,
while you searched out what to say.
12 I gave you my attention,
and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
or who answered his words.
13 Beware (EJ)lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
God may vanquish him, not a man.’
14 He has not directed his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your speeches.
15 “They are dismayed; they answer no more;
they have not a word to say.
16 And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
because they stand there, and answer no more?
17 I also will answer with my share;
I also will declare my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
the spirit within me constrains me.
19 Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
like new (EK)wineskins ready to burst.
20 (EL)I must speak, that I may find (EM)relief;
I must open my lips and answer.
21 I will not (EN)show partiality to any man
or use flattery toward any person.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
else my Maker would soon take me away.
Elihu Rebukes Job
33 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I (EO)open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 (EP)The Spirit of God has made me,
and (EQ)the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 (ER)Answer me, if you can;
(ES)set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of (ET)clay.
7 Behold, no (EU)fear of me need terrify you;
my (EV)pressure will not be heavy upon you.
8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am (EW)pure, without (EX)transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he (EY)counts me as his enemy,
11 he (EZ)puts my feet in the stocks
and (FA)watches all my paths.’
12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you (FB)contend against him,
saying, ‘He (FC)will answer none of man's[m] words’?[n]
14 For God (FD)speaks in one way,
(FE)and in two, though man (FF)does not perceive it.
15 In (FG)a dream, in (FH)a vision of (FI)the night,
when (FJ)deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he (FK)opens the ears of men
and terrifies[o] them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his (FL)deed
and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from (FM)perishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his (FN)bones,
20 so that his (FO)life loathes bread,
and his appetite (FP)the choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen (FQ)stick out.
22 His soul draws near (FR)the pit,
and his life to (FS)those who bring death.
23 If there be for him (FT)an angel,
(FU)a mediator, (FV)one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is (FW)right for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found (FX)a ransom;
25 let his flesh (FY)become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26 then man[p] (FZ)prays to God, and he accepts him;
he (GA)sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he (GB)restores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men and says:
‘I (GC)sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my (GD)soul from going down (GE)into the pit,
and my life shall (GF)look upon the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, (GG)three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with (GH)the light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words, (GI)answer me;
(GJ)speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, (GK)listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Elihu Asserts God's Justice
34 Then Elihu answered and said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3 for (GL)the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose (GM)what is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘I am (GN)in the right,
and (GO)God has taken away my right;
6 in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am (GP)without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
who (GQ)drinks up scoffing like water,
8 who travels in company with evildoers
and walks (GR)with wicked men?
9 For (GS)he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
that he should take delight in God.’
10 “Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God that he should (GT)do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11 For according to (GU)the work of a man he will repay him,
and (GV)according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and (GW)the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who (GX)laid on him[q] the whole world?
14 If he should (GY)set his heart to it
and (GZ)gather to himself his (HA)spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and man would (HB)return to dust.
16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 (HC)Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who (HD)says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19 who (HE)shows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich (HF)more than the poor,
for (HG)they are all the work of his hands?
20 In a moment (HH)they die;
at (HI)midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by (HJ)no human hand.
21 “For his eyes are on (HK)the ways of a man,
and he sees all his (HL)steps.
22 There is no (HM)gloom or (HN)deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God[r] has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in (HO)judgment.
24 He (HP)shatters the mighty without investigation
and sets (HQ)others in their place.
25 Thus, knowing their works,
he (HR)overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place for all to see,
27 because they turned aside from (HS)following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 so that they (HT)caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he (HU)heard the cry of the afflicted—
29 When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him,
whether it be a nation or a man?—
30 that a godless man should not reign,
that he should not ensnare the people.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32 (HV)teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33 Will he then make repayment to suit you,
because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
therefore (HW)declare what you know.[s]
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 ‘Job (HX)speaks without knowledge;
his words are without insight.’
36 Would that Job were tried to the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he (HY)claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”
Elihu Condemns Job
35 And Elihu answered and said:
2 “Do you think this to be just?
Do you say, (HZ)‘It is my right before God,’
3 that you ask, (IA)‘What advantage have I?
How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
4 I will answer you
and (IB)your friends with you.
5 (IC)Look at the heavens, and see;
and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, (ID)what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 (IE)If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
and your righteousness (IF)a son of man.
9 “Because of the multitude of (IG)oppressions people (IH)cry out;
they call for help because of the arm of (II)the mighty.[t]
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my (IJ)Maker,
who gives (IK)songs in the night,
11 who teaches us (IL)more than the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 There they (IM)cry out, but he does not answer,
because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
nor does the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when you say that you (IN)do not see him,
that the case is before him, and you are (IO)waiting for him!
15 And now, because (IP)his anger does not punish,
and he does not take much note of transgression,[u]
16 Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
he (IQ)multiplies words (IR)without knowledge.”
Elihu Extols God's Greatness
36 And Elihu continued, and said:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from (IS)afar
and ascribe (IT)righteousness to my (IU)Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is (IV)perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and (IW)does not despise any;
he is (IX)mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives (IY)the afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his (IZ)eyes from the righteous,
but with (JA)kings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are (JB)exalted.
8 And if they are (JC)bound in chains
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are (JD)behaving arrogantly.
10 He (JE)opens their ears to instruction
and commands that they (JF)return from iniquity.
11 (JG)If they listen and serve him,
they (JH)complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they (JI)perish by the sword
and die (JJ)without knowledge.
13 “The (JK)godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he (JL)binds them.
14 They (JM)die in youth,
and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers (JN)the afflicted by their affliction
and (JO)opens their ear by adversity.
16 He also allured you out of distress
into (JP)a broad place where there was no cramping,
and what was set on your (JQ)table was full of (JR)fatness.
17 “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
and let not the greatness of (JS)the ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your (JT)cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for (JU)the night,
when peoples vanish (JV)in their place.
21 Take care; (JW)do not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is (JX)a teacher like him?
23 Who has (JY)prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, (JZ)‘You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember to (KA)extol his work,
of which men have (KB)sung.
25 All mankind has looked on it;
man beholds it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we (KC)know him not;
the number of his (KD)years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water;
they distill his (KE)mist in (KF)rain,
28 which (KG)the skies pour down
and drop on mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand (KH)the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his (KI)pavilion?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he (KJ)judges peoples;
he gives (KK)food in abundance.
32 He covers his (KL)hands with the lightning
and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its crashing declares his presence;[v]
the cattle also declare that he rises.
Footnotes
- Job 29:4 Hebrew my autumn days
- Job 30:4 Or warmth
- Job 30:11 Hebrew the bridle
- Job 30:19 Hebrew He
- Job 30:24 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Job 31:8 Or let my descendants
- Job 31:18 Hebrew he
- Job 31:18 Hebrew her
- Job 31:20 Hebrew if his loins have not blessed me
- Job 31:26 Hebrew the light
- Job 31:33 Or as Adam did
- Job 32:9 Hebrew many [in years]
- Job 33:13 Hebrew his
- Job 33:13 Or He will not answer for any of his own words
- Job 33:16 Or seals
- Job 33:26 Hebrew he
- Job 34:13 Hebrew lacks on him
- Job 34:23 Hebrew he
- Job 34:33 The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 29–33 is uncertain
- Job 35:9 Or the many
- Job 35:15 Theodotion, Symmachus (compare Vulgate); the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Job 36:33 Hebrew declares concerning him
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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