Job 33
1599 Geneva Bible
33 5 Elihu accuseth Job of ignorance. 14 He showeth that God hath divers means to instruct man and to draw him from sin. 19, 29 He afflicteth man and suddenly delivereth him. 26 Man being delivered giveth thanks to God.
1 Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my talk, and hearken unto all my words.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth: my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3 My words are in the uprightness of mine heart, and my lips shall speak pure knowledge.
4 The [a]Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst give me answer, prepare thyself and stand before me.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in [b]God’s stead: I am also formed of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not fear thee, neither shall mine hand [c]be heavy upon thee.
8 Doubtless thou hast spoken in mine ears, and I have heard the voice of thy words.
9 I am [d]clean, without sin: I am innocent and there is none iniquity in me.
10 Lo, he hath found occasions against me, and counted me for his enemy.
11 He hath put my feet in the stocks, and looketh narrowly unto all my paths.
12 Behold, in this hast thou not done right: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he doth not [e]give account of all his matters.
14 For God speaketh [f]once or twice, and one seeth it not.
15 In dreams and [g]visions of the night, when sleep falleth upon men, and they sleep upon their beds,
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, even by their corrections, which he [h]had sealed,
17 That he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise, and that he might hide the [i]pride of man,
18 And keep back his soul from the pit, and that his life should not pass by the sword.
19 He is also stricken with sorrow upon his bed, and the grief of his bones is sore,
20 So that his [j]life causeth him to abhor bread, and his soul dainty meat.
21 His flesh faileth that it cannot be seen, and his bones which were not seen, clatter.
22 So his soul draweth to the grave, and his life [k]to the buriers.
23 If there be a [l]messenger with him, or an interpreter, one of a thousand [m]to declare unto man his righteousness,
24 Then will he have [n]mercy upon him, and will say, [o]Deliver him, that he go not down into the pit: for I have received a reconciliation.
25 Then shall his flesh be [p]as fresh as a child’s, and shall return as in the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favorable unto him, and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his [q]righteousness.
27 He looketh upon men, and if one say, I have sinned, and [r]perverted righteousness, and it did not profit [s]me,
28 [t]He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these things will God work [u]twice or thrice with a man,
30 That he may turn back his soul from the pit, to be illuminated in the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, and hear me: keep silence and I will speak.
32 If there be [v]matter, answer me, and speak: for I desire to [w]justify thee.
33 If thou hast not, hear me: hold thy tongue, and I will teach thee wisdom.
Footnotes
- Job 33:4 I confess the power of God, and am one of his, therefore thou oughtest to hear me.
- Job 33:6 Because Job had wished to dispute his cause with God, Job 16:21, so that he might do it without fear, Elihu saith, he will reason in God’s stead, whom he needeth not to fear, because he is a man made of the same matter that he is.
- Job 33:7 I will not handle thee so roughly as these others have done.
- Job 33:9 He repeateth Job’s words, whereby he protested his innocence in divers places, but specially in Job 13, 16 and 30.
- Job 33:13 The cause of his judgments is not always declared to man.
- Job 33:14 Though God by sundry examples of his judgments speak unto man, yet the reason thereof is not known: yea and though God should speak, yet is he not understood.
- Job 33:15 God saith he, speaketh commonly, either by visions to teach us the cause of his judgments, or else by afflictions, or by his messenger.
- Job 33:16 That is, determined to send upon them.
- Job 33:17 He showeth for what end God sendeth afflictions: to beat down man’s pride, and to turn from evil.
- Job 33:20 That is, his painful and miserable life.
- Job 33:22 To them that shall bury him.
- Job 33:23 A man sent of God to declare his will.
- Job 33:23 A singular man, and as one chosen out of a thousand, which is able to declare the great mercies of God unto sinners: and wherein man’s righteousness standeth, which is through the justice of Jesus Christ and faith therein.
- Job 33:24 He showeth that it is a sure token of God’s mercy toward sinners, when he causeth his word to be preached unto them.
- Job 33:24 That is, the minister shall by the preaching of the word pronounce unto him the forgiveness of his sins.
- Job 33:25 He shall feel God’s favor and rejoice: declaring hereby wherein standeth the true joy of the faithful, and that God will restore him to health of body, which is a token of his blessing.
- Job 33:26 God will forgive his sins, and accept him as just.
- Job 33:27 That is, done wickedly.
- Job 33:27 But my sins hath been the cause of God’s wrath toward me.
- Job 33:28 God will forgive the penitent sinner.
- Job 33:29 Meaning, oftentimes, even as oft as a sinner doth repent.
- Job 33:32 If thou doubt of anything, or see occasion to speak against it.
- Job 33:32 That is, to show thee, wherein man’s justification consisteth.
Job 33
King James Version
33 Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
9 I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:
20 So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:
24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:
26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.
27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;
28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.
32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.
Job 33
English Standard Version
Elihu Rebukes Job
33 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I (A)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 (B)The Spirit of God has made me,
and (C)the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 (D)Answer me, if you can;
(E)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 (F)clay.
7 Behold, no (G)fear of me need terrify you;
my (H)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 (I)pure, without (J)transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he (K)counts me as his enemy,
11 he (L)puts my feet in the stocks
and (M)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 (N)contend against him,
saying, ‘He (O)will answer none of man's[a] words’?[b]
14 For God (P)speaks in one way,
(Q)and in two, though man (R)does not perceive it.
15 In (S)a dream, in (T)a vision of (U)the night,
when (V)deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he (W)opens the ears of men
and terrifies[c] them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his (X)deed
and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from (Y)perishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his (Z)bones,
20 so that his (AA)life loathes bread,
and his appetite (AB)the choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen (AC)stick out.
22 His soul draws near (AD)the pit,
and his life to (AE)those who bring death.
23 If there be for him (AF)an angel,
(AG)a mediator, (AH)one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is (AI)right for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found (AJ)a ransom;
25 let his flesh (AK)become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26 then man[d] (AL)prays to God, and he accepts him;
he (AM)sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he (AN)restores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men and says:
‘I (AO)sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my (AP)soul from going down (AQ)into the pit,
and my life shall (AR)look upon the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, (AS)three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with (AT)the light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words, (AU)answer me;
(AV)speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, (AW)listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Job 33
Christian Standard Bible
Elihu Confronts Job
33 But now, Job, pay attention to my speech,
and listen to all my words.
2 I am going to open my mouth;
my tongue will form words on my palate.
3 My words come from my upright(A) heart,
and my lips speak with sincerity what they know.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty(B) gives me life.(C)
5 Refute me if you can.
Prepare(D) your case against me; take your stand.(E)
6 I am just like you before God;
I was also pinched off from a piece of clay.(F)
7 Fear(G) of me should not terrify you;
no pressure from me should weigh you down.
8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
and I have heard these very[a] words:
9 “I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean and have no iniquity.(H)
10 But he finds reasons to oppose me;
he regards me as his enemy.(I)
11 He puts my feet in the stocks;
he stands watch(J) over all my paths.”
12 But I tell you that you are wrong in this matter,
since God is greater than man.(K)
13 Why do you take(L) him to court
for not answering anything a person asks?[b]
14 For God speaks time and again,
but a person may not notice it.
15 In a dream, a vision(M) in the night,
when deep sleep comes over people(N)
as they slumber on their beds,
16 he uncovers their ears(O)
and terrifies them[c] with warnings,
17 in order to turn a person from his actions
and suppress the pride of a person.
18 God spares his soul from the Pit,(P)
his life from crossing the river of death.[d]
19 A person may be disciplined on his bed(Q) with pain
and constant distress in his bones,(R)
20 so that he detests bread,
and his soul despises his favorite food.(S)
21 His flesh wastes away to nothing,[e]
and his unseen bones stick out.
22 He draws near to the Pit,
and his life to the executioners.
23 If there is an angel(T) on his side,
one mediator out of a thousand,
to tell a person what is right for him[f]
24 and to be gracious to him and say,
“Spare him from going down to the Pit;
I have found a ransom,”(U)
25 then his flesh will be healthier[g] than in his youth,
and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor.(V)
26 He will pray to God, and God will delight in him.
That person will see his face(W) with a shout of joy,
and God will restore his righteousness to him.(X)
27 He will look at men and say,
“I have sinned and perverted what was right;
yet I did not get what I deserved.[h]
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and I will continue to see the light.”
29 God certainly does all these things
two or three times to a person
30 in order to turn him back from the Pit,
so he may shine with the light of life.(Y)
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me.
Be quiet, and I will speak.
32 But if you have something to say,[i] answer me;
speak, for I would like to justify you.
33 If not, then listen to me;
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.
Footnotes
- 33:8 Lit heard a sound of
- 33:13 Lit court, for he does not answer all his words
- 33:16 LXX; MT reads and seals
- 33:18 Or from perishing by the sword
- 33:21 Lit away from sight
- 33:23 Or to vouch for a person’s uprightness
- 33:25 Hb obscure
- 33:27 Lit and the same was not to me
- 33:32 Lit If there are words
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