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
Job 33
Names of God Bible
Elihu Continues: Listen, Job
33 “Please, Job, listen to my words
and consider everything I say.
2 I’ve opened my mouth.
The words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 My words are straight from the heart,
and I sincerely speak the knowledge that is on my lips.
4 “The Ruach El has made me.
The breath of Shadday gives me life.
5 Answer me if you can.
Present your case to me, and take your stand.
6 Indeed, I stand in front of El as you do.
I, too, was formed from a piece of clay.
7 You certainly don’t need to be terrified of me.
I won’t put too much pressure on you.
God Doesn’t Have to Answer You, Job
8 “But you spoke directly to me,
and I listened to your words.
9 You said, ‘I’m pure—without any rebellious acts against God.
I’m clean; I have no sin.
10 God is only looking for an excuse to attack me.
He considers me his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’
12 You aren’t right about this!
I’ve got an answer for you:
Eloah is greater than any mortal.
13 Why do you quarrel with him
since he doesn’t answer any questions?
Two Ways God Warns People
14 “El speaks in one way,
even in two ways without people noticing it:
15 In a dream, a prophetic vision at night,
when people fall into a deep sleep,
when they sleep on their beds,
16 he opens people’s ears
and terrifies them with warnings.
17 He warns them to turn away from doing wrong
and to stop being arrogant.[a]
18 He keeps their souls from the pit
and their lives from crossing the River of Death.
19 In pain on their sickbeds, they are disciplined
with endless aching in their bones
20 so that their whole being hates food
and they lose their appetite for a delicious meal.
21 Their flesh becomes so thin that it can’t be seen.
Their bones, not seen before, will be exposed.
22 Their souls approach the pit.
Their lives come close to those already dead.
A Third Way God Warns People
23 “If they have a messenger for them,
a spokesman, one in a thousand,
to tell people what is right for them,
24 then he will have pity on them and say,
‘Free them from going into the pit.
I have found a ransom.’
25 Then their flesh will become softer than a child’s.
They will go back to the days of their youth.
26 They will pray to Eloah, who will be pleased with them.
They will see Eloah’s face and shout for joy
as he restores their righteousness.[b]
27 Each one sings in front of other people and says,
‘I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right,
and it did me no good.
28 The messenger has freed my soul from going into the pit,
and my life will see the light.’
29 Truly, El does all this two or three times with people
30 to turn their souls away from the pit
and to enlighten them with the light of life.
Pay Attention, Job
31 “Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!
Keep quiet, and let me speak.
32 If you have a response, answer me.
Speak, because I’d be happy if you were right.
33 If not, you listen to me.
Keep quiet, and I’ll teach you wisdom.”
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.