Job 33
Expanded Bible
33 “Now, Job, ·listen to [hear] my words.
Pay attention to ·everything I say [L all my words].
2 I open my mouth
and ·am ready to speak [L the tongue in my mouth speaks].
3 My words come from an ·honest [virtuous] heart,
and ·I am sincere in saying what I know [L what my lips know they speak with sincerity].
4 The Spirit of God ·created [has made] me,
and the breath of ·the Almighty [Shaddai] gave me life.
5 Answer me if you can;
get yourself ready and stand before me.
6 I am just like you before God;
I too ·am made [was formed] out of clay.
7 ·Don’t be afraid of me [L Dread of me should not scare you];
·I will not be hard on you [L My pressure will not be too heavy on you].
8 “But ·I heard what you have said [L you have spoken in my ear];
I heard ·every word [L the sound of your words].
9 You said, ‘I am pure and without ·sin [transgression];
I am ·innocent [L clean] and free from guilt.
10 But God has found ·fault [reason to be upset] with me;
he ·considers me [thinks I am] his enemy.
11 He ·locks [places] my feet in ·chains [shackles]
and ·closely watches everywhere I go [L guards all my paths].’
12 “But I tell you, you are not ·right in saying this [L correct],
I will answer you, for God is greater than ·we are [L any human being].
13 Why do you ·accuse [contend with] God
·of not answering anyone [or for no one can answer all his words]?
14 God does speak—sometimes ·one way and sometimes another [or once and sometimes twice]—
even though people may not ·understand [perceive] it.
15 He speaks in a dream or a vision of the night
when people are in a deep sleep,
lying on their beds in slumber.
16 He ·speaks in [L opens] their ears
and frightens them with warnings
17 to turn them away from doing wrong
and to keep them from being proud.
18 God does this to ·save people [L keep them] from ·death [L the Pit; C a reference to the grave and the underworld],
to keep them from ·dying [L the water channel; C another reference to the grave and the underworld].
19 People may be ·corrected [reprimanded; reproved] while in bed in great pain;
they may have continual pain in their very bones.
20 ·They may be in such pain that they even hate [L Their lives loathe] food,
even ·the very best meal [choice food].
21 ·Their body becomes so thin [L Their flesh wastes away so that] ·there is almost nothing left of it [L it cannot be seen],
and their bones that were hidden now stick out.
22 ·They are [L Their souls draw] near ·death [L the Pit; 33:18],
and their life ·is almost over [L comes near those who bring death].
23 “·But there may be [L If there is] an angel to speak for him,
one out of a thousand, ·who will tell him what to do [a mediator who declares a person virtuous].
24 The angel will ·beg for mercy [or be gracious to him] and say:
‘·Save [Redeem] him from ·death [L going down to the Pit; 33:18].
I have found a ·way to pay for his life [ransom].’
25 Then his body is made new like a ·child’s [youth’s].
It will return to the way it was when he was ·young [vigorous].
26 That person will pray to God, and God will ·listen to [L accept] him.
He will see God’s face and will shout with happiness.
And ·God will set things right for him again [or he will repeat to others that he has been vindicated].
27 Then he will ·say [L sing] to others,
‘I sinned and ·twisted what was right [perverted/sullied virtue],
but I did not receive the punishment I should have received.
28 God ·bought [redeemed] my life ·back from death [L from crossing over to the Pit; 33:18],
and ·I will continue to enjoy life [L my life will yet see the light].’
29 “God does all these things to a person
two or even three times
30 ·so he won’t die as punishment for his sins [L to bring back his life from the Pit; 33:18]
and so he may ·still enjoy life [L be illuminated with the light of life].
31 “Job, pay attention and listen to me;
be quiet, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak up, because I want to ·prove you right [vindicate you].
33 But if you have nothing to say, then listen to me;
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
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.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.