Job 36-37
New American Standard Bible 1995
Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men
36 Then Elihu continued and said,
2 “Wait for me a little, and I will show you
That there [a]is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 “I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
And I will ascribe (A)righteousness to my Maker.
4 “For truly (B)my words are not false;
One who is (C)perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty but does not (D)despise any;
He is (E)mighty in strength of understanding.
6 “He does not (F)keep the wicked alive,
But gives justice to (G)the afflicted.
7 “He does not (H)withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
But (I)with kings on the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
8 “And if they are bound in fetters,
And are caught in the cords of (J)affliction,
9 Then He declares to them their work
And their transgressions, that they have (K)magnified themselves.
10 “(L)He opens their ear to instruction,
And (M)commands that they return from evil.
11 “If they hear and serve Him,
They will (N)end their days in prosperity
And their years in (O)pleasures.
12 “But if they do not hear, they shall [b]perish (P)by the sword
And they will (Q)die without knowledge.
13 “But the godless in heart lay up anger;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
14 “[c]They die in youth,
And their life perishes among the (R)cult prostitutes.
15 “He delivers the afflicted in [d]their (S)affliction,
And (T)opens their ear [e]in time of oppression.
16 “Then indeed, He (U)enticed you from the mouth of distress,
Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;
And that which was set on your table was full of [f]fatness.
17 “But you were full of (V)judgment on the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 “Beware that (W)wrath does not entice you to scoffing;
And do not let the greatness of the (X)ransom turn you aside.
19 “Will your [g]riches keep you from distress,
Or all the forces of your strength?
20 “Do not long for (Y)the night,
When people [h]vanish in their place.
21 “Be careful, do (Z)not turn to evil,
For you have preferred this to (AA)affliction.
22 “Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a (AB)teacher like Him?
23 “Who has appointed Him His way,
And who has said, ‘(AC)You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember that you should (AD)exalt His work,
Of which men have (AE)sung.
25 “All men have seen it;
Man beholds from afar.
26 “Behold, God is (AF)exalted, and (AG)we do not know Him;
The (AH)number of His years is unsearchable.
27 “For (AI)He draws up the drops of water,
They distill rain from [i]the [j]mist,
28 Which the clouds pour down,
They drip upon man abundantly.
29 “Can anyone understand the (AJ)spreading of the clouds,
The (AK)thundering of His [k]pavilion?
30 “Behold, He spreads His [l]lightning about Him,
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31 “For by these He (AL)judges peoples;
He (AM)gives food in abundance.
32 “He covers His hands with the [m]lightning,
And (AN)commands it to strike the mark.
33 “Its (AO)noise declares [n]His presence;
The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.
Elihu Says God Is Back of the Storm
37 “At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2 “Listen closely to the (AP)thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.
3 “Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
And His [o]lightning to the (AQ)ends of the earth.
4 “After it, a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain [p]the lightnings when His voice is heard.
5 “God (AR)thunders with His voice wondrously,
Doing (AS)great things which we cannot comprehend.
6 “For to (AT)the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
And to the [q](AU)downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’
7 “He (AV)seals the hand of every man,
That (AW)all men may know His work.
8 “Then the beast goes into its (AX)lair
And remains in its [r]den.
9 “Out of the [s](AY)south comes the storm,
And out of the [t]north the cold.
10 “From the breath of God (AZ)ice is made,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.
11 “Also with moisture He (BA)loads the thick cloud;
He (BB)disperses (BC)the cloud of His [u]lightning.
12 “It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,
That [v]it may do whatever He (BD)commands [w]it
On the (BE)face of the inhabited earth.
13 “Whether for [x](BF)correction, or for (BG)His world,
Or for (BH)lovingkindness, He causes it to [y]happen.
14 “Listen to this, O Job,
Stand and consider the wonders of God.
15 “Do you know how God establishes them,
And makes the [z]lightning of His cloud to shine?
16 “Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds,
The (BI)wonders of one (BJ)perfect in knowledge,
17 You whose garments are hot,
When the land is still because of the south wind?
18 “Can you, with Him, (BK)spread out the skies,
Strong as a molten mirror?
19 “Teach us what we shall say to Him;
We (BL)cannot arrange our case because of darkness.
20 “Shall it be told Him that I would speak?
[aa]Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?
21 “Now [ab]men do not see the light which is bright in the skies;
But the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 “Out of the north comes golden splendor;
Around God is awesome majesty.
23 “The Almighty—(BM)we cannot find Him;
He is (BN)exalted in power
And (BO)He will not do violence (BP)to justice and abundant righteousness.
24 “Therefore men (BQ)fear Him;
He does not (BR)regard any who are wise of heart.”
Footnotes
- Job 36:2 Lit are yet words for God
- Job 36:12 Lit pass away
- Job 36:14 Or Their soul dies
- Job 36:15 Lit his
- Job 36:15 Or in adversity
- Job 36:16 Or rich food
- Job 36:19 Or cry
- Job 36:20 Lit go up
- Job 36:27 Lit its
- Job 36:27 Or flood
- Job 36:29 Lit booth
- Job 36:30 Lit light
- Job 36:32 Lit light
- Job 36:33 Lit concerning Him
- Job 37:3 Lit light
- Job 37:4 Lit them
- Job 37:6 Lit shower of rain and shower of rains
- Job 37:8 Lit dens
- Job 37:9 Lit chamber
- Job 37:9 Lit scattering winds
- Job 37:11 Lit light
- Job 37:12 Lit they
- Job 37:12 Lit them
- Job 37:13 Lit the rod
- Job 37:13 Lit be found
- Job 37:15 Lit light
- Job 37:20 Or If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up
- Job 37:21 Lit they
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
