Job 36:5-38:13
English Standard Version
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and (A)does not despise any;
he is (B)mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives (C)the afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his (D)eyes from the righteous,
but with (E)kings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are (F)exalted.
8 And if they are (G)bound in chains
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are (H)behaving arrogantly.
10 He (I)opens their ears to instruction
and commands that they (J)return from iniquity.
11 (K)If they listen and serve him,
they (L)complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they (M)perish by the sword
and die (N)without knowledge.
13 “The (O)godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he (P)binds them.
14 They (Q)die in youth,
and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers (R)the afflicted by their affliction
and (S)opens their ear by adversity.
16 He also allured you out of distress
into (T)a broad place where there was no cramping,
and what was set on your (U)table was full of (V)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 (W)the ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your (X)cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for (Y)the night,
when peoples vanish (Z)in their place.
21 Take care; (AA)do not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is (AB)a teacher like him?
23 Who has (AC)prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, (AD)‘You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember to (AE)extol his work,
of which men have (AF)sung.
25 All mankind has looked on it;
man beholds it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we (AG)know him not;
the number of his (AH)years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water;
they distill his (AI)mist in (AJ)rain,
28 which (AK)the skies pour down
and drop on mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand (AL)the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his (AM)pavilion?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he (AN)judges peoples;
he gives (AO)food in abundance.
32 He covers his (AP)hands with the lightning
and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its crashing declares his presence;[a]
the cattle also declare that he rises.
Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty
37 “At this also my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2 Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
and his (AQ)lightning to the (AR)corners of the earth.
4 After it (AS)his voice roars;
(AT)he thunders with his majestic voice,
and he does not restrain the lightnings[b] when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders wondrously with his voice;
he does (AU)great things that we cannot (AV)comprehend.
6 For to (AW)the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
7 He (AX)seals up the hand of every man,
that all men whom he made may (AY)know it.
8 Then the beasts go into their (AZ)lairs,
and remain in their (BA)dens.
9 From (BB)its chamber (BC)comes the whirlwind,
and (BD)cold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God (BE)ice is given,
and (BF)the broad waters are frozen fast.
11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They (BG)turn around and around by his (BH)guidance,
(BI)to accomplish all that he commands them
on the face of (BJ)the habitable world.
13 Whether for (BK)correction or for his (BL)land
or for (BM)love, he causes it to happen.
14 “Hear this, O Job;
stop and (BN)consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Do you know the balancings[c] of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is (BO)perfect in knowledge,
17 you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, like him, (BP)spread out the skies,
hard as a cast metal (BQ)mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of (BR)darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?
21 “And now no one looks on the light
when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
God is clothed with (BS)awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty—we (BT)cannot find him;
he is (BU)great in power;
(BV)justice and abundant righteousness he will not (BW)violate.
24 Therefore men (BX)fear him;
he does not regard any who are (BY)wise in their own conceit.”[d]
The Lord Answers Job
38 Then the Lord (BZ)answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
2 “Who is this that (CA)darkens counsel by words (CB)without knowledge?
3 (CC)Dress for action[e] like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
4 “Where were you when I (CD)laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars (CE)sang together
and all (CF)the sons of God (CG)shouted for joy?
8 “Or who (CH)shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out from the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment
and (CI)thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed (CJ)limits for it
and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your (CK)proud waves be stayed’?
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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