Job 36
World English Bible
36 Elihu also continued, and said,
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you;
for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from afar,
and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false.
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone.
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked,
but gives justice to the afflicted.
7 He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but with kings on the throne,
he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8 If they are bound in fetters,
and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
9 then he shows them their work,
and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He also opens their ears to instruction,
and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they listen and serve him,
they will spend their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they don’t listen, they will perish by the sword;
they will die without knowledge.
13 “But those who are godless in heart lay up anger.
They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
14 They die in youth.
Their life perishes among the unclean.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction,
and opens their ear in oppression.
16 Yes, he would have allured you out of distress,
into a wide place, where there is no restriction.
That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
17 “But you are full of the judgment of the wicked.
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Don’t let riches entice you to wrath,
neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
19 Would your wealth sustain you in distress,
or all the might of your strength?
20 Don’t desire the night,
when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, don’t regard iniquity;
for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed his way for him?
Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?
24 “Remember that you magnify his work,
about which men have sung.
25 All men have looked on it.
Man sees it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him.
The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water,
which distill in rain from his vapor,
28 which the skies pour down
and which drop on man abundantly.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds
and the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he spreads his light around him.
He covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these he judges the people.
He gives food in abundance.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning,
and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its noise tells about him,
and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.
Job 36
New King James Version
Elihu Proclaims God’s Goodness
36 Elihu also proceeded and said:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you
That there are yet words to speak on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one;
(A)He is mighty in strength [a]of understanding.
6 He does not preserve the life of the wicked,
But gives justice to the (B)oppressed.
7 (C)He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
But (D)they are on the throne with kings,
For He has seated them forever,
And they are exalted.
8 And (E)if they are bound in [b]fetters,
Held in the cords of affliction,
9 Then He tells them their work and their transgressions—
That they have acted [c]defiantly.
10 (F)He also opens their ear to [d]instruction,
And commands that they turn from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve Him,
They shall (G)spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in pleasures.
12 But if they do not obey,
They shall perish by the sword,
And they shall die [e]without (H)knowledge.
13 “But the hypocrites in heart (I)store up wrath;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
14 (J)They[f] die in youth,
And their life ends among the [g]perverted persons.
15 He delivers the poor in their affliction,
And opens their ears in oppression.
16 “Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress,
(K)Into a broad place where there is no restraint;
And (L)what is set on your table would be full of (M)richness.
17 But you are filled with the judgment due the (N)wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow;
For (O)a large ransom would not help you avoid it.
19 (P)Will your riches,
Or all the mighty forces,
Keep you from distress?
20 Do not desire the night,
When people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, (Q)do not turn to iniquity,
For (R)you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22 “Behold, God is exalted by His power;
Who teaches like Him?
23 (S)Who has assigned Him His way,
Or who has said, ‘You have done (T)wrong’?
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
24 “Remember to (U)magnify His work,
Of which men have sung.
25 Everyone has seen it;
Man looks on it from afar.
26 “Behold, God is great, and we (V)do not know Him;
(W)Nor can the number of His years be discovered.
27 For He (X)draws up drops of water,
Which distill as rain from the mist,
28 (Y)Which the clouds drop down
And pour abundantly on man.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds,
The thunder from His canopy?
30 Look, He (Z)scatters His light upon it,
And covers the depths of the sea.
31 For (AA)by these He judges the peoples;
He (AB)gives food in abundance.
32 (AC)He covers His hands with lightning,
And commands it to [h]strike.
33 (AD)His thunder declares it,
The cattle also, concerning [i]the rising storm.
Job 36
English Standard Version
Elihu Extols God's Greatness
36 And Elihu continued, and said:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from (A)afar
and ascribe (B)righteousness to my (C)Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is (D)perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and (E)does not despise any;
he is (F)mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives (G)the afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his (H)eyes from the righteous,
but with (I)kings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are (J)exalted.
8 And if they are (K)bound in chains
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are (L)behaving arrogantly.
10 He (M)opens their ears to instruction
and commands that they (N)return from iniquity.
11 (O)If they listen and serve him,
they (P)complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they (Q)perish by the sword
and die (R)without knowledge.
13 “The (S)godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he (T)binds them.
14 They (U)die in youth,
and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers (V)the afflicted by their affliction
and (W)opens their ear by adversity.
16 He also allured you out of distress
into (X)a broad place where there was no cramping,
and what was set on your (Y)table was full of (Z)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 (AA)the ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your (AB)cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for (AC)the night,
when peoples vanish (AD)in their place.
21 Take care; (AE)do not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is (AF)a teacher like him?
23 Who has (AG)prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, (AH)‘You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember to (AI)extol his work,
of which men have (AJ)sung.
25 All mankind has looked on it;
man beholds it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we (AK)know him not;
the number of his (AL)years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water;
they distill his (AM)mist in (AN)rain,
28 which (AO)the skies pour down
and drop on mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand (AP)the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his (AQ)pavilion?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he (AR)judges peoples;
he gives (AS)food in abundance.
32 He covers his (AT)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.
Footnotes
- Job 36:33 Hebrew declares concerning him
Job 36
Amplified Bible
Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men
36 Elihu continued and said,
2
“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you,
That there is yet more to say on God’s behalf.
3
“I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4
“For truly my words are not false;
He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5
“Behold, God is mighty, and yet does not despise anyone [nor regard any as trivial];
He is mighty in the strength and power of understanding.
6
“He does not prolong the life of the wicked,
But gives the afflicted their justice.
7
“He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous [those in right standing with Him];
But with kings upon the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
8
“And if they are bound in bonds [of adversity],
And held by cords of affliction,(A)
9
Then He declares to them [the true character of] their deeds
And their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly [with presumption and notions of self-sufficiency].
10
“He opens their ears to instruction and discipline,
And commands that they return from evil.
11
“If they hear and serve Him,
They will end their days in prosperity
And their years in pleasantness and joy.
12
“But if they do not hear and obey, they will die by the sword [of God’s destructive judgments]
And they will die [in ignorance] without [true] knowledge.
13
“But the godless in heart store up anger [at the divine discipline];
They do not cry [to Him] for help when He binds them [with cords of affliction].(B)
14
“They die in youth,
And their life ends among the [a]cult prostitutes.(C)
15
“He rescues the afflicted in their affliction,
And opens their ears [so that they pay attention to His voice] in times of oppression.
16
“Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress and confinement,
Into a broad place where there is no constraint or distress;
And that which was set on your table was full of fatness (rich food).
17
“But you [Job] were full of judgment on the wicked,
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18
“Do not let wrath entice you into scoffing;
And do not let the greatness and the extent of the ransom turn you aside.
19
“Will your wealth [be sufficient to] keep you from [the confinement of] distress,
Or will all the force of your strength do it?
20
“Do not long for the night,
When people vanish from their places.
21
“Take heed and be careful, do not turn to wickedness,
For you have chosen this [the vice of complaining against God] rather than [learning from] affliction.
22
“Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a ruler or a teacher like Him?
23
“Who has appointed God His way,
And who can say [to Him], ‘You have done wrong’?
24
“Remember that you should magnify God’s work,
Of which men have sung.
25
“All men have seen God’s work;
Man looks at it from a distance.
26
“Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him;
The number of His years is unsearchable.(D)
27
“For He draws up the drops of water,
They distill rain from the mist,
28
Which the clouds pour down,
They drop abundantly upon mankind.”
29
“Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds
Or the thundering of His pavilion?(E)
30
“Behold, He spreads His lightning around Him [against the dark clouds],
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31
“For by these [mighty acts] He judges the peoples;
He gives food in abundance.
32
“He covers His hands with the lightning,
And commands it to strike the mark.
33
“His thundering voice declares [awesomely] His presence;
The cattle also are told of His coming storm.
Footnotes
- Job 36:14 I.e. those practicing sodomy and prostitution in pagan religious rites.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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