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
International Standard Version
Elihu Concludes His Arguments
36 Elihu responded again and said:
2 “Be patient with me a moment longer,
and I’ll show you that there’s more to say on God’s behalf.
3 I’ll take what I know to its logical conclusion[a]
and ascribe righteousness to my Creator,
4 because what I have to say isn’t deceptive,
and the one who has perfect knowledge is with you.”
God Disciplines
5 “Indeed God is mighty and he doesn’t show disrespect;
he is mighty and strong of heart.
6 He doesn’t let the wicked live;
he grants justice to the afflicted.
7 He won’t stop looking at righteous people;
he seats them on thrones with kings forever,
and they are exalted.
8 “If they’re bound in chains,
caught in ropes of affliction,
9 he’ll reveal their actions to them,
when their transgressions have become excessive.
10 He opens their ears and instructs them,
commanding them to repent from evil.
11 If they listen and serve him,[b]
they’ll finish[c] their lives in prosperity
and their years will be pleasant.
12 “But if they won’t listen,
they’ll perish[d] by the sword
and die in their ignorance.
13 The godless at heart cherish[e] anger;
they won’t cry out for help when God[f] afflicts[g] them.
14 They[h] die in their youth;
and their life will end[i] among temple prostitutes.
15 He’ll deliver the afflicted through their afflictions
and open their ears when they are oppressed.”
God is an All-Powerful and Just Teacher
16 “Indeed, he drew you away from the brink of distress
to a spacious place without constraints,
filling your festive[j] table with bountiful[k] food.
17 But now you are occupied with the case of the wicked;
but justice and judgment will be served.
18 So that no one entices you with riches,
don’t let a large ransom turn you astray.
19 “Will your wealth sustain you when you’re in distress,
despite your most powerful efforts?[l]
20 Don’t long for night,
when people vanish[m] in their place.
21 Be careful! Don’t turn to evil,
because of this you will be tried by more than affliction.
22 “Indeed, God is exalted in his power.
Who is like him as a teacher?
23 Who ordained his path for him,
and who has asked him, ‘You are wrong, aren’t you?’
24 Remember to magnify his awesome activities,
about which mortal man has sung.
25 All of mankind sees him;
human beings observe him from afar off.”
God Controls the Weather
26 “God is truly awesome, beyond what we know;
the number of his years is unknowable.[n]
27 He draws up drops of water,
distilling it to rain and mist.[o]
28 When the clouds pour down;[p]
they drop their rain on all of humanity.
29 “Furthermore, can anyone understand cloud patterns,
or the thundering in his pavilion?
30 He scatters his lightning above it,
and covers the bottom[q] of the sea.
31 He uses them to judge some people
and give food to many.
32 His hands are covered with lightning
that he commands to strike his designated target.
33 His thunder[r] declares his presence;
and tells the animals what is coming.”
Footnotes
- Job 36:3 Lit. I’ll bring my knowledge from a long ways away
- Job 36:11 The Heb. lacks him
- Job 36:11 Or finish
- Job 36:12 Lit. by the sword they’ll pass through
- Job 36:13 Lit. lay up
- Job 36:13 Lit. he
- Job 36:13 Lit. binds
- Job 36:14 Lit. Their souls
- Job 36:14 The Heb. lacks will end
- Job 36:16 Lit. restful
- Job 36:16 Lit. fat
- Job 36:19 Or your force of strength
- Job 36:20 Lit. go up
- Job 36:26 Or unreachable
- Job 36:27 Or distilling rain into mist
- Job 36:28 Or drops
- Job 36:30 Or root
- Job 36:33 Lit. shout
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
