Job 36
Christian Standard Bible
36 Then Elihu continued, saying:
2 Be patient with me a little longer, and I will inform you,
for there is still more to be said on God’s behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from a distant place
and ascribe justice to my Maker.
4 Indeed, my words are not false;
one who has complete knowledge is with you.
5 Yes, God is mighty, but he despises no one;
he understands all things.[a](A)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,(B)
but he gives justice to the oppressed.
7 He does not withdraw his gaze from the righteous,
but he seats them forever with enthroned kings,
and they are exalted.
8 If people are bound with chains
and trapped by the cords of affliction,
9 God tells them what they have done
and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
10 He opens their ears(C) to correction
and tells them to repent from iniquity.
11 If they listen and serve him,
they will end their days in prosperity
and their years in happiness.(D)
12 But if they do not listen,
they will cross the river of death[b]
and die without knowledge.(E)
13 Those who have a godless heart harbor anger;
even when God binds them, they do not cry for help.
14 They die in their youth;
their life ends among male cult prostitutes.(F)
15 God rescues the afflicted by their affliction;
he instructs them by their torment.
16 Indeed, he lured you from the jaws[c] of distress
to a spacious and unconfined place.
Your table was spread with choice food.
17 Yet now you are obsessed with the judgment due the wicked;
judgment and justice have seized you.
18 Be careful that no one lures you with riches;[d]
do not let a large ransom[e] lead you astray.(G)
19 Can your wealth[f] or all your physical exertion
keep you from distress?(H)
20 Do not long for the night
when nations will disappear from their places.
21 Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity,
for that is why you have been tested by[g] affliction.
22 Look, God shows himself exalted by his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has appointed his way for him,
and who has declared, “You have done wrong”?(I)
24 Remember that you should praise his work,
which people have sung about.(J)
25 All mankind has seen it;
people have looked at it from a distance.(K)
26 Yes, God is exalted beyond our knowledge;(L)
the number of his years cannot be counted.(M)
27 For he makes waterdrops evaporate;[h]
they distill the rain into its[i] mist,(N)
28 which the clouds pour out
and shower abundantly on mankind.
29 Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out
or how the thunder roars from God’s pavilion?(O)
30 See how he spreads his lightning(P) around him
and covers the depths of the sea.
31 For he judges the nations with these;
he gives food in abundance.(Q)
32 He covers his hands with lightning
and commands it to hit its mark.
33 The[j] thunder declares his presence;[k]
the cattle also, the approaching storm.
Footnotes
- 36:5 Lit he is mighty in strength of heart
- 36:12 Or will perish by the sword
- 36:16 Lit from a mouth of narrowness
- 36:18 Or you into mockery
- 36:18 Or bribe
- 36:19 Or cry for help
- 36:21 Or for you have preferred this to
- 36:27 Lit he draws in waterdrops
- 36:27 Or his
- 36:33 Lit His, or Its
- 36:33 Lit thunder announces concerning him or it
Job 36
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Elihu Exalts God’s Goodness
36 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 bring my knowledge from far away
and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.(A)
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.(B)
5 “Surely God is mighty and does not despise any;
he is mighty in strength of understanding.(C)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive
but gives the afflicted their right.(D)
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but with kings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are exalted.(E)
8 And if they are bound in fetters
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.(F)
10 He opens their ears to instruction
and commands that they return from iniquity.(G)
11 If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity
and their years in pleasantness.(H)
12 But if they do not listen, they shall perish by the sword
and die without knowledge.(I)
13 “The godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them.(J)
14 They die in their youth,
and their life ends in shame.[a](K)
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction
and opens their ear by adversity.(L)
16 He also allured you out of distress
into a broad place where there was no constraint,
and what was set on your table was full of fatness.(M)
17 “But you are obsessed with the case of the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware that wrath does not entice you into scoffing,
and do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.(N)
19 Will your cry avail to keep you from distress,
or will all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for the night,
when peoples are cut off in their place.(O)
21 Beware! Do not turn to iniquity;
because of that you have been tried by affliction.(P)
22 See, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’?(Q)
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
24 “Remember to extol his work,
of which mortals have sung.(R)
25 All people have looked on it;
everyone watches it from far away.
26 Surely God is great, and we do not know him;
the number of his years is unsearchable.(S)
27 For he draws up the drops of water;
he distills[b] his mist in rain,(T)
28 which the skies pour down
and drop upon mortals abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?(U)
30 See, he scatters his lightning around him
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he governs peoples;
he gives food in abundance.(V)
32 He covers his hands with the lightning
and commands it to strike the mark.(W)
33 Its crashing[c] tells about him;
he is jealous[d] with anger against iniquity.(X)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.