Job Replies to the Lord

42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

I[a] know that you can do anything
and no plan of yours can be thwarted.(A)
You asked, “Who is this who conceals my counsel with ignorance?”(B)
Surely I spoke about things I did not understand,
things too wondrous for me to[b] know.(C)
You said, “Listen now, and I will speak.
When I question(D) you, you will inform me.”
I had heard reports about you,
but now my eyes(E) have seen you.
Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them;
I am dust and ashes.[c][d]

After the Lord had finished speaking[e] to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. Now take seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. Then my servant Job will pray for you.(F) I will surely accept his prayer and not deal with you as your folly deserves. For you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” Then Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

God Restores Job

10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and doubled his previous possessions.(G) 11 All his brothers, sisters, and former acquaintances(H) came to him and dined with him in his house. They sympathized with him and comforted him concerning all the adversity the Lord had brought on him. Each one gave him a piece of silver[f](I) and a gold earring.(J)

12 So the Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life more than the first. He owned fourteen thousand sheep and goats, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named his first daughter Jemimah, his second Keziah, and his third Keren-happuch.(K) 15 No women as beautiful as Job’s daughters could be found in all the land, and their father granted them an inheritance with their brothers.

16 Job lived 140 years after this and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 Then Job died, old and full of days.(L)

Footnotes

  1. 42:2 Alt Hb tradition reads You
  2. 42:3 Lit me, and I did not
  3. 42:6 LXX reads I despise myself and melt; I consider myself dust and ashes
  4. 42:6 Lit I reject and I relent, concerning dust and ashes
  5. 42:7 Lit speaking these words
  6. 42:11 Lit a qesitah; the value of this currency is unknown

Job's Confession and Repentance

42 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

“I know that you can (A)do all things,
    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
(B)‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
    things (C)too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
‘Hear, and I will speak;
    (D)I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees you;
therefore I despise myself,
    and repent in[a] (E)dust and ashes.”

The Lord Rebukes Job's Friends

After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz (F)the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take (G)seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and (H)offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall (I)pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (J)So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer.

The Lord Restores Job's Fortunes

10 And the Lord (K)restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job (L)twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came to him all his (M)brothers and sisters and all who had (N)known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they (O)showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil[b] that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him (P)a piece of money[c] and (Q)a ring of gold.

12 And the Lord blessed (R)the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had (S)14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had also (T)seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance (U)among their brothers. 16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and (V)saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man, and (W)full of days.

Footnotes

  1. Job 42:6 Or and am comforted upon
  2. Job 42:11 Or disaster
  3. Job 42:11 Hebrew a qesitah; a unit of money of uncertain value

42 6 The repentance of Job. 9 He prayeth for his friends. 12 His goods are restored double unto him. 13 His children, age and death.

Then Job answered the Lord, and said,

I know that thou canst do all things, and that there is no [a]thought hid from thee.

Who is he that hideth counsel without [b]knowledge? therefore have I spoken that I understood not, even things too wonderful for me, [c]and which I knew not.

Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, [d]and declare thou unto me.

I have [e]heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee.

Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Now after that the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord also said unto Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is [f]right, like my servant [g]Job.

Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering, and my servant Job shall [h]pray for you: for I will accept him, lest I should put you to shame, because ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, went, and did according as the Lord had said unto them, and the Lord accepted Job.

10 ¶ Then the Lord turned the [i]captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice so much as he had before.

11 Then came unto him all his [j]brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house, and had compassion on him, and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him, and every man gave him a [k]piece of money, and everyone an earring of gold.

12 So the Lord blessed the last days of Job more than the first: for he had [l]fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

13 He had also seven sons, and three daughters.

14 And he called the name of one [m]Jemimah, and the name of the second [n]Keziah, and the name of the third [o]Keren-Happuch.

15 In all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job, and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

16 And after this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his son’s sons, even four generations.

17 So Job died, being old, and full of days.

Footnotes

  1. Job 42:2 No thought so secret, but thou dost see it, nor anything that thou thinkest, but thou canst bring it to pass.
  2. Job 42:3 Is there any but I? for this God laid to his charge, Job 38:2.
  3. Job 42:3 I confess herein mine ignorance, and that I spake I wist not what.
  4. Job 42:4 He showeth that he will be God’s scholar to learn of him.
  5. Job 42:5 I knew thee only before by hearsay: but now thou hast caused me to feel what thou art to me, that I may resign myself over unto thee.
  6. Job 42:7 You took in hand an evil cause, in that you condemned him by his outward afflictions, and not comforted him with my mercies.
  7. Job 42:7 Who had a good cause, but handled it evil.
  8. Job 42:8 When you have reconciled yourselves to him for the faults that you have committed against him, he shall pray for you, and I will hear him.
  9. Job 42:10 He delivered him out of the affliction wherein he was.
  10. Job 42:11 That is, all his kindred, read Job 19:13.
  11. Job 42:11 Or, lamb, or money so marked.
  12. Job 42:12 God made him twice so rich in cattle as he was afore, and gave him as many children as he had taken from him.
  13. Job 42:14 That is, of long life, or beautiful as the day.
  14. Job 42:14 As pleasant as cassia or sweet spice.
  15. Job 42:14 That is, the horn of beauty.