Job

42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

“I know that you can do all things;(A)
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.(B)
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’(C)
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.(D)

“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’(E)
My ears had heard of you(F)
    but now my eyes have seen you.(G)
Therefore I despise myself(H)
    and repent(I) in dust and ashes.”(J)

Epilogue

After the Lord had said these things to Job(K), he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends,(L) because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.(M) So now take seven bulls and seven rams(N) and go to my servant Job(O) and sacrifice a burnt offering(P) for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer(Q) and not deal with you according to your folly.(R) You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”(S) So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite(T) did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.(U)

10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes(V) and gave him twice as much as he had before.(W) 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before(X) came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him,(Y) and each one gave him a piece of silver[a] and a gold ring.

12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.(Z)

Footnotes

  1. Job 42:11 Hebrew him a kesitah; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value.

Job Worships God

I Babbled On About Things Far Beyond Me

42 1-6 Job answered God:

“I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything.
    Nothing and no one can upset your plans.
You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water,
    ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’
I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me,
    made small talk about wonders way over my head.
You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking.
    Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’
I admit I once lived by rumors of you;
    now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears!
I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise!
    I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.”

God Restores Job

I Will Accept His Prayer

7-8 After God had finished addressing Job, he turned to Eliphaz the Temanite and said, “I’ve had it with you and your two friends. I’m fed up! You haven’t been honest either with me or about me—not the way my friend Job has. So here’s what you must do. Take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my friend Job. Sacrifice a burnt offering on your own behalf. My friend Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer. He will ask me not to treat you as you deserve for talking nonsense about me, and for not being honest with me, as he has.”

They did it. Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did what God commanded. And God accepted Job’s prayer.

10-11 After Job had interceded for his friends, God restored his fortune—and then doubled it! All his brothers and sisters and friends came to his house and celebrated. They told him how sorry they were, and consoled him for all the trouble God had brought him. Each of them brought generous housewarming gifts.

12-15 God blessed Job’s later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third, Darkeyes. There was not a woman in that country as beautiful as Job’s daughters. Their father treated them as equals with their brothers, providing the same inheritance.

16-17 Job lived on another 140 years, living to see his children and grandchildren—four generations of them! Then he died—an old man, a full life.

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[a] in (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
  2. Job 42:11 Or disaster
  3. Job 42:11 Hebrew a qesitah; a unit of money of unknown value