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Job’s Third Speech: A Response to Bildad

Then Job spoke again:

“Yes, I know all this is true in principle.
    But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?
If someone wanted to take God to court,[a]
    would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times?
For God is so wise and so mighty.
    Who has ever challenged him successfully?

“Without warning, he moves the mountains,
    overturning them in his anger.
He shakes the earth from its place,
    and its foundations tremble.
If he commands it, the sun won’t rise
    and the stars won’t shine.
He alone has spread out the heavens
    and marches on the waves of the sea.
He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion,
    the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.
10 He does great things too marvelous to understand.
    He performs countless miracles.

11 “Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him.
    When he moves by, I do not see him go.
12 If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him?
    Who dares to ask, ‘What are you doing?’
13 And God does not restrain his anger.
    Even the monsters of the sea[b] are crushed beneath his feet.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:3 Or If God wanted to take someone to court.
  2. 9:13 Hebrew the helpers of Rahab, the name of a mythical sea monster that represents chaos in ancient literature.

Job Cannot Argue with His Creator

This was Job’s response:

“Indeed, I’m fully aware that this is so,
    but how can a person become right with God?
If one were to seek to argue with him,
    he won’t be able to answer him even once in a thousand times.
He is wise in heart and strong in will—
    who can be stubborn against him and succeed?

“He removes mountains without their knowledge,
    overthrowing them in his anger.
He shakes the earth from its orbit,[a]
    so that its foundations shudder.
He commands the sun so that it doesn’t shine[b]
    and seals up the stars.
He alone spreads out the heavens,
    he walks on the waves[c] of the sea.
He created Bear, Orion, the Pleiades,
    and the southern constellations.
10 He does great things that cannot be explained,
    and awesome deeds that cannot be counted.

11 “If he were to pass near me, I wouldn’t notice;
    if he moves by, I wouldn’t perceive him.
12 Indeed, if he snatches someone[d] away,
    who could restrain him?
        Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

13 “God doesn’t restrain his anger.
    Rahab’s assistants are humiliated under him.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 9:6 Lit. place
  2. Job 9:7 Lit. rise
  3. Job 9:8 Lit. high places
  4. Job 9:12 The Heb. lacks someone