Bildad: How Can Man Be Righteous?

25 Then (A)Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

“Dominion and fear belong to Him;
He makes peace in His high places.
[a]Is there any number to His armies?
Upon whom does (B)His light not rise?
(C)How then can man be righteous before God?
Or how can he be (D)pure who is born of a woman?
If even the moon does not shine,
And the stars are not pure in His (E)sight,
How much less man, who is (F)a maggot,
And a son of man, who is a worm?”

Job: Man’s Frailty and God’s Majesty

26 But Job answered and said:

“How have you helped him who is without power?
How have you saved the arm that has no strength?
How have you counseled one who has no wisdom?
And how have you declared sound advice to many?
To whom have you uttered words?
And whose spirit came from you?

“The dead tremble,
Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.
(G)Sheol is naked before Him,
And Destruction has no covering.
(H)He stretches out the north over empty space;
He hangs the earth on nothing.
(I)He binds up the water in His thick clouds,
Yet the clouds [b]are not broken under it.
He covers the face of His throne,
And spreads His cloud over it.
10 (J)He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters,
At the boundary of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble,
And are [c]astonished at His rebuke.
12 (K)He stirs up the sea with His power,
And by His understanding He breaks up [d]the storm.
13 (L)By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;
His hand pierced (M)the fleeing serpent.
14 Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Footnotes

  1. Job 25:3 Can His armies be counted?
  2. Job 26:8 do not break
  3. Job 26:11 amazed
  4. Job 26:12 Heb. rahab

Bildad

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

“Dominion and awe belong to God;(B)
    he establishes order in the heights of heaven.(C)
Can his forces be numbered?
    On whom does his light not rise?(D)
How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?(E)
If even the moon(F) is not bright
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes,(G)
how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot—
    a human being,(H) who is only a worm!”(I)

Job

26 Then Job replied:

“How you have helped the powerless!(J)
    How you have saved the arm that is feeble!(K)
What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
    And what great insight(L) you have displayed!
Who has helped you utter these words?
    And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?(M)

“The dead are in deep anguish,(N)
    those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
The realm of the dead(O) is naked before God;
    Destruction[a](P) lies uncovered.(Q)
He spreads out the northern skies(R) over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.(S)
He wraps up the waters(T) in his clouds,(U)
    yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
He covers the face of the full moon,
    spreading his clouds(V) over it.
10 He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters(W)
    for a boundary between light and darkness.(X)
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,(Y)
    aghast at his rebuke.
12 By his power he churned up the sea;(Z)
    by his wisdom(AA) he cut Rahab(AB) to pieces.
13 By his breath the skies(AC) became fair;
    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.(AD)
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper(AE) we hear of him!(AF)
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Job 26:6 Hebrew Abaddon