Beginning
21 7 Job declareth how the prosperity of the wicked maketh them proud. 15 Insomuch that they blaspheme God. 16 Their destruction is at hand. 23 None ought to be judged wicked for affliction, neither good for prosperity.
1 But Job answered, and said,
2 Hear diligently my words, and this [a]shall be instead of your consolations.
3 Suffer me that I may speak, and when I have spoken, mock on.
4 Do I direct my talk to man? If it [b]were so, how should not my spirit be troubled?
5 Mark me, and be abashed, and lay your hand upon your [c]mouth.
6 Even when I remember, I am afraid, and fear taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Wherefore do the wicked [d]live, and wax old, and grow in wealth?
8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their generation before their eyes.
9 Their houses are peaceable without fear, and the rod of God is not upon them.
10 Their bullock gendereth, and faileth not: their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth their children [e]like sheep, and their sons dance.
12 They take the tambourine and harp, and rejoice in the sound of the organs.
13 They spend their days in wealth, and suddenly [f]they go down to the grave.
14 They say also unto God, Depart from us: for we desire not the [g]knowledge of thy ways.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we should pray unto him?
16 Lo, their wealth is not in their [h]hand: therefore let the counsel of the wicked [i]be far from me.
17 How oft shall the candle of the wicked be put out and their destruction come upon them? he will divide their lives in his wrath.
18 They shall be as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
19 God will lay up the sorrow of the father for his children: when he rewardeth him, he shall know it.
20 [j]His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
22 Shall any teach [k]God knowledge, who judgeth the highest things?
23 One [l]dieth in his full strength, being in all ease and prosperity.
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones run full of marrow.
25 And another [m]dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
26 They shall sleep both in [n]the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the enterprises wherewith ye do me wrong.
28 For ye say, Where is the prince’s [o]house? and where is the tabernacle of the wicked’s dwelling?
29 May ye [p]not ask them that go by the way? and ye cannot deny their signs.
30 But the wicked is kept unto the day of [q]destruction, and they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
31 Who shall declare his way [r]to his face? and who shall reward him for that he hath done?
32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and remain in the heap.
33 The [s]slimy valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as before him there were innumerable.
34 How then comfort [t]ye me in vain, seeing in your answer there remain but lies?
22 2 Eliphaz affirmeth that Job is punished for his sins. 6 He accuseth him of unmercifulness. 13 And that he denied God’s providence. 21 He exhorteth to repentance.
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,
2 May a man be [u]profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?
3 (A)Is it anything unto the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it profitable to him, that thou makest thy ways upright?
4 Is it for fear [v]of thee that he will accuse thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickedness great, and thine iniquities innumerable?
6 For thou hast taken the [w]pledge from thy brother for nought, and spoiled the clothes of the naked.
7 To such as were weary, thou hast not given water to drink, and hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.
8 But the mighty man [x]had the earth, and he that was in authority, dwelt in it.
9 Thou hast cast out widows empty, and the arms of the [y]fatherless were broken.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and fear shall suddenly trouble thee.
11 Or darkness that thou shouldest not see, and [z]abundance of waters shall cover thee.
12 Is not God on [aa]high in the heaven? and behold the height of the [ab]stars how high they are.
13 But thou sayest, How should God [ac]know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
14 The clouds hide him that he cannot see, and he walketh in the circle of heaven.
15 Hast thou marked the way of the world, [ad]wherein wicked men have walked?
16 Which were [ae]cut down before the time, whose foundation was as a river that overflowed:
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us, and asked what the Almighty could do for them.
18 Yet he [af]filled their houses with good things: but let the counsel of the wicked be far from me.
19 The righteous shall see them, and shall rejoice, [ag]and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.
20 Surely [ah]our substance is hid: but the fire hath devoured the remnant of [ai]them.
21 Therefore acquaint thyself, I pray thee, [aj]with him, and make peace: thereby thou shalt have prosperity.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law of his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt [ak]be built up, and thou shalt put iniquity far from thy tabernacle.
24 Thou shalt lay up gold for [al]dust, and the gold of Ophir, as the flints of the rivers.
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 And thou shalt then delight in the Almighty, and lift up thy face unto God.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt render thy vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and he shall establish it unto thee, and the [am]light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 [an]When others are cast down, then shalt thou say, I am lifted up: and God shall save the humble person.
30 The innocent shall deliver the [ao]island, and it shall be preserved by the pureness of thine hands.
23 Job affirmeth that he both knoweth and feareth the power and sentence of the Judge, 10 And that he is not punished only for his sins.
1 But Job answered, and said,
2 Though my talk be this day in [ap]bitterness, and my plague greater than my groaning,
3 Would God yet I knew how to find him, I would enter unto his place.
4 I would plead the cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words, that he would answer me, and would understand what he would say unto me.
6 Would he [aq]plead against me with his great power? No, but he would [ar]put strength in me.
7 [as]There the righteous might reason with him, so I should be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 [at]Behold, if I go to the East, he is not there: if to the West, yet I cannot perceive him:
9 If to the North where he worketh, yet I cannot see him: he will hide himself in the South, and I cannot behold him.
10 But he knoweth my [au]way, and trieth me, and I shall come forth like gold.
11 My foot hath followed his steps: his way have I kept, and have not declined:
12 Neither have I departed from the commandment of his lips, and I have [av]esteemed the words of his mouth more than mine appointed food.
13 Yet he is in one mind, and who can [aw]turn him? yea, he doeth what his mind desireth.
14 For he will perform that which is decreed of me, and [ax]many such things are with him.
15 Therefore I am troubled at his presence, and in considering it, I am afraid of him.
16 For [ay]God hath softened mine heart, and the Almighty hath troubled me.
17 For I am not cut off in [az]darkness, but he hath hid the darkness from my face.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.