Beginning
Elihu Speaks
32 These three men stopped answering Job. This is because Job was so sure he was right. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite became very angry with Job. (Elihu was from the family of Ram.) He was angry because Job claimed he was right instead of God. 3 Elihu was also angry with Job’s three friends. They had no answer to show that Job was wrong. And yet they continued to blame him. 4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job. This is because the three friends were older than he was. 5 But when Elihu saw that the three men had nothing more to say, he became very angry.
6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said this:
“I am young,
and you are old.
That is why I was afraid
to tell you what I know.
7 I thought, ‘Older people should speak.
Those who have lived many years should teach wisdom.’
8 But it is the spirit in a person that gives him understanding.
It is the breath of God All-Powerful in him.
9 It is not just older people who are wise.
Older people are not the only ones who understand what is right.
10 So I say, listen to me!
I will also tell you what I know.
11 I waited while you spoke.
I listened to your explanations.
I waited while you looked for words to use.
12 I paid close attention to you.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong.
Not one of you has answered his arguments.
13 Don’t you say, ‘We have found wisdom.
Only God will show Job to be wrong, not people.’
14 Job has not spoken his words against me.
So I will not use your arguments to answer Job.
15 “These three friends are defeated and have no more to say.
Words have failed them.
16 Now they are standing there with no answer for Job.
Now that they are quiet, must I wait to speak?
17 No, I also will speak.
I will also tell what I know.
18 I am full of words.
And the spirit in me causes me to speak.
19 I am like wine that has been bottled up.
I am ready to burst like a new leather bag for holding wine.
20 I must speak. Then I will feel relief.
I must open my mouth and answer.
21 I will be fair to everyone.
I will not flatter anyone.
22 I don’t know how to flatter.
If I did, God, my Maker, would quickly take me away.
33 “But now, Job, listen to my words.
Pay attention to everything I say.
2 I open my mouth.
I am ready to speak.
3 My words come from an honest heart.
I am sincere when I speak what I know.
4 The Spirit of God created me.
The breath of God All-Powerful gave me life.
5 Answer me if you can.
Get yourself ready and stand before me.
6 I am just like you before God.
I was also made out of clay.
7 Don’t be afraid of me.
I will not be hard on you.
8 “But I heard what you have said.
I heard every word.
9 You said, ‘I am pure and without sin.
I am innocent and free from guilt.
10 But God has found fault with me.
He considers me his enemy.
11 He locks my feet in chains.
He closely watches everywhere I go.’
12 “But I tell you, you are not right in saying this.
God is greater than we are!
13 Why do you accuse God
of not answering man’s complaints?
14 God does speak—sometimes one way and sometimes another.
He speaks even though men may not understand it.
15 God may speak in a dream or a vision of the night.
This is when men are in a deep sleep
and lying in their beds.
16 He may speak in their ears
and frighten them with warnings.
17 He warns them to turn away from doing wrong.
And he warns them not to be proud.
18 God does this to save a man’s soul from death.
He does it to keep him from dying.
19 A man may be corrected while on his bed in great pain.
He may have continual pain in his very bones.
20 He may be in such pain that he even hates food.
He may hate even the very best meal.
21 His body becomes so thin there is almost nothing left of it.
And his bones that were hidden by flesh now stick out.
22 His soul is near the place of death.
His life is almost over.
23 “But there may be an angel on his side.
The angel may be one out of a thousand who will speak for the man.
He will tell the man what he should do.
24 The angel will beg for mercy and say:
‘Save this man from the place of death.
I have found a way to pay for his life.’
25 Then his body is made new like a child’s body.
It will be returned to the way it was when he was young.
26 That person will pray to God, and God will listen to him.
He will see God’s face and will shout with happiness.
And God will set things right for him again.
27 Then the man will say to other people,
‘I sinned and twisted what was right.
But I did not receive the punishment I should have received.
28 God bought back my life from death.
And I will continue to enjoy life.’
29 “God does all these things to a man.
He does them two times or even three.
30 He does them so a person won’t die as punishment for his sins.
He does it so the man may still enjoy life.
31 “Job, pay attention and listen to me.
Be quiet, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak up, because I want you to be shown as right.
33 But if you have nothing to say, then listen to me.
Be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
34 Then Elihu said:
2 “Hear my words, you men who think you are wise.
Listen to me, you men who think you know a lot.
3 The ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.
4 Let’s decide for ourselves what is right.
And let’s learn together what is good.
5 “Job says, ‘I am not guilty.
But God has refused me a fair trial.
6 Instead of getting a fair trial,
I am called a liar.
I have been seriously hurt,
even though I have not sinned.’
7 There is no other man like Job.
He takes insults as if he were drinking water.
8 He is around people who do evil.
He spends time with wicked men.
9 This is because he says, ‘It does not help a man
to try and please God.’
10 “So listen to me, you who can understand.
God All-Powerful can never do wrong!
It is impossible for God to do evil.
11 God pays a person back for what he has done.
God gives him what his actions deserve.
12 Truly God will never do wrong!
God All-Powerful will never twist what is right.
13 No one chose God to rule over the earth.
No one put him in charge of the whole world.
14 God could decide
to take away his spirit and breath.
15 If he did, all people would die together.
And they would all turn back into dust.
16 “If you can understand, hear this.
Listen to what I have to say.
17 Can anyone govern who hates what is right?
How can you blame God who is both fair and powerful?
18 God is the one who says to kings, ‘You are worth nothing.’
And he says to important people, ‘You are evil.’
19 God is not better to princes than other people.
He is not better to rich people than poor people.
This is because he made them all with his own hands.
20 They can die in a moment, in the middle of the night.
The rich are struck down, and then they pass away.
Powerful people die without man’s help.
21 “God watches where people go.
He sees every step they take.
22 There is no dark place or deep shadow
where those who do evil can hide from God.
23 God does not need to watch people more closely.
He does not need for men to come before him for judging.
24 Without asking questions, God breaks powerful people into pieces.
And he puts other people in their place.
25 This is because God knows what people do.
He defeats them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He punishes them for the evil things they do.
He does it so that everyone else can watch.
27 This is because they stopped following God.
They did not care about any of his ways.
28 God lets the cry of poor people reach him.
He hears the cry of the needy.
29 But if God keeps quiet, who can blame him?
If he hides his face, no one can see him.
But God still rules over both men and nations.
30 He still keeps wicked men from ruling.
And he keeps them from trapping others.
31 “But suppose such a man says to God,
‘I am guilty, but I will not sin anymore.
32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
33 So, Job, should God reward you the way you want
when you will not change your heart and life?
You must decide, not I.
So tell me what you know.
34 “Men who understand speak.
And wise men who hear me say,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowing what is true.
His words show he does not understand.’
36 I wish Job would be tested completely
because he answered like an evil man!
37 Job has sinned, and now he turns against God.
He claps his hands as an insult.
And he speaks more and more against God.”
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.