Bible in 90 Days
Bildad Asks, Can Man Be Right with God?
25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,
2 “(A)Rule and dread [a]belong to Him
Who makes peace in (B)His heights.
3 Is there any number to (C)His troops?
And upon whom does His light not rise?
4 How then can mortal man be (D)right with God?
Or how can he be (E)pure who is born of woman?
5 Behold even (F)the moon has no brightness,
And the (G)stars are not pure in His sight;
6 How much less (H)mortal man, that (I)maggot,
And the son of man, that worm!”
Who Can Understand God?
26 Then Job answered and said,
2 “What a help you are to (J)the one without power!
How you have saved the arm (K)without strength!
3 What counsel you have given to one without wisdom!
What sound wisdom you have abundantly made known!
4 To whom have you declared words?
And whose breath comes out from you?
5 “The [b](L)departed spirits tremble
Under the waters and their inhabitants.
6 Naked is (M)Sheol before Him,
And [c](N)Abaddon has no covering.
7 He (O)stretches out the north over what is formless
And hangs the earth on nothing.
8 He (P)wraps up the waters in His clouds,
And the cloud does not break out under them.
9 He [d](Q)obscures the face of His [e]throne
And spreads His cloud over it.
10 He has marked a (R)circle on the surface of the waters
At the (S)boundary of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble
And are astonished at His rebuke.
12 He (T)quieted the sea with His power,
And by His (U)understanding He crushed (V)Rahab.
13 By His breath the (W)heavens are made beautiful;
His hand has pierced (X)the fleeing serpent.
14 Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;
And how only with a whisper of (Y)a word do we hear of Him!
But His mighty (Z)thunder, who can understand?”
I Hold Fast My Righteousness
27 Then Job continued to lift up his [f](AA)discourse and said,
2 “As God lives, (AB)who has removed my justice,
And the Almighty, (AC)who has embittered my soul,
3 For as long as breath is in me,
And the (AD)spirit from God is in my nostrils,
4 My lips certainly will not speak unrighteousness,
Nor will (AE)my tongue utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Till I breathe my last (AF)I will not remove my integrity from me.
6 I (AG)hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go.
My heart does not reproach any of my days.
7 “May my enemy be as the wicked
And the one who rises against me as the unjust.
8 For what is (AH)the hope of the godless [g]when he is cut off,
When God requires (AI)his [h]soul?
9 Will God (AJ)hear his cry
When (AK)distress comes upon him?
10 Will he take (AL)delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11 I will instruct you in the [i]power of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Behold, all of you have seen it;
Why then do you speak with utter vanity?
13 “This is (AM)the portion of a wicked man from God,
And the inheritance which the (AN)ruthless receive from the Almighty.
14 Though his sons are many, [j]they are destined (AO)for the sword;
And his (AP)offspring will not be satisfied with bread.
15 His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And [k]their (AQ)widows will not be able to weep.
16 Though he piles up silver like dust
And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
17 He may prepare it, (AR)but the righteous will wear it,
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He has built his (AS)house like the [l]moth,
Or as a hut which the watchman has made.
19 He lies down rich, but never [m]again;
He opens his eyes, and (AT)it is no longer.
20 (AU)Terrors overtake him like many waters;
A tempest steals him away (AV)in the night.
21 The east (AW)wind carries him away, and he goes,
And it whirls him (AX)away from his place.
22 For it will hurl at him (AY)without sparing;
He will surely try to (AZ)flee from its [n]power.
23 Men will clap their hands at him
And will (BA)hiss him from his place.
Where Can Wisdom Be Found?
28 “[o]Surely there is a [p]mine for silver,
And a place [q]where they refine for gold.
2 Iron is taken from the dust,
And copper is smelted from rock.
3 Man puts an end to darkness,
And (BB)to the farthest limit he searches out
The rock in thick darkness and shadow of death.
4 He [r]sinks a shaft far from [s]habitation,
Forgotten by the foot;
They hang and swing to and fro far from men.
5 The earth, from it comes food,
And underneath it is overturned as fire.
6 Its rocks are the [t]source of sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.
7 The path no bird of prey knows,
Nor has the falcon’s eye caught sight of it.
8 The [u]proud beasts have not trodden it,
Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.
9 He sends his hand forth to the flint;
He overturns the mountains at the [v]base.
10 He breaks out channels through the rocks,
And his eye sees anything precious.
11 He dams up the streams from [w]flowing,
And what is hidden he brings out to the light.
12 “But (BC)where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13 (BD)Man does not know its worth,
And it is not found in the land of the living.
14 The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;
And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15 (BE)Pure gold cannot be given in place of it,
Nor can silver be weighed as its price.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx or sapphire.
17 (BF)Gold or glass cannot meet its worth,
Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold.
18 Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;
And the acquisition of (BG)wisdom is above that of pearls.
19 The topaz of [x]Ethiopia cannot meet its worth,
Nor can it be valued in (BH)pure gold.
20 (BI)Where then does wisdom come from?
And where is the place of understanding?
21 Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living
And concealed from the birds of the sky.
22 [y](BJ)Abaddon and Death say,
‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’
23 “(BK)God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
24 For He (BL)looks to the ends of the earth
And sees everything under the heavens.
25 When He set (BM)weight to the wind
And (BN)meted out the waters by measure,
26 When He set a (BO)limit for the rain
And a course for the (BP)thunderbolt,
27 Then He saw it and recounted it;
He established it and also searched it out.
28 So He said to man, ‘Behold, the (BQ)fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Job Continues His Discourse
29 And Job continued to lift up his [z](BR)discourse and said,
2 “Oh that I were as in months gone by,
As in the days when God (BS)kept me,
3 When (BT)His lamp shone over my head,
And (BU)by His light I walked through darkness,
4 As I was in [aa]the prime of my days,
When the (BV)intimate counsel with God was over my tent,
5 When [ab]the Almighty was yet with me,
And my children were around me,
6 When my steps were bathed in (BW)butter,
And the (BX)rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 When I went out to (BY)the gate of the city,
When I [ac]took my seat in the square,
8 The young men saw me and hid,
And the old men arose and stood.
9 The princes (BZ)stopped talking
And (CA)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voice of the nobles was (CB)hidden away,
And their (CC)tongue clung to their palate.
11 For (CD)the ear heard, and it called me blessed,
And the eye saw, and it gave witness of me,
12 Because I provided escape for (CE)the afflicted who cried for help,
And the (CF)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one (CG)ready to perish came upon me,
And I made the (CH)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (CI)clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was (CJ)eyes to the blind
And feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to (CK)the needy,
And I searched out the case which I did not know.
17 I (CL)broke the fangs of the unjust
And snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [ad]said, ‘I will breathe my last [ae]in my nest,
And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (CM)root is spread out to the waters,
And (CN)dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory is ever new with me,
And my (CO)bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “To me (CP)they listened and waited,
And kept silent for my counsel.
22 After my words they did not (CQ)speak again,
And (CR)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouth as for the [af]late rain.
24 I laughed with them as they could not believe it,
And the light of my face they did not cast down.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (CS)chief,
And dwelt as their head among the troops,
As one who (CT)comforted the mourners.
30 “But now those younger than I (CU)laugh at me,
Whose fathers I rejected even to put with the dogs of my flock.
2 Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me?
Vigor had perished from them.
3 From want and famine they are gaunt,
Who gnaw the dry ground by night in destruction and desolation,
4 Who pluck [ag]mallow by the bushes,
And whose food is the root of the broom tree.
5 They are driven from the community;
They shout against them as against a thief,
6 So that they dwell in the slopes of the [ah]valleys,
In holes of the dust and of the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they [ai]cry out;
Under the nettles they are gathered together.
8 [aj]Wicked fools, even [ak]those without a name,
They were scourged from the land.
9 “And now I have become their mocking (CV)song;
I have even become a (CW)taunting word to them.
10 They abhor me and keep a distance from me,
And they do not [al]hold back from (CX)spitting at my face.
11 Because [am]He has loosed [an]His [ao]bowstring and (CY)afflicted me,
They have thrust aside (CZ)their bridle before me.
12 On the right hand their [ap]brood arises;
They (DA)thrust aside my feet (DB)and build up against me their ways to disaster.
13 They (DC)break up my path;
They profit [aq]from my destruction;
They have no helper.
14 As through a wide breach they come,
[ar]Amid the storm they roll on.
15 (DD)Terrors are turned against me;
They pursue my nobility as the wind,
And my hope for salvation has passed away (DE)like a cloud.
16 “And now (DF)my soul is poured out [as]within me;
Days of affliction have seized me.
17 At night it pierces (DG)my bones [at]within me,
And my gnawing pains take no rest.
18 By a great force my garment is (DH)distorted;
It seizes me about as the collar of my tunic.
19 He has cast me into the (DI)mire,
And I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I (DJ)cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me;
I stand up, and You carefully consider how to be against me.
21 You have [au]become cruel to me;
With the might of Your hand You (DK)hunted me down.
22 You (DL)lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride;
And You melt me away in a storm.
23 For I know that You (DM)will bring me to death
And to the (DN)house of meeting for all living.
24 “Yet does not one in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand,
Or, in his upheaval, is there a (DO)cry for help because of them?
25 Have I not (DP)wept for the [av]one whose life is hard?
Was not my soul grieved for (DQ)the needy?
26 When I (DR)hoped for good, then evil came;
When I waited for light, (DS)then thick darkness came.
27 [aw]I am boiling (DT)within and cannot be silent;
Days of affliction confront me.
28 I go about (DU)darkened but not by the sun;
I stand up in the assembly and (DV)cry out for help.
29 I have become a brother to (DW)jackals
And a companion of ostriches.
30 My (DX)skin turns black [ax]on me,
And my (DY)bones burn with [ay]fever.
31 Therefore my (DZ)harp [az]is turned to mourning,
And my flute to the sound of those who weep.
31 “I have cut a covenant with my (EA)eyes;
How then could I gaze at a virgin?
2 And what is (EB)the portion of God from above
Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is it not (EC)disaster to the unjust
And misfortune to (ED)those who work iniquity?
4 Does He not (EE)see my ways
And (EF)number all my steps?
5 “If I have (EG)walked with worthlessness,
And my foot has hastened after deceit,
6 Let Him (EH)weigh me with [ba]just scales,
And let God know (EI)my integrity.
7 If my step has (EJ)turned from the way,
Or my heart [bb]followed my eyes,
Or if any (EK)spot has stuck to my hands,
8 Let me (EL)sow and another eat,
And let my [bc](EM)crops be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been (EN)enticed by a woman,
Or I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s doorway,
10 May my wife (EO)grind for another,
And let (EP)others [bd]kneel down over her.
11 For that would be (EQ)lewdness;
Moreover, it would be (ER)an iniquity punishable by judges.
12 For it would be (ES)fire that consumes to [be](ET)Abaddon,
And would (EU)uproot all my [bf]produce.
13 “If I have (EV)rejected the justice of my male or female [bg]slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, with what will I respond to Him?
15 Did not (EW)He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have held back (EX)the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of (EY)the widow to fail,
17 Or have (EZ)eaten my morsel alone,
And (FA)the orphan has not eaten from it
18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from the womb of my mother I guided her),
19 If I have seen anyone perish (FB)for lack of clothing,
Or that (FC)the needy had no covering,
20 If his loins have not blessed me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have waved my hand against (FD)the orphan
Because I saw my help (FE)in the gate,
22 Let my shoulder fall from the [bh]socket,
And my (FF)arm be broken off [bi]at the elbow.
23 For (FG)disaster from God is a dread to me,
And because of (FH)His exaltedness I can do nothing.
24 “If I have put my confidence in (FI)gold,
And called fine gold my trust,
25 If I have (FJ)been glad because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had found so much,
26 If I have (FK)looked at the [bj]sun when it shone
Or the moon going in splendor,
27 And my heart became secretly enticed,
And my hand [bk]threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 That too would have been (FL)an iniquity calling for [bl]judgment,
For I would have (FM)denied God above.
29 “If I (FN)have been glad at the upheaval of the one who hated me,
Or [bm]exulted when evil found him—
30 But (FO)I have not given over my [bn]mouth to sin
By asking for his life in (FP)a curse—
31 If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who can [bo]find one who has not been (FQ)satisfied with his meat’—
32 The sojourner has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the [bp]traveler—
33 If I have (FR)covered my transgressions like [bq]Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Because I (FS)feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
And I kept silent and did not go out of doors—
35 Oh that I had one to hear me!
Behold, here is my [br]signature;
(FT)Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my (FU)accuser has written,
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it to myself like a crown.
37 I would declare to Him (FV)the number of my steps;
Like (FW)a prince I would approach Him—
38 “If my (FX)land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together,
39 If I have (FY)eaten its [bs]fruit without money,
Or have (FZ)caused [bt]its owners to lose their lives,
40 Let (GA)briars come out instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Elihu Answers in Anger
32 Then these three men ceased answering Job because he was (GB)righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the (GC)Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned; against Job his anger burned (GD)because he was proving himself righteous [bu](GE)before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited with his words for Job because they were years older than he. 5 Then Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, so his anger burned.
6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said,
“I am young in years and you are (GF)old;
Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you my knowledge.
7 I [bv]thought [bw](GG)age should speak,
And [bx]increased years should make wisdom known.
8 But it is a spirit in man,
And the (GH)breath of the Almighty gives them (GI)understanding.
9 The [by]abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may (GJ)elders understand justice.
10 So I [bz]say, ‘Listen to me,
I too will tell my knowledge.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I gave ear to your reasonings,
While you searched out what to say.
12 I even carefully considered you;
And behold, there was no one who reproved Job,
Not one of you who answered his words.
13 Lest you say,
‘(GK)We have found wisdom;
God will drive him away, not man.’
14 Now he has not arranged his words against me,
Nor will I respond to him with your words.
15 “They are dismayed; they no longer answer;
Words have moved away from them.
16 Shall I wait, because they do not speak,
Because they stand still and no longer answer?
17 I myself will also answer my share;
I also will tell my knowledge.
18 For I am full of words;
The spirit within my belly presses me.
19 Behold, my belly is like unvented wine, not opened;
Like new wineskins it is about to burst.
20 Let me speak that I may get relief;
Let me open my lips and answer.
21 Let me now (GL)be partial to no one,
Nor flatter any man.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
Else my Maker would soon carry me away.
Elihu Asks Job to Hear and Respond
33 “However now, Job, please (GM)hear my speech,
And give ear to all my words.
2 Behold now, I open my mouth;
My tongue in my [ca]mouth speaks.
3 My words are from the uprightness of my heart,
And my lips speak (GN)knowledge sincerely.
4 The (GO)Spirit of God has made me,
And the (GP)breath of [cb]the Almighty gives me life.
5 (GQ)Respond to me if you can;
Arrange yourselves before me, take your stand.
6 Behold, I belong to God like you;
I too have been [cc]formed out of the (GR)clay.
7 Behold, (GS)no dread of me should terrify you,
Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.
8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your speech:
9 ‘I am (GT)pure, (GU)without transgression;
I am innocent, and there (GV)is no guilt in me.
10 Behold, He finds reasons for opposition against me;
He (GW)counts me as His enemy.
11 He (GX)puts my feet in the stocks;
He keeps watch over all my paths.’
12 Behold, let me answer you; (GY)you are not right in this,
For God is greater than mortal man.
13 “Why do you (GZ)contend against Him?
For He does not give an answer for all His doings.
14 Indeed (HA)God speaks once,
Or twice, yet no one perceives it.
15 In a (HB)dream, a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
While they slumber in their beds,
16 Then (HC)He opens the ears of men,
And seals in their discipline,
17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct,
And [cd]keep man from pride;
18 He (HD)holds back his soul from the pit,
And his life from passing over [ce]to death (HE)by a weapon.
19 “[cf]Man is also reproved with (HF)pain on his bed,
And with unceasing contention in his bones,
20 So that his life (HG)loathes bread,
And his soul favorite food.
21 His (HH)flesh wastes away from sight,
And his (HI)bones which were not seen stick out.
22 Then (HJ)his soul draws near to the pit,
And his life to those who bring death.
23 “If there is an angel as (HK)mediator for him,
One out of a thousand,
To declare to a man what is [cg]right for him,
24 Then let him be gracious to him, and say,
‘Deliver him from (HL)going down to the pit;
I have found (HM)atonement’;
25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,
Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;
26 Then he will (HN)entreat God, and He will accept him,
And (HO)he will see His face with joyful shouts,
And He may restore His righteousness to man.
27 He will sing to men and say,
‘I (HP)have sinned and perverted what is right,
But He has not done (HQ)what is due to me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from passing into the pit,
And my life shall (HR)see the light.’
29 “Behold, God does (HS)all these things twice, three times with men,
30 To (HT)bring back his soul from the pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will speak.
32 Then if [ch]you have any speech, respond to me;
Speak, for I desire to prove you righteous.
33 If not, (HU)listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Elihu Answers That God Will Be Just
34 Then Elihu answered and said,
2 “Hear my speech, you wise men,
And give ear to me, you who know.
3 For (HV)the ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is just;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘(HW)I am righteous,
But (HX)God has removed my justice;
6 [ci]Should I lie concerning my justice?
My [cj](HY)wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
Who (HZ)drinks up mocking like water,
8 But he travels (IA)in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, ‘(IB)It is of no use to a man
When he [ck]is pleased with God.’
10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men with a heart of wisdom.
Far be it from God to (IC)do injustice,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 For He pays a man according to (ID)his work,
And makes [cl]him find it according to his way.
12 Truly, (IE)God will not act wickedly,
And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who (IF)appointed Him with authority over the earth?
And who (IG)has laid on Him the whole world?
14 If He should set His heart on it,
If He should (IH)gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,
15 All (II)flesh would breathe its last together,
And man would (IJ)return to dust.
16 “But if you have understanding, hear this;
Give ear to the sound of my speech.
17 Shall (IK)one who hates justice [cm]rule?
And (IL)will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
18 Who says to a king, ‘Vile one,’
To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;
19 Who shows no (IM)partiality to princes
Nor recognizes the rich above the poor,
For they all are the (IN)work of His hands?
20 In a moment they die, and (IO)at midnight
People are shaken and pass away,
And (IP)the mighty are taken away without a hand.
21 “For (IQ)His eyes are upon the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.
22 There is (IR)no darkness or shadow of death
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 [cn]For He does not (IS)need to consider a man further,
That he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces (IT)mighty men without searching anything out,
And sets others in their place.
25 Therefore He (IU)recognizes their labors,
And (IV)He overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.
26 He (IW)strikes them like the wicked
[co]In a public place,
27 Because they (IX)turned aside from following Him,
And (IY)had no insight from any of His ways;
28 So that they caused (IZ)the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And that He might (JA)hear the cry of the afflicted.
29 So if He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
So if He hides His face, who then can perceive Him?
He is above both nation and man altogether,
30 So that (JB)godless men would not rule
Nor be snares of the people.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne chastisement;
I will not work destructively anymore;
32 Instruct me what I do not behold;
If I have (JC)done injustice,
I will not do it again’?
33 Shall He (JD)repay on your terms, because you have rejected it?
For you must choose, and not I;
Therefore say what you know.
34 Men with a heart of wisdom will say to me,
And a wise man who hears me,
35 ‘Job (JE)speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without insight.
36 Job ought to be tested [cp]to the limit
Because he answers (JF)like wicked men.
37 For he adds (JG)transgression to his sin;
He (JH)strikes his hands together among us,
And multiplies his words against God.’”
Elihu Answers Job
35 Then Elihu answered and said,
2 “Do you think this is according to (JI)justice?
Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
3 For you say, ‘(JJ)What use will it be to [cq]You?
(JK)What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
4 I will respond to you,
And your friends with you.
5 (JL)Look at the heavens and see;
And perceive (JM)the clouds—they are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, (JN)what do you accomplish against Him?
And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?
7 If you are righteous, (JO)what do you give to Him,
Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,
And your righteousness is for a son of man.
9 “Because of (JP)many oppressions they cry out;
They cry for help because of the arm (JQ)of many oppressors.
10 But (JR)no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
Who (JS)gives songs of praise in the night,
11 Who (JT)teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 There (JU)they cry out, but He does not answer
Because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely (JV)God will not listen to [cr]an empty cry,
Nor will the Almighty perceive it.
14 How much less when (JW)you say you do not perceive Him,
The (JX)case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!
15 And now, because He has not visited in His anger,
Nor has He acknowledged [cs]transgression well,
16 So Job opens his mouth vainly;
He multiplies words (JY)without knowledge.”
Elihu Says God Gives the Afflicted Justice
36 Then Elihu continued and said,
2 “Wait for me a little, and I will show you
That there [ct]is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 I will take up my knowledge from afar,
And I will ascribe (JZ)righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly (KA)my words are not a lie;
One who is [cu](KB)perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold, God is mighty but does not (KC)reject;
He is (KD)mighty in the power of His heart.
6 He does not (KE)keep the wicked alive,
But gives justice to (KF)the afflicted.
7 He does not (KG)withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
But (KH)with kings on the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they are bound in fetters,
And are caught in the cords of (KI)affliction,
9 Then He declares to them their work
And their transgressions, that they have (KJ)magnified themselves.
10 (KK)He opens their ear to discipline,
And (KL)says that they return from wickedness.
11 If they hear and serve Him,
They will (KM)end their days in prosperity
And their years in (KN)pleasures.
12 But if they do not hear, they shall pass away (KO)by a weapon
And they will (KP)breathe their last without knowledge.
13 But the godless in heart lay up anger;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
14 [cv]They die in youth,
And their life perishes among the (KQ)cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers the afflicted in [cw]their (KR)affliction,
And (KS)opens their ear in [cx]time of oppression.
16 Then indeed, He (KT)enticed you from the mouth of distress,
Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;
And the comfort of your table full of [cy]fatness.
17 “But you were full of (KU)judgment on the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Beware lest (KV)wrath entice you to scoffing;
And do not let the greatness of the (KW)atonement turn you aside.
19 Will your [cz]cries keep you from distress,
Or all the forces of your power?
20 Do not long for (KX)the night,
When people [da]vanish in their place.
21 Be careful, do (KY)not turn to wickedness,
For you have chosen this to (KZ)affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a (LA)teacher like Him?
23 Who has appointed Him His way,
And who has said, ‘(LB)You have worked out [db]unrighteousness’?
24 “Remember that you should (LC)exalt His work,
Of which men have (LD)sung.
25 All men have beheld it;
Man looks from afar.
26 Behold, God is (LE)exalted, and (LF)we do not know Him;
The (LG)number of His years is unsearchable.
27 For (LH)He draws up the drops of water,
They distill rain for His [dc]stream,
28 Which the clouds pour down,
They drip upon man abundantly.
29 Can anyone discern the (LI)spreading of the clouds,
The (LJ)thundering of His [dd]pavilion?
30 Behold, He spreads His [de]lightning about Him,
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31 For by these He (LK)judges peoples;
He (LL)gives food in abundance.
32 He covers His hands with the [df]lightning,
And (LM)commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its (LN)thundering declares about Him;
The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.
Elihu Speaks of God’s Voice
37 “At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2 [dg]Listen closely to the (LO)thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
And His [dh]lightning to the (LP)ends of the earth.
4 After it, a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain [di]the lightnings when His voice is heard.
5 God (LQ)thunders with His voice marvelously,
Doing (LR)great things which we do not know.
6 For to (LS)the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
And to the (LT)downpour of rain and the downpour of rains, ‘Be strong.’
7 He (LU)seals the hand of every man,
That (LV)all men may know His work.
8 Then the beast goes into its (LW)lair
And dwells in its [dj]den.
9 Out of the [dk](LX)south comes the storm,
And out of the [dl]north the cold.
10 From the breath of God (LY)ice is made,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.
11 Also with moisture He (LZ)loads the thick cloud;
He (MA)scatters (MB)the cloud of His [dm]lightning.
12 It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,
That [dn]it may do whatever He (MC)commands [do]it
On the (MD)face of the inhabited earth.
13 Whether for [dp](ME)correction, or for (MF)His world,
Or for (MG)lovingkindness, He causes it to [dq]happen.
14 “Give ear to this, O Job,
Stand and carefully consider the wondrous deeds of God.
15 Do you know how God establishes them,
And makes the [dr]lightning of His cloud to shine?
16 Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds,
The (MH)wonders of one [ds](MI)perfect in knowledge,
17 You whose garments are hot,
When the land is quiet because of the south wind?
18 Can you, with Him, (MJ)spread out the skies,
Strong as a molten mirror?
19 Make us know what we shall say to Him;
We (MK)cannot arrange our case because of darkness.
20 Shall it be recounted to Him that I would speak?
[dt]If a man says a word, will He indeed be swallowed up?
21 “So now [du]men do not see the light which is bright in the skies;
But the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
Around God is fearsome majesty.
23 The Almighty—(ML)we cannot find Him;
He is (MM)exalted in power
And (MN)He will not afflict (MO)justice and abundant righteousness.
24 Therefore men (MP)fear Him;
He does not (MQ)regard any who are wise of heart.”
Yahweh Answers Job
38 Then Yahweh (MR)answered Job out of the [dv]whirlwind and said,
2 “Who is this that (MS)darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
3 Now (MT)gird up your loins like a man,
And (MU)I will ask you, and you make Me know!
4 Where were you (MV)when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know understanding,
5 Who set its (MW)measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
6 On what (MX)were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together
And all the (MY)sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “Or who (MZ)enclosed the sea with doors
When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb,
9 When I made a cloud its garment
And dense gloom its swaddling band,
10 And I [dw](NA)placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,
11 And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther;
And here shall your proud waves stop’?
Yahweh Answers Job, “Have You?”
12 “Have you [dx]ever in your life commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13 That it might seize (NB)the ends of the earth,
And (NC)the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal;
And they stand forth like clothing.
15 (ND)From the wicked their light is withheld,
And the arm (NE)raised high is broken.
16 “Have you entered into (NF)the springs of the sea
Or walked [dy]in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
Or have you seen the gates of the (NG)shadow of death?
18 Have you carefully considered the [dz]expanse of (NH)the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
19 “Where is the way to where the light dwells?
And darkness, where is its place,
20 That you may take it to (NI)its territory
And that you may discern the paths to its [ea]home?
21 You know, for (NJ)you were born then,
And the number of your days is great!
22 Have you entered the storehouses (NK)of the snow,
Or have you seen the storehouses of the (NL)hail,
23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress,
For the day of war and battle?
24 Where is the way that (NM)the light is divided,
Or the east wind scattered on the earth?
25 “Who has cleft a conduit for the flood,
Or a way for the thunderbolt,
26 To bring (NN)rain on a land without [eb]people,
On a desert without a man in it,
27 To (NO)satisfy the waste and desolate land
And to make the growth of grass to sprout?
28 Has (NP)the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb has come the (NQ)ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
30 Water [ec]becomes hard like stone,
And the surface of the deep [ed]is interlocked.
31 “Can you bind the chains of the (NR)Pleiades,
Or loose the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead forth a [ee]constellation in its season,
And guide the Bear with her [ef]satellites?
33 Do you know the (NS)statutes of the heavens,
Or fix their rule over the earth?
34 “Can you raise your voice up to the clouds,
So that an (NT)abundance of water will cover you?
35 Can you (NU)send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has (NV)given wisdom in the [eg]innermost being
Or given (NW)understanding to the [eh]mind?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
Or (NX)tip the water jars of the heavens,
38 When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together?
Yahweh Answers Job, “Where Were You?”
39 “Can you hunt the (NY)prey for the lion,
Or fulfill the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they (NZ)crouch in their dens
And lie in wait in their lair?
41 Who prepares for (OA)the raven its provision
When its young cry for help to God
And wander about without food?
39 “Do you know the time the [ei](OB)mountain goats give birth?
Do you keep watch over the calving of the (OC)deer?
2 Can you count the months they fulfill,
Or do you know the time they give birth?
3 They kneel down; they bring forth their young;
They send out their labor pains.
4 Their children become strong; they grow up in the open field;
They leave and do not return to them.
5 “Who sent out the (OD)wild donkey free?
And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 For whom I have set (OE)the desert plain as a home
And the salt land as his dwelling place?
7 He laughs at the tumult of the city;
The shoutings of the driver he does not hear.
8 He explores the mountains for his pasture
And searches after every green thing.
9 Will the (OF)wild ox consent to serve you,
Or will he spend the night at your manger?
10 Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with [ej]ropes,
Or will he harrow the valleys after you?
11 Will you trust him because his power is great
And leave your labor to him?
12 Will you believe him that he will return your seed of grain
And gather it from your threshing floor?
13 “The ostriches’ wings flap joyously
But are they the pinion and plumage of a [ek]stork?
14 For she leaves her eggs to the earth
And warms them in the dust,
15 And she forgets that a foot may crush [el]them,
Or that a beast of the field may trample [em]them.
16 She treats her children (OG)cruelly, as if they were not hers;
Though her labor be empty, she is without dread,
17 Because God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.
18 When she raises herself up high,
She laughs at the horse and his rider.
19 “Do you give the horse his might?
Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him (OH)leap like the locust?
His splendid (OI)snorting is terrible.
21 [en]He paws in the valley and rejoices in his power;
He (OJ)goes out to meet the weapons.
22 He laughs at dread and is not dismayed;
And he does not turn back from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against him,
The flashing spear and javelin.
24 With shaking and rage he [eo]races over the ground,
And he does not [ep]stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
25 As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’
And he scents the battle from afar,
And the thunder of the commanders and the shout of war.
26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your [eq]command that the eagle goes on high
And raises (OK)his nest high?
28 On the cliff he dwells and lodges,
Upon the rocky crag, a fortress.
29 From there he [er](OL)spies out food;
His eyes see it from afar.
30 His young ones also suck up blood;
And (OM)where the slain are, there is he.”
Job Places His Hand over His Mouth
40 Then Yahweh answered Job and said,
3 Then Job answered Yahweh and said,
4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I respond to You?
I (OP)place my hand over my mouth.
5 Once I have spoken, and (OQ)I will not answer;
Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”
Yahweh Will Ask Job
6 Then (OR)Yahweh answered Job out of the [es]whirlwind and said,
7 “Now (OS)gird up your loins like a man;
I will (OT)ask you, and you make Me know.
8 Will you really (OU)annul My judgment?
Will you (OV)condemn Me (OW)that you may be justified?
9 Or do you have an arm like God,
And can you (OX)thunder with a voice like His?
10 “(OY)Adorn yourself with exaltation and loftiness,
And clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
11 Pour out (OZ)the overflowings of your anger,
And look on everyone who is (PA)proud, and make him low.
12 Look on everyone who is proud, and (PB)humble him,
And (PC)tread down the wicked [et]in their place.
13 (PD)Hide them in the dust together;
Bind their faces in the hidden place.
14 Then I will also praise you,
That your own right hand can save you.
Behold the Behemoth
15 “Behold now, [eu]Behemoth, which (PE)I made along with you;
It eats grass like an ox.
16 Behold now, its power in its loins
And its vigor in the muscles of its belly.
17 It hangs its tail like a cedar;
The sinews of its thighs are knit together.
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze;
Its [ev]limbs are like bars of iron.
19 “It is the (PF)first of the ways of God;
Let its (PG)Maker bring near its sword.
20 Surely the mountains (PH)bring it food,
And all the beasts of the field (PI)play there.
21 Under the lotus plants it lies down,
In the hidden place of the reeds and the marsh.
22 The lotus plants cover it with [ew]shade;
The willows of the brook surround it.
23 If a river oppresses, it is not alarmed;
It is secure, though the (PJ)Jordan bursts forth to its mouth.
24 Can anyone capture it before its eyes,
With snares can anyone pierce its nose?
Can You Draw Out Leviathan?
41 “[ex]Can you draw out [ey](PK)Leviathan with a fishhook?
Or press down its tongue with a cord?
2 Can you (PL)put a [ez]rope in its nose
Or pierce its jaw with a [fa]hook?
3 Will it make many supplications to you,
Or will he speak to you soft words?
4 Will it cut a covenant with you?
Will you take it for a slave forever?
5 Will you play with it as with a bird,
Or will you bind it for your young women?
6 Will the [fb]traders bargain over it?
Will they divide it among the merchants?
7 Can you fill its skin with harpoons,
Or its head with fishing spears?
8 Place your hand on it;
Remember the battle; [fc]you will not do that again!
9 [fd]Behold, [fe]his expectation is a lie;
Will [ff]he be laid low even at the sight of it?
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to (PM)arouse it;
Who then is he that can stand before Me?
11 Who has [fg](PN)given to Me that I should repay him?
Whatever is (PO)under the whole heaven is Mine.
12 “I will not keep silence concerning its limbs,
Or its mighty strength or its graceful frame.
13 Who can [fh]strip off its [fi]outer armor?
Who can come with its doubled [fj]bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of its face?
Around its teeth there is dreadful terror.
15 Its [fk]strong scales are its pride,
Shut up as with a tight seal.
16 One is so near to another
That no air can come between them.
17 They cling one to another;
They are interlocked and cannot be separated.
18 Its sneezes flash forth light,
And its eyes are like the (PP)eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of its mouth go burning torches;
Sparks of fire [fl]leap forth.
20 Out of its nostrils smoke goes forth
As from a boiling pot and burning reeds.
21 Its breath kindles coals,
And a flame goes forth from its mouth.
22 In its neck lodges strength,
And dismay leaps before it.
23 The folds of its flesh cling together,
Hardened upon it and is not shaken.
24 Its heart is as hard as a stone,
Even as hard as a lower millstone.
25 When it raises itself up, the [fm]mighty fear,
Because of the crashing they are [fn]bewildered.
26 The sword that reaches it cannot avail,
Nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 It regards iron as straw,
Bronze as rotten wood.
28 The [fo]arrow cannot make it flee;
Slingstones are turned into stubble for it.
29 Clubs are regarded as stubble;
It laughs at the rattling of the javelin.
30 Its underparts are like sharp potsherds;
It [fp]spreads out like a threshing sledge on the mire.
31 It makes the depths boil like a pot;
It makes the sea like a jar of ointment.
32 Behind it, it makes a wake to shine;
One would think the deep to be gray-haired.
33 (PQ)There is nothing upon the [fq]dust like it,
One made without terror.
34 [fr]It looks on everything that is high;
It is king over all the (PR)sons of pride.”
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.