Bible in 90 Days
Bildad Answers
25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
2 “·God rules and he must be honored [L Rule/Dominion and dread are with him];
he ·set up order [establishes peace] in his high heaven.
3 ·No one can count God’s armies [L Is there a number to his troops?].
·His light shines on all people [L Upon whom does his light not rise?].
4 ·So no one can be good [What mortal can be righteous…?] in the presence of God,
and ·no one [who…?] born to a woman can be pure.
5 Even the moon is not bright
and the stars are not pure in his eyes.
6 People are much less! They are like ·insects [L maggots].
They are only worms!”
Job Answers Bildad
26 Then Job answered:
2 “You are no help to the ·helpless [powerless]!
You have not ·aided [rescued] the ·weak [L weak armed]!
3 ·Your advice lacks wisdom [or You have brought no counsel to those without wisdom]!
You have shown little understanding!
4 ·Who has helped you say these words [L Whose words do you speak]?
And ·where did you get these ideas [L whose breath comes from you]?
5 “The ·spirits of the dead [shades; L Rephaim; C departed ancestors] tremble,
·those who are beneath and in the waters [L the waters and their inhabitants are terrified; C symbol for the forces of evil].
6 ·Death [L The grave; Sheol] ·is naked [lies exposed] before God;
·destruction [Abaddon; C the underworld] is uncovered before him [C God is in control of them].
7 God stretches ·the northern sky [or Zaphon; C a reference to Baal’s mountain; indicating God’s control over it] out over empty space
and hangs the earth on nothing.
8 He wraps up the waters in his thick clouds,
but the clouds do not ·break under their weight [L burst under them].
9 He covers the face of the ·moon [or throne],
spreading his clouds over it.
10 He draws the horizon like a circle on the water
at the place where light and darkness meet.
11 ·Heaven’s foundations [L The pillars of heavens; C perhaps mountains] ·shake [quake]
·when he thunders at them [L astounded by his rebuke/blast].
12 With his power he ·quiets [stills] the ·sea [or Sea; C the powers of chaos];
by his ·wisdom [understanding] he ·destroys [struck] Rahab, the sea monster [9:13].
13 He breathes, and ·the sky clears [L he makes the heavens beautiful].
His hand ·stabs [slays] the fleeing ·snake [serpent; C Leviathan, another sea monster representing chaos; 3:8; Is. 27:1].
14 And these are ·only a small part of God’s works [L fringes of his way].
We only hear a small whisper of him.
Who could understand God’s thundering power?”
27 And Job continued ·speaking [L his discourse]:
2 “·As surely as God lives [By the living God], who has ·taken away [turned aside] my rights,
·the Almighty [Shaddai], who has made me ·unhappy [bitter],
3 as long as ·I am alive [my breath is in me]
and God’s ·breath of life [L spirit; breath; Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7] is in my nose,
4 my lips will not speak ·evil [or falsehood],
and my tongue will not ·tell [L mutter] ·a lie [deceit].
5 ·I will never [Far be it from me to] ·agree [concede] you are right;
until I ·die [expire], I will never ·stop saying I am innocent [L turn aside my innocence].
6 I will ·insist that I am right [L embrace my righteousness]; I will not ·back down [weaken].
·My conscience will never bother me [L My heart will not reproach my days].
7 “Let my enemies be like evil people,
·my foes [those who rise up against me] like ·those who are wrong [the guilty].
8 What hope do the wicked have when they ·die [L are cut off],
when God ·takes their life away [requires their life]?
9 God will not listen to their cries
when trouble comes to them.
10 ·They will not [Will they…?] find joy in ·the Almighty [Shaddai],
·even though [or will…?] they call out to God all the time.
11 “I will ·teach [instruct] you about the ·power [L hand] of God
and will not ·hide [conceal] ·the ways of [L that which is with] ·the Almighty [Shaddai].
12 You have all seen this yourselves.
·So why are we having all this talk that means nothing [L Why have you become so meaningless/vaporous/vain]?
13 “Here is ·what God has planned for evil people [L the lot of evil people with God],
and ·that the Almighty will give to cruel people [L the inheritance that the cruel receive from the Almighty/Shaddai]:
14 They may have many children, but the sword will kill them.
Their ·children [L offspring] will never have enough ·to eat [L bread; food].
15 Then those who are left will die of disease and be buried,
and the widows will not even cry for them.
16 ·The wicked [L They] may heap up silver like ·piles of dirt [dust]
and ·have so many clothes they are like piles of clay [pile up clothes like mounds of earth/clay].
17 But ·good people [the righteous] will wear ·what evil people have gathered [L them],
and the innocent will ·divide up [distribute among themselves] their silver.
18 ·The houses the wicked build are [L They will build their houses] like a ·spider’s web [or moth’s cocoon],
like a ·hut [booth; shelter] that a guard builds.
19 ·The wicked are rich when they go to bed [L They may lie down wealthy],
but ·they are rich for the last time [L not again];
when they open their eyes, everything is gone.
20 ·Fears [Terrors] ·come over [overtake] them like ·a flood [waters],
and a storm snatches them away in the night.
21 The east wind will ·carry them away [L lift them up], and then they are gone,
because it sweeps them out of their place.
22 ·The wind [or God; L He; It] will hit them without mercy
as they ·try to run away [flee] from ·its power [or his power/hand].
23 It will be as if ·the wind [or God; L he; it] is clapping ·its [or his] hands;
·it [or he] will ·whistle [or hiss] at them as they run from their place [C clapping and hissing are gestures of contempt].
28 “There are mines where people dig silver
and places where gold is ·made pure [refined].
2 Iron is taken from the ·ground [dust],
and copper is ·melted out of [poured from the] rocks.
3 ·Miners [L They] ·bring lights [L put an end to darkness]
and ·search deep into the mines [L investigate every limit]
for ore in thick darkness.
4 They ·dig a tunnel [sink a shaft] far from where people live,
·where no one has ever walked [L a place forgotten by human feet];
they work far from people, ·swinging and swaying from ropes [L they sway suspended].
5 ·Food grows on top of the earth [L Bread/Food comes out of the earth],
but below ground things are ·changed [overturned] as if by fire.
6 ·Sapphires [or Lapis lazuli] are found in rocks,
and gold dust is also found there.
7 No ·hawk [bird of prey] knows that path;
the ·falcon [or black kite] has not seen it.
8 Proud animals have not walked there,
and no lions cross over it.
9 ·Miners [L They] ·hit [L put their hands to] the rocks of flint
·and dig away at the bottom of the mountains [upturning the mountains from their root].
10 They cut tunnels through the rock
and see all the ·treasures [precious things] there.
11 They ·search for places where rivers begin [or dam up the sources of the rivers]
and bring things hidden out into the light.
12 “But where can wisdom be found,
and where ·does understanding live [is understanding]?
13 People do not understand ·the value of wisdom [L its price];
it cannot be found ·among those who are alive [L in the land of the living].
14 The ·deep ocean [or Deep] says, ‘It’s not in me;’
the ·sea [or Sea; C the Deep and Sea may represent the forces of chaos] says, ‘It’s not in me.’
15 Wisdom cannot be bought with gold,
and its cost cannot be weighed in silver.
16 Wisdom cannot be bought with ·fine gold [L the gold of Ophir; 22:24]
or with ·valuable [precious] onyx or ·sapphire gems [or lapis lazuli].
17 Gold and ·crystal [or glass] ·are not as valuable as wisdom [L cannot match it],
and you cannot buy it with jewels of gold.
18 Coral and ·jasper [or crystal; C the identification of gems is often uncertain] are not worth talking about,
and the price of wisdom is much greater than ·rubies [or pearls].
19 The ·topaz [or chrysolite] from ·Cush [Ethiopia] cannot compare to wisdom;
it cannot be bought with the purest gold.
20 “So where does wisdom come from,
and where does understanding live?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
[L concealed] even from the birds of ·the air [L the sky; heaven].
22 ·The places of destruction [L Abaddon] and ·death [or Death; C the forces of the underworld] say,
‘We have heard reports about it.’
23 Only God understands the way to wisdom,
and he alone knows ·where it lives [L its place],
24 because he looks to the ·farthest parts [ends] of the earth
and sees everything under ·the sky [or heaven].
25 When God gave ·power [substance; L weight] to the wind
and measured the water,
26 when he made ·rules [or limits] for the rain
and set a path for a thunderstorm to follow,
27 then he looked at ·wisdom [L it] and ·decided its worth [L declared it];
he ·set wisdom up [L established it] and ·tested [or investigated] it.
28 Then he said to humans,
‘The fear of the Lord is wisdom [Prov. 1:7];
to ·stay [or turn] away from evil is understanding [Prov. 3:7].’”
Job Continues
29 Job continued ·to speak [L his discourse; 27:1]:
2 “How I wish for the months ·that have passed [of old]
and the days when God ·watched over [protected; guarded] me.
3 God’s lamp shined ·on [or over] my head,
and I walked ·through [in] darkness by his light.
4 I wish for the days when I was ·strong [in the prime of my life],
when God’s close friendship ·blessed my house [L was over my tent].
5 ·The Almighty [Shaddai] was still with me,
and my children were all around me.
6 It was as if my ·path [or steps] were covered with ·cream [or butter]
and the rocks poured out olive oil for me [C representing his earlier prosperity; 1:1–5].
7 I would go to the city gate
and sit in the public square [C indicating Job was a city leader/elder].
8 When the young men saw me, they would ·step aside [or hide],
and the old men would stand up in respect.
9 The ·leading men [princes] ·stopped speaking [L grew silent]
and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the ·important men [nobles] ·were quiet [grew silent],
as if their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 ·Anyone [L Any ear] who heard me ·spoke well of [L blessed] me,
and ·those who [L the eye that] saw me ·praised [L bore testimony to] me,
12 because I ·saved [rescued] the poor who ·called out [L cried for help]
and the orphan who had no one to help.
13 The ·dying [L perishing] person blessed me,
and I made the widow’s heart ·sing [L shout for joy].
14 I ·put on right living as if it were clothing [L clothed myself with righteousness and it clothed me];
I wore ·fairness [justice] like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame.
16 I was like a father to needy people,
and I ·took the side of [examined the cause of] ·strangers who were in trouble [L strangers; those I did not know].
17 I broke the ·fangs [or jaw] of evil people
and snatched the ·captives [L prey; C the wicked are predators] from their teeth.
18 “I thought, ‘I will ·live for as many days as there are grains of [L multiply my days like] sand,
and I will die in my ·own house [L nest].
19 My roots ·will reach down [opened] to the water.
The dew ·will lie [lodged] on the branches all night.
20 ·New honors will come to me continually [My honor/or liver/heart was new],
and ·I will always have great strength [L my bow was renewed within my hand].’
21 “People listened to me carefully
and waited ·quietly [silently] for my advice.
22 After I finished speaking, they spoke no more.
My words ·fell [L dripped] very gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me as they would for rain
and ·drank in my words like [L opened their mouth for] spring rain.
24 I smiled at them when they ·doubted [L had no confidence],
and ·my approval was important to them [L they did not frown at the light of my countenance].
25 I chose the way for them and ·was their leader [L sat as their chief].
I lived like a king among his army,
like a person who comforts ·sad [mourning] people.
30 “But now those who are younger than I
·make fun of [laugh at] me.
I would ·not have even [L have disdained to] let their fathers
sit with my sheep dogs.
2 What use did I have for their strength
since they had lost their ·strength [vigor] to work [C vv. 2–8 describe the young men who torment Job]?
3 They were thin from hunger
and ·wandered the dry and ruined land at night [or they gnawed the desert on the brink of desolation and destruction].
4 They ·gathered desert plants [plucked mallow] among the brush
and ·ate [or warmed themselves on] the root of the broom tree.
5 They were ·forced to live away [driven out] from people;
people shouted at them as if they were thieves.
6 They lived ·in dried-up streambeds [on the slopes of the wadis],
in ·caves, and among the rocks [dusty and rocky holes].
7 They howled like animals among the bushes
and huddled together ·in [or under] the brush.
8 They are ·worthless people without names [disreputable children of fools]
and were ·forced to leave the land [L whipped off the land/earth].
9 “Now ·they make fun of me with songs [I am the object of their melodious taunts];
my name is a ·joke [byword] among them.
10 They hate me and ·stay far away [keep their distance] from me,
but they do not mind spitting in my face.
11 God has ·taken away my strength [L loosened my bowstring] and ·made me suffer [humiliated me],
so they ·attack me with all their anger [L have removed all restraint before me].
12 On my right side they rise up like a mob.
They ·lay traps for my feet [L take my feet out from under me]
and ·prepare to attack me [L build up paths for my calamity].
13 They ·break [tear] up my road
and ·work to destroy me [or they profit from my ruin],
and ·no one helps me [or they need no help].
14 They come at me as if through a ·hole in the wall [wide breech],
and they roll in among the ruins.
15 Great fears ·overwhelm [or transform] me.
They blow my honor away as if by a great wind,
and my ·safety [or hope of rescue] disappears like a cloud.
16 “Now my life is ·almost over [L poured out in me];
my days are full of suffering.
17 At night my bones ache;
gnawing pains ·never stop [or do not let me lie down to sleep].
18 In his great power ·God [L he] grabs hold of my clothing
and ·chokes me with [or seizes me by] the collar of my coat.
19 He throws me into the mud,
and I become like dirt and ashes.
20 “I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;
I stand up, but you just look at me.
21 You have turned on me ·without mercy [with cruelty];
with your powerful hand you ·attacked [L hate] me.
22 You snatched me up and ·threw me into [L made me ride] the wind
and ·tossed me about [made me reel] in the storm.
23 I know you will bring me down to death,
to the ·place where all living people must go [L house appointed for all the living].
24 “Surely no one would hurt [or Should not one send his hand out to help…?] those who are ruined
when they cry for help in their time of trouble.
25 ·I cried [L Do I not cry…?] for those ·who were in trouble [whose day was hard];
·I have been very sad [L don’t I have pity…?] for ·poor [needy] people.
26 But when I hoped for ·good [or the best], only ·evil [or the worst] came to me;
when I ·looked [waited] for light, darkness came.
27 ·I never stop being upset [L My insides are brought to a boil and not stilled];
days of ·suffering [affliction] are ahead of me.
28 ·I have turned black, but not by the sun [or I walk around mourning, without passion].
I stand up in public and cry for help.
29 I have become a brother to ·wild dogs [jackals]
and a friend to ·ostriches [or eagle owls; C animals that live in the desolate wilderness].
30 My skin has become black and peels off,
as my ·body [L bones] burns with ·fever [heat].
31 My ·harp [lyre] is tuned to sing a sad song,
and my ·flute [reed pipe] is tuned to moaning.
31 “But I ·made an agreement [L cut a covenant] with my eyes
not to ·look with desire [leer] at a ·girl [L virgin].
2 What ·has God above promised for people [L would be my portion with God above]?
What ·has the Almighty planned from [would be my inheritance/heritage with the Almighty/Shaddai] on high?
3 ·It is ruin [L Isn’t calamity reserved…?] for evil people
and ·disaster [misfortune] for those who do wrong.
4 ·God sees [L Does he not see…?] my ways
and counts every step I take.
5 “If I have ·been dishonest [L walked with falsehood]
or ·lied to others [L my feet hasten to fraud],
6 then let God weigh me on ·honest [just] scales [Prov. 11:1].
Then he will know I ·have done nothing wrong [am blameless/innocent].
7 If ·I have turned away from doing what is right [L my feet have wandered off the path; Prov. 2:20],
or my heart has ·been led by my eyes to do wrong [L followed my eyes],
or ·my hands have been made unclean [L blemish has clung to my hand],
8 then let ·other people eat what I have planted [L me sow and not eat],
and let my crops be ·plowed up [uprooted].
9 “If ·I have desired [L my heart has been enticed/seduced by] another woman [Prov. 5–7]
or have waited at my ·neighbor’s [or friend’s] door for his wife,
10 then let my wife grind ·another man’s grain [L another man; C a euphemism for sexual intercourse],
and let other men ·have sexual relations with [L kneel over] her.
11 That would be ·shameful [a foul deed],
a ·sin to be punished [a criminal offense; L a guilty thing before the judges].
12 It is like a fire that burns ·and destroys [L down to Abaddon; 26:6; 28:22];
all I have done would be ·plowed up [L burned to the root].
13 “If I ·have been unfair to [L reject proper judgment for] my male and female slaves
when they had a ·complaint [case] against me,
14 ·how could I tell God what I did [or what would I do when God rises against me]?
What will I answer when he asks me to explain what I’ve done?
15 God made me in my mother’s womb, and he also made them;
the same God formed both of us in our mothers’ wombs.
16 “I have never ·refused the appeals of the poor [or deprived the poor of some pleasure]
or ·let widows give up hope while looking for help [L caused the eyes of the widow to fail].
17 I have not ·kept my food to myself [eaten my morsel alone]
·but have given it to the orphans [L or not let orphans eat it].
18 Since I was young, ·I have been like a father to the orphans [L I have raised them like a father; or he (God) raised me like a father].
From ·my birth [L the womb of my mother] I guided the widows.
19 I have not let anyone ·die [L perish] for lack of clothes
or let a needy person go without ·a coat [L covering].
20 That person’s ·heart [L loins] blessed me,
because I warmed him with the ·wool [fleece] of my sheep.
21 I have never ·hurt [L raised my hand threateningly against] an orphan
even when I knew I ·could win in court [L had allies in the gate; C the city gate was where court was held].
22 If I have, then let my ·arm [L shoulder blade] fall off my shoulder
and [L my arm] be broken at the ·joint [socket].
23 I fear ·destruction [calamity] from God,
and I fear his ·majesty [ruin], so I could not do such things.
24 “I have not put my trust in gold
or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security.’
25 I have not ·celebrated [exulted in] my great wealth
or the ·riches [substance] my hands had gained.
26 I have not thought about worshiping the sun in its brightness
nor admired the moon moving in glory
27 so that my heart was ·pulled away from God [L enticed in secret].
My hand has never ·offered the sun and moon a kiss of worship [L passed a kiss from my mouth].
28 If I had, these also would have been ·sins to be punished [a criminal offense; L a guilty thing before the judges],
because I would have ·been unfaithful to [deceived; defrauded] God [L above].
29 “I have not been happy ·when my enemies fell [L in the disaster of those who hate me]
or ·laughed when they had trouble [L become excited when evil found them out].
30 I have not let my mouth sin
by cursing my enemies’ life.
31 The servants of my house have always said,
‘All have eaten what they want of Job’s food.’
32 No stranger ever had to ·spend the night [lodge] in the street,
because I ·always let travelers stay in my home [L opened the door to the traveler; C hospitality was highly valued in the ancient Near East].
33 I have not hidden my ·sin [transgression] ·as others do [or like Adam did; Gen. 3],
·secretly keeping my guilt to myself [L concealing my guilt in my bosom].
34 I was not so afraid of the crowd [large multitude]
that I kept quiet and ·stayed inside [L did not go out the door]
because I feared being ·hated [held in contempt] by other families.
35 (“How I wish ·a court would hear my case [L someone would listen to me]!
Here ·I sign my name to show I have told the truth [is my signature].
Now let ·the Almighty [Shaddai] answer me;
let the one who accuses me write ·it [an indictment/writ] down.
36 I would wear ·the writing [L it] on my shoulder;
I would ·put [L bind] it on like a crown.
37 I would ·explain to God [L give him an account of] every step I took,
and I would ·come near to [approach] him like a prince.)
38 “If my land cries out against me
and its ·plowed rows [furrows] ·are wet with tears [L have wept together],
39 if I have taken the land’s harvest without paying
or have broken the spirit of those who ·worked [or own] the land,
40 then let ·thorns [brambles] come up instead of wheat,
and let ·weeds [stinkweed] come up instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ·finished [ended].
Elihu Speaks
32 These three men stopped trying to answer Job, because he was ·so sure he was right [right/righteous in his own eyes]. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job, because Job ·claimed he was right instead of [or he was more right/righteous than] God. 3 Elihu was also angry with Job’s three friends who had no answer to show that Job was wrong, yet continued to ·blame him [treat him as wrong]. 4 Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, 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 [aged].
That is why I was ·afraid [L timid and afraid]
to tell you ·what I know [my opinion].
7 I thought, ‘·Older people should [L Let days] speak,
and those who have lived many years should ·teach [make known; reveal] wisdom.’
8 But it is the spirit in a person,
the breath of ·the Almighty [Shaddai], that gives understanding.
9 It is not just ·older people [L the many] who are wise;
·they [L the elders] are not the only ones who understand ·what is right [justice].
10 So I say, listen to me.
I too will ·tell [show] you ·what I know [my opinion].
11 I waited ·while you three spoke [L for your words],
and ·listened [bent an ear] to your ·explanations [or arguments].
While you ·looked for words to use,
12 I paid close attention to you.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
13 Don’t 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 [L They] are ·defeated [dismayed; discouraged] and ·have no more to say [cannot answer];
words have failed them.
16 Now they are standing there with no answers for Job.
·Now that they are quiet [L If they don’t speak], must I wait to speak?
17 No, I too will speak
and ·tell what I know [share my opinion].
18 I am full of words,
and the spirit in me ·causes me to speak [compels me].
19 I am like wine that has ·been bottled up [no vent/opening];
I am ready to burst like a new leather wine bag.
20 I must speak so I will feel relief;
I must open my ·mouth [L lips] and answer.
21 I will ·be fair to everyone [L not favor anyone]
and not flatter anyone.
22 I don’t know how to flatter,
and if I did, my Maker would quickly take me away.
33 “Now, Job, ·listen to [hear] my words.
Pay attention to ·everything I say [L all my words].
2 I open my mouth
and ·am ready to speak [L the tongue in my mouth speaks].
3 My words come from an ·honest [virtuous] heart,
and ·I am sincere in saying what I know [L what my lips know they speak with sincerity].
4 The Spirit of God ·created [has made] me,
and the breath of ·the Almighty [Shaddai] 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 too ·am made [was formed] out of clay.
7 ·Don’t be afraid of me [L Dread of me should not scare you];
·I will not be hard on you [L My pressure will not be too heavy on you].
8 “But ·I heard what you have said [L you have spoken in my ear];
I heard ·every word [L the sound of your words].
9 You said, ‘I am pure and without ·sin [transgression];
I am ·innocent [L clean] and free from guilt.
10 But God has found ·fault [reason to be upset] with me;
he ·considers me [thinks I am] his enemy.
11 He ·locks [places] my feet in ·chains [shackles]
and ·closely watches everywhere I go [L guards all my paths].’
12 “But I tell you, you are not ·right in saying this [L correct],
I will answer you, for God is greater than ·we are [L any human being].
13 Why do you ·accuse [contend with] God
·of not answering anyone [or for no one can answer all his words]?
14 God does speak—sometimes ·one way and sometimes another [or once and sometimes twice]—
even though people may not ·understand [perceive] it.
15 He speaks in a dream or a vision of the night
when people are in a deep sleep,
lying on their beds in slumber.
16 He ·speaks in [L opens] their ears
and frightens them with warnings
17 to turn them away from doing wrong
and to keep them from being proud.
18 God does this to ·save people [L keep them] from ·death [L the Pit; C a reference to the grave and the underworld],
to keep them from ·dying [L the water channel; C another reference to the grave and the underworld].
19 People may be ·corrected [reprimanded; reproved] while in bed in great pain;
they may have continual pain in their very bones.
20 ·They may be in such pain that they even hate [L Their lives loathe] food,
even ·the very best meal [choice food].
21 ·Their body becomes so thin [L Their flesh wastes away so that] ·there is almost nothing left of it [L it cannot be seen],
and their bones that were hidden now stick out.
22 ·They are [L Their souls draw] near ·death [L the Pit; 33:18],
and their life ·is almost over [L comes near those who bring death].
23 “·But there may be [L If there is] an angel to speak for him,
one out of a thousand, ·who will tell him what to do [a mediator who declares a person virtuous].
24 The angel will ·beg for mercy [or be gracious to him] and say:
‘·Save [Redeem] him from ·death [L going down to the Pit; 33:18].
I have found a ·way to pay for his life [ransom].’
25 Then his body is made new like a ·child’s [youth’s].
It will return to the way it was when he was ·young [vigorous].
26 That person will pray to God, and God will ·listen to [L accept] him.
He will see God’s face and will shout with happiness.
And ·God will set things right for him again [or he will repeat to others that he has been vindicated].
27 Then he will ·say [L sing] to others,
‘I sinned and ·twisted what was right [perverted/sullied virtue],
but I did not receive the punishment I should have received.
28 God ·bought [redeemed] my life ·back from death [L from crossing over to the Pit; 33:18],
and ·I will continue to enjoy life [L my life will yet see the light].’
29 “God does all these things to a person
two or even three times
30 ·so he won’t die as punishment for his sins [L to bring back his life from the Pit; 33:18]
and so he may ·still enjoy life [L be illuminated with the light of 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 to ·prove you right [vindicate you].
33 But if you have nothing to say, then listen to me;
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
34 Then Elihu answered:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you who know a lot.
3 The ear tests words
as the ·tongue [L palate] tastes food.
4 Let’s ·decide [choose] for ourselves what is ·right [just],
and let’s learn together what is good.
5 “Job says, ‘I am ·not guilty [right/righteous],
and God has ·refused me a fair trial [L turned justice away from me].
6 ·Instead of getting a fair trial [concerning my case],
I am ·called [considered] a liar.
·I have been seriously hurt [An arrow has given me an incurable wound; L My arrow is incurable],
even though I have not sinned.’
7 ·There is no other [L Who is a…?] man like Job;
he ·takes [or receives] ·insults [ridicule; scoffing] as if he were drinking water.
8 He ·keeps company [travels] with those who do evil
and ·spends time [L goes] with wicked men,
9 because he says, ‘It is no use
to try to please God.’
10 “So listen to me, you who ·can understand [or are sensible].
God can never do wrong!
It is impossible for the Almighty to do evil.
11 God pays people back for what they have done
and ·gives them what their actions deserve [L finds them out according to their ways].
12 Truly God will never do wrong;
the Almighty will never ·twist [pervert] ·what is right [justice].
13 ·No one [L Who…?] chose God to rule over the earth
or put him in charge of the whole world.
14 If God should ·decide [L set his mind/heart to himself]
to take away ·life [L spirit] and breath,
15 then ·everyone [L all flesh] would ·die [expire] together
and turn back into dust.
16 “If you can understand, hear this;
·listen to what I have to say [L give ear to my words].
17 Can anyone govern who hates what is right?
How can you ·blame God [L condemn one] who is both ·fair [righteous] and powerful?
18 ·God [L Who…?] is the one who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
or to important people, ‘You are evil.’
19 He ·is not nicer to princes than other people [L shows no favoritism to princes],
nor ·kinder [L gives more recognition] to ·rich people [nobles] than poor people,
because he made them all with his own hands [Prov. 14:31; 17:5; 22:2].
20 They can die in a moment, in the middle of the night.
·They are struck down [L The people are shaken], and then they pass away;
powerful people ·die [are taken away] ·without help [or not by human hand].
21 “·God watches where people go [L His eyes are on the path of people];
he sees every step they take.
22 There is no dark place or deep shadow
where those who do evil can hide from him.
23 He does not set a time
for people to come before him for judging.
24 Without ·asking questions [investigation; inquiry], God breaks powerful people into pieces
and puts others in their place.
25 Because God knows what people do,
he ·defeats [overturns] them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He ·punishes [slaps] them for the evil they do
so that everyone else can watch,
27 because they ·stopped [turned away from] following God
and did not care about any of his ways.
28 The cry of the poor comes to God;
he hears the cry of the ·needy [afflicted].
29 But if God keeps quiet, who can blame him?
If he hides his face, who among nations or people can see him?
30 He keeps the wicked from ruling
and from trapping others.
31 “But suppose someone says to God,
‘I ·am guilty, but [or have endured punishment, so] 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 [or make peace with] you as you want
·when [or since] you refuse to change?
You must ·decide [choose], not I,
so tell me what you know.
34 “Those ·who understand [with sense] speak,
and the wise who hear me say,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowing what is true;
his words show he ·does not understand [has no insight].’
36 I wish Job would be ·tested completely [examined forever],
because he answered like an evil man!
37 Job now adds to his sin ·by turning against God [with transgression].
He ·claps his hands in protest [L claps among us; C clapping is a sign of protest or contempt],
speaking more and more against God.”
35 Then Elihu answered:
2 “Do you think this is ·fair [just]?
You say, ‘·God will show that I am right [or I am more right than God],’
3 but you also ask, ‘What’s the use?
·I don’t gain [L How have I gained…?] anything by not sinning.’
4 “I will answer you
and your friends who are with you.
5 Look up at the ·sky [L heavens and see]
and observe the clouds so high above you.
6 If you sin, it does nothing to ·God [L him];
even if your ·sins [transgressions] are many, they do nothing to him.
7 If you are ·good [right; righteous], ·you give nothing [L what would you give…?] to God;
·he receives nothing [L what would he receive…?] from your hand.
8 Your ·evil ways [wickedness] only ·hurt [or influence] others like yourself,
and ·the good you do [your righteousness] only ·helps [or influences] other human beings.
9 “·People [L They] cry out ·when they are in trouble [due to their many oppressions];
they ·beg for relief [shout for help] ·from powerful people [L because of the arm of the strong].
10 But no one asks, ‘Where is God, my Maker,
who gives us ·songs [or strength] in the night,
11 who ·makes us smarter [or teaches us more] than the animals of the earth
and wiser than the birds of the ·air [heavens]?’
12 He does not answer evil people when they cry out,
because the wicked are proud.
13 God does not listen to their useless begging;
the Almighty pays no attention to them.
14 ·He will listen to you even [L How much] less
when you say that you do not see him,
that your case is before him,
that you must wait for him,
15 that his anger never punishes,
and that he doesn’t notice evil.
16 So Job is only speaking ·nonsense [meaningless things],
saying many words ·without knowing what is true [ignorantly].”
Elihu’s Speech Continues
36 Elihu continued:
2 “·Listen to [or Be patient with] me a little longer, and I will ·show [inform] you
that there is more to be said for God.
3 What I know comes from far away.
I will ·show that my Maker is right [ascribe righteousness to my Maker].
4 You can be sure that my words are not false;
·one who really knows is with you [L perfect knowledge is with me].
5 “God is powerful, but he does not ·hate [disdain; reject] people;
he is strong and ·sure of what he wants to do [L powerful in understanding/heart].
6 He will not keep evil people alive,
but he gives the ·poor [afflicted] their rights.
7 He ·always watches over [L does not withhold his eye from] those who do right;
he sets them on thrones with kings
and they are ·honored [exalted] forever.
8 If people are bound in chains,
or if ·trouble [affliction], like ropes, ties them up,
9 God tells them what they have done,
that they have sinned in their pride.
10 He ·makes them listen [L opens their ear] to his ·warning [instruction; discipline]
and commands them to change from doing evil.
11 If they ·obey [or listen] and serve him,
·the rest of their lives will be successful [L their days will finish happily],
and the rest of their years will be ·happy [pleasant].
12 But if they do not listen,
they will ·die by the sword [or pass through the water channel; C reference to death],
and they will die ·without knowing why [in ignorance].
13 “Those who have ·wicked [L godless] hearts hold on to anger.
Even when ·God punishes [L he imprisons] them, they do not cry for help.
14 They die while they are still young,
and their lives end ·in disgrace [L among male prostitutes].
15 But God saves those who ·suffer [are afflicted] ·through [or by means of] their ·suffering [affliction];
he ·gets them to listen [L opens their ear] ·through [or by means of] their pain.
16 “God ·is gently calling [has wooed/enticed] you from the jaws of ·trouble [distress]
to an ·open place of freedom [L broad place with no constraints]
where he has set your table full of ·the best food [L fatness].
17 But now you are ·being punished like [obsessed/filled with the case of] the wicked;
·you are getting justice [L judgment and justice hold on tight to you].
18 Be careful! ·Don’t be led away from God by riches [L …lest anger seduce you by abundance];
don’t let ·much money [a big ransom/bribe] turn you away.
19 Neither your wealth nor all your great strength
will keep you out of trouble.
20 Don’t ·wish [pant; long] for the night
when people are taken from their homes.
21 Be careful not to turn to evil,
which you ·seem to want more [have chosen rather] than ·suffering [affliction].
22 “God is ·great [exulted] and powerful;
·no other teacher is [L who is a teacher…?] like him.
23 ·No one [L Who…?] has ·planned [prescribed] his ways for him;
·no one can say to God [L who says to him…?], ‘You have done wrong.’
24 Remember to ·praise [extol] his work,
about which people have sung.
25 Everybody has seen it;
people look at it from far off.
26 God is so ·great, greater than we can understand [exalted and we do not understand]!
·No one knows how old he is [L The number of his years is unknown].
27 “He ·evaporates [or holds in check] the drops of water from the earth
and ·turns them into rain [filters rain for his streams/or mists; Gen. 2:6].
28 The rain then pours down from the clouds,
and ·showers fall [L drops abundantly] on people.
29 ·No one understands [L Who can understand…?] ·how God spreads out the [L the spreading] clouds
or how he sends thunder from ·where he lives [L his booth/pavilion].
30 Watch how God ·scatters [spreads] his lightning around him,
·lighting up the deepest parts [L covering the roots] of the sea.
31 This is the way God ·governs [or sustains] the nations;
this is how he gives us ·enough [plenty; abundant] food.
32 God ·fills [L covers] his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its target.
33 His thunder announces ·the coming storm [L about him/it; C thunder announces either the coming storm or the coming of God],
and ·even the cattle know it is near [or the storm announces his coming wrath; or the passion of his anger is against inquity].
37 “At ·the sound of his thunder [L this], my heart ·pounds [trembles]
as if it will ·jump [leap; or drop] out of ·my chest [L its place].
2 Listen! Listen to the ·thunder [L shaking] of God’s voice
and to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He turns his lightning loose under the whole ·sky [heavens]
and sends it to the farthest parts of the earth.
4 After that you can hear the roar
when he thunders with a ·great sound [exalted voice].
He does not hold back the flashing
when his voice is heard.
5 God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways;
he does great things we cannot understand.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the shower, ‘Be a heavy rain.’
7 With it, he ·stops everyone from working [L puts a seal on the hand of all people]
so everyone knows it is ·the work of God [L his work].
8 The animals ·take cover from the rain [L enter their hiding place/lair]
and stay in their dens.
9 The storm comes from ·where it was stored [L its chamber];
the cold comes with the ·strong winds [or north wind].
10 The breath of God makes ice,
and the wide waters become frozen.
11 He ·fills [loads] the clouds with ·water [moisture]
and scatters his lightning through them.
12 At his ·command [L guidance] they swirl around
over the ·whole [L inhabited] earth,
doing whatever he commands.
13 ·He uses the clouds to punish people [L Whether for correction/the rod]
or ·to water his [L for the] earth and ·show his love [or loyalty].
14 “Job, ·listen [give ear] to this:
Stop and notice God’s ·miracles [wonders].
15 Do you know how God ·controls the clouds [appoints their tasks]
and makes his lightning ·flash [L shine in the clouds]?
16 Do you know how the clouds ·hang [or spread] in the sky?
Do you know the ·miracles [wonders] of God, ·who knows everything [L the one perfect in knowledge]?
17 You ·suffer [L swelter] in your clothes
when the land is silenced by the hot, south wind.
18 You cannot stretch out the sky ·like God [L with him]
and make it look as hard as ·polished bronze [L a cast mirror].
19 ·Tell [L Teach] us what we should say to him;
we cannot get our arguments ·ready [L in order] because ·we do not have enough understanding [L of the darkness].
20 Should God be told ·that I want to [or when I] speak?
Would a person ask to be swallowed up?
21 No one can look at the ·sun [L light]
when it is bright in the sky
after the wind ·has blown all the clouds away [L passes by and clears it].
22 ·God comes out of the north in golden light [L Gold comes from the north],
·in overwhelming greatness [L an awesome splendor is all around God].
23 ·The Almighty [L Shaddai] ·is too high for us to reach [L —we cannot find him].
He ·has great [is exalted in] strength;
he ·is always right and never punishes unfairly [L will not violate justice and abundant righteousness].
24 That is why people ·honor [fear] him;
·he does not respect those who say they are wise [or all the wise of heart fear him].”
The Lord Questions Job
38 Then the Lord answered Job from the ·storm [whirlwind; 9:17]. He said:
2 “Who is this that makes my ·purpose [L counsel; advice] ·unclear [L dark]
·by saying things that are not true [L with ignorant words]?
3 ·Be strong [Brace yourself; L Gird your loins] like a man!
I will ask you questions,
and you must ·answer [inform] me.
4 Where were you when I made the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off ·how big it should be [L its measurements]? Surely you know!
Who stretched a ·ruler [line; C surveyor’s instrument] across it?
6 What were the earth’s foundations ·set on [L sunk in],
or who put its cornerstone in place
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the ·angels [L sons of god] shouted with joy?
8 “Who shut the doors to keep the sea in
when it broke through ·and was born [L coming out of the womb],
9 when I made the clouds like a coat for the sea
and ·wrapped [swaddled] it in dark clouds,
10 when I ·put [prescribed] ·limits [boundaries] on the sea
and put its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said to the sea, ‘You may come this far, but no farther;
this is where your proud waves must stop’?
12 “Have you ever ordered the morning to begin,
or ·shown [informed] the dawn where its place was
13 in order to ·take hold of [grasp] the earth by its edges [C the horizon]
and shake evil people out of it [C the light exposes the wicked]?
14 At dawn the earth changes like clay being pressed by a seal;
·the hills and valleys [L They] stand out like ·folds in a coat [L a garment].
15 Light is ·not given to [held back from] evil people;
their arm is raised to do harm, but it is broken.
16 “Have you ever gone to ·where the sea begins [L the sources of the sea]
or walked in the ·valleys under the sea [L depths of the deep]?
17 Have the gates of death been ·opened [or revealed] to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deep darkness?
18 Do you understand how wide the earth is?
Tell me, if you know all these things.
19 “What is the path to light’s home,
and where does darkness live?
20 Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the ·way [path] to their homes?
21 Surely you know, if you were already born when all this happened!
Have you lived that many years?
22 “Have you ever gone into the storehouse of the snow
or seen the storehouses for hail,
23 which I save for times of trouble,
for days of war and battle?
24 Where is the place from which light ·comes [L is distributed]?
Where is the place from which the east winds ·blow [scatter] over the earth?
25 Who cuts a waterway for the heavy rains
and sets a path for the thunderstorm?
26 Who waters the land where no one lives,
the ·desert [wilderness] that has no one in it?
27 Who sends rain to satisfy the ·empty [L ruined and desolate] land
so the grass begins to grow?
28 Does the rain have a father?
Who ·is father [L has given birth] to the drops of dew?
29 ·Who is the mother of the ice [L From whose womb did the ice come out]?
Who gives birth to the frost from the ·sky [heavens]
30 when the water becomes hard as stone,
and even the surface of the ·ocean [deep] is frozen?
31 “Can you tie up the ·stars [L chains] of the Pleiades
or ·loosen [open] the ·ropes of the stars in [L fetters of] Orion?
32 Can you bring out ·the stars [L Mazzeroth; C probably the name of a specific constellation] on time
or lead out the stars of the Bear with its cubs?
33 Do you know the laws of the ·sky [heavens]
and ·understand [or set] their rule over the earth?
34 “Can you ·shout an order [L raise your voice] to the clouds
·and [or so that you] cover yourself with a flood of water?
35 Can you send lightning bolts on their way?
Do they come to you and say, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who put wisdom ·inside the mind [or in the ibis; C an animal associated with wisdom and representing Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom]
or understanding ·in the heart [or to the rooster]?
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can ·pour water from the jars [L tilt the wineskins] of the ·sky [heavens]
38 when the dust becomes hard
and the clumps of dirt stick together?
39 “Do you hunt food for the lioness
to satisfy the hunger of the young lions
40 while they ·lie [crouch] in their dens
or hide in the bushes waiting to attack?
41 Who gives food to the ·birds [L raven]
when their young cry out to God
and wander about without food?
39 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?
Do you watch ·when the deer gives birth to her fawn [L the birth pangs of the deer]?
2 Do you count the months until they ·give birth [are fulfilled]
and know the right time for them to give birth?
3 They lie down, their young are born,
and ·then the pain of giving birth is over [L deliver their fetuses].
4 Their young ones grow big and strong in the wild country.
Then they leave their homes and do not return.
5 “Who let the ·wild donkey [or onager; C a donkey-like animal also known as the Asian wild ass; Gen. 16:12] go free?
Who untied ·its ropes [L the Arabian onager from its bonds; C another Hebrew word for a wild donkey]?
6 I am the one who gave ·the donkey [L it] the ·desert [steppe] as its home;
I gave it the ·desert [L salt] lands as a place to live.
7 ·The wild donkey [L It] ·laughs [scoffs] at the ·confusion [tumult; noise] in the city,
and it does not hear the drivers shout.
8 It ·roams [scouts out] the ·hills [mountains] looking for pasture,
looking for anything green to eat.
9 “Will the wild ox agree to serve you
and stay by your ·feeding box [stable] at night?
10 Can you hold it to the ·plowed row [furrow] with a ·harness [rope]
so it will ·plow [harrow] the valleys for you?
11 Will you depend on the wild ox for its great strength
and ·leave [hand over] your heavy work for it to do?
12 Can you trust the ox to bring in your grain
and gather it to your threshing floor?
13 “The wings of the ostrich flap happily,
but ·they are not like the feathers of the stork [or its pinions lack plumage].
14 The ostrich lays its eggs on the ground
and lets them warm in the ·sand [dust].
15 It ·does not stop to think [forgets] that a foot might step on them and crush them;
·it does not care that some animal [L or a wild animal] might ·walk on [trample] them.
16 The ostrich ·is cruel to [treats harshly] its young, as if they were not even its own.
It does not care that its work is for nothing,
17 because God ·did not give the ostrich [or made her forget] wisdom;
God did not give it a share of ·good sense [understanding].
18 But when ·the ostrich gets up to run, it is so fast
that [or it flaps its wings aloft and] it laughs at the horse and its rider.
19 “Job, are you the one who gives the horse its strength
or puts a flowing mane on its neck?
20 Do you make the horse ·jump like a locust [or quiver like locust wings]?
It scares people with its ·proud [splendid] snorting.
21 It paws ·wildly [or the dirt of the valley], enjoying its strength,
and ·charges into battle [L goes out to encounter the weapons].
22 It laughs at ·fear [or danger] and is afraid of nothing;
it does not run away from the sword.
23 The ·bag of arrows [quiver] rattles against the horse’s side,
along with the flashing ·spears and swords [or javelins and spears].
24 With ·great excitement [L trembling and shaking], the horse ·races over [L swallows up] the ground;
and it cannot stand still when it hears the ·trumpet [ram’s horn].
25 When the ·trumpet [ram’s horn] blows, the horse snorts, ‘Aha!’
It ·smells [senses] the battle from far away;
·it hears the shouts [L the thunder] of commanders and the battle cry.
26 “Is it through your ·wisdom [understanding] that the ·hawk [or falcon] ·flies [soars]
and spreads its wings toward the south?
27 Are you the one that commands the eagle to fly
and build its nest so high?
28 It lives on a high cliff and stays there at night;
the ·rocky [sharp] peak is its ·protected place [fortress].
29 From there it ·looks [scouts] for its food;
its eyes can see it from far away.
30 Its young ·eat [suck; gorge on] blood,
and where ·there is something dead [the slain are], the eagle is there.”
40 The Lord answered and said to Job:
2 “Will the person who ·argues [contends] with the Almighty correct him?
Let the person who ·accuses [reproves] God answer him.”
3 Then Job answered the Lord:
4 “I am ·not worthy [small]; I cannot answer you anything,
so I will put my hand over my mouth [C to indicate no more talking].
5 I spoke one time, but I will not answer again;
I even spoke two times, but I will ·say [add] nothing more.”
6 Then the Lord spoke to Job from the ·storm [whirlwind]:
7 “·Be strong [Brace yourself; L Gird your loins], like a man!
I will ask you questions,
and you must ·answer [inform] me [38:3].
8 Would you ·say that I am unfair [discredit my justice]?
Would you ·blame [condemn] me to make yourself look ·right [righteous]?
9 ·Are you [L Is your arm] as strong as God?
Can your voice thunder like his?
10 If so, then decorate yourself with ·glory [loftiness] and ·beauty [pride];
dress in ·honor [splendor] and ·greatness [majesty] as if they were clothing.
11 Let your great anger ·punish [L loose];
look at the proud and bring them down.
12 Look at the proud and make them ·humble [submit].
Crush the wicked wherever they ·are [stand].
13 ·Bury [L Hide] them all in the ·dirt [dust] together;
·cover [hide] their faces in the ·grave [L hidden place].
14 If you can do that, then I myself will ·praise [acknowledge] you,
because ·you are strong enough to save yourself [L your right hand has given you the victory].
15 “Look at Behemoth, [C a large land animal or monster],
which I made just as I made you.
It eats grass like an ox.
16 Look at the strength it has in its ·body [L loins];
the muscles of its stomach are powerful.
17 Its tail ·is [stiffens] like a cedar tree;
the ·muscles [sinews] of its thighs are woven together.
18 Its bones are like tubes of bronze;
its legs are like bars of iron.
19 It is one of the first of God’s works,
but its Maker can ·destroy it [L approach it with a sword].
20 The hills, where the wild animals play,
provide food for it.
21 It ·lies [lives] under the lotus plants,
hidden by the ·tall grass in the swamp [reeds of the marsh].
22 The lotus plants ·hide [cover] it in their shadow;
the poplar trees by the ·streams [wadis] surround it.
23 If the river ·floods [grows turbulent], it will not ·be afraid [or hurry away];
it is ·safe [confident; secure] even if the Jordan River rushes to its mouth.
24 Can anyone ·blind its eyes and capture it [or take it with a hook]?
Can anyone ·put hooks in its nose [pierce its nose with a snare]?
41 “Can you catch Leviathan [C a large sea creature or monster; 3:8] on a fishhook
or tie its tongue down with a rope?
2 Can you put a cord through its nose
or ·a hook in its jaw [L pierce its jaw/cheek with a hook]?
3 Will it keep begging you for mercy
and speak to you with ·gentle [soft; kind; tender] words?
4 Will it ·make [L cut] an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with you
and let you take it as your slave ·for life [L forever]?
5 Can you ·make a pet of Leviathan [L play with it] as you would a bird
or put it on a leash for your girls?
6 Will ·traders [the fishing guild] try to ·bargain [haggle] with you for it?
Will they divide it up among the merchants?
7 Can you stick ·darts [harpoons] all over its skin
or fill its head with fishing spears?
8 If you put one hand on it,
you will ·never forget [L remember] the battle,
and you will never do it again!
9 ·There is no hope of defeating it [Any hope of defeating/subduing it will prove a lie];
just seeing it ·overwhelms people [L throws people down].
10 No one is ·brave [fierce] enough to ·make it angry [arouse it; stir it up],
so who would be able to stand up against ·me [or it]?
11 ·No one [L Who…?] has ever ·given me anything that I must pay back [or confronted it and come out whole/safe],
·because everything under the sky belongs to me [or who—under the entire heavens?].
12 “I will ·speak [L not keep quiet] about Leviathan’s ·arms and legs [limbs],
its great strength and ·well-formed body [L grace of form].
13 ·No one [L Who…?] can ·tear off [L expose] its outer ·hide [L garment]
or ·poke [enter] through its double armor.
14 ·No one [L Who…?] can force open ·its great jaws [L the doors of its face];
they are filled with frightening teeth.
15 It has rows of shields on its back
that are tightly sealed together.
16 Each ·shield is so close to the next one [L draws near the other, so]
that no air can go between them.
17 ·They are joined strongly to one another [L Each clings to its neighbor];
they hold on to each other and cannot be ·separated [broken off].
18 When it ·snorts [sneezes], flashes of light are thrown out,
and its eyes look like the light at dawn.
19 Flames blaze from its mouth;
sparks of fire shoot out.
20 Smoke pours out of its nose,
as if coming from a large pot over a hot fire.
21 Its breath sets coals on fire,
and flames come out of its mouth.
22 There is great strength in its neck.
·People are afraid and run away [or Violence leaps before it].
23 The folds of its skin are tightly joined;
they are set and cannot be moved.
24 Its ·chest [L heart] is as hard as a rock,
even as hard as a ·grinding stone [lower millstone].
25 The ·powerful [mighty; or gods] fear ·its terrible looks [L when it lifts itself up]
and ·draw back in fear as it moves [or the waves miss their mark/retreat].
26 The sword that ·hits [approaches] it does not hurt it,
nor the arrows, darts, and spears.
27 It ·treats [considers] iron as if it were straw
and bronze metal as if it were rotten wood.
28 It does not run away from arrows;
stones from slings are like chaff to it.
29 Clubs feel like ·pieces of straw [chaff] to it,
and it laughs when they ·shake [rattle] a spear at it.
30 The underside of its body is like ·broken [or sharp] pieces of pottery.
It leaves a trail in the mud like a threshing board.
31 It makes the deep sea ·bubble like a boiling [L boil like a] pot;
it ·stirs up the sea like a pot of oil [L makes the sea like ointment].
32 ·When it swims [L After it], it leaves a shining path in the water
that makes the sea look as if it had white hair.
33 Nothing else on earth is equal to it;
it is a creature without fear.
34 It looks down on all those who are ·too proud [proud; lofty];
it is king over all proud creatures.”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.