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Job Answers the Lord

42 Then Job answered the Lord:

“I know you can do everything.
    You make plans, and nothing can change or stop them.
You asked, ‘Who is this ignorant person saying these foolish things?’[a]
    I talked about things I did not understand.
    I talked about things too amazing for me to know.

“You said to me, ‘Listen, and I will speak.
    I will ask you questions, and you will answer me.’
In the past I heard about you,
    but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
And I am ashamed of myself.[b]
    I am so sorry.
As I sit in the dust and ashes,[c]
    I promise to change my heart and my life.”

The Lord Gives Job’s Wealth Back

After the Lord finished talking to Job, he spoke to Eliphaz from Teman. He said, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you did not tell the truth about me, as my servant Job did. So now, Eliphaz, get seven bulls and seven rams. Take them to my servant Job. Kill them and offer them as a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will answer his prayer. Then I will not give you the punishment you deserve. You should be punished, because you were very foolish. You did not say what is right about me, as my servant Job did.”

So Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah obeyed the Lord. Then the Lord answered Job’s prayer.

10 Job prayed for his friends, and the Lord made Job successful again. The Lord gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 Then all his brothers and sisters and all the people who knew him before came to his house. They all ate a big meal with him. They comforted him and were sorry that the Lord had brought him so much trouble. Each person gave Job a piece of silver and a gold ring.

12 The Lord blessed Job with even more than he had in the beginning. Job got 14,000 sheep, 6000 camels, 2000 oxen, and 1000 female donkeys. 13 He also got seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first daughter Jemimah and the second daughter Keziah. He named the third daughter Keren Happuch. 15 Job’s daughters were among the most beautiful women in all the country. And, like their brothers, they each got a share of their father’s property.[d]

16 So Job lived for 140 years more. He lived to see his children, his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren, and his great-great-grandchildren. 17 Job lived to be a very old man who had lived a good, long life.

Footnotes

  1. Job 42:3 Who … things Or “Who is this person darkening advice with ignorant words.”
  2. Job 42:6 I am ashamed of myself Or “I take back what I said.”
  3. Job 42:6 dust and ashes People sat in dust and ashes to show that they were very sad about something.
  4. Job 42:15 And … property Usually a person’s property was divided only among the sons, but here, even Job’s daughters got part of his property.

Job

42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

“I know that you can do all things;(A)
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.(B)
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’(C)
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.(D)

“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’(E)
My ears had heard of you(F)
    but now my eyes have seen you.(G)
Therefore I despise myself(H)
    and repent(I) in dust and ashes.”(J)

Epilogue

After the Lord had said these things to Job(K), he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends,(L) because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.(M) So now take seven bulls and seven rams(N) and go to my servant Job(O) and sacrifice a burnt offering(P) for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer(Q) and not deal with you according to your folly.(R) You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”(S) So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite(T) did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.(U)

10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes(V) and gave him twice as much as he had before.(W) 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before(X) came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him,(Y) and each one gave him a piece of silver[a] and a gold ring.

12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.(Z)

Footnotes

  1. Job 42:11 Hebrew him a kesitah; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value.