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Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men

36 Elihu continued and said,


“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you,
That there is yet more to say on God’s behalf.

“I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

“For truly my words are not false;
He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

“Behold, God is mighty, and yet does not despise anyone [nor regard any as trivial];
He is mighty in the strength and power of understanding.

“He does not prolong the life of the wicked,
But gives the afflicted their justice.

“He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous [those in right standing with Him];
But with kings upon the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.

“And if they are bound in bonds [of adversity],
And held by cords of affliction,(A)

Then He declares to them [the true character of] their deeds
And their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly [with presumption and notions of self-sufficiency].
10 
“He opens their ears to instruction and discipline,
And commands that they return from evil.
11 
“If they hear and serve Him,
They will end their days in prosperity
And their years in pleasantness and joy.
12 
“But if they do not hear and obey, they will die by the sword [of God’s destructive judgments]
And they will die [in ignorance] without [true] knowledge.
13 
“But the godless in heart store up anger [at the divine discipline];
They do not cry [to Him] for help when He binds them [with cords of affliction].(B)
14 
“They die in youth,
And their life ends among the [a]cult prostitutes.(C)
15 
“He rescues the afflicted in their affliction,
And opens their ears [so that they pay attention to His voice] in times of oppression.
16 
“Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress and confinement,
Into a broad place where there is no constraint or distress;
And that which was set on your table was full of fatness (rich food).

17 
“But you [Job] were full of judgment on the wicked,
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 
“Do not let wrath entice you into scoffing;
And do not let the greatness and the extent of the ransom turn you aside.
19 
“Will your wealth [be sufficient to] keep you from [the confinement of] distress,
Or will all the force of your strength do it?
20 
“Do not long for the night,
When people vanish from their places.
21 
“Take heed and be careful, do not turn to wickedness,
For you have chosen this [the vice of complaining against God] rather than [learning from] affliction.
22 
“Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a ruler or a teacher like Him?
23 
“Who has appointed God His way,
And who can say [to Him], ‘You have done wrong’?

24 
“Remember that you should magnify God’s work,
Of which men have sung.
25 
“All men have seen God’s work;
Man looks at it from a distance.
26 
“Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him;
The number of His years is unsearchable.(D)
27 
“For He draws up the drops of water,
They distill rain from the mist,
28 
Which the clouds pour down,
They drop abundantly upon mankind.”
29 
“Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds
Or the thundering of His pavilion?(E)
30 
“Behold, He spreads His lightning around Him [against the dark clouds],
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31 
“For by these [mighty acts] He judges the peoples;
He gives food in abundance.
32 
“He covers His hands with the lightning,
And commands it to strike the mark.
33 
“His thundering voice declares [awesomely] His presence;
The cattle also are told of His coming storm.

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:14 I.e. those practicing sodomy and prostitution in pagan religious rites.

36 Elihu continued:

“Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
I get my knowledge from afar;(A)
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(B)
Be assured that my words are not false;(C)
    one who has perfect knowledge(D) is with you.(E)

“God is mighty,(F) but despises no one;(G)
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(H)
He does not keep the wicked alive(I)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.(J)
He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(K)
    he enthrones them with kings(L)
    and exalts them forever.(M)
But if people are bound in chains,(N)
    held fast by cords of affliction,(O)
he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.(P)
10 He makes them listen(Q) to correction(R)
    and commands them to repent of their evil.(S)
11 If they obey and serve him,(T)
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(U)
    and their years in contentment.(V)
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword[a](W)
    and die without knowledge.(X)

13 “The godless in heart(Y) harbor resentment;(Z)
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(AA)
14 They die in their youth,(AB)
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.(AC)
15 But those who suffer(AD) he delivers in their suffering;(AE)
    he speaks(AF) to them in their affliction.(AG)

16 “He is wooing(AH) you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place(AI) free from restriction,(AJ)
    to the comfort of your table(AK) laden with choice food.(AL)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(AM)
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(AN)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe(AO) turn you aside.(AP)
19 Would your wealth(AQ) or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(AR)
    to drag people away from their homes.[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(AS)
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.(AT)

22 “God is exalted in his power.(AU)
    Who is a teacher like him?(AV)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(AW) for him,(AX)
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(AY)
24 Remember to extol his work,(AZ)
    which people have praised in song.(BA)
25 All humanity has seen it;(BB)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(BC)
    The number of his years is past finding out.(BD)

27 “He draws up the drops of water,(BE)
    which distill as rain to the streams[c];(BF)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers(BG) fall on mankind.(BH)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders(BI) from his pavilion?(BJ)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(BK) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.(BL)
31 This is the way he governs[d] the nations(BM)
    and provides food(BN) in abundance.(BO)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.(BP)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(BQ)
    even the cattle make known its approach.[e](BR)

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:12 Or will cross the river
  2. Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
  3. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  4. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  5. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil