The Book of
Author
The authorship of Job is uncertain. Some scholars attribute the book to Job; others ascribe it to Moses, Solomon, or one of the prophets. There are theories of unknown authors, both individual and multiple, that range in dates from the Mosaic era to the exile.
Date
If authorship is variously identified, then the dates associated with the book are just as varied. Also, depending upon one’s view of authorship, there is the possibility of a wide span of time existing between the occurrence of the book’s events and the compiling of the events into written form. The customs and general lifestyle of Job seem to be from the patriarchal period.
Background
Scripture itself attests that Job was a real person, being referred to in Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and James 5:11. Job’s story is not so much about historical setting as it is about an individual’s relationship with God. The details of his circumstances serve primarily to underscore the extent of his faith in God and God’s faithfulness to him.
Job was a wealthy Gentile, yet he knew God by the name of Shaddai—“the Almighty.” (There are 30 references to Shaddai in the Book of Job.) The Lord calls him, “my servant, Job.” His story is set against the backdrop of the potential sufferings, struggles, and sorrows of real life and the triumph and vindication of faithful integrity.
The narrative spends little time focusing on historical particulars. Information on the cultural setting of the story is sketchy at best. It seems to be limited to such minimal data as the family structure with the patriarchal functions of priest and intercessor (Job 1:4, 5; 42:8); the common practice of defining wealth by the possession of livestock and children (Job 1:2, 3); the use of Semitic terms such as Elohim or Eloah or Shaddai, rather than the more common Israelite designation of God as Yahweh (with one exception, 12:9); and the almost casual references to idol worship (most likely Sabeanism, one of the earliest forms of sun and moon worship). Although believed by many to be an investigation into the perplexing universal question of why the righteous suffer, it is more a revelation of the power of integrity and the triumph of faith in the context of unanswered questions.
Content
The Book of Job has been called “a dramatic poem framed in an epic story” (J. Sidlow Baxter). Chapters 1 and 2 are a prologue, which give the setting of the story. Satan challenges the piety of Job, asking, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” (1:9). He goes on to suggest that were everything to be taken away, Job would curse God. God gives Satan permission to try Job’s faith by stripping him of his wealth, his children, and finally, his health. Yet, “Job did not sin with his lips” (2:10). Job is then visited by three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, who are so overwhelmed by Job’s deplorable condition that they sit in silence and sympathy with Job for seven days.
The bulk of the book is taken up with three dialogues between Job and Eliphaz, Job and Bildad, and Job and Zophar, followed by the challenge of a fourth friend, Elihu. The four men seek to answer the question, “Why does Job suffer?” Eliphaz, basing his answer on experience (4:8), states that Job suffers because he has sinned. He argues that those who sin are punished. Since Job is suffering, obviously he has sinned. Bildad, resting his authority on tradition (8:8), suggests that Job is a hypocrite. He, too, takes the inferential approach and says that since trouble has come, Job must have sinned. “If you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you” (8:6). Zophar condemns Job for verbosity, presumption, and sinfulness, concluding that Job is getting less than what he deserves: “Know therefore that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves” (11:6).
The three men come to the same basic conclusion: suffering is the direct outcome of sin, and wickedness is always punished. They argue that one can ascertain God’s favor or disfavor toward a person by looking at his material prosperity or adversity. They falsely make the assumption that people can comprehend the ways of God without taking into account the fact that divine retribution and blessing may extend beyond this present life.
In his replies to his friends, Job maintains his innocence, stating that experience proves that both the godly and ungodly suffer and both enjoy prosperity. He laments his deplorable condition and tremendous losses, expressing his upset at them for accusing him rather than bringing him comfort.
After the three friends have concluded, a younger man named Elihu confronts Job, who chooses not to respond to his accusations. Elihu’s argument is: God is greater than any human being; therefore, a person has no right or authority to require an explanation of Him. He argues that some things that God does are humanly incomprehensible. At the same time, Elihu suggests that God will speak if we will listen. His emphasis is on the attitude of the sufferer, that is, an attitude of humility allows God to intervene. This is the core of his message: instead of learning from his suffering, Job has the same attitude toward God as do the ungodly, and this is why judgment still afflicts him. Elihu’s appeal to Job is: 1) to have faith in God Himself rather than to demand an explanation; 2) to change his attitude to one of humility.
It should not be concluded that all the objections of Job’s friends represent other than the view of God contemporary to their times. As the revelation of God’s nature has unfolded through history and the Scriptures, we find that some of their views have been shown as incomplete. This, of course, does not make the text less than inspired, but gives us a Holy Spirit-inspired report of the incidents as they occurred.
When the four have concluded, God answers Job out of a whirlwind. His response does not attempt to explain Job’s sufferings, but by a series of interrogations, He seeks to humble Job. As we review the whirlwind address we come to three conclusions regarding Job’s suffering: 1) Job was not meant to know the explanation of his sufferings. Some things about human suffering God cannot possibly explain to us at the time without destroying the very purpose they were designed to fulfill. 2) God is involved in human affairs: Job and his grief meant enough to God to cause Him to speak. 3) God’s purpose also was to bring Job to the end of his own self-righteousness, self-vindication, and self-wisdom, so he could find his all in God.
Personal Application
The Book of Job teaches several lessons: 1) God is sovereign. We cannot understand His workings by rational thinking alone; faith must rest in God’s love and our knowledge of Him. Sovereignty means that God is all-powerful; He knows all, He is everywhere present, and His decision is final (Jer. 4:8; Dan. 4:17). God is the author of all the power of the universe. 2) We understand ourselves and our lives in direct relationship to our understanding of the character and workings of God. When we understand that God’s will toward us is good (John 10:10), that God cares and communicates His caring to His children—as He did to Job—this changes everything. Faith must have a resting place. When deep suffering threatens the foundations of faith, as was the case with Job, an assault on our faith can destroy us unless we are firmly rooted in these truths. 3) In times of tragedy we face the temptation of making God our adversary instead of our advocate. With Job of old, we can focus on declaring our innocence and questioning the justice of God, or we can bow in humility and wait for God to reveal Himself and His purposes to us. 4) The testing of our faith in God is an individual, personal testing. At times uncontrollable forces may come against us. Family, friends, and other sources of strength may be taken from us, leaving us seemingly alone in the battle. It is in this aloneness, however, that we must hear God’s voice rather than the voice of others. We must trust Him to fill our voids and return us to victory.
Christ Revealed
There is no direct reference to Christ in the Book of Job; however, Job may be seen as a type of Christ. Job suffered greatly and was humbled and stripped of all he had, but in the end he was restored and became the intercessor for his friends. Christ emptied Himself, taking on Himself human form. He suffered, was persecuted for a time by men and demons, seemed forsaken by God, and became an intercessor. A major difference between Christ and Job is that Christ chose to empty Himself, whereas Job’s abasement came about through circumstances beyond his control. Further, Job identifies himself as “vile” (40:4); whereas Jesus is identified by Scripture as being totally without sin (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15).
The Book of James directs the reader’s attention to the patience and endurance of Job. James states that, as God’s intention toward Job was good, so our Lord’s intention toward us is good (5:11). According to James, it is with Job-like patience and endurance that we are to await Christ’s coming so that we receive the full unfolding of God’s goodness to us.
The Holy Spirit at Work
Elihu, in his debate with Job, makes three significant statements about the role of the Holy Spirit in the relationship of people to God. In 32:8 he declares that a person’s understanding is not due to his age or station in life, but rather is a result of the operation of the Spirit of God. The Spirit then is the Author of wisdom, endowing one with the capacity to know and making sense out of life for him. Thus knowledge and wisdom are the Spirit’s gift to men.
The Spirit of God is also the Source of life itself (33:4). Apart from the direct influence of the Spirit, man as we know him would not have come into existence. From the original creation it was so, and continues to be so. Elihu states that his own existence witnesses to the life-giving power of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of life.
Because the Spirit gives life and wisdom to man, He is also essential to the very continuation of the human race. If God should turn His attention elsewhere, if He should withdraw His life-giving Spirit from this world, then human history would come to an end (34:14, 15). Elihu’s point is that God is neither capricious nor selfish. Because He cares for man, He constantly sustains him by the abundant flow of His Spirit. Thus the Holy Spirit in the Book of Job is the Creator and Sustainer of life, and He gives meaning and rationality to life.
Outline of Job
A. Job has both wealth and piety 1:1–5
B. Satan challenges Job’s character 1:6–12
C. Satan destroys Job’s property and children 1:13–22
D. Satan attacks Job’s health 2:1–8
E. Job’s wife responds 2:9, 10
F. Job’s friends visit 2:11–13
I. Dialogues between Job and his three friends 3:1—26:14
A. Job’s outcry of despair 3:1–26
II. Job’s final address to his friends 27:1—31:40
III. Elihu’s challenge to Job 32:1—37:24
IV. God’s address from the whirlwind 38:1—41:34
V. Job’s response 42:1–6
VI. Closing historical section 42:7–17
Job and His Family in Uz
1 THERE was a man ain the land of Uz, whose name was bJob; and that man was cblameless and upright, and one who dfeared God and 1shunned evil.
2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the 1people of the East.
4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and 1sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning aand offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my *sons have sinned and bcursed2 God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.
Satan Attacks Job’s Character
6 Now athere was a *day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and 1Satan also came among them.
7 And the LORD said to 1Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From agoing to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you 1considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and 2shuns evil?”
9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 a“Have You not 1made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? bYou have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11 a“But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely bcurse1 You to Your face!”
12 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your 1power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Job Loses His Property and Children
13 Now there was a day awhen his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house;
14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
15 “when the 1Sabeans 2raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and 1consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, a“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
19 “and suddenly a great wind came from 1across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
20 Then Job arose, atore his robe, and shaved his head; and he bfell to the ground and worshiped.
a“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The LORD bgave, and the LORD has ctaken away;
dBlessed be the name of the LORD.”
Satan Attacks Job’s Health
1 Again athere was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and *Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
2 And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So aSatan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
3 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, aa blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he bholds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, cto 1destroy him without cause.”
4 So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.
5 a“But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bbone and his flesh, and he will surely 1curse You to Your face!”
6 aAnd the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils afrom the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
8 And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself awhile he sat in the midst of the ashes.
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? 1Curse God and die!”
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. aShall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” bIn all this Job did not csin with his lips.
Job’s Three Friends
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the aTemanite, Bildad the bShuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come cand mourn with him, and to comfort him.
12 And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and asprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.
13 So they sat down with him on the ground aseven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.
Job Deplores His Birth
1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
3 “Maya the day *perish on which I was born,
And the night in which it was said,
‘A *male child is conceived.’
May God above not seek it,
Nor the light shine upon it.
5 May darkness and athe shadow of death claim it;
May a cloud settle on it;
May the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, may darkness seize it;
May it not 1rejoice among the days of the year,
May it not come into the number of the months.
7 Oh, may that night be barren!
May no joyful shout come into it!
8 May those curse it who curse the day,
Those awho are ready to arouse Leviathan.
9 May the stars of its morning be dark;
May it look for light, but have none,
And not see the 1dawning of the day;
10 Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,
Nor hide *sorrow from my eyes.
11 “Whya did I not die at birth?
Why did I not 1perish when I came from the womb?
12 aWhy did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet,
I would have been asleep;
Then I would have been at rest
14 With kings and counselors of the earth,
Who abuilt ruins for themselves,
15 Or with princes who had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver;
16 Or why was I not hidden alike a stillborn child,
Like infants who never saw light?
17 There the *wicked cease from troubling,
And there the 1weary are at arest.
18 There the prisoners 1rest together;
aThey do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there,
And the servant is free from his *master.
20 “Whya is light given to him who is in misery,
And life to the bbitter of soul,
21 Who along1 for death, but it does not come,
And search for it more than bhidden treasures;
And are glad when they can find the agrave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
aAnd whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes before 1I eat,
And my groanings pour out like water.
25 For the thing I greatly afeared* has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me.
26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest, for trouble comes.”
Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 Surely you have instructed many,
And you ahave strengthened weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you ahave strengthened the 1feeble knees;
5 But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;
It touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Is not ayour reverence byour confidence?
And the integrity of your ways your *hope?
7 “Remember now, awho ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright ever cut off?
And sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the blast of God they perish,
And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
The voice of the fierce lion,
And athe teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 aThe old lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me,
And my ear received a whisper of it.
13 aIn disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and atrembling,
Which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my body stood up.
But I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence;
Then I heard a voice saying:
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 If He aputs no trust in His servants,
If He charges His angels with error,
19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before a moth?
20 aThey are broken in pieces from morning till evening;
They perish forever, with no one regarding.
21 Does not their own excellence go away?
They die, even without wisdom.’
Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God
1 “Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 For wrath kills a foolish man,
And envy slays a simple one.
3 aI have seen the foolish taking root,
But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
4 His sons are afar from safety,
They are crushed in the gate,
And bthere is no deliverer.
5 Because the hungry eat up his harvest,
1Taking it even from the thorns,
2And a snare snatches their 3substance.
6 For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring from the ground;
7 Yet man is aborn to 1trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.
8 “But as for me, I would seek God,
And to God I would commit my cause—
9 Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.
10 aHe gives rain on the *earth,
And sends *waters on the fields.
11 aHe sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 aHe frustrates the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13 He catches the awise in their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noontime as in the night.
15 But aHe saves the needy from the sword,
From the mouth of the mighty,
And from their hand.
16 aSo the poor have hope,
And injustice shuts her mouth.
17 “Behold,a happy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not *despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 aFor He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19 aHe shall deliver you in six troubles,
Yes, in seven bno evil shall touch you.
20 aIn famine He shall redeem you from death,
And in war from the 1power of the sword.
21 aYou shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You shall *laugh at destruction and famine,
And ayou shall not be afraid of the bbeasts of the earth.
23 aFor you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your tent is in peace;
You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25 You shall also know that ayour descendants shall be many,
And your offspring blike the grass of the earth.
26 aYou shall come to the grave at a full age,
As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27 Behold, this we have asearched out;
It is true.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”
Job: My Complaint Is Just
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—
Therefore my words have been rash.
4 aFor the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
bThe terrors of God are arrayed cagainst me.
5 Does the awild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me.
8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and acut me off!
10 Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For aI have not concealed the words of bthe Holy One.
11 “What strength do I have, that I should *hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
And is success driven from me?
14 “Toa him who is 1afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend,
Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 aMy brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
bLike the streams of the brooks that *pass away,
16 Which are dark because of the ice,
And into which the snow vanishes.
17 When it is warm, they cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The paths of their way turn aside,
They go nowhere and perish.
19 The caravans of aTema look,
The travelers of bSheba hope for them.
20 They are adisappointed1 because they were confident;
They come there and are confused.
21 For now ayou are nothing,
You see terror and bare afraid.
22 Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’?
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?
24 “Teach* me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
26 Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you aundermine your friend.
28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
29 aYield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my brighteousness 1still stands!
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my 1taste discern the unsavory?
Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless
1 “Is there not aa time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
2 Like a servant who 1earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
3 So I have been allotted amonths of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
4 aWhen I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
5 My flesh is acaked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.
6 “Mya days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
7 Oh, remember that amy life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8 aThe eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
9 As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So ahe who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10 He shall never return to his house,
aNor shall his place know him anymore.
11 “Therefore I will anot restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will bcomplain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13 aWhen I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’
14 Then You scare me with dreams
And terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul chooses strangling
And death rather than 1my body.
16 aI loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
bLet me alone,
For cmy days are but 1a breath.
17 “Whata is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18 That You should 1visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
What have I done to You, aO watcher of men?
Why bhave You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden 1to myself?
21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,
And You will seek me diligently,
But I will no longer be.”
Bildad: Job Should Repent
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you speak these things,
And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3 aDoes God subvert *judgment?
Or does the *Almighty pervert justice?
4 If ayour sons have sinned against Him,
He has cast them away 1for their transgression.
5 aIf you would earnestly seek God
And make your supplication to the Almighty,
6 If you were pure and upright,
Surely now He would 1awake for you,
And prosper your rightful dwelling place.
7 Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would aincrease abundantly.
8 “Fora inquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
9 For awe were born yesterday, and know 1nothing,
Because our days on earth are a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their heart?
11 “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the reeds flourish without water?
12 aWhile it is yet green and not cut down,
It withers before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all who aforget God;
And the hope of the bhypocrite shall perish,
14 Whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is 1a spider’s web.
15 aHe leans on his house, but it does not stand.
He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
And his branches spread out in his garden.
17 His roots wrap around the rock heap,
And look for a place in the stones.
18 aIf he is destroyed from his place,
Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19 “Behold, this is the joy of His way,
And aout of the earth others will grow.
20 Behold, aGod will not 1cast away the blameless,
Nor will He uphold the evildoers.
21 He will yet *fill your mouth with laughing,
And your lips with 1rejoicing.
22 Those who hate you will be aclothed with shame,
And the dwelling place of the wicked 1will come to nothing.”
Job: There Is No Mediator
1 Then Job answered and said:
But how can a aman be brighteous before God?
3 If one wished to 1contend with Him,
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 aGod is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5 He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
6 He ashakes the earth out of its place,
And its bpillars tremble;
7 He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
8 aHe alone spreads out the heavens,
And 1treads* on the 2waves of the sea;
9 aHe made 1the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;
10 aHe does great things past finding out,
Yes, *wonders without number.
11 aIf He goes by me, I do not see Him;
If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
12 aIf He takes away, 1who can hinder Him?
Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 God will not withdraw His anger,
aThe allies of 1the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.
14 “How then can I answer Him,
And choose my words to reason with Him?
15 aFor though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;
I would beg mercy of my Judge.
16 If I called and He answered me,
I would not *believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 For He crushes me with a tempest,
And multiplies my wounds awithout cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath,
But fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;
And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
20 Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;
Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.
21 “I am blameless, yet I do not know myself;
I despise my life.
Therefore I say, a‘He destroys the blameless and the *wicked.’
23 If the scourge slays suddenly,
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, who else could it be?
25 “Now amy days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, they see no good.
26 They pass by like 1swift ships,
aLike an eagle swooping on its prey.
27 aIf I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’
28 aI am afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that You bwill not hold me innocent.
Why then do I labor in vain?
30 aIf I wash myself with snow water,
And cleanse my hands with 1soap,
31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes will 1abhor me.
32 “For aHe is not a man, as I am,
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
33 aNor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
34 aLet Him take His rod away from me,
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him,
But it is not so with me.
Job: I Would Plead with God
1 “My asoul loathes my life; I will 1give free course to my complaint,
bI will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
3 Does it seem good to You that You should oppress,
That You should despise the work of Your hands,
And smile on the counsel of the wicked?
Or ado You see as man sees?
5 Are Your days like the days of a *mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,
6 That You should seek for my iniquity
And search out my sin,
7 Although You know that I am not wicked,
And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
8 ‘Youra hands have made me and fashioned me,
An intricate unity;
Yet You would bdestroy me.
9 *Remember, I pray, athat You have made me like clay.
And will You turn me into dust again?
10 aDid You not pour me out like milk,
And curdle me like cheese,
11 Clothe me with skin and flesh,
And knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 You have granted me life and favor,
And Your care has preserved my spirit.
13 ‘And these things You have hidden in Your heart;
I know that this was with You:
14 If I sin, then aYou mark me,
And will not *acquit me of my iniquity.
15 If I am wicked, awoe to me;
bEven if I am righteous, I 1cannot lift up my head.
I am full of disgrace;
cSee my misery!
aYou hunt me like a fierce lion,
And again You show Yourself awesome against me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me,
And increase Your indignation toward me;
Changes and war are ever with me.
18 ‘Whya then have You brought me out of the womb?
Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!
19 I would have been as though I had not been.
I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 aAre not my days few?
Cease! bLeave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,
21 Before I go to the place from which I shall not return,
aTo the land of darkness band the shadow of death,
22 A land as dark as darkness itself,
As the shadow of death, without any order,
Where even the light is like darkness.’ ”
Zophar Urges Job to Repent
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should 1a man full of talk be vindicated?
3 Should your empty talk make men 1hold their peace?
And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
a‘My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in your eyes.’
5 But oh, that God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
6 That He would show you the secrets of *wisdom!
For they would double your prudence.
Know therefore that aGod 1exacts from you
Less than your iniquity deserves.
7 “Cana you search out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than 1Sheol—what can you know?
9 Their measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 “Ifa He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment,
Then who can 1hinder Him?
11 For aHe knows deceitful men;
He sees wickedness also.
Will He not then consider it?
12 For an aempty-headed man will be wise,
When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.
13 “If you would aprepare your heart,
And bstretch out your hands toward Him;
14 If *iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,
And awould not let wickedness *dwell in your tents;
15 aThen surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
16 Because you would aforget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
17 And your life awould be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
18 And you would be secure, because there is hope;
Yes, you would dig around you, and atake your rest in safety.
19 You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid;
Yes, many would court your favor.
20 But athe eyes of the wicked will fail,
And they shall not escape,
Job Answers His Critics
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “No doubt you are the people,
And wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have 1understanding as well as you;
I am not ainferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
4 “Ia am one *mocked by his friends,
Who bcalled on God, and He answered him,
The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
5 A 1lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
It is made ready for athose whose feet slip.
6 aThe tents of robbers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure—
In what God provides by His hand.
7 “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
9 Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
10 aIn whose hand is the 1life of every living thing,
And the bbreath of 2all mankind?
11 Does not the ear test words
And the 1mouth *taste its food?
And with 1length of days, understanding.
13 “With Him are awisdom and strength,
He has counsel and understanding.
14 If aHe breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt;
If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
15 If He awithholds the waters, they dry up;
If He bsends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
16 With Him are *strength and prudence.
The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leads counselors away plundered,
And makes fools of the judges.
18 He loosens the bonds of kings,
And binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leads 1princes away plundered,
And overthrows the mighty.
20 aHe deprives the trusted ones of speech,
And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 aHe pours contempt on princes,
And 1disarms the mighty.
22 He auncovers deep things out of darkness,
And brings the shadow of death to light.
23 aHe makes nations great, and destroys them;
He 1enlarges nations, and guides them.
24 He takes away the 1understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
And amakes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
25 aThey grope in the dark without light,
And He makes them bstagger like a drunken man.
1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and *understood it.
2 aWhat you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 aBut I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
aYou are all worthless physicians.
5 Oh, that you would be silent,
And ait would be your wisdom!
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7 aWill you speak 1wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
8 Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9 Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a *man?
If you secretly show partiality.
11 Will not His 1excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 “Hold1 your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14 Why ado I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15 aThough He slay me, yet will I *trust Him.
bEven so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation,
For a ahypocrite could not come before Him.
17 Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18 See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be avindicated.
19 aWho is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
Job’s Despondent Prayer
20 “Onlya two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21 aWithdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22 Then call, and I will aanswer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23 How many are my *iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24 aWhy do You hide Your face,
And bregard me as Your enemy?
25 aWill You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26 For You write bitter things against me,
And amake me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 aYou put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You 1set a limit for the 2soles of my feet.
28 “Man1 decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
1 “Man* who is born of woman Is of few days and afull of 1trouble.
2 aHe comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
3 And ado You open Your eyes on such a one,
And bbring 1me to judgment with Yourself?
4 Who acan bring a clean thing out of an *unclean?
No one!
5 aSince his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
6 aLook away from him that he may 1rest,
Till blike a hired man he finishes his day.
7 “For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender shoots will not cease.
8 Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground,
9 Yet at the scent of water it will bud
And bring forth branches like a plant.
10 But man dies and 1is laid away;
Indeed he 2breathes his last
And where is ahe?
11 As water disappears from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dries up,
12 So man lies down and does not rise.
aTill the heavens are no more,
They will not awake
Nor be roused from their sleep.
13 “Oh, that You would hide me in the *grave,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service aI will wait,
Till my change comes.
15 aYou shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands.
16 For now aYou number my steps,
But do not watch over my sin.
17 aMy transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And You 1cover my iniquity.
18 “But as a mountain falls and crumbles away,
And as a rock is moved from its place;
19 As water wears away stones,
And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
So You destroy the hope of man.
20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes on;
You change his countenance and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and ahe does not know it;
They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.
22 But his flesh will be in pain over it,
And his soul will *mourn over it.”
Eliphaz Accuses Job of Folly
1 Then aEliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “Should a wise man answer with empty *knowledge,
And fill 1himself with the east wind?
3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk,
Or by speeches with which he can do no good?
And restrain 1prayer before God.
5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
And you choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 aYour own mouth condemns you, and not I;
Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 “Are you the first man who was born?
aOr were you made before the hills?
8 aHave you heard the counsel of God?
Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 aWhat do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not in us?
10 aBoth the gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Much older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you,
And the word spoken 1gently with you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away,
And 1what do your eyes wink at,
13 That you turn your spirit against God,
And let such words go out of your mouth?
14 “Whata is man, that he could be pure?
And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
15 aIf God puts no trust in His saints,
And the heavens are not pure in His sight,
16 aHow much less man, who is abominable and filthy,
bWho drinks iniquity like water!
What I have seen I will declare,
Not hiding anything received afrom their fathers,
19 To whom alone the 1land was given,
And ano alien passed among them:
20 The wicked man writhes with pain all his days,
aAnd the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.
21 1Dreadful sounds are in his ears;
aIn prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.
22 He does not believe that he will areturn from darkness,
For a sword is waiting for him.
23 He awanders about for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows bthat a day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Trouble and anguish make him afraid;
They overpower him, like a king ready for 1battle.
25 For he stretches out his hand against God,
And acts defiantly against the Almighty,
26 Running stubbornly against Him
With his strong, embossed shield.
27 “Thougha he has covered his face with his fatness,
And made his waist heavy with fat,
28 He dwells in desolate cities,
In houses which no one inhabits,
Which are destined to become ruins.
Nor will his wealth acontinue,
Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.
30 He will not depart from darkness;
The flame will dry out his branches,
And aby the breath of His mouth he will go away.
31 Let him not atrust in futile things, deceiving himself,
For futility will be his reward.
32 It will be accomplished abefore his time,
And his branch will not be green.
33 He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine,
And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.
34 For the company of hypocrites will be barren,
And fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 aThey conceive trouble and bring forth futility;
Their womb prepares deceit.”
Job Reproaches His Pitiless Friends
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “I have heard many such things;
aMiserable1 comforters are you all!
3 Shall 1words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do,
If your soul were in my soul’s place.
I could heap up words against you,
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
And if I remain silent, how am I eased?
7 But now He has aworn me out;
You bhave made desolate all my company.
And it is a awitness against me;
My leanness rises up against me
And bears witness to my face.
9 aHe tears me in His wrath, and hates me;
He gnashes at me with His teeth;
bMy adversary sharpens His gaze on me.
10 They agape at me with their mouth,
They bstrike me reproachfully on the cheek,
They gather together against me.
11 God ahas delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He has ashattered me;
He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces;
He has bset me up for His target,
He pierces my 1heart and does not pity;
He pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with *wound upon wound;
He runs at me like a 1warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
And alaid my 1head in the dust.
16 My face is 1flushed from weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although no violence is in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,
And alet my cry have no resting place!
19 Surely even now amy witness is in heaven,
And my evidence is on high.
My eyes pour out tears to God.
21 aOh, that one might plead for a man with God,
As a man pleads for his 1neighbor!
22 For when a few years are finished,
I shall ago the way of no return.
Job Prays for Relief
1 “My spirit is broken, My days are extinguished,
aThe grave is ready for me.
And does not my eye 1dwell on their aprovocation?
3 “Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself.
Who is he who awill shake hands with me?
4 For You have hidden their heart from aunderstanding;
Therefore You will not exalt them.
5 He who speaks flattery to his friends,
Even the eyes of his children will afail.
6 “But He has made me aa byword of the people,
And I have become one in whose face men spit.
7 aMy eye has also grown dim because of sorrow,
And all my members are like shadows.
8 Upright men are astonished at this,
And the innocent *stirs himself up against the hypocrite.
9 Yet the righteous will hold to his away,
And he who has bclean hands will be stronger and stronger.
10 “But please, acome back again, 1all of you,
For I shall not find one wise man among you.
11 aMy days are past,
My purposes are broken off,
Even the 1thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day;
‘The light is near,’ they say, in the face of darkness.
13 If I *wait for the grave as my house,
If I make my bed in the darkness,
14 If I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’
And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’
15 Where then is my ahope?
As for my hope, who can see it?
16 Will they go down ato the gates of 1Sheol?
Shall we have brest together in the dust?”
Bildad: The Wicked Are Punished
1 Then aBildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long till you put an end to words?
Gain understanding, and afterward we will speak.
3 Why are we counted aas beasts,
And regarded as stupid in your sight?
4 aYou1 who tear yourself in anger,
Shall the earth be forsaken for you?
Or shall the rock be removed from its place?
5 “Thea light of the wicked indeed goes out,
And the flame of his fire does not shine.
6 The light is dark in his tent,
aAnd his lamp beside him is put out.
7 The steps of his strength are shortened,
And ahis own counsel casts him down.
8 For ahe is cast into a net by his own feet,
And he walks into a snare.
9 The net takes him by the heel,
And aa snare lays hold of him.
10 A noose is hidden for him on the ground,
And a trap for him in the road.
11 aTerrors frighten him on every side,
And drive him to his feet.
And adestruction is ready at his side.
13 It devours patches of his skin;
The firstborn of death devours his 1limbs.
14 He is uprooted from athe shelter of his tent,
And they parade him before the king of terrors.
15 They dwell in his tent who are none of his;
Brimstone is scattered on his dwelling.
16 aHis roots are dried out below,
And his branch withers above.
17 aThe memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name 1among the renowned.
18 1He is driven from light into darkness,
And chased out of the *world.
19 aHe has neither son nor posterity among his people,
Nor any remaining in his dwellings.
20 Those 1in the west are astonished aat his day,
As those 2in the east are frightened.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who adoes not know God.”
Job Trusts in His Redeemer
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “How long will you torment my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times you have 1reproached me;
You are not *ashamed that you 2have wronged me.
My error remains with me.
5 If indeed you aexalt yourselves against me,
And plead my disgrace against me,
6 Know then that aGod has wronged me,
And has surrounded me with His net.
7 “If I cry out concerning 1wrong, I am not heard.
If I cry aloud, there is no justice.
8 aHe has 1fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass;
And He has set darkness in my paths.
9 aHe has stripped me of my glory,
And taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side,
And I am gone;
My ahope He has uprooted like a tree.
11 He has also kindled His wrath against me,
And aHe counts me as one of His enemies.
And build up their road against me;
They encamp all around my tent.
13 “Hea has removed my brothers far from me,
And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
And my close friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who *dwell in my house, and my maidservants,
Count me as a stranger;
I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call my servant, but he gives no answer;
I beg him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife,
And I am 1repulsive to the children of my own body.
18 Even ayoung children despise me;
I arise, and they speak against me.
19 aAll my close friends abhor me,
And those whom I love have turned against me.
20 aMy bone clings to my skin and to my flesh,
And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends,
For the hand of God has struck me!
22 Why do you apersecute me as God does,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 “Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, *forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
26 And after my skin is 1destroyed, this I know,
That ain my flesh I shall see God,
27 Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my 1heart yearns within me!
28 If you should say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’—
Since the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be afraid of the sword for yourselves;
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
That you may know there is a judgment.”
Zophar’s Sermon on the Wicked Man
1 Then aZophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,
Because of the turmoil within me.
3 I have heard the rebuke 1that reproaches me,
And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
4 “Do you not know this of aold,
Since man was placed on earth,
5 aThat the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a bmoment?
6 aThough his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,
And his head reaches to the clouds,
7 Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He will fly away alike a dream, and not be found;
Yes, he bwill be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,
Nor will his place behold him anymore.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
And his hands will restore his wealth.
11 His bones are full of ahis youthful vigor,
bBut it will lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he spares it and does not forsake it,
But still keeps it in his 1mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach turns sour;
It becomes cobra venom within him.
And vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue will slay him.
17 He will not see athe streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 He will restore that for which he labored,
And will not swallow it down;
From the proceeds of business
He will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has 1oppressed and forsaken the poor,
He has violently seized a house which he did not build.
20 “Becausea he knows no quietness in his 1heart,
He will not save anything he desires.
21 Nothing is left for him to eat;
Therefore his well-being will not last.
22 In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress;
Every hand of 1misery will come against him.
23 When he is about to fill his stomach,
God will cast on him the fury of His wrath,
And will rain it on him while he is eating.
24 aHe will flee from the iron weapon;
A bronze bow will pierce him through.
25 It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
Yes, athe glittering point comes out of his 1gall.
bTerrors come upon him;
26 Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.
aAn unfanned fire will consume him;
It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will *reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house will depart,
And his goods will flow away in the day of His awrath.
29 aThis is the portion from God for a wicked man,
The heritage appointed to him by God.”
Job’s Discourse on the Wicked
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Listen* carefully to my speech,
And let this be your 1consolation.
3 Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep amocking.
4 “As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be astonished;
aPut your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
7 aWhy do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear,
aNeither is 1the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves awithout miscarriage.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13 They aspend their days in wealth,
And 1in a moment go down to the 2grave.
14 aYet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 aWho is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And bwhat profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16 Indeed 1their prosperity is not in their hand;
aThe counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
How often does their destruction come upon them,
The sorrows God adistributes in His anger?
18 aThey are like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that a storm 1carries away.
19 They say, ‘God 1lays up 2one’s iniquity afor his children’;
Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
20 Let his eyes see his destruction,
And alet him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut in half?
22 “Cana anyone teach God knowledge,
Since He judges those on high?
23 One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and secure;
24 His 1pails are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is moist.
25 Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
26 They alie down alike in the dust,
And worms cover them.
27 “Look, I know your thoughts,
And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
‘Where is the house of the prince?
And where is 1the tent,
The *dwelling place of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the road?
And do you not know their signs?
30 aFor the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
31 Who condemns his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
aEveryone shall follow him,
As countless have gone before him.
34 How then can you comfort me with empty words,
Since 1falsehood remains in your answers?”
Eliphaz Accuses Job of Wickedness
1 Then aEliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “Cana a man be profitable to God,
Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?
Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?
4 “Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you,
And enters into judgment with you?
5 Is not your wickedness great,
And your iniquity without end?
6 For you have ataken pledges from your brother for no reason,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have not given the weary water to drink,
And you ahave withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But the 1mighty man possessed the land,
And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty,
And the 1strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you,
And sudden fear troubles you,
11 Or darkness so that you cannot see;
And an abundance of awater covers you.
12 “Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 And you say, a‘What does God know?
Can He judge through the deep darkness?
14 aThick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see,
And He walks above the circle of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
Which wicked men have trod,
16 Who awere cut down before their time,
Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 aThey said to God, ‘Depart from us!
What can the Almighty do to 1them?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things;
But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 “Thea righteous see it and are glad,
And the innocent laugh at them:
20 ‘Surely our 1adversaries are cut down,
And the fire consumes their remnant.’
21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and abe at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive, please, ainstruction from His mouth,
And blay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the *Almighty, you will be built up;
You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
24 Then you will alay your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 Yes, the Almighty will be your 1gold
And your precious silver;
26 For then you will have your adelight in the Almighty,
And lift up your face to God.
27 aYou will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also declare a thing,
And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways.
29 When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’
Then aHe will save the humble person.
30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent;
Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”
Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Even today my acomplaint is bitter;
1My hand is listless because of my groaning.
3 aOh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
6 aWould He contend with me in His great *power?
No! But He would take note of me.
7 There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 “Look,a I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10 But aHe knows the way that I take;
When bHe has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 aMy foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the acommandment of His lips;
bI have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my 1necessary food.
13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change?
And whatever aHis soul desires, that He does.
14 For He performs what is aappointed for me,
And many such things are with Him.
15 Therefore I am terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am *afraid of Him.
16 For God amade my heart weak,
And the Almighty terrifies me;
17 Because I was not acut off 1from the presence of darkness,
And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.
Job Complains of Violence on the Earth