Job 35
1 Then Elihu said:
2 "Do you think this is just? 2 You say, 'I will be clearedS Job 33:32 by God.[a] Or My righteousness is more than God's 'S Job 2:9; S 32:2 2 Job 32:2
3 Yet you ask him, 'What profit is it to me,[b] Or you 3 and what do I gain by not sinning?'S Job 9:29-31S 21:1534:9 3 Job 9:29-31; 34:9
4 "I would like to reply to you 4 and to your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavensS Ge 15:5S Dt 10:14 and see; 5 Ge 15:5 5 gaze at the clouds so high above you.S Job 11:7-9; Ps 19:1-4Job 22:12 5 Job 22:12
6 If you sin, how does that affect him? 6 If your sins are many, what does that do to him?S Job 7:20Pr 8:36 6 Pr 8:36
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,Ro 11:35 7 Ro 11:35 7 or what does he receive1Co 4:7Pr 9:12 from your hand?S Job 22:2-3; Lk 17:10 7 Job 22:2-3; Pr 9:12; Lk 17:10
8 Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself,Eze 18:24 8 and your righteousness only the sons of men.Eze 18:5-9; Zec 7:9-10
9 "Men cry outEx 2:23 under a load of oppression;S Job 20:19 9 Ex 2:23 9 they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.S Job 5:15; S 12:19 9 Job 12:19
10 But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker,S Job 4:17Job 27:10; Isa 51:13 10 who gives songsS Job 8:21 in the night,Ps 42:877:6; 119:62149:5Ac 16:25 10 Ps 42:8; Ac 16:25
11 who teachesS Job 21:22; Lk 12:24Ps 94:12 more toJob 12:7 us than to[c] Or teaches us by the beasts of the earth 11 Ps 94:12 11 and makes us wiser than[d] Or us wise by the birds of the air?'
12 He does not answerS 1Sa 8:18Pr 1:28 when men cry out 12 Pr 1:28 12 because of the arroganceS Job 15:25 of the wicked.Ps 66:18
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; 13 the Almighty pays no attention to it.S Dt 1:45; S 1Sa 8:18; S Job 15:31; S Pr 15:8Job 27:9; Pr 15:29Isa 1:15; Jer 11:11 13 Isa 1:15; Jer 11:11
14 How much less, then, will he listen 14 when you say that you do not see him,S Job 9:11 14 Job 9:11 14 that your casePs 37:6 is before him 14 Ps 37:6 14 and you must wait for him,Job 31:35
15 and further, that his anger never punishesS Job 9:24 15 and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.[e] Symmachus, Theodotion and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.S Job 18:5; Ps 10:11; Hos 7:2; Am 8:7 15 Ps 10:11
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;Tit 1:10 16 without knowledge he multiplies words."S Job 34:35,371Co 4:20; Jude 1:10 16 Job 34:35,37 Job 36
1 Elihu continued:
2 "Bear with me a little longer and I will show you 2 that there is more to be said in God's behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;S Job 6:28 3 I will ascribe justice to my Maker.S Job 4:17Job 8:3; 37:23 3 Job 8:3
4 Be assured that my words are not false;S Job 6:28; S 13:6Job 33:3 4 Job 33:3 4 one perfect in knowledgeJob 37:5,16,23 is with you.S Job 32:17 4 Job 37:5,16,23
5 "God is mighty,S Job 9:4 but does not despise men;Ps 5:222:2431:22; 69:33; 102:17; 103:10 5 Ps 22:24 5 he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.S Nu 23:19; Ro 11:29Job 12:13 5 Job 12:13
6 He does not keep the wicked aliveS Job 34:26Job 8:22 6 Job 8:22 6 but gives the afflicted their rights.S Job 4:10Job 5:15 6 Job 5:15
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;S Job 11:11Ps 11:533:1834:15; Mt 6:18 7 Ps 33:18 7 he enthrones them with kingsPs 113:8Isa 22:23 7 Ps 113:8 7 and exalts them forever.S 1Sa 2:7-8; S Job 4:7
8 But if men are bound in chains,S 2Sa 3:34; 2Ki 23:33Ps 107:10,14 8 Ps 107:10,14 8 held fast by cords of affliction,ver 10,15,21; Ps 119:67,71
9 he tells them what they have done— 9 that they have sinned arrogantly.S Job 15:25 9 Job 15:25
10 He makes them listenS Job 33:16 to correctionS Job 5:17 10 Job 33:16 10 and commands them to repent of their evil.S ver 8; S Jdg 6:8; S Job 34:33; 1Th 5:222Ki 17:13
11 If they obey and serve him,S Lev 26:33; Dt 28:1Isa 1:19Hag 1:12 11 Isa 1:19 11 they will spend the rest of their days in prosperityS Dt 30:15; S Job 8:7 11 and their years in contentment.S Ex 8:22; S Dt 8:1; Jn 14:21; 1Ti 4:8
12 But if they do not listen, 12 they will perish by the sword[f] Or will cross the RiverS Lev 26:38; S Job 15:22 12 Job 15:22 12 and die without knowledge.S Job 4:21Eph 4:18 12 Job 4:21
13 "The godless in heartS Job 15:12Ro 2:5 harbor resentment;S Job 5:2 13 Ro 2:5 13 even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.S Job 4:17; Am 4:11
14 They die in their youth,S Job 15:32 14 among male prostitutes of the shrines.S Dt 23:17 14 Dt 23:17
15 But those who sufferS Job 5:15 he delivers in their suffering;2Co 12:10 15 he speaksS Job 33:16 to them in their affliction.S ver 8; S Job 34:33
16 "He is wooingHos 2:14 you from the jaws of distress 16 Hos 2:14 16 to a spacious placeS 2Sa 22:20; Ps 18:19 free from restriction,Ps 118:5 16 to the comfort of your tablePs 23:578:19 laden with choice food.S Ge 17:1; S Job 15:11 16 Ps 23:5
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;S Job 20:29 17 judgment and justice have taken hold of you.Job 22:11 17 Job 22:11
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches; 18 do not let a large bribeS Ex 23:8; Am 5:12 turn you aside.S Job 34:33 18 Job 34:33
19 Would your wealthPs 49:6; Jer 9:23 19 or even all your mighty efforts 19 sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,Job 34:20,25 20 Job 34:20,25 20 to drag people away from their homes.[g] The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
21 Beware of turning to evil,S Job 34:33Ps 66:18 21 Ps 66:18 21 which you seem to prefer to affliction.S ver 8Heb 11:25 21 Heb 11:25
22 "God is exalted in his power.S Job 5:9; S 9:4 22 Who is a teacher like him?S Job 21:22; S Ro 11:34Isa 40:13; 1Co 2:16 22 Isa 40:13
23 Who has prescribed his waysJob 27:11 for him,S Job 34:13Ro 11:33 23 Job 34:13 23 or said to him, 'You have done wrong'?S Ge 18:25; S Job 34:10Job 8:3
24 Remember to extol his work,1Ch 16:24Ps 35:2792:5111:2138:5145:10 24 Ps 92:5 24 which men have praised in song.S Ex 15:1Ps 59:16Rev 15:3 24 Rev 15:3
25 All mankind has seen it;Ro 1:20 25 men gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!S Job 5:91Co 13:12 26 1Co 13:12 26 The number of his years is past finding out.S Ge 21:33; S Job 10:5Ps 90:2; 102:24Heb 1:12 26 Heb 1:12
27 "He draws up the drops of water,S Job 26:8 27 which distill as rain to the streams[h] Or distill from the mist as rain;S 2Sa 1:21Job 28:2638:28Isa 55:10Ps 147:8 27 Job 38:28; Ps 147:8
28 the clouds pour down their moisture 28 and abundant showersPs 65:10; 72:6; Joel 2:23 fall on mankind.S Job 5:10S 22:11; S 28:26; Mt 5:45 28 Job 5:10
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, 29 how he thundersPs 29:3; Jer 10:13 from his pavilion?S Job 9:626:1437:16Ps 18:7-15; 19:4,5; 104:2; Pr 8:28; Isa 40:22 29 Job 37:16
30 See how he scatters his lightningEx 19:16; Job 37:11,15; Ps 18:12,14; 97:4; Jer 10:13; Hab 3:11 about him, 30 bathing the depths of the sea.Ps 68:22; Isa 51:10
31 This is the way he governs[i] Or nourishes the nationsDt 28:23-24; 1Ki 17:1Job 37:13Am 4:7-8 31 Job 37:13 31 and provides foodPs 145:15 in abundance.Ps 104:14-15,27-28; Isa 30:23Ps 136:25Ac 14:17 31 Ac 14:17
32 He fills his hands with lightning 32 and commands it to strike its mark.S Job 28:2437:12,15Ps 18:14; 29:7-9 32 Job 37:12,15
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;Job 37:5; 40:9 33 even the cattle make known its approach.[j] Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evilS Job 28:26 33 Job 28:26
