Job 36:26-41:6
New American Standard Bible
26 Behold, God is (A)exalted, and (B)we do not know Him;
The (C)number of His years is unsearchable.
27 For (D)He draws up the drops of water;
They distill rain from its [a]celestial stream,
28 Which clouds pour down;
They drip upon mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand the (E)spreading of the clouds,
The (F)thundering of His [b]pavilion?
30 Behold, He spreads His [c]lightning about Him,
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31 For by them He (G)judges peoples;
He (H)gives food in abundance.
32 He covers His hands with the [d]lightning,
And (I)commands it to strike the target.
33 Its (J)thundering voice declares [e]His presence;
The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.
Elihu Says God Has Authority over the Storm
37 “At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2 Listen closely to the (K)thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
And His [f]lightning travels to the (L)ends of the earth.
4 After it, a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain [g]the lightning when His voice is heard.
5 God (M)thunders wondrously with His voice,
Doing (N)great things which we do not comprehend.
6 For to (O)the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
And to the [h](P)downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’
7 He (Q)seals the hand of every person,
So that (R)all people may know His work.
8 Then the animal goes into its (S)lair
And remains in its [i]den.
9 From the [j](T)south comes the storm,
And from the north wind the cold.
10 From the breath of God (U)ice is made,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.
11 He also (V)loads the clouds with moisture;
He (W)disperses (X)the cloud of His [k]lightning.
12 It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,
That [l]it may do whatever He (Y)commands [m]it
On the (Z)face of the inhabited earth.
13 Whether for [n](AA)correction, or for (AB)His earth,
Or for (AC)goodness, He causes it to [o]happen.
14 “Listen to this, Job;
Stand and consider the wonders of God.
15 Do you know how God establishes them,
And makes the [p]lightning of His clouds to shine?
16 Do you know about the hovering of the clouds,
The (AD)wonders of One who is (AE)perfect in knowledge,
17 You whose garments are hot
When the land is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, with Him, (AF)spread out the skies,
Strong as a cast metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we are to say to Him;
We (AG)cannot present our case because of darkness.
20 Shall it be told Him that I would speak?
[q]Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?
21 “Now people do not see the light which is bright in the skies;
But the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 From the north comes golden splendor;
Around God is awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty—(AH)we cannot find Him;
He is (AI)exalted in power
And (AJ)He will not violate (AK)justice and abundant righteousness.
24 Therefore people (AL)fear Him;
He does not (AM)regard any who are wise of heart.”
God Speaks Now to Job
38 Then the Lord (AN)answered Job from the whirlwind and said,
2 “Who is this who (AO)darkens the divine plan
By words without knowledge?
3 Now [r](AP)tighten the belt on your waist like a man,
And (AQ)I shall ask you, and you inform Me!
4 Where were you (AR)when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you [s]have understanding,
5 Who set its (AS)measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the measuring line over it?
6 On what (AT)were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together
And all the (AU)sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “Or who (AV)enclosed the sea with doors
When it went out from the womb, bursting forth;
9 When I made a cloud its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling bands,
10 And I [t](AW)placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,
11 And I said, ‘As far as this point you shall come, but no farther;
And here your proud waves shall stop’?
God’s Mighty Power
12 “Have you [u]ever in your life commanded the morning,
And made the dawn know its place,
13 So that it would take hold of (AX)the ends of the earth,
And (AY)the wicked would be shaken off from it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal;
And they stand out like a garment.
15 (AZ)Their light is withheld from the wicked,
And the (BA)uplifted arm is broken.
16 “Have you entered (BB)the springs of the sea,
And walked [v]in the depth of the ocean?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
And have you seen the gates of (BC)deep darkness?
18 Have you understood the [w]expanse of (BD)the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,
20 That you would take it to (BE)its territory,
And discern the paths to its [x]home?
21 You know, for (BF)you were born then,
And the number of your days is great!
22 Have you entered the storehouses (BG)of the snow,
And have you seen the storehouses of the (BH)hail,
23 Which I have reserved for a time of distress,
For a day of war and battle?
24 Where is the way that (BI)the light is divided,
And the east wind scattered on the earth?
25 “Who has split open a channel for the flood,
And a way for the thunderbolt,
26 To bring (BJ)rain on a land without [y]people,
On a desert without a person in it,
27 To (BK)satisfy the waste and desolate land,
And to make the [z]seeds of grass to sprout?
28 Does (BL)the rain have a father?
Or who has fathered the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb has come the (BM)ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
30 Water [aa]becomes hard like stone,
And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.
31 “Can you tie up the chains of the (BN)Pleiades,
Or untie the cords of Orion?
32 Can you bring out a [ab]constellation in its season,
And guide the Bear with her [ac]satellites?
33 Do you know the (BO)ordinances of the heavens,
Or do you establish their rule over the earth?
34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds,
So that an (BP)abundance of water will cover you?
35 Can you (BQ)send flashes of lightning, so that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has (BR)put wisdom in the innermost being,
Or given (BS)understanding to the [ad]mind?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
And (BT)pour out the water jars of the heavens,
38 When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together?
39 “Can you hunt the (BU)prey for the lioness,
Or satisfy the appetite of young lions,
40 When they (BV)crouch in their hiding places,
And lie in wait in their lair?
41 Who prepares [ae]feed for (BW)the raven
When its young cry to God,
And wander about without food?
God Speaks of Nature and Its Beings
39 “Do you know the time the [af](BX)mountain goats give birth?
Do you observe the calving of the (BY)deer?
2 Can you count the months they fulfill,
Or do you know the time they give birth?
3 They kneel down, they deliver their young,
They get rid of their labor pains.
4 Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field;
They leave and do not return to them.
5 “Who sent the (BZ)wild donkey out free?
And who opened the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 To whom I gave (CA)the wilderness as his home,
And the salt land as his dwelling place?
7 He laughs at the turmoil of the city,
He does not hear the shouting of the taskmaster.
8 He explores the mountains of his pasture,
And searches after every green thing.
9 Will the (CB)wild bull be willing to serve you,
Or will he spend the night at your feeding trough?
10 Can you tie down the wild bull in a furrow with [ag]ropes,
Or will he [ah]plow the valleys after you?
11 Will you trust him because his strength is great,
And leave your labor to him?
12 Will you have faith in him that he will return your [ai]grain
And gather it from your threshing floor?
13 “The wings of the ostrich flap joyously,
With the pinion and feathers of [aj]love,
14 For she abandons her eggs to the earth
And warms them in the dust,
15 And she forgets that a foot may crush [ak]them,
Or that a wild animal may trample [al]them.
16 She treats her young (CC)cruelly, as if they were not hers;
Though her labor is for nothing, she is [am]unconcerned,
17 Because God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.
18 When she rushes away on high,
She laughs at the horse and his rider.
19 “Do you give the horse his might?
Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him (CD)leap like locusts?
His majestic (CE)snorting is frightening.
21 [an]He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength;
He (CF)goes out to meet the battle.
22 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;
And he does not turn back from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against him,
The flashing spear and javelin.
24 He [ao]races over the ground with a roar and fury,
And he does not stand still when he hears the sound of the trumpet.
25 As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’
And he senses the battle from afar,
And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.
26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your [ap]command that the eagle flies high,
And makes (CG)his nest on high?
28 He dwells and spends his nights on the cliff,
On the rocky cliff, an inaccessible place.
29 From there he (CH)tracks food;
His eyes look at it from afar.
30 His young ones also lick up blood greedily;
And (CI)where the slain are, there he is.”
Job Says What Can I Say?
40 Then the Lord said to Job,
2 “Will the faultfinder (CJ)contend with the Almighty?
Let him who (CK)rebukes God [aq]give an answer.”
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said,
4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I say in response to You?
I (CL)put my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and (CM)I will not reply;
Or twice, and I will add nothing more.”
God Questions Job
6 Then the (CN)Lord answered Job from the whirlwind and said,
7 “Now [ar](CO)tighten the belt on your waist like a man;
I will (CP)ask you, and you instruct Me.
8 Will you really (CQ)nullify My judgment?
Will you (CR)condemn Me (CS)so that you may be justified?
9 Or do you have an arm like God,
And can you (CT)thunder with a voice like His?
10 “(CU)Adorn yourself with pride and dignity,
And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.
11 Let out your (CV)outbursts of anger,
And look at everyone who is (CW)arrogant, and humble him.
12 Look at everyone who is arrogant, and (CX)humble him,
And (CY)trample down the wicked [as]where they stand.
13 (CZ)Hide them together in the dust;
Imprison [at]them in the hidden place.
14 Then I will also [au]confess to you,
That your own right hand can save you.
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
15 “Behold, [av]Behemoth, which (DA)I made [aw]as well as you;
He eats grass like an ox.
16 Behold, his strength in his waist,
And his power in the muscles of his belly.
17 He hangs his tail like a cedar;
The tendons of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are tubes of bronze;
His [ax]limbs are like bars of iron.
19 “He is the (DB)first of the ways of God;
Let his (DC)Maker bring His sword near.
20 Indeed the [ay]mountains (DD)bring him food,
And all the animals of the field (DE)play there.
21 He lies down under the lotus plants,
In the hiding place of the reeds and the marsh.
22 The lotus plants cover him with [az]shade;
The willows of the brook surround him.
23 If a river [ba]rages, he is not alarmed;
He is confident, though the (DF)Jordan rushes to his mouth.
24 Can anyone capture him [bb]when he is on watch,
Can anyone pierce his nose with barbs?
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
41 “[bc]Can you drag out [bd](DG)Leviathan with a fishhook,
And press down his tongue with a rope?
2 Can you (DH)put a [be]rope in his nose,
And pierce his jaw with a [bf]hook?
3 Will he make many pleas to you,
Or will he speak to you gentle words?
4 Will he make a covenant with you?
Will you take him as a servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird,
And tie him down for your young girls?
6 Will the [bg]traders bargain for him?
Will they divide him among the merchants?
Footnotes
- Job 36:27 Or mist
- Job 36:29 Lit booth
- Job 36:30 Lit light
- Job 36:32 Lit light
- Job 36:33 Lit concerning Him
- Job 37:3 Lit light
- Job 37:4 Lit them
- Job 37:6 Lit shower of rain and shower of rains
- Job 37:8 Lit dens
- Job 37:9 Lit chamber
- Job 37:11 Lit light
- Job 37:12 Lit they
- Job 37:12 Lit them
- Job 37:13 Lit the rod
- Job 37:13 Lit be found
- Job 37:15 Lit light
- Job 37:20 Or If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up
- Job 38:3 I.e., as if for battle
- Job 38:4 Lit know understanding
- Job 38:10 Lit broke My decree on it
- Job 38:12 Lit from your days commanded
- Job 38:16 Or in search of the deep
- Job 38:18 Or width
- Job 38:20 Lit house
- Job 38:26 Lit man
- Job 38:27 Or growth
- Job 38:30 Lit hides itself like
- Job 38:32 Heb Mazzaroth
- Job 38:32 Lit sons
- Job 38:36 Or rooster
- Job 38:41 Lit its feed
- Job 39:1 Lit goats of the rock
- Job 39:10 Lit his rope
- Job 39:10 I.e., pull a harrow, a farming device
- Job 39:12 Lit seed
- Job 39:13 Or a stork
- Job 39:15 Lit it
- Job 39:15 Lit it
- Job 39:16 Lit without fear
- Job 39:21 Lit They paw
- Job 39:24 Lit swallows up
- Job 39:27 Lit mouth
- Job 40:2 Lit answer it
- Job 40:7 I.e., as if for battle
- Job 40:12 Lit under them
- Job 40:13 Lit their faces
- Job 40:14 Or praise you
- Job 40:15 I.e., a powerful animal, possibly a hippopotamus
- Job 40:15 Lit with you
- Job 40:18 Lit bones
- Job 40:20 I.e., the mountain streams
- Job 40:22 Lit his shade
- Job 40:23 Or oppresses
- Job 40:24 Lit in his eyes
- Job 41:1 Ch 40:25 in Heb
- Job 41:1 I.e., a sea monster or crocodile
- Job 41:2 Lit rope of rushes
- Job 41:2 Or thorn; or ring
- Job 41:6 Lit partners
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