The Daily Audio Bible
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40 Moreover, the Lord said to Job,
2 Shall he who would find fault with the Almighty contend with Him? He who disputes with God, let him answer it.
3 Then Job replied to the Lord:
4 Behold, I am of small account and vile! What shall I answer You? I lay my hand upon my mouth.(A)
5 I have spoken once, but I will not reply again—indeed, twice [have I answered], but I will proceed no further.
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,
7 Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you answer Me.
8 Will you also annul (set aside and render void) My judgment? Will you condemn Me [your God], that you may [appear] righteous and justified?
9 Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
10 [Since you question the manner of the Almighty’s rule] deck yourself now with the excellency and dignity [of the Supreme Ruler, and yourself undertake the government of the world if you are so wise], and array yourself with honor and majesty.
11 Pour forth the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him;
12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low, and tread down the wicked where they stand [if you are so able, Job].
13 [Bury and] hide them all in the dust together; [and] shut them up [in the prison house of death].
14 [If you can do all this, Job, proving yourself of divine might] then will I [God] praise you also [and acknowledge that] your own right hand can save you.
15 Behold now the behemoth (the hippopotamus), which I created as I did you; he eats grass like an ox.
16 See now, his strength is in his loins, and his power is in the sinews of his belly.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar tree; the tendons of his thighs are twisted together [like a rope].
18 His bones are like tubes of bronze; his limbs [or ribs] are like bars of iron.
19 [The hippopotamus] is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God [in animal life]; [only] He Who made him provides him with his [swordlike tusks, or only God Who made him can bring near His sword to master him].
20 Surely the mountains bring him food, where all the wild animals play.
21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reeds in the marsh.
22 The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Behold, if a river is violent and overflows, he does not tremble; he is confident, though the Jordan [River] swells and rushes against his mouth.
24 Can any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?
41 Can you draw out the leviathan (the crocodile) with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Can you put a rope into his nose? Or pierce his jaw through with a hook or a spike?
3 Will he make many supplications to you [begging to be spared]? Will he speak soft words to you [to coax you to treat him kindly]?
4 Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever?
5 Will you play with [the crocodile] as with a bird? Or will you put him on a leash for your maidens?
6 Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons? Or his head with fishing spears?
8 Lay your hand upon him! Remember your battle with him; you will not do [such an ill-advised thing] again!
9 Behold, the hope of [his assailant] is disappointed; one is cast down even at the sight of him!
10 No one is so fierce [and foolhardy] that he dares to stir up [the crocodile]; who then is he who can stand before Me [the beast’s Creator, or dares to contend with Me]?
11 Who has first given to Me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heavens is Mine. [Therefore, who can have a claim against God, God Who made the unmastered crocodile?](B)
12 I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who can strip off [the crocodile’s] outer garment? [Who can penetrate his double coat of mail?] Who shall come within his jaws?
14 Who can open the doors of his [lipless] mouth? His [extended jaws and bare] teeth are terrible round about.
15 His scales are [the crocodile’s] pride, [for his back is made of rows of shields] shut up together [as with] a tight seal;
16 One is so near to another that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another; they stick together so that they cannot be separated.
18 His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the [reddish] eyelids of the dawn.
19 Out of his mouth go burning torches, [and] sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils goes forth smoke, as out of a seething pot over a fire of rushes.
21 His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes forth from his mouth.
22 In [the crocodile’s] neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh cleave together; they are firm upon him, and they cannot shake [when he moves].
24 His heart is as firm as a stone, indeed, as solid as a nether millstone.
25 When [the crocodile] raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; because of terror and the crashing they are beside themselves.
26 Even if one strikes at him with the sword, it cannot get any hold, nor does the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 He counts iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make [the crocodile] flee; slingstones are treated by him as stubble.
29 Clubs [also] are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rushing and the rattling of the javelin.
30 His underparts are like sharp pieces of broken pottery; he spreads [grooves like] a threshing sledge upon the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a [foaming] pot of ointment.
32 [His swift darting] makes a shining track behind him; one would think the deep to be hoary [with foam].
33 Upon earth there is not [the crocodile’s] equal, a creature made without fear and he behaves fearlessly.
34 He looks all mighty [beasts of prey] in the face [without terror]; he is monarch over all the sons of pride. [And now, Job, [a]who are you who dares not arouse the unmastered crocodile, yet who dares resist Me, the beast’s Creator, to My face? Everything under the heavens is Mine; therefore, who can have a claim against God?]
42 Then Job said to the Lord,
2 I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted.
3 [You said to me] Who is this that darkens and obscures counsel [by words] without knowledge? Therefore [I now see] I have [rashly] uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.(C)
4 [I had virtually said to You what You have said to me:] Hear, I beseech You, and I will speak; I will demand of You, and You declare to me.
5 I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, but now my [spiritual] eye sees You.
6 Therefore I loathe [my words] and abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.
7 After the Lord had spoken the previous words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job has.
8 Now therefore take seven bullocks and seven rams and go to My servant Job and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept [his prayer] that I deal not with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job has.
9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord commanded them; and the Lord accepted [Job’s prayer].
10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job and restored his fortunes, when he prayed for his friends; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.(D)
11 Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they sympathized with him and comforted him over all the [distressing] calamities that the Lord had brought upon him. Every man also gave him a piece of money, and every man an earring of gold.
12 And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.(E)
13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 And he called the name of the first Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch.
15 And in all the land there were no women so fair as the daughters of Job, and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his sons’ sons, even to four generations.
17 So Job died, an old man and full of days.(F)
11 Therefore, being conscious of fearing the Lord with respect and reverence, we seek to win people over [to persuade them]. But [a]what sort of persons we are is plainly recognized and thoroughly understood by God, and I hope that it is plainly recognized and thoroughly understood also by your consciences (your inborn discernment).
12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but we are providing you with an occasion and incentive to be [rightfully] proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who pride themselves on surface appearances [[b]on the virtues they only appear to have], although their heart is devoid of them.
13 For if we are beside ourselves [mad, as some say], it is for God and concerns Him; if we are in our right mind, it is for your benefit,
14 For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died;
15 And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake.
16 Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value]. [No] even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a man, yet now [we have such knowledge of Him that] we know Him no longer [in terms of the flesh].
17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!
18 But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].
19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).
20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [[c]endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].
Psalm 45
To the Chief Musician; [set to the tune of] “Lilies” [probably a popular air. A Psalm] of the sons of Korah. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem. A song of love.
1 My heart overflows with a [a]goodly theme; I address my psalm to a King. My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer.
2 You are fairer than the children of men; graciousness is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever.
3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O mighty One, in Your glory and Your majesty!
4 And in Your majesty ride on triumphantly for the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); and let Your right hand guide You to tremendous things.
5 Your arrows are sharp; the peoples fall under You; Your darts pierce the hearts of the King’s enemies.
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness, uprightness, and right standing with God and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.(A)
8 Your garments are all fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia; stringed instruments make You glad.
9 Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women; at Your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
10 Hear, O daughter, consider, submit, and consent to my instruction: forget also your own people and your father’s house;
11 So will the King desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, be submissive and reverence and honor Him.
12 And, O daughter of Tyre, the richest of the people shall entreat your favor with a gift.
13 The King’s daughter in the inner part [of the palace] is all glorious; her clothing is inwrought with gold.(B)
14 She shall be brought to the King in raiment of needlework; with the virgins, her companions that follow her, she shall be brought to You.
15 With gladness and rejoicing will they be brought; they will enter into the King’s palace.
16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, whom You will make princes in all the land.
17 I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore shall the people praise and give You thanks forever and ever.
14 The mouth of a loose woman is a deep pit [for ensnaring wild animals]; he with whom the Lord is indignant and who is abhorrent to Him will fall into it.
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