Job And Elihu

Job 32:1 - 37:24 KJV

Job Chapter 32

¹ So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

² Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

³ Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

⁴ Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.

⁵ When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.

⁶ And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.

⁷ I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

⁸ But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

⁹ Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

¹⁰ Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.

¹¹ Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.

¹² Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words:

¹³ Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man.

¹⁴ Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.

¹⁵ They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.

¹⁶ When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;)

¹⁷ I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion.

¹⁸ For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.

¹⁹ Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.

²⁰ I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.

²¹ Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.

²² For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

Job Chapter 33

¹ Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.

² Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.

³ My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.

⁴ The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

⁵ If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.

⁶ Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.

⁷ Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.

⁸ Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

⁹ I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

¹⁰ Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,

¹¹ He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.

¹² Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

¹³ Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

¹⁴ For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

¹⁶ Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

¹⁷ That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

¹⁸ He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

¹⁹ He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

²⁰ So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.

²¹ His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

²² Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

²³ If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:

²⁴ Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

²⁵ His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:

²⁶ He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

²⁷ He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;

²⁸ He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

²⁹ Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,

³⁰ To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

³¹ Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.

³² If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.

³³ If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

Job Chapter 34

¹ Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

² Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

³ For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

⁴ Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵ For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.

⁶ Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.

⁷ What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?

⁸ Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

⁹ For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

¹⁰ Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

¹¹ For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

¹² Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

¹³ Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

¹⁴ If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

¹⁵ All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

¹⁶ If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

¹⁷ Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

¹⁸ Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

¹⁹ How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

²⁰ In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

²¹ For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

²² There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²³ For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.

²⁴ He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

²⁵ Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

²⁶ He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

²⁷ Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

²⁸ So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

²⁹ When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

³⁰ That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.

³¹ Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

³² That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

³³ Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.

³⁴ Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.

³⁵ Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

³⁶ My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.

³⁷ For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

Job Chapter 35

¹ Elihu spake moreover, and said,

² Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?

³ For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

⁴ I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

⁵ Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

⁶ If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

⁷ If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?

⁸ Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

⁹ By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

¹⁰ But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

¹¹ Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

¹² There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

¹³ Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

¹⁴ Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

¹⁵ But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

¹⁶ Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

Job Chapter 36

¹ Elihu also proceeded, and said,

² Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.

³ I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

⁴ For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

⁵ Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

⁶ He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

⁷ He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

⁸ And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;

⁹ Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.

¹⁰ He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

¹¹ If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

¹² But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

¹³ But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.

¹⁴ They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

¹⁵ He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

¹⁶ Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

¹⁷ But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.

¹⁸ Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

¹⁹ Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

²⁰ Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

²¹ Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

²² Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

²³ Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

²⁴ Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.

²⁵ Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

²⁶ Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

²⁷ For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

²⁸ Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

²⁹ Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

³⁰ Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

³¹ For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

³² With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

³³ The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.

Job Chapter 37

¹ At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.

² Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.

³ He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

⁴ After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.

⁵ God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

⁶ For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

⁷ He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.

⁸ Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.

⁹ Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.

¹⁰ By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.

¹¹ Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud:

¹² And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.

¹³ He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.

¹⁴ Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

¹⁵ Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?

¹⁶ Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?

¹⁷ How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?

¹⁸ Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?

¹⁹ Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.

²⁰ Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.

²¹ And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.

²² Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.

²³ Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

²⁴ Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.