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Elihu continues to speak ^{[ a ]}

36 Elihu continued to speak to Job. This is what he said:

² ‘Be patient a little bit longer,
so that I can teach you some more.
I still have more to say
to show you that God is right.
³ I will tell you the many different things that I know.
I will show you that God, my Maker, is completely fair.
⁴ Everything that I say to you is true.
I am speaking to you as someone who knows everything.
⁵ God is very powerful
but he does not turn anyone away.
When he decides to do something,
he surely does it.
⁶ He does not allow wicked people to continue to live.
But he is always fair to those who are poor and weak.
⁷ He takes care of righteous people.
He gives them authority to rule like kings.
He gives them honour for ever.
⁸ People who do wrong things may suffer in prison.
Chains may hold their legs so that they cannot move.
⁹ When that happens,
God shows them what they have done.
He shows them their sins.
They have done wrong things because they are proud.
¹⁰ He tells them this to warn them.
They must turn away from wicked things.
¹¹ They must obey him and agree to serve him.
If they do that, they will have everything that they need.
They will enjoy all the days that they live.
¹² But if they refuse to listen to God,
they will go to their graves.
They will die
and they still will not understand what is right.
¹³ People who turn away from God are always angry.
Even when God punishes them,
they do not pray for help.
¹⁴ They die while they are still young.
Their lives finish in shame.
They live among the male prostitutes who serve false gods.

¹⁵ But God rescues people who suffer.
He uses their troubles to teach them about himself.
¹⁶ God has called you out of your troubles, Job.
He wants you to live in a safe place
where you have no problems.
He wants you to have a comfortable life
with plenty of good food to eat.
¹⁷ But now you have a lot of trouble,
because God is punishing you as wicked people deserve.
God is right and fair to judge you like that.
¹⁸ Be very careful!
Do not let anyone use their riches to deceive you.
Do not let them pay you a lot of money
to do something that is wrong.
¹⁹ Even if you become rich,
that would not keep you safe.
Even if you were strong and powerful,
that would not keep trouble away from you.
²⁰ Do not wait for the night to hide what you want to do.
That is the time when people disappear from their homes.
²¹ Be careful! Do not try to do wicked things.
God has sent these troubles to test you.
He wants to stop you doing evil things.

²² Yes, God is very powerful.
There is no teacher as good as he is.
²³ Nobody can tell him what he should do.
No one can say to him, “You have done things that are wrong.”
²⁴ People sing songs to praise God
for the things that he has done.
You also should remember to praise him.
²⁵ People everywhere have seen the things that God has done.
But we look at them from far away.

²⁶ Yes, God is very great!
We cannot know him completely.
Nobody can count the number of his years!
²⁷ It is God who pulls up water from the earth
to make the clouds.
Then he causes it to become rain.
²⁸ The rain pours down from the clouds.
There is plenty for the people on the earth.
²⁹ Who understands how the clouds move across the sky?
How does the noise of thunder come from God's home?
³⁰ Look at the lightning that God sends all over the sky!
But he causes the bottom of the sea to remain dark.
³¹ This is the way that God rules the people of the world.
He sends the rain to give them plenty of food.
³² He sends his lightning like an arrow.
He commands it to hit the right place.
³³ He sends thunder to show that a storm is coming.
Even the cows know what is happening.’

Footnotes

36:1 Perhaps the most important thing that Elihu says is in this chapter. God does help people who have trouble. Often this is the best time for them to hear God. And in chapters 36 and 37, Elihu describes for Job what God is like. God is always fair (chapter 36, verse 3). He is powerful and he does not hate anyone (chapter 36, verse 5). He is a good teacher (chapter 36, verse 22). He rules the world (chapter 36, verse 31). He speaks to people (chapter 37, verse 5). He does great things (chapter 37, verse 14). Only God is really wise (chapter 37, verse 24). And there are lots of other things about God that you can read about in these chapters.

36 Elihu continued talking and said,

² “Be patient with me a little longer.
God has a few more words that he wants me to say.
³ I will share my knowledge with everyone.
I will prove that my Maker is right.
⁴ Job, I am telling the truth.
I know what I am talking about.

⁵ “God is very powerful, but he does not hate people.
He is very powerful, but he is also very wise.
⁶ He will not let evil people live.
He brings justice to the poor.
⁷ He watches over those who live right.
He lets them rule in high places.
⁸ So if people are punished,
if they are tied with chains and ropes, they did something wrong.
⁹ And God will tell them what they did,
that they sinned and were proud.
¹⁰ He will force them to listen to his warning.
He will command them to stop sinning.
¹¹ If they serve and obey him, he will make them successful
and they will live a happy life.
¹² But if they refuse to obey him, they will be destroyed.
They will die like fools.

¹³ “People who don’t care about God are always bitter.
Even when he punishes them, they refuse to pray to him for help.
¹⁴ They will die while they are still young,
like the male prostitutes.
¹⁵ God saves those who suffer by using their suffering.
He uses their troubles to speak in a way that makes them listen.

¹⁶ “In fact, God wants to help you out of your troubles.
He wants to take away your burdens that are crushing you.
He wants to load your table with plenty of food.
¹⁷ But you are full of this talk about guilt, judgment, and justice!
¹⁸ Job, don’t let your anger fill you with doubt about God.
And don’t let the price of forgiveness turn you away.
¹⁹ Do you think your wealth will keep you out of trouble?
Will your great strength be of any help to you now?
²⁰ Don’t be like those who wish darkness would come and hide them.
They try to disappear into the night. ^{[ a ]}
²¹ Job, don’t let your suffering cause you to choose evil.
Be careful not to do wrong.

²² “Look, God’s power makes him great!
He is the greatest teacher of all.
²³ No one can tell him what to do.
No one can say, ‘God, you have done wrong.’
²⁴ Remember to praise him for what he has done,
as many others have done in song.
²⁵ Everyone can see what he has done,
even people in faraway countries.
²⁶ Yes, God is great, but we cannot understand his greatness.
We don’t know how long he has lived.

²⁷ “God takes up water from the earth
and changes it into mist and rain.
²⁸ So the clouds pour out the water,
and the rain falls on many people.
²⁹ No one can understand how he spreads the clouds out
or how the thunder rumbles from his home in the sky.
³⁰ Look, he spreads lightning all over the sky
and covers the deepest part of the ocean.
³¹ He uses them to control the nations
and to give them plenty of food.
³² He grabs the lightning with his hands,
and commands it to strike where he wants.
³³ The thunder warns that a storm is coming.
So even the cattle know it is near.

Footnotes

Job 36:20 The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.

36 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.

Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Mankind

36 Then Elihu continued and said,

² “Wait for me a little, and I will show you
That there ^{[ a ]} is still more to be said on God’s behalf.
³ I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And ascribe ^{( A )} righteousness to my Maker.
⁴ For truly ^{( B )} my words are not false;
One who is ^{( C )} perfect in knowledge is with you.
⁵ Behold, God is mighty but does not ^{( D )} reject anyone ;
He is ^{( E )} mighty in strength of understanding.
⁶ He does not ^{( F )} keep the wicked alive,
But gives justice to ^{( G )} the afflicted.
⁷ He does not ^{( H )} withdraw His eyes from the righteous,
But ^{( I )} with kings on the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
⁸ And if they are bound in shackles,
And are caught in the snares of ^{( J )} misery,
⁹ Then He declares to them their work
And their wrongdoings, that they have ^{( K )} been arrogant.
¹⁰ ^{( L )} He opens their ears to instruction,
And ^{( M )} commands that they return from injustice.
¹¹ If they listen and serve Him ,
They will ^{( N )} end their days in prosperity,
And their years in ^{( O )} happiness.
¹² But if they do not listen, they will ^{[ b ]} perish ^{( P )} by the sword,
And ^{( Q )} die without knowledge.
¹³ But the godless in heart nurture anger;
They do not call for help when He binds them.
¹⁴ ^{[ c ]} They die in youth,
And their life perishes among the ^{( R )} cult prostitutes.
¹⁵ He rescues the afflicted in ^{[ d ]} their ^{( S )} misery,
And ^{( T )} opens their ears in time of oppression.
¹⁶ Then indeed, He induced you away from the mouth of distress,
And instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;
And your table was full of ^{[ e ]} rich food.

¹⁷ “But you were full of ^{( U )} judgment on the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you .
¹⁸ Beware that ^{( V )} wrath does not entice you to mockery;
And do not let the greatness of the ^{( W )} ransom turn you aside.
¹⁹ Will your cry for help keep you from distress,
Or all the exertions of your strength?
²⁰ Do not long for ^{( X )} the night,
When people ^{[ f ]} vanish in their places.
²¹ Be careful, do ^{( Y )} not turn to evil,
For you preferred this to ^{( Z )} misery.
²² Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a ^{( AA )} teacher like Him?
²³ Who has appointed Him His way,
And who has said, ‘ ^{( AB )} You have done wrong’?

²⁴ “Remember that you are to ^{( AC )} exalt His work,
Of which people have ^{( AD )} sung.
²⁵ All people have seen it;
Mankind looks at it from afar.
²⁶ Behold, God is ^{( AE )} exalted, and ^{( AF )} we do not know Him ;
The ^{( AG )} number of His years is unsearchable.
²⁷ For ^{( AH )} He draws up the drops of water;
They distill rain from its ^{[ g ]} celestial stream,
²⁸ Which clouds pour down;
They drip upon mankind abundantly.
²⁹ Can anyone understand the ^{( AI )} spreading of the clouds,
The ^{( AJ )} thundering of His ^{[ h ]} pavilion?
³⁰ Behold, He spreads His ^{[ i ]} lightning about Him,
And He covers the depths of the sea.
³¹ For by them He ^{( AK )} judges peoples;
He ^{( AL )} gives food in abundance.
³² He covers His hands with the ^{[ j ]} lightning,
And ^{( AM )} commands it to strike the target.
³³ Its ^{( AN )} thundering voice declares ^{[ k ]} His presence;
The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.

Footnotes

Job 36:2 Lit are yet words for God
Job 36:12 Lit pass away
Job 36:14 Lit Their soul dies
Job 36:15 Lit his
Job 36:16 Or fatness
Job 36:20 Lit go up
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

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Elihu continues to speak ^{[ a ]}

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Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Mankind

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Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Mankind

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Elihu continues to speak ^{[ a ]}