The Apparent Indifference of God 24:1 “Why are times not appointed by the Almighty? Why do those who know him not see his days? 24:2 Men move boundary stones; they seize the flock and pasture them. 24:3 They drive away the orphan’s donkey; they take the widow’s ox as a pledge. 24:4 They turn the needy from the pathway, and the poor of
Bildad’s Third Speech 25:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered: 25:2 “Dominion and awesome might belong to God; he establishes peace in his heights. 25:3 Can his armies be numbered? On whom does his light not rise? 25:4 How then can a human being be righteous before God? How can one born of a woman be pure? 25:5 If even the moon is not
Job’s Reply to Bildad 26:1 Then Job replied: 26:2 “How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved the person who has no strength! 26:3 How you have advised the one without wisdom, and abundantly revealed your insight! 26:4 To whom did you utter these words? And whose spirit has come forth from your mouth? A Better Description of God’s Greatness 26:5 “The
A Protest of Innocence 27:1 And Job took up his discourse again: 27:2 “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter – 27:3 for while my spirit is still in me, and the breath from God is in my nostrils, 27:4 my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will whisper
III. Job’s Search for Wisdom (28:1-28) No Known Road to Wisdom 28:1 “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. 28:2 Iron is taken from the ground, and rock is poured out as copper. 28:3 Man puts an end to the darkness; he searches the farthest recesses for the ore in the deepest darkness. 28:4 Far from where
IV. Job’s Concluding Soliloquy (29:1-31:40) Job Recalls His Former Condition 29:1 Then Job continued his speech: 29:2 “O that I could be as I was in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me, 29:3 when he caused his lamp to shine upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness; 29:4 just as I was in my most
Job’s Present Misery 30:1 “But now they mock me, those who are younger than I, whose fathers I disdained too much to put with my sheep dogs. 30:2 Moreover, the strength of their hands – what use was it to me? Men whose strength had perished; 30:3 gaunt with want and hunger, they would gnaw the parched land, in former time desolate and waste. 30:4
Job Vindicates Himself 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin? 31:2 What then would be one’s lot from God above, one’s heritage from the Almighty on high? 31:3 Is it not misfortune for the unjust, and disaster for those who work iniquity? 31:4 Does he not see my ways and count all my
V. The Speeches of Elihu (32:1-37:24) Elihu’s First Speech 32:1 So these three men refused to answer Job further, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 32:2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 32:3 With Job’s
Elihu Invites Job’s Attention 33:1 “But now, O Job, listen to my words, and hear everything I have to say! 33:2 See now, I have opened my mouth; my tongue in my mouth has spoken. 33:3 My words come from the uprightness of my heart, and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely. 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath