Jan 22: Job 34-35

Jan 22: Job 34-35

Job 34-35New King James Version (NKJV)

Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice

34 Elihu further answered and said:

² “Hear my words, you wise men;
Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
³ For the ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵ “For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
But God has taken away my justice;
⁶ Should I lie concerning my right?
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
⁷ What man is like Job,
Who drinks scorn like water,
⁸ Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walks with wicked men?
⁹ For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
That he should delight in God.’

¹⁰ “Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:
Far be it from God to do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.
¹¹ For He repays man according to his work,
And makes man to find a reward according to his way.
¹² Surely God will never do wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
¹³ Who gave Him charge over the earth?
Or who appointed Him over the whole world?
¹⁴ If He should set His heart on it,
If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
¹⁵ All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.

¹⁶ “If you have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words:
¹⁷ Should one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn Him who is most just?
¹⁸ Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘You are worthless,’
And to nobles, ‘You are wicked’?
¹⁹ Yet He is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor;
For they are all the work of His hands.
²⁰ In a moment they die, in the middle of the night;
The people are shaken and pass away;
The mighty are taken away without a hand.

²¹ “For His eyes are on the ways of man,
And He sees all his steps.
²² There is no darkness nor shadow of death
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
²³ For He need not further consider a man,
That he should go before God in judgment.
²⁴ He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry,
And sets others in their place.
²⁵ Therefore He knows their works;
He overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.
²⁶ He strikes 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 caused the cry of the poor to come to Him;
For He hears the cry of the afflicted.
²⁹ When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble?
And when He hides His face, who then can see Him,
Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?—
³⁰ That the hypocrite should not reign,
Lest the people be ensnared.

³¹ “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne chastening;
I will offend no more;
³² Teach me what I do not see;
If I have done iniquity, I will do no more’?
³³ Should He repay it according to your terms,
Just because you disavow it?
You must choose, and not I;
Therefore speak what you know.

³⁴ “Men of understanding say to me,
Wise men who listen to me:
³⁵ ‘Job speaks without knowledge,
His words are without wisdom.’
³⁶ Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost,
Because his answers are like those of wicked men!
³⁷ For he adds rebellion to his sin;
He claps his hands among us,
And multiplies his words against God.”

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness

35 Moreover Elihu answered and said:

² “Do you think this is right?
Do you say,
‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
³ For you say,
‘What advantage will it be to You?
What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’

⁴ “I will answer you,
And your companions with you.
⁵ Look to the heavens and see;
And behold the clouds—
They are higher than you.
⁶ If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him?
Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?
⁷ If you are righteous, what do you give Him?
Or what does He receive from your hand?
⁸ Your wickedness affects a man such as you,
And your righteousness a son of man.

⁹ “Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out;
They cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty.
¹⁰ But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
Who gives songs in the night,
¹¹ Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth,
And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’
¹² There they cry out, but He does not answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
¹³ Surely God will not listen to empty talk,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
¹⁴ Although you say you do not see Him,
Yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him.
¹⁵ And now, because He has not punished in His anger,
Nor taken much notice of folly,
¹⁶ Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain;
He multiplies words without knowledge.”