HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 843
JOB 36
page 473
15
all life would cease,
and humanity would turn again to dust.
16
“Now listen to me if you are wise.
Pay attention to what I say.
Could God govern if he hated justice?
Are you going to condemn the almighty
judge?
For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’
and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’
He doesn’t care how great a person may be,
and he pays no more attention to the rich
than to the poor.
He made them all.
In a moment they die.
In the middle of the night they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human
hand.
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
“For God watches how people live;
he sees everything they do.
No darkness is thick enough
to hide the wicked from his eyes.
We don’t set the time
when we will come before God in
judgment.
He brings the mighty to ruin without
asking anyone,
and he sets up others in their place.
He knows what they do,
and in the night he overturns and
destroys them.
He strikes them down because they are
wicked,
doing it openly for all to see.
For they turned away from following him.
They have no respect for any of his ways.
They cause the poor to cry out, catching
God’s attention.
He hears the cries of the needy.
But if he chooses to remain quiet,
who can criticize him?
When he hides his face, no one can
find him,
whether an individual or a nation.
He prevents the godless from ruling
so they cannot be a snare to the people.
34
35
36
37
Elihu Reminds Job of God’s Justice
Then Elihu said:
35
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
31
32
33
“Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have
sinned,
but I will sin no more’?
Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have
done—tell me.
If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’?
“Must God tailor his justice to your
demands?
But you have rejected him!
35:13-14 These verses can also be translated as follows:
13
Indeed, God doesn’t listen to their empty plea; / the Almighty
is not concerned. / 14How much less will he listen when you say
you don’t see him, / and that your case is before him and you’re
waiting for justice. 35:15 As in Greek and Latin versions; the
meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain.
The choice is yours, not mine.
Go ahead, share your wisdom with us.
After all, bright people will tell me,
and wise people will hear me say,
‘Job speaks out of ignorance;
his words lack insight.’
Job, you deserve the maximum penalty
for the wicked way you have talked.
For you have added rebellion to your sin;
you show no respect,
and you speak many angry words
against God.”
15
16
“Do you think it is right for you to
claim,
‘I am righteous before God’?
For you also ask, ‘What’s in it for me?
What’s the use of living a righteous life?’
2
“I will answer you
and all your friends, too.
Look up into the sky,
and see the clouds high above you.
If you sin, how does that affect God?
Even if you sin again and again,
what effect will it have on him?
If you are good, is this some great gift to him?
What could you possibly give him?
No, your sins affect only people like yourself,
and your good deeds also affect only
humans.
“People cry out when they are oppressed.
They groan beneath the power of the
mighty.
Yet they don’t ask, ‘Where is God my
Creator,
the one who gives songs in the night?
Where is the one who makes us smarter
than the animals
and wiser than the birds of the sky?’
And when they cry out, God does not answer
because of their pride.
But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen,
to say the Almighty isn’t concerned.
You say you can’t see him,
but he will bring justice if you will
only wait.*
You say he does not respond to sinners
with anger
and is not greatly concerned about
wickedness.*
But you are talking nonsense, Job.
You have spoken like a fool.”
36
Elihu continued speaking:
“Let me go on, and I will show you
the truth.
For I have not finished defending God!
2