June 22nd Job 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 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 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.
In chapters 34 –
36 Elihu continues to speak to all four men. He says, Listen to me
you wise men. He summarised Jobs argument saying that he says that he
is righteous. He is surrounded by evil men who laugh at him in his
predicament. Job should continue to do what is right. And surely God
does right too. If God gathered again all the breath of men then all
men would die. God will do whatever he wishes with men but he will
only do what is right. Therefore Job has spoken without knowledge and
his words are foolish. He has taken the side of wicked man and spoken
against God. Then Elihu spoke again saying, Is it right that Job is
more righteous than God? Look at the sky the heavens are higher than
you. The oppressed cry to the Lord, but none says where is God my
maker? Who gives songs in the night. Who makes us understand things
that animals cannot see. And makes us wiser than birds. God does not
listen to empty words. So you say trust in God yet in your trust you
have spoken foolishly. He continues God is mighty and he does not
despise any man. He punishes the wicked and gives blessing to the
poor. He calls on kings to serve him and if they turn away from him
he commands them to return unto him. And if they do not then he will
destroy them with the sword. But those who are hypocrites heap up the
wrath of God. Who can know God - can anyone count his days? Can
anyone understand how God makes the rain to fall?
- What does Elihu have to say?
- In what Elihu says has he made a great mistake?
- In what way is this book a puzzle for mankind?
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