Job 34
34
Elihu Asserts God’s Justice
1Then Elihu answered and said:
2“Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3for #ch. 12:11the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4Let us choose #1 Thess. 5:21, 22what is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5For Job has said, ‘I am #See ch. 33:9 in the right,
and #ch. 27:2God has taken away my right;
6in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am #ch. 33:9without transgression.’
7What man is like Job,
who #See ch. 15:16drinks up scoffing like water,
8who travels in company with evildoers
and walks #[Ps. 1:1]with wicked men?
9For #ch. 9:22, 23, 30, 31; 21:7, 15; 24:1; [ch. 35:3; Mal. 3:14]he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
that he should take delight in God.’
10“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God that he should #ch. 36:23; Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; 2 Chr. 19:7; Ps. 92:15; Rom. 9:14do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11For according to #Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Matt. 16:27; Rom. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 22:12 the work of a man he will repay him,
and #Jer. 17:10; 32:19; Ezek. 33:20according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and #See ch. 8:3the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who #See ch. 38:4-7laid on him#34:13 Hebrew lacks on him the whole world?
14If he should #[ch. 2:3] set his heart to it
and #Ps. 104:29; [Ps. 146:4] gather to himself his #ch. 32:8spirit and his breath,
15all flesh would perish together,
and man would #See ch. 10:9return to dust.
16“If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 # [Gen. 18:25] Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18who #Ex. 22:28says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19who #Deut. 10:17; 2 Chr. 19:7; Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17 shows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich #[James 2:5] more than the poor,
for #See ch. 31:15they are all the work of his hands?
20In a moment #ch. 21:13 they die;
at #Ex. 11:4; [ch. 27:20; 36:20] midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by #Dan. 8:25; [Lam. 4:6]no human hand.
21“For his eyes are on #ch. 14:16; See ch. 31:4the ways of a man,
and he sees all his #ch. 14:16; See ch. 31:4steps.
22There is no #[Ps. 139:12; Amos 9:2, 3; Heb. 4:13] gloom or #See ch. 3:5deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23For God#34:23 Hebrew he has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in #ch. 14:3judgment.
24He #Ps. 2:9 shatters the mighty without investigation
and sets #See ch. 8:19others in their place.
25Thus, knowing their works,
he #Prov. 12:7overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place for all to see,
27because they turned aside from #1 Sam. 15:11; Ps. 28:5; Isa. 5:12following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28so that they #ch. 35:9; James 5:4; [Gen. 18:20, 21] caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he #Ex. 3:7; 22:23; Isa. 32:17heard the cry of the afflicted—
29When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him,
whether it be a nation or a man?—
30that a godless man should not reign,
that he should not ensnare the people.
31“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32 # ch. 35:11; 36:22; Ps. 19:12; 86:11 teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33Will he then make repayment to suit you,
because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
therefore #ch. 33:32declare what you know.#34:33 The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 29–33 is uncertain
34Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35‘Job #See ch. 35:16speaks without knowledge;
his words are without insight.’
36Would that Job were tried to the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
37For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he #See ch. 27:23claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”
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Job 34: ESV
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