Job 33
33
Elihu Rebukes Job
1“But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2Behold, I #ch. 3:1open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 # ch. 27:3 The Spirit of God has made me,
and #ch. 32:8; Gen. 2:7; [Ezek. 37:9; Acts 17:25]the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 # ver. 32 Answer me, if you can;
# ch. 13:18; 23:4; [Ps. 5:3] set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of #See ch. 4:19clay.
7Behold, no #ch. 9:34, 35; 13:21 fear of me need terrify you;
my #[ch. 23:2]pressure will not be heavy upon you.
8“Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9You say, ‘I am #ch. 9:21; 10:7; 11:4; 12:4; 13:18; 16:17; 23:10, 11; 27:5; 29:14; 32:1; 34:5 pure, without #ch. 34:6transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he #See ch. 13:24counts me as his enemy,
11he #ch. 13:27 puts my feet in the stocks
and #ch. 10:14; 14:16; 31:4watches all my paths.’
12“Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
for God is greater than man.
13Why do you #ch. 13:3; 16:21; 31:35; 40:2 contend against him,
saying, ‘He #See ch. 9:12will answer none of man’s#33:13 Hebrew his words’?#33:13 Or He will not answer for any of his own words
14For God #[ch. 40:5; Ps. 62:11] speaks in one way,
# ver. 29 and in two, though man #[1 Sam. 3:4, 6]does not perceive it.
15In #See Num. 12:6 a dream, in #ch. 4:13 a vision of #Ps. 17:3the night,
when #ch. 4:13 deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16then he #ch. 36:10, 15; Ps. 40:6; Isa. 50:5opens the ears of men
and terrifies#33:16 Or seals them with warnings,
17that he may turn man aside from his #ch. 36:9deed
and conceal pride from a man;
18he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from #ch. 36:12perishing by the sword.
19“Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his #ch. 30:17bones,
20so that his #Ps. 107:18 life loathes bread,
and his appetite #Prov. 23:3the choicest food.
21His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen #[Ps. 22:17]stick out.
22His soul draws near #ver. 24, 28 the pit,
and his life to #2 Sam. 24:16, 17; Ps. 78:49those who bring death.
23If there be for him #Gen. 16:7; 22:11; 48:16; Ps. 34:7; Isa. 63:9; [Mal. 3:1] an angel,
#
Gen. 42:23; Isa. 43:27 a mediator, #Eccles. 7:28; [Song 5:10] one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is #[Prov. 14:2; Ezek. 18:21, 22]right for him,
24and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found #ch. 36:18; Ps. 49:7a ransom;
25let his flesh #2 Kgs. 5:14; [Heb. 9:12]become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26then man#33:26 Hebrew he #See ch. 22:27 prays to God, and he accepts him;
he #Ps. 17:15 sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he #[2 Sam. 12:13; Prov. 28:13; Luke 15:21-24; 1 John 1:9]restores to man his righteousness.
27He sings before men and says:
‘I #Ps. 106:6; [Rom. 6:21]sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28He has redeemed my #Isa. 38:17 soul from going down #ver. 22, 24 into the pit,
and my life shall #[ch. 3:9]look upon the light.’
29“Behold, God does all these things,
twice, #ver. 14three times, with a man,
30to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with #Ps. 56:13the light of life.
31Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32If you have any words, #ver. 5 answer me;
# ch. 34:33 speak, for I desire to justify you.
33If not, #Ps. 34:11listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
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Job 33: ESV
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