Job 34 - NKJV Bible Online

Job 34

« Job 33Job 34Job 35 »

Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice

Elihu further answered and said:

2

“Hear my words, you wise men;

Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

^aFor the ear tests words

As the palate tastes food.

Let us choose justice for ourselves;

Let us know among ourselves what is good.

“For Job has said, ^a‘I am righteous,

But ^bGod has taken away my justice;

^aShould I lie concerning my right?

My ¹wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

What man is like Job,

^aWho drinks ¹scorn like water,

Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,

And walks with wicked men?

For ^ahe has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

That he should delight in God.’

“Therefore listen to me, you ¹men of understanding:

^aFar be it from God to do wickedness,

And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.

^aFor He repays man according to his work,

And makes man to find a reward according to his way.

Surely God will never do wickedly,

Nor will the Almighty ^apervert justice.

Who gave Him charge over the earth?

Or who appointed Him over the whole world?

If He should set His heart on it,

If He should ^agather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,

^aAll flesh would perish together,

And man would return to dust.

“If you have understanding, hear this;

Listen to the sound of my words:

^aShould one who hates justice govern?

Will you ^bcondemn Him who is most just?

^aIs it fitting to say to a king, ‘You are worthless,’

And to nobles, ‘You are wicked’?

Yet He ^ais not partial to princes,

Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor;

For ^bthey are all the work of His hands.

In a moment they die, ^ain the middle of the night;

The people are shaken and pass away;

The mighty are taken away without a hand.

“For^a His eyes are on the ways of man,

And He sees all his steps.

^aThere is no darkness nor shadow of death

Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

For He need not further consider a man,

That he should go before God in judgment.

^aHe breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry,

And sets others in their place.

Therefore He knows their works;

He overthrows them in the night,

And they are crushed.

He strikes them as wicked men

In the open sight of others,

Because they ^aturned back from Him,

And ^bwould not consider any of His ways,

So that they ^acaused the cry of the poor to come to Him;

For He ^bhears the cry of the afflicted.

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?—

That the hypocrite should not reign,

Lest the people be ensnared.

“For has anyone said to God,

‘I have borne chastening;

I will offend no more;

Teach me what I do not see;

If I have done iniquity, I will do no more’?

Should He repay it according to your terms,

Just because you disavow it?

You must choose, and not I;

Therefore speak what you know.

“Men of understanding say to me,

Wise men who listen to me:

‘Job^a speaks without knowledge,

His words are without wisdom.’

Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost,

Because his answers are like those of wicked men!

For he adds ^arebellion to his sin;

He claps his hands among us,

And multiplies his words against God.”

« Job 33Job 34Job 35 »