Job 36

Elihu Extols God’s Greatness

1 And Elihu continued, and said:

2 "Bear with me a little, and I will show you,

for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.

3 I will get my knowledge from *[Ps. 78:2] afar

and ascribe *[Rev. 15:3,4;16:5,7;19:1,2] righteousness to my *ch. 35:10Maker.

4 For truly my words are not false;

one who is *ch. 37:16perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 "Behold, God is mighty, and *ch. 8:20(Heb.);[Ps. 138:6] does not despise any;

he is *ch. 9:4;12:13,16mighty in strength of understanding.

6 He does not keep the wicked alive,

but gives *ver. 15;ch. 34:28the afflicted their right.

7 He does not withdraw his *[Ps. 33:18;34:15] eyes from the righteous,

but with *Ps. 132:12;[Ps. 113:8] kings on the throne

he sets them forever, and they are *Ps. 75:10exalted.

8 And if they are *ver. 13;Ps. 107:10bound in chains

and caught in the cords of affliction,

9 then he declares to them their work

and their transgressions, that they are *ch. 15:25behaving arrogantly.

10 He *ch. 33:16opens their ears to instruction

and commands that they *Jer. 18:11return from iniquity.

11 *For ver. 11, 12, see Isa. 1:19,20If they listen and serve him,

they *ch. 21:13complete their days in prosperity,

and their years in pleasantness.

12 But if they do not listen, they *ch. 33:18perish by the sword

and die *[ch. 4:21]; See ch. 35:16without knowledge.

13 "The *ch. 15:34godless in heart cherish anger;

they do not cry for help when he *ver. 8binds them.

14 They *ch. 15:32;22:16;Ps. 55:23die in youth,

and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.

15 He delivers *ver. 6;See ch. 33:15-28the afflicted by their affliction

and *ver. 10;[Ps. 119:67,71]opens their ear by adversity.

16 He also allured you out of distress

into *[ch. 37:10;Ps. 4:1;18:19;31:8;118:5] a broad place where there was no cramping,

and what was set on your *Ps. 23:5table was full of *Ps. 36:8fatness.

17 "But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;

judgment and justice seize you.

18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,

and let not the greatness of *ch. 33:24the ransom turn you aside.

19 Will your *Prov. 11:4cry for help avail to keep you from distress,

or all the force of your strength?

20 Do not long for *ch. 27:20;34:20,25the night,

when peoples vanish *ch. 40:12in their place.

21 Take care; *Ps. 66:18do not turn to iniquity,

for this you have chosen rather than affliction.

22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;

who is *ch. 34:32;35:11a teacher like him?

23 Who has *ch. 34:13;[Isa. 40:13,14;Rom. 11:34;1 Cor. 2:16] prescribed for him his way,

or who can say, *[ch. 34:10]‘You have done wrong’?

24 "Remember to *Luke 1:46;[Ps. 92:5;Rev. 15:3] extol his work,

of which men have *[ch. 33:27;Ps. 104:33]sung.

25 All mankind has looked on it;

man beholds it from afar.

26 Behold, God is great, and we *[ch. 37:5;1 Cor. 13:12] know him not;

the number of his *Ps. 90:2;102:27years is unsearchable.

27 For he draws up the drops of water;

they distill his *Gen. 2:6(Heb.)mist in *Ps. 147:8rain,

28 which *Prov. 3:20;[Deut. 33:28]the skies pour down

and drop on mankind abundantly.

29 Can anyone understand *[ch. 26:9] the spreading of the clouds,

the thunderings of his *Ps. 18:11;105:39pavilion?

30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him

and covers the roots of the sea.

31 For by these he *ch. 37:13judges peoples;

he gives *Ps. 104:27,28;136:25;145:15;147:9;Acts 14:17food in abundance.

32 He covers his *Hab. 3:4hands with the lightning

and commands it to strike the mark.

33 Its crashing declares his presence;*36:33 Hebrew declares concerning him

the cattle also declare that he rises.