Job 36

Elihu Proclaims God’s Goodness

1 Elihu also proceeded and said:

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

That thereare yet words to speak on God’s behalf.

3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar;

I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

4 For truly my words are not false;

One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 "Behold, God is mighty, but despises noone;

*Job 12:13, 16; 37:23; (Ps. 99:2–5)Heis mighty in strength of understanding.

6 He does not preserve the life of the wicked,

But gives justice to the *Job 5:15oppressed.

7 *(Ps. 33:18; 34:15)He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;

But *Job 5:11; Ps. 113:8theyare on the throne with kings,

For He has seated them forever,

And they are exalted.

8 And *Ps. 107:10if theyare bound in fetters,

Held in the cords of affliction,

9 Then He tells them their work and their transgressions—

That they have acted defiantly.

10 *Job 33:16; 36:15He also opens their ear to instruction,

And commands that they turn from iniquity.

11 If they obey and serve Him,

They shall *Job 21:13; (Is. 1:19, 20)spend their days in prosperity,

And their years in pleasures.

12 But if they do not obey,

They shall perish by the sword,

And they shall die without *Job 4:21knowledge.

13 "But the hypocrites in heart *(Rom. 2:5)store up wrath;

They do not cry for help when He binds them.

14 *Ps. 55:23They die in youth,

And their life ends among the perverted persons.

15 He delivers the poor in their affliction,

And opens their ears in oppression.

16 "Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress,

*Ps. 18:19; 31:8; 118:5Into a broad place where thereis no restraint;

And *Ps. 23:5what is set on your table wouldbe full of *Ps. 36:8richness.

17 But you are filled with the judgment due the *Job 22:5, 10, 11wicked;

Judgment and justice take hold ofyou.

18 Because thereis wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow;

For *Ps. 49:7a large ransom would not help you avoid it.

19 *(Prov. 11:4)Will your riches,

Or all the mighty forces,

Keep you from distress?

20 Do not desire the night,

When people are cut off in their place.

21 Take heed, *Job 36:10; (Ps. 31:6; 66:18)do not turn to iniquity,

For *Job 36:8, 15; (Heb. 11:25)you have chosen this rather than affliction.

22 "Behold, God is exalted by His power;

Who teaches like Him?

23 *Job 34:13; (Is. 40:13, 14)Who has assigned Him His way,

Or who has said, ‘You have done *(Deut. 32:4); Job 8:3wrong’?

Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty

24 "Remember to *(Ps. 92:5; Rev. 15:3)magnify His work,

Of which men have sung.

25 Everyone has seen it;

Man looks on it from afar.

26 "Behold, God is great, and we *Job 11:7–9; 37:23; (1 Cor. 13:12)do not know Him;

*Job 10:5; (Ps. 90:2; 102:24, 27); Heb. 1:12Nor can the number of His years be discovered.

27 For He *Job 5:10; 37:6, 11; 38:28; Ps. 147:8draws up drops of water,

Which distill as rain from the mist,

28 *(Prov. 3:20)Which the clouds drop down

And pour abundantly on man.

29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds,

The thunder from His canopy?

30 Look, He *Job 37:3scatters His light upon it,

And covers the depths of the sea.

31 For *(Acts 14:17)by these He judges the peoples;

He *Gen. 9:3; Ps. 104:14, 15gives food in abundance.

32 *Ps. 147:8He covers His hands with lightning,

And commands it to strike.

33 *1 Kin. 18:41; Job 37:2His thunder declares it,

The cattle also, concerning the rising storm.