Job 33

Elihu Invites Job’s Attention

1 “But now, O Job, listen to my words,
and heart everything I have to say!t

2 See now, I have openedt my mouth;
my tongue in my mouth has spoken.s

3 My words come from the uprightness of my heart,s
and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely.t

4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.st

5 Reply to me, if you can;
set your argumentst in order before me
and take your stand!

6 Look, I am just like you in relation to God;
I too have been moldedt from clay.

7 Therefore no fear of me should terrify you,
nor should my pressures be heavy on you.t

Elihu Rejects Job’s Plea of Innocence

8 “Indeed, you have said in my hearingt
(I heard the sound of the words!):

9 s ‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am cleant and have no iniquity.

10 s Yet Godt finds occasionst with me;
he regards me as his enemy!

11 s He puts my feet in shackles;
he watches closely all my paths.’

12 Now in this, you are not right – I answer you,t
for God is greater than a human being.s

13 Why do you contend against him,
that he does not answer all a person’ss words?

Elihu Disagrees With Job’s View of God

14 “For God speaks, the first time in one way,
the second time in another,
though a person does not perceivet it.

15 In a dream, a night vision,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they sleep in their beds.

16 Then he gives a revelationt to people,
and terrifies them with warnings,s

17 to turn a person from his sin,s
and to cover a person’s pride.s

18 He spares a person’s life from corruption,t
his very life from crossing overs the river.

19 Or a person is chasteneds by pain on his bed,
and with the continual strife of his bones,s

20 so that his life loathes food,
and his soul rejects appetizing fare.t

21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
and his bones, which were not seen,
are easily visible.s

22 Het draws near to the place of corruption,
and his life to the messengers of death.t

23 If there is an angel beside him,
one mediators out of a thousand,
to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness;t

24 and ift Godt is gracious to him and says,
‘Spares him from going down
to the place of corruption,
I have found a ransom for him,’s

25 then his flesh is restoreds like a youth’s;
he returns to the days of his youthful vigor.t

26 He entreats God, and Godt delights in him,
he sees God’s facets with rejoicing,
and Godt restores to him his righteousness.s

27 That person singss to others,t saying:
‘I have sinned and falsified what is right,
but I was not punished according to what I deserved.t

28 He redeemed my lifes
from going down to the place of corruption,
and my life sees the light!’

Elihu’s Appeal to Job

29 “Indeed, God does all these things,
twice, three times, in his dealingst with a person,

30 to turn back his life from the place of corruption,
that he may be enlightened with the light of life.

31 Pay attention, Job – listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.

32 If you have any words,t reply to me;
speak, for I want to justify you.t

33 If not, you listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

JOB 33

Elihu Speaks

Job, Listen to Me!

1 Job, listen to me!
Pay close attention.
*

2 Everything I will say

3 is true and sincere,

4 just as surely as the Spirit
of God All-Powerfult
gave me the breath of life.

5 Now line up your arguments
and prepare to face me.

6 We each were made from clay,
and God has no favorites,

7 so don't be afraid of me
or what I might do.

I Have Heard You Argue

8 I have heard you argue

9 that you are innocent,
guilty of nothing.

10 You claim that God
has made you his enemy,

11  t that he has bound your feet
and blocked your path.

12 But, Job, you're wrong—
God is greater
than any human.

13 So why do you challenge God
to answer you?t

14 God speaks in different ways,
and we don't always
recognize his voice.
*

15 t Sometimes in the night,
he uses terrifying dreams

16 to give us warnings.

17 God does this to make us turn
from sin and pride

18 and to protect us
from being swept away
to the world of the dead.

19 Sometimes we are punished
with a serious illness
and aching joints.

20 Merely the thought
of our favorite food
makes our stomachs sick,

21 and we become so skinny
that our bones stick out.

22 We feel death and the grave
taking us in their grip.

23 One of a thousand angels
then comes to our rescue
by saying we are innocent.

24 The angel shows kindness,
commanding death to release us,
because the price was paid.

25 Our health is restored,
we feel young again,

26 and we ask God to accept us.
Then we joyfully worship God,
and we are rewarded
because we are innocent.

27 When that happens,
we tell everyone,
“I sinned and did wrong,
but God forgave me

28 and rescued me from death!
Now I will see the light.”

29 God gives each of us
chance after chance

30 to be saved from death
and brought into the light
that gives life.

31 So, Job, pay attention
and don't interrupt,

32 though I would gladly listen
to anything you say
that proves you are right.

33 Otherwise, listen in silence
to my wisdom.