Study Desk

Then Elihu continued and said,

"Wait for me a little, and I will show you That there ^(F1)is still more to be said on God's behalf.

-"I will bring my knowledge from afar, And ascribe ^(C1)righteousness to my Maker.

-"For truly ^(C1)my words are not false; One who is ^(C2)perfect in knowledge is with you.

-"Behold, God is mighty but does not ^(C1)reject anyone; He is ^(C2)mighty in strength of understanding.

-"He does not ^(C1)keep the wicked alive, But gives justice to ^(C2)the afflicted.

-"He does not ^(C1)withdraw His eyes from the righteous, But ^(C2)with kings on the throne He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.

-"And if they are bound in shackles, And are caught in the snares of ^(C1)misery,

Then He declares to them their work And their wrongdoings, that they have ^(C1)been arrogant.

-"^(C1)He opens their ears to instruction, And ^(C2)commands that they return from injustice.

-"If they listen and serve Him, They will ^(C1)end their days in prosperity, And their years in ^(C2)happiness.

-"But if they do not listen, they will ^(F1)perish ^(C1)by the sword, And ^(C2)die without knowledge.

-"But the godless in heart nurture anger; They do not call for help when He binds them.

-"^(F1)They die in youth, And their life perishes among the ^(C1)cult prostitutes.

-"He rescues the afflicted in ^(F1)their ^(C1)misery, And ^(C2)opens their ears in time of oppression.

-"Then indeed, He induced you away from the mouth of distress, And instead of it, a broad place with no constraint; And your table was full of ^(F1)rich food.

"But you were full of ^(C1)judgment on the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you.

-"Beware that ^(C1)wrath does not entice you to mockery; And do not let the greatness of the ^(C2)ransom turn you aside.

-"Will your cry for help keep you from distress, Or all the exertions of your strength?

-"Do not long for ^(C1)the night, When people ^(F1)vanish in their places.

-"Be careful, do ^(C1)not turn to evil, For you preferred this to ^(C2)misery.

-"Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a ^(C1)teacher like Him?

-"Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, '^(C1)You have done wrong'?

"Remember that you are to ^(C1)exalt His work, Of which people have ^(C2)sung.

-"All people have seen it; Mankind looks at it from afar.

-"Behold, God is ^(C1)exalted, and ^(C2)we do not know Him; The ^(C3)number of His years is unsearchable.

-"For ^(C1)He draws up the drops of water; They distill rain from its ^(F1)celestial stream,

Which clouds pour down; They drip upon mankind abundantly.

-"Can anyone understand the ^(C1)spreading of the clouds, The ^(C2)thundering of His ^(F1)pavilion?

-"Behold, He spreads His ^(F1)lightning about Him, And He covers the depths of the sea.

-"For by them He ^(C1)judges peoples; He ^(C2)gives food in abundance.

-"He covers His hands with the ^(F1)lightning, And ^(C1)commands it to strike the target.

-"Its ^(C1)thundering voice declares ^(F1)His presence; The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.

"At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place.

-"Listen closely to the ^(C1)thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.

-"Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His ^(F1)lightning travels to the ^(C1)ends of the earth.

-"After it, a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain ^(F1)the lightning when His voice is heard.

-"God ^(C1)thunders wondrously with His voice, Doing ^(C2)great things which we do not comprehend.

-"For to ^(C1)the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,' And to the ^(F1)(C2)downpour and the rain, 'Be strong.'

-"He ^(C1)seals the hand of every person, So that ^(C2)all people may know His work.

-"Then the animal goes into its ^(C1)lair And remains in its ^(F1)den.

-"From the ^(F1)(C1)south comes the storm, And from the north wind the cold.

-"From the breath of God ^(C1)ice is made, And the expanse of the waters is frozen.

-"He also ^(C1)loads the clouds with moisture; He ^(C2)disperses ^(C3)the cloud of His ^(F1)lightning.

-"It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, That ^(F1)it may do whatever He ^(C1)commands ^(F2)it On the ^(C2)face of the inhabited earth.

-"Whether for ^(F1)(C1)correction, or for ^(C2)His earth, Or for ^(C3)goodness, He causes it to ^(F2)happen.

"Listen to this, Job; Stand and consider the wonders of God.

-"Do you know how God establishes them, And makes the ^(F1)lightning of His clouds to shine?

-"Do you know about the hovering of the clouds, The ^(C1)wonders of One who is ^(C2)perfect in knowledge,

You whose garments are hot When the land is still because of the south wind?

-"Can you, with Him, ^(C1)spread out the skies, Strong as a cast metal mirror?

-"Teach us what we are to say to Him; We ^(C1)cannot present our case because of darkness.

-"Shall it be told Him that I would speak? ^(F1)Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?

"Now people do not see the light which is bright in the skies; But the wind has passed and cleared them.

-"From the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty.

-"The Almighty—^(C1)we cannot find Him; He is ^(C2)exalted in power And ^(C3)He will not violate ^(C4)justice and abundant righteousness.

-"Therefore people ^(C1)fear Him; He does not ^(C2)regard any who are wise of heart."

Then the LORD ^(C1)answered Job from the whirlwind and said,

"Who is this who ^(C1)darkens the divine plan By words without knowledge?

-"Now ^(F1)(C1)tighten the belt on your waist like a man, And ^(C2)I shall ask you, and you inform Me!

-"Where were you ^(C1)when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you ^(F1)have understanding,

Who set its ^(C1)measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the measuring line over it?

-"On what ^(C1)were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,

When the morning stars sang together And all the ^(C1)sons of God shouted for joy?

"Or who ^(C1)enclosed the sea with doors When it went out from the womb, bursting forth;

When I made a cloud its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling bands,

And I ^(F1)(C1)placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors,

And I said, 'As far as this point you shall come, but no farther; And here your proud waves shall stop'?

"Have you ^(F1)ever in your life commanded the morning, And made the dawn know its place,

So that it would take hold of ^(C1)the ends of the earth, And ^(C2)the wicked would be shaken off from it?

-"It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand out like a garment.

-"^(C1)Their light is withheld from the wicked, And the ^(C2)uplifted arm is broken.

"Have you entered ^(C1)the springs of the sea, And walked ^(F1)in the depth of the ocean?

-"Have the gates of death been revealed to you, And have you seen the gates of ^(C1)deep darkness?

-"Have you understood the ^(F1)expanse of ^(C1)the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

"Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

That you would take it to ^(C1)its territory, And discern the paths to its ^(F1)home?

-"You know, for ^(C1)you were born then, And the number of your days is great!

-"Have you entered the storehouses ^(C1)of the snow, And have you seen the storehouses of the ^(C2)hail,

Which I have reserved for a time of distress, For a day of war and battle?

-"Where is the way that ^(C1)the light is divided, And the east wind scattered on the earth?

"Who has split open a channel for the flood, And a way for the thunderbolt,

To bring ^(C1)rain on a land without ^(F1)people, On a desert without a person in it,

To ^(C1)satisfy the waste and desolate land, And to make the ^(F1)seeds of grass to sprout?

-"Does ^(C1)the rain have a father? Or who has fathered the drops of dew?

-"From whose womb has come the ^(C1)ice? And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?

-"Water ^(F1)becomes hard like stone, And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.

"Can you tie up the chains of the ^(C1)Pleiades, Or untie the cords of Orion?

-"Can you bring out a ^(F1)constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her ^(F2)satellites?

-"Do you know the ^(C1)ordinances of the heavens, Or do you establish their rule over the earth?

"Can you raise your voice to the clouds, So that an ^(C1)abundance of water will cover you?

-"Can you ^(C1)send flashes of lightning, so that they may go And say to you, 'Here we are'?

-"Who has ^(C1)put wisdom in the innermost being, Or given ^(C2)understanding to the ^(F1)mind?

-"Who can count the clouds by wisdom, And ^(C1)pour out the water jars of the heavens,

When the dust hardens into a mass And the clods stick together?

"Can you hunt the ^(C1)prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the appetite of young lions,

When they ^(C1)crouch in their hiding places, And lie in wait in their lair?

-"Who prepares ^(F1)feed for ^(C1)the raven When its young cry to God, And wander about without food?

"Do you know the time the ^(F1)(C1)mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the ^(C2)deer?

-"Can you count the months they fulfill, Or do you know the time they give birth?

-"They kneel down, they deliver their young, They get rid of their labor pains.

-"Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field; They leave and do not return to them.

"Who sent the ^(C1)wild donkey out free? And who opened the bonds of the swift donkey,

To whom I gave ^(C1)the wilderness as his home, And the salt land as his dwelling place?

-"He laughs at the turmoil of the city, He does not hear the shouting of the taskmaster.

-"He explores the mountains of his pasture, And searches after every green thing.

-"Will the ^(C1)wild bull be willing to serve you, Or will he spend the night at your feeding trough?

-"Can you tie down the wild bull in a furrow with ^(F1)ropes, Or will he ^(F2)plow the valleys after you?

-"Will you trust him because his strength is great, And leave your labor to him?

-"Will you have faith in him that he will return your ^(F1)grain And gather it from your threshing floor?