Job 33 — NETB

33Verse 1“But now, O Job, listen to my words,
and hear everything I have to say!
^{Verse 2}See now, I have opened my mouth;
my tongue in my mouth has spoken.
^{Verse 3}My words come from the uprightness of my heart,
and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely.
^{Verse 4}The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
^{Verse 5}Reply to me, if you can;
set your arguments in order before me
and take your stand!
^{Verse 6}Look, I am just like you in relation to God;
I too have been molded from clay.
^{Verse 7}Therefore no fear of me should terrify you,
nor should my pressure be heavy on you.

Elihu Rejects Job’s Plea of Innocence

^{Verse 8}“Indeed, you have said in my hearing
(I heard the sound of the words!):^{Verse 9}
‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean and have no iniquity.^{Verse 10}
Yet God finds occasions with me;
he regards me as his enemy!^{Verse 11}
He puts my feet in shackles;
he watches closely all my paths.’
^{Verse 12}Now in this, you are not right – I answer you,
for God is greater than a human being.
^{Verse 13}Why do you contend against him,
that he does not answer all a person’s words?

Elihu Disagrees With Job’s View of God

^{Verse 14}“For God speaks, the first time in one way,
the second time in another,
though a person does not perceive it.
^{Verse 15}In a dream, a night vision,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they sleep in their beds.
^{Verse 16}Then he gives a revelation to people,
and terrifies them with warnings,
^{Verse 17}to turn a person from his sin,
and to cover a person’s pride.
^{Verse 18}He spares a person’s life from corruption,
his very life from crossing over the river.
^{Verse 19}Or a person is chastened by pain on his bed,
and with the continual strife of his bones,
^{Verse 20}so that his life loathes food,
and his soul rejects appetizing fare.
^{Verse 21}His flesh wastes away from sight,
and his bones, which were not seen,
are easily visible.
^{Verse 22}He draws near to the place of corruption,
and his life to the messengers of death.
^{Verse 23}If there is an angel beside him,
one mediator out of a thousand,
to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness;
^{Verse 24}and if God is gracious to him and says,
‘Spare him from going down
to the place of corruption,
I have found a ransom for him,’
^{Verse 25}then his flesh is restored like a youth’s;
he returns to the days of his youthful vigor.
^{Verse 26}He entreats God, and God delights in him,
he sees God’s face with rejoicing,
and God restores to him his righteousness.
^{Verse 27}That person sings to others, saying:
‘I have sinned and falsified what is right,
but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
^{Verse 28}He redeemed my life
from going down to the place of corruption,
and my life sees the light!’

Elihu’s Appeal to Job

^{Verse 29}“Indeed, God does all these things,
twice, three times, in his dealings with a person,
^{Verse 30}to turn back his life from the place of corruption,
that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
^{Verse 31}Pay attention, Job – listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
^{Verse 32}If you have any words, reply to me;
speak, for I want to justify you.
^{Verse 33}If not, you listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”