Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 01

Through My Bible – August 01

Job 11 – 12 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

² Doesn’t this gush of words call for an answer?
Can this man’s bold talk be justified?
³ Should your empty words reduce men to silence?
Can you be allowed to scoff without anyone putting you in your place?
⁴ You say, “What I teach is untainted,
and I am pure in your eyes.”
⁵ Oh how I wish that God would speak up,
open his lips against you,
⁶ and show you the secret of wisdom,
because sound judgment must look at both sides.
Then you would know that God has even forgotten some of your guilt!

⁷ Can you explore the essence of God?
Can you find a limit to the perfections of the Almighty?
⁸ They are as high as the heavens. What can you do?
They are deeper than hell. ^[1] What can you know?
⁹ His dimensions are greater than the earth
and wider than the sea.
¹⁰ If God comes and arrests someone and puts him on trial,
who can overrule him?
¹¹ Certainly he recognizes deceitful men for what they are.
He sees evil, and he recognizes it for what it is.

¹² Before an empty-headed man gets understanding,
a wild donkey colt will be born as a man.

¹³ But you, if you make your heart steadfast,
and you spread out your hands to him,
¹⁴ if you put away the sin you are holding in your hand,
and you do not allow injustice to dwell in your tents,
¹⁵ then you will lift up your face and be blameless.
You will be solid and fearless.
¹⁶ You will certainly forget your trouble.
Your memory of it will be like water that has flowed away.
¹⁷ The rest of your life will be brighter than noon.
Darkness will become like morning.
¹⁸ You will be confident that there is hope.
When you look around, you will go to bed confidently.
¹⁹ You will lie down, and no one will make you tremble.
Many will seek your favor.
²⁰ The eyes of the wicked will fail,
and their place of refuge will disappear.
Their hope will vanish with their dying breath. ^[2]

² Yes, indeed. You are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
³ But I understand things as well as you. ^[3]
I do not fall short of you.
Who doesn’t know all these things?

⁴ But I am a laughingstock to my neighbor—
I, who call on God, and he answers me—
I, a righteous and complete man, am a laughingstock!
⁵ Those who are carefree do not worry about disaster.
They think it is reserved for those whose feet are slipping.
⁶ The tents of raiders are undisturbed,
and those who provoke God are secure—
those who carry their god in their hand. ^[4]

⁷ Please ask the animals, and they will teach you.
Ask the birds of the sky, and they will inform you.
⁸ Complain to the earth, and it will teach you,
and the fish of the sea will tell you about it.
⁹ Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord ^[5] did this?
¹⁰ The life of every living thing is in his hand,
as well as the breath ^[6] in all human flesh.

¹¹ Isn’t it true that the ear tests words
and the palate tastes food?
¹² Isn’t it true that wisdom is found among the aged
and understanding among those who have had a long life?
¹³ But wisdom and power are with God.
He gives guidance and understanding.
¹⁴ If he tears something down, it cannot be rebuilt.
If he shuts a door on a man, it cannot be opened.
¹⁵ Look! He holds back the waters, and the land dries up.
He turns them loose, and the earth is overwhelmed.
¹⁶ He has strength and sound judgment.
The deceiver and the deceived both belong to him.
¹⁷ He causes royal advisors to be led away naked.
He makes fools of judges.
¹⁸ He takes away the ruling power of kings,
and he wraps a loincloth around their waist. ^[7]
19 He causes priests to be led away naked,
and he brings the pillars of society down to ruin.
²⁰ He closes the lips of trusted advisors,
and he takes away good judgment from elders.
²¹ He pours contempt on nobles.
He loosens the belt of the strong.
²² He uncovers deep mysteries that were hidden in darkness.
He brings the shadow of death into the light.
²³ He raises nations to power, and then he destroys them.
He enlarges nations, and then he leads them away captive.
²⁴ He deprives the heads of the peoples of the earth of their reason.
He makes them wander in a wild land where there are no roads.
²⁵ They grope around in darkness, where there is no light.
He causes them to wander aimlessly like drunks.

Footnotes

1. Job 11:8 The Hebrew word sheol refers to the place where the dead are (the grave or hell) or to the condition of death.
2. Job 11:20 Literally their hope is a breathing out of soul or life
3. Job 12:3 Literally my heart is like yours
4. Job 12:6 Or those whom God brings in his hand
5. Job 12:9 This is the only occurrence of the name Lord in the poetic speeches of Job. The Hebrew variant God suggests that Lord may have been written here accidentally by force of habit.
6. Job 12:10 Or spirit
7. Job 12:18 The translation of this verse is uncertain. Some translate it as a positive verse in the midst of negatives.