Elihu Asserts God's Justice
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Then Elihu answered and said:
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"Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
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for g the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
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Let us choose h what is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
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For Job has said, 'I am i in the right,
and j God has taken away my right;
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in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am k without transgression.'
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What man is like Job,
who l drinks up scoffing like water,
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who travels in company with evildoers
and walks m with wicked men?
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For n he has said, 'It profits a man nothing
that he should take delight in God.'
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"Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God that he should o do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
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For according to p the work of a man he will repay him,
and q according to his ways he will make it befall him.
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Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and r the Almighty will not pervert justice.
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Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who s laid on him the whole world?
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If he should t set his heart to it
and u gather to himself his v spirit and his breath,
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all flesh would perish together,
and man would w return to dust.
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"If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
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x Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
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who y says to a king, 'Worthless one,'
and to nobles, 'Wicked man,'
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who z shows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich a more than the poor,
for b they are all the work of his hands?
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In a moment c they die;
at d midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by e no human hand.
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"For his eyes are on f the ways of a man,
and he sees all his f steps.
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There is no g gloom or h deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
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For God has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in i judgment.
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He j shatters the mighty without investigation
and sets l others in their place.
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Thus, knowing their works,
he m overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
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He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place for all to see,
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because they turned aside from n following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
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so that they o caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he p heard the cry of the afflicted -
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When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him,
whether it be a nation or a man? -
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that a godless man should not reign,
that he should not ensnare the people.
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"For has anyone said to God,
'I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
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r teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
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Will he then make repayment to suit you,
because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
therefore s declare what you know.
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Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
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'Job t speaks without knowledge;
his words are without insight.'
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Would that Job were tried to the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
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For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he u claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God."
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Cross References
Job 12:11
Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?
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Cross References
1 Thessalonians 5:21 - 22
But test everything; hold fast what is good.
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Cross References
Job 33:9
You say, 'I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
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Cross References
Job 27:2
As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.
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Cross References
Job 33:9
You say, 'I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
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Cross References
Job 15:16
How much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks injustice like water!
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Cross References
Psalms 1:1
Book One Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
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Cross References
Job 9:22 - 23
It is all one; therefore I say, He destroys bot...
Job 9:30 - 31
If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands...
Job 21:7
Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow...
Job 21:15
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?...
Job 24:1
Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almig...
Job 35:3
That you ask, 'What advantage have I? How am I ...
Malachi 3:14
You have said, 'It is vain to serve God. What i...
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Cross References
Job 36:23
Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can ...
Genesis 18:25
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put t...
Deuteronomy 32:4
The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways...
2 Chronicles 19:7
Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you....
Psalms 92:15
To declare that the Lord is upright; he is my r...
Romans 9:14
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on G...
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Cross References
Psalms 62:12
And that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love...
Proverbs 24:12
If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," doe...
Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man is going to come with his an...
Romans 2:6
He will render to each one according to his works:
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat...
1 Peter 1:17
And if you call on him as Father who judges imp...
Revelation 22:12
Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompens...
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Cross References
Jeremiah 17:10
"I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."
Jeremiah 32:19
Great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.
Ezekiel 33:20
Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.
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Cross References
Job 8:3
Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
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Cross References
Job 38:4 - 7
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
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Cross References
Job 2:3
And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.
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Cross References
Psalms 104:29
When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
Psalms 146:4
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
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Cross References
Job 32:8
But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.
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Cross References
Job 10:9
Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust?
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Cross References
Genesis 18:25
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?
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Cross References
Exodus 22:28
You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 10:17
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord o...
2 Chronicles 19:7
Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you....
Acts 10:34
So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I un...
Romans 2:11
For God shows no partiality.
Galatians 2:6
And from those who seemed to be influential (wh...
Ephesians 6:9
Masters, do the same to them, and stop your thr...
Colossians 3:25
For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wro...
1 Peter 1:17
And if you call on him as Father who judges imp...
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Cross References
James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
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Cross References
Job 31:15
Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?
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Cross References
Job 21:13
They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.
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Cross References
Exodus 11:4
So Moses said, "Thus says the Lord : About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt.
Job 27:20
Terrors overtake him like a flood; in the night a whirlwind carries him off.
Job 36:20
Do not long for the night, when peoples vanish in their place.
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Cross References
Daniel 8:25
By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken - but by no human hand.
Lamentations 4:6
For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her.
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Cross References
Job 14:16
For then you would number my steps; you would not keep watch over my sin.
Job 31:4
Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?
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Cross References
Job 14:16
For then you would number my steps; you would not keep watch over my sin.
Job 31:4
Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?
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Cross References
Psalms 139:12
Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
Amos 9:2 - 3
If they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them; if they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down.
Hebrews 4:13
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
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Cross References
Job 3:5
Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
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Cross References
Job 14:3
And do you open your eyes on such a one and bring me into judgment with you?
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Cross References
Psalms 2:9
You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
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Cross References
Job 8:19
Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the soil others will spring.
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Cross References
Proverbs 12:7
The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 15:11
I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments." And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.
Psalms 28:5
Because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.
Isaiah 5:12
They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the Lord, or see the work of his hands.
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Cross References
Job 35:9
Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty.
James 5:4
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
Genesis 18:20 - 21
Then the Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave.
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Cross References
Exodus 3:7
Then the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings.
Exodus 22:23
If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry.
Isaiah 32:17
And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
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Cross References
Job 35:11
Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?
Job 36:22
Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
Psalms 19:12
Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Psalms 86:11
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
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Cross References
Job 33:32
If you have any words, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you.
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Cross References
Job 35:16
Job opens his mouth in empty talk; he multiplies words without knowledge.
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Cross References
Job 27:23
It claps its hands at him and hisses at him from its place.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.