Job 36: Elihu speaks for God and tells of God's greatness
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What happens?
Elihu goes on and asks Job to bear with him, for he still has words for God. He says that God is mighty, gives justice to the afflicted, keeps his eyes on the righteous, and shows those bound in fetters their work and their transgressions, and he tells what follows if they listen and if they do not. He turns to Job, warns him about anger and a ransom, and speaks of God as exalted, a teacher, and the one who draws up the drops of water, spreads the clouds and covers his hands with light.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Elihu speaks all of it, from verse 2 to verse 33 (verse 1 says "Elihu also continued"). He speaks about God throughout, and in verse 23 he gives words that, he asks, no one can say to God. He says "you" to Job in verses 2, 4 and 16 to 21, and again in verse 24. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Elihu also continued, and said,
In plain English: Elihu also continued, and said:
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2“Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
In plain English: Wait for me a little, and I will show you, for there are still words for God (or: on God's behalf).
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3I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
In plain English: I will bring my knowledge from afar, and I will give righteousness to my Maker.
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4For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
In plain English: For truly my words are not false. One perfect in knowledge is with you.
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5“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
In plain English: Look, God is mighty, and he does not despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding (the Hebrew word is heart).
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6He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.
In plain English: He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives justice to the afflicted.
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7He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
In plain English: He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he makes them sit forever, and they are exalted.
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8If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
In plain English: If they are bound in fetters, and are caught in cords of affliction,
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9then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
In plain English: then he tells them their work and their transgressions, that they were behaving proudly.
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10He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
In plain English: He also opens their ear to correction, and says that they should turn back from wickedness.
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11If they listen and serve him, they will spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
In plain English: If they listen and serve him, they will end their days in good, and their years in pleasant things.
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12But if they don’t listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die without knowledge.
In plain English: But if they do not listen, they will pass away by the sword (the Hebrew word is a missile, a weapon thrown or shot), and they will die without knowledge.
The Hebrew word: "Sword" is shelach, which the dictionary gives as "a missile of attack, i.e. spear; also (figuratively) a shoot of growth; i.e. branch". It is in 8 verses of the Bible and in 2 verses of Job, and the WEB says "sword" in both of the verses in Job.
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13“But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
In plain English: Those who are godless in heart put up anger. They do not cry for help when he binds them.
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14They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
In plain English: They die in youth. Their life is among the unclean (or: among the temple prostitutes).
The Hebrew word: "The unclean" is qadesh, which the dictionary gives as "a (quasi) sacred person, i.e. (technically) a (male) devotee (by prostitution) to licentious idolatry". It is in 6 verses of the Bible and in 1 verse of Job, this one, and the WEB says "unclean" here.
What changes: With the dictionary meaning the verse says their life is among the temple prostitutes, men given to idolatry by prostitution. With the WEB's word it says they live among the unclean. The text does not say more.
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15He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
In plain English: He rescues the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear by oppression.
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16Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a wide place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
In plain English: Yes, he would have allured you out of the mouth of distress (or: an enemy), into a broad place where there is no constraint. What is set on your table would be full of fatness.
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17“But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
In plain English: But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
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18Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
In plain English: For there is rage: take care that it does not entice you into mockery (or: chastisement; the Hebrew word is unclear), and do not let the greatness of the ransom (or: bribe) turn you aside.
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew is short: "for rage, lest it entice you in sepheq". "Sepheq" is a rare word, which the dictionary gives as "chastisement; also satiety". It is in 2 verses of the Bible, and this one. The word-by-word meaning is "mockery", and the WEB prints "riches" for it here. "Entice" is sut, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to prick, i.e. (figuratively) stimulate; by implication, to seduce". It is in 18 verses of the Bible, and in 3 verses of Job.
What changes: The WEB reads "Don't let riches entice you to wrath". With the word-by-word meanings the line is about rage that entices Job into mockery, and about a ransom (or bribe) that may not turn him aside. The text does not rule between the readings.
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19Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
In plain English: Would your wealth set you in order in distress (the Hebrew also has the word "not" here, so another reading is: without distress), and all the efforts of your strength?
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20Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.
In plain English: Do not long for the night, when peoples go up (or: are cut off) in their place.
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21Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
In plain English: Take heed. Do not turn to wickedness, for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
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22Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
In plain English: Look, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
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23Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?
In plain English: Who has assigned his way to him? Or who has said, "You have done unrighteousness"?
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24“Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.
In plain English: Remember that you magnify (or: will magnify) his work, which people have sung.
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25All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off.
In plain English: All humankind have looked on it. A man looks from afar.
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26Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
In plain English: Look, God is exalted, and we do not know him. The number of his years cannot be searched out.
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27For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
In plain English: For he draws up (or: draws off) the drops of water, and they are refined into rain from his mist (or: for its mist),
The Hebrew word: "Draws up" is gara, which the dictionary gives as "to scrape off; by implication, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold". It is in 21 verses of the Bible and 4 verses of Job. The WEB says "withdraw" in 1 of the 4, , and does not use it in this verse.
What changes: With the dictionary words the verse can read that he draws off, or removes, the drops of water. The text does not say more.
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28which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.
In plain English: which the skies (or: clouds) pour down, and which drip on humankind in abundance.
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29Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his pavilion?
In plain English: Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading out of the dark clouds, the crashes of his pavilion?
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30Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
In plain English: Look, he spreads his light around him, and he covers the roots of the sea.
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31For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
In plain English: For by these he judges peoples. He gives food in abundance.
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32He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
In plain English: He covers the palms of his hands with light (the WEB says lightning), and commands it against the one who strikes (or: to strike the mark).
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew is short and can be read in more than one way. It says "light", and the WEB says "lightning". The last words are "in an assailant": the word is paga, which the dictionary gives as "to impinge, by accident or violence, or (figuratively) by importunity".
What changes: He commands the light either against the one who strikes (or meets) or to strike the mark, as the WEB reads. The text does not rule between the readings.
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33Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.
In plain English: His crash of thunder tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the one who comes up (the WEB reads: the storm that comes up).
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew is short. "His crash of thunder" is re'a, which the dictionary gives as "a crash (of thunder), noise (of war), shout (of joy)". It is in 1 verse of Job, this one. "Livestock" is miqneh, which the dictionary gives as "something bought, i.e. property, but only livestock". The last words are "on one who comes up", and the Hebrew does not say what comes up.
What changes: The WEB reads that the noise, and the livestock too, tell about the storm that comes up. With the Hebrew word for word the one who comes up is not named. The text does not say who or what.
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