Job 34 · Clearspring

Elihu Confirms God’s Justice

¹Then Elihu continued:+ ²“Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.+ ³For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.+ ⁴Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.+ ⁵For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.+ ⁶Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’+ ⁷What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?+ ⁸He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.+ ⁹For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’+ ¹⁰Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.+ ¹¹For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.+ ¹²Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.+ ¹³Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?+ ¹⁴If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,+ ¹⁵all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.+ ¹⁶If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.+ ¹⁷Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,+ ¹⁸who says to kings, ‘ You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘ You are wicked,’+ ¹⁹who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.+ ²⁰They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.+ ²¹For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.+ ²²There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.+ ²³For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.+ ²⁴He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.+ ²⁵Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.+ ²⁶He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,+ ²⁷because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.+ ²⁸They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.+ ²⁹But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,+ ³⁰that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.+ ³¹Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.+ ³²Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’+ ³³Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed Him? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know.+ ³⁴Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:+ ³⁵‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’+ ³⁶If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.+ ³⁷For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”+

Elihu Confirms God’s Justice

Study Job 34