Online Bible

Job: What Can I Say?

Then the LORD said to Job,

2 “Will the faultfinder ^acontend with the Almighty?Let him who ^bdisputes with God answer it.”

3 Then Job replied to the LORD and said,

4 “Behold, I am of little importance and contemptible; what can I reply to You?I ^alay my hand on my mouth. Ezra 9:6; Ps 51:45 “I have spoken once, but ^aI will not reply again—Indeed, twice I have answered, and I will add nothing further.”

God Questions Job

6 Then the ^aLORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,

7 “^aNow ¹gird up your loins (prepare yourself) like a man,And ^bI will ask you, and you instruct Me.8 “Will you really ^aannul My judgment and set it aside as void?Will you ^bcondemn Me your God ^cthat you may appear to be righteous and justified?9 “Have you an arm like God,And can you ^athunder with a voice like His?

10 “^aAdorn yourself with eminence and dignity since you question the Almighty,And array yourself with honor and majesty.11 “Pour out ^athe overflowings of your wrath,And look at everyone who is ^bproud and make him low.12 “Look at everyone who is proud, and ^ahumble him,And if you are so able ^btread down the wicked where they stand.13 “Crush and ^ahide them in the dust together;Shut them up in the hidden place the house of death.14 “If you can do all this, Job, proving your divine power then I God will also praise you and acknowledgeThat your own right hand can save you.

God’s Power Shown in Creatures

15 “Behold now, ¹Behemoth, which ^aI created as well as you;He eats grass like an ox.16 “See now, his strength is in his loinsAnd his power is in the muscles and sinews of his belly.17 “He sways his tail like a cedar;The tendons of his thighs are twisted and knit together like a rope.18 “His bones are tubes of bronze;His ¹limbs are like bars of iron.

19 “He is the ^afirst in magnitude and power of the works of God;Only He who ^bmade him can bring near His sword to master him.20 “Surely the mountains ^abring him food,And all the wild animals ^bplay there.21 “He lies down under the lotus plants,In the hidden shelter of the reeds in the marsh.22 “The lotus plants cover him with their shade;The willows of the brook surround him.23 “If a river rages and overflows, he does not tremble;He is confident, though the ^aJordan River swells and rushes against his mouth.24 “Can anyone capture him when he is on watch,Or pierce his nose with barbs to trap him?

Job Places His Hand over His Mouth

Then Yahweh answered Job and said,

2 “Will the faultfinder ^acontend with the Almighty?Let him who ^breproves God answer it.”

3 Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I respond to You?I ^aplace my hand over my mouth.5 “Once I have spoken, and ^aI will not answer;Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

Yahweh Will Ask Job

6 Then ^aYahweh answered Job out of the ¹whirlwind and said,

7 “Now ^agird up your loins like a man;I will ^bask you, and you make Me know.8 “Will you really ^aannul My judgment?Will you ^bcondemn Me ^cthat you may be justified?9 “Or do you have an arm like God,And can you ^athunder with a voice like His?

10 “^aAdorn yourself with exaltation and loftiness,And clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.11 “Pour out ^athe overflowings of your anger,And look on everyone who is ^bproud, and make him low.12 “Look on everyone who is proud, and ^ahumble him,And ^btread down the wicked ¹in their place.13 “^aHide them in the dust together;Bind their faces in the hidden place.14 “Then I will also praise you,That your own right hand can save you.

Behold the Behemoth

15 “Behold now, ¹Behemoth, which ^aI made along with you;It eats grass like an ox.16 “Behold now, its power in its loinsAnd its vigor in the muscles of its belly.17 “It hangs its tail like a cedar;The sinews of its thighs are knit together.18 “Its bones are tubes of bronze;Its ¹limbs are like bars of iron.

19 “It is the ^afirst of the ways of God;Let its ^bMaker bring near its sword.20 “Surely the mountains ^abring it food,And all the beasts of the field ^bplay there.21 “Under the lotus plants it lies down,In the hidden place of the reeds and the marsh.22 “The lotus plants cover it with ¹shade;The willows of the brook surround it.23 “If a river oppresses, it is not alarmed;It is secure, though the ^aJordan bursts forth to its mouth.24 “Can anyone capture it before its eyes,With snares can anyone pierce its nose?