Online Bible

Elihu Says God Gives the Afflicted Justice

Then Elihu continued and said,

2 “Wait for me a little, and I will show youThat there ¹is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.3 “I will take up my knowledge from afar,And I will ascribe ^arighteousness to my Maker.4 “For truly ^amy words are not a lie;One who is ¹^bperfect in knowledge is with you.5 “Behold, God is mighty but does not ^areject;He is ^bmighty in the power of His heart.6 “He does not ^akeep the wicked alive,But gives justice to ^bthe afflicted.7 “He does not ^awithdraw His eyes from the righteous;But ^bwith kings on the throneHe has seated them forever, and they are exalted.8 “And if they are bound in fetters,And are caught in the cords of ^aaffliction,9 Then He declares to them their workAnd their transgressions, that they have ^amagnified themselves.10 “^aHe opens their ear to discipline,And ^bsays that they return from wickedness.11 “If they hear and serve Him,They will ^aend their days in prosperityAnd their years in ^bpleasures.12 “But if they do not hear, they shall pass away ^aby a weaponAnd they will ^bbreathe their last without knowledge.13 “But the godless in heart lay up anger;They do not cry for help when He binds them.14 “¹They die in youth,And their life perishes among the ^acult prostitutes.15 “He delivers the afflicted in ¹their ^aaffliction,And ^bopens their ear in ²time of oppression.16 “Then indeed, He ^aenticed you from the mouth of distress,Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;And the comfort of your table full of ¹fatness.

17 “But you were full of ^ajudgment on the wicked;Judgment and justice take hold of you.18 “Beware lest ^awrath entice you to scoffing;And do not let the greatness of the ^batonement turn you aside.19 “Will your ¹cries keep you from distress,Or all the forces of your power?20 “Do not long for ^athe night,When people ¹vanish in their place.21 “Be careful, do ^anot turn to wickedness,For you have chosen this to ^baffliction.22 “Behold, God is exalted in His power;Who is a ^ateacher like Him?23 “Who has appointed Him His way,And who has said, ‘^aYou have worked out ¹unrighteousness’?

24 “Remember that you should ^aexalt His work,Of which men have ^bsung.25 “All men have beheld it;Man looks from afar.26 “Behold, God is ^aexalted, and ^bwe do not know Him;The ^cnumber of His years is unsearchable.27 “For ^aHe draws up the drops of water,They distill rain for His ¹stream,28 Which the clouds pour down,They drip upon man abundantly.29 “Can anyone discern the ^aspreading of the clouds,The ^bthundering of His ¹pavilion?30 “Behold, He spreads His ¹lightning about Him,And He covers the depths of the sea.31 “For by these He ^ajudges peoples;He ^bgives food in abundance.32 “He covers His hands with the ¹lightning,And ^acommands it to strike the mark.33 “Its ^athundering declares about Him;The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.

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Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Mankind

Then Elihu continued and said,

2 “Wait for me a little, and I will show youThat there ¹is still more to be said on God’s behalf.3 “I will bring my knowledge from afar,And ascribe ^arighteousness to my Maker.4 “For truly ^amy words are not false;One who is ^bperfect in knowledge is with you.5 “Behold, God is mighty but does not ^areject anyone;He is ^bmighty in strength of understanding.6 “He does not ^akeep the wicked alive,But gives justice to ^bthe afflicted.7 “He does not ^awithdraw His eyes from the righteous,But ^bwith kings on the throneHe has seated them forever, and they are exalted.8 “And if they are bound in shackles,And are caught in the snares of ^amisery,9 Then He declares to them their workAnd their wrongdoings, that they have ^abeen arrogant.10 “^aHe opens their ears to instruction,And ^bcommands that they return from injustice.11 “If they listen and serve Him,They will ^aend their days in prosperity,And their years in ^bhappiness.12 “But if they do not listen, they will ¹perish ^aby the sword,And ^bdie without knowledge.13 “But the godless in heart nurture anger;They do not call for help when He binds them.14 “¹They die in youth,And their life perishes among the ^acult prostitutes.15 “He rescues the afflicted in ¹their ^amisery,And ^bopens their ears in time of oppression.16 “Then indeed, He induced you away from the mouth of distress,And instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;And your table was full of ¹rich food.

17 “But you were full of ^ajudgment on the wicked;Judgment and justice take hold of you.18 “Beware that ^awrath does not entice you to mockery;And do not let the greatness of the ^bransom turn you aside.19 “Will your cry for help keep you from distress,Or all the exertions of your strength?20 “Do not long for ^athe night,When people ¹vanish in their places.21 “Be careful, do ^anot turn to evil,For you preferred this to ^bmisery.22 “Behold, God is exalted in His power;Who is a ^ateacher like Him?23 “Who has appointed Him His way,And who has said, ‘^aYou have done wrong’?

24 “Remember that you are to ^aexalt His work,Of which people have ^bsung.25 “All people have seen it;Mankind looks at it from afar.26 “Behold, God is ^aexalted, and ^bwe do not know Him;The ^cnumber of His years is unsearchable.27 “For ^aHe draws up the drops of water;They distill rain from its ¹celestial stream,28 Which clouds pour down;They drip upon mankind abundantly.29 “Can anyone understand the ^aspreading of the clouds,The ^bthundering of His ¹pavilion?30 “Behold, He spreads His ¹lightning about Him,And He covers the depths of the sea.31 “For by them He ^ajudges peoples;He ^bgives food in abundance.32 “He covers His hands with the ¹lightning,And ^acommands it to strike the target.33 “Its ^athundering voice declares ¹His presence;The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.

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Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men

Then Elihu continued and said,

2 “Wait for me a little, and I will show youThat there ¹is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.3 “I will fetch my knowledge from afar,And I will ascribe ^arighteousness to my Maker.4 “For truly ^amy words are not false;One who is ^bperfect in knowledge is with you.5 “Behold, God is mighty but does not ^adespise any;He is ^bmighty in strength of understanding.6 “He does not ^akeep the wicked alive,But gives justice to ^bthe afflicted.7 “He does not ^awithdraw His eyes from the righteous;But ^bwith kings on the throneHe has seated them forever, and they are exalted.8 “And if they are bound in fetters,And are caught in the cords of ^aaffliction,9 Then He declares to them their workAnd their transgressions, that they have ^amagnified themselves.10 “^aHe opens their ear to instruction,And ^bcommands that they return from evil.11 “If they hear and serve Him,They will ^aend their days in prosperityAnd their years in ^bpleasures.12 “But if they do not hear, they shall ¹perish ^aby the swordAnd they will ^bdie without knowledge.13 “But the godless in heart lay up anger;They do not cry for help when He binds them.14 “¹They die in youth,And their life perishes among the ^acult prostitutes.15 “He delivers the afflicted in ¹their ^aaffliction,And ^bopens their ear ²in time of oppression.16 “Then indeed, He ^aenticed you from the mouth of distress,Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;And that which was set on your table was full of ¹fatness.

17 “But you were full of ^ajudgment on the wicked;Judgment and justice take hold of you.18 “Beware that ^awrath does not entice you to scoffing;And do not let the greatness of the ^bransom turn you aside.19 “Will your ¹riches keep you from distress,Or all the forces of your strength?20 “Do not long for ^athe night,When people ¹vanish in their place.21 “Be careful, do ^anot turn to evil,For you have preferred this to ^baffliction.22 “Behold, God is exalted in His power;Who is a ^ateacher like Him?23 “Who has appointed Him His way,And who has said, ‘^aYou have done wrong’?

24 “Remember that you should ^aexalt His work,Of which men have ^bsung.25 “All men have seen it;Man beholds from afar.26 “Behold, God is ^aexalted, and ^bwe do not know Him;The ^cnumber of His years is unsearchable.27 “For ^aHe draws up the drops of water,They distill rain from ¹the ²mist,28 Which the clouds pour down,They drip upon man abundantly.29 “Can anyone understand the ^aspreading of the clouds,The ^bthundering of His ¹pavilion?30 “Behold, He spreads His ¹lightning about Him,And He covers the depths of the sea.31 “For by these He ^ajudges peoples;He ^bgives food in abundance.32 “He covers His hands with the ¹lightning,And ^acommands it to strike the mark.33 “Its ^anoise declares ¹His presence;The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.