10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. kShall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” lIn all this Job did not msin with his lips.
Job’s Three Friends
11Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the nTemanite, Bildad the oShuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come pand mourn with him, and to comfort him.
12And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and qsprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.
13So they sat down with him on the ground rseven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. The Script
Job 3
Job Deplores His Birth
1After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2And Job 1spoke, and said:
3“Maya the day perish on which I was born,
And the night in which it was said,
‘A male child is conceived.’
4May that day be darkness;
May God above not seek it,
Nor the light shine upon it.
5May darkness and bthe shadow of death claim it;
May a cloud settle on it;
May the blackness of the day terrify it.
6As for that night, may darkness seize it;
May it not 2rejoice among the days of the year,
May it not come into the number of the months.
7Oh, may that night be barren!
May no joyful shout come into it!
8May those curse it who curse the day,
Those cwho are ready to arouse Leviathan.
9May the stars of its morning be dark;
May it look for light, but have none,
And not see the 3dawning of the day;
10Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,
Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.
11“Whyd did I not die at birth?
Why did I not 4perish when I came from the womb?
12e Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13For now I would have lain still and been quiet,
I would have been asleep;
Then I would have been at rest
14With kings and counselors of the earth,
Who fbuilt ruins for themselves,
15Or with princes who had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver;
16Or why was I not hidden glike a stillborn child,
Like infants who never saw light?
17There the wicked cease from troubling,
And there the 5weary are at hrest.
18There the prisoners 6rest together;
i They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19The small and great are there,
And the servant is free from his master.
20“Whyj is light given to him who is in misery,
And life to the kbitter of soul,
21Who llong7 for death, but it does not come,
And search for it more than mhidden treasures;
22Who rejoice exceedingly,
And are glad when they can find the ngrave?
23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
o And whom God has hedged in?
24For my sighing comes before 8I eat,
And my groanings pour out like water.
25For the thing I greatly pfeared has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me.
26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest, for trouble comes.”
Job 4
Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2“ If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3Surely you have instructed many,
And you ahave strengthened weak hands.
4Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you bhave strengthened the 1feeble knees;
5But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;
It touches you, and you are troubled.
6Is not cyour reverence dyour confidence?
And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7“Remember now, ewho ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright ever cut off?
8Even as I have seen,
f Those who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.
9By the blast of God they perish,
And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
10The roaring of the lion,
The voice of the fierce lion,
And gthe teeth of the young lions are broken.
11h The old lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12“Now a word was secretly brought to me,
And my ear received a whisper of it.
13i In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14Fear came upon me, and jtrembling,
Which made all my bones shake.
15Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my body stood up.
16It stood still,
But I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence;
Then I heard a voice saying:
17‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18If He kputs no trust in His servants,
If He charges His angels with error,
19How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before a moth?
20l They are broken in pieces from morning till evening;
They perish forever, with no one regarding.
21Does not their own excellence go away?
They die, even without wisdom.’
Job 5
Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God
1“Call out now;
Is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
2For wrath kills a foolish man,
And envy slays a simple one. Job’s Living Death
3a I have seen the foolish taking root,
But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
4His sons are bfar from safety,
They are crushed in the gate,
And cthere is no deliverer.
5Because the hungry eat up his harvest,
1 Taking it even from the thorns,
2 And a snare snatches their 3substance.
6For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring from the ground;
7Yet man is dborn to 4trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.
8“But as for me, I would seek God,
And to God I would commit my cause—
9Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.
10e He gives rain on the earth,
And sends waters on the fields.
11f He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12g He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13He catches the hwise in their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
14They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noontime as in the night.
15But iHe saves the needy from the sword,
From the mouth of the
mighty,
And from their hand.
16j So the poor have hope,
And injustice shuts her mouth.
17“Behold,k happy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18l For He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19m He shall deliver you in six troubles,
Yes, in seven nno evil shall touch you.
20o In famine He shall redeem you from death,
And in war from the 5power of the sword.
21p You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22You shall laugh at destruction and famine,
And qyou shall not be afraid of the rbeasts of the earth.
23s For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24You shall know that your tent is in peace;
You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25You shall also know that tyour descendants shall be many,
And your offspring ulike the grass of the earth.
26v You shall come to the grave at a full age,
As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27Behold, this we have wsearched out;
It is true.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”
Job 6
Job: My Complaint Is Just
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
3For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—
Therefore my words have been rash.
4a For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
b The terrors of God are arrayed cagainst me.
5Does the dwild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
6Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me.
8“Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and ecut me off!
10Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For fI have not concealed the words of gthe Holy One.
11“What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
13Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me?
14“Toh him who is 1afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend,
Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15i My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
j Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,
16Which are dark because of the ice,
And into which the snow vanishes.
17When it is warm, they cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18The paths of their way turn aside,
They go nowhere and perish.
19The caravans of kTema look,
The travelers of lSheba hope for them.
20They are mdisappointed2 because they were confident;
They come there and are confused.
21For now nyou are nothing,
You see terror and oare afraid.
22Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’?
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
23Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?
24“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
26Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
27Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you pundermine your friend.
28Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
29q Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my rrighteousness 3still stands!
30Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my 4taste discern the unsavory?
Job 7
Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless
1“Is there not aa time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
2Like a servant who 1earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
3So I have been allotted bmonths of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
4c When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
5My flesh is dcaked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.
6“Mye days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
7Oh, remember that fmy life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8g The eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
9As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So hhe who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10He shall never return to his house,
i Nor shall his place know him anymore.
11“Therefore I will jnot restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will kcomplain in the bitterness of my soul.
12Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13l When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’
14Then You scare me with dreams
And terrify me with visions,
15So that my soul chooses strangling
And death rather than 2my body.
16m I loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
n Let me alone,
For omy days are but 3a breath.
17“Whatp is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18That You should 4visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
19How long?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
20Have I sinned?
What have I done to You, qO watcher of men?
Why rhave You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden 5to myself?
21Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,
And You will seek me diligently,
But I will no longer be.”
Job 8
Bildad: Job Should Repent
1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2“How long will you speak these things,
And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3a Does God subvert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
4If byour sons have sinned against Him,
He has cast them away 1for their transgression.
5c If you would earnestly seek God
And make your supplication to the Almighty,
6If you were pure and upright,
Surely now He would 2awake for you,
And prosper your rightful dwelling place.
7Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would dincrease abundantly.
8“Fore inquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
9For fwe were born yesterday, and know 3nothing,
Because our days on earth are a shadow.
10Will they not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their heart?
11“Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the reeds flourish without water?
12g While it is yet green and not cut down,
It withers before any other plant.
13So are the paths of all who hforget God;
And the hope of the ihypocrite shall perish,
14Whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is 4a spider’s web.
15j He leans on his house, but it does not stand.
He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
16He grows green in the sun,
And his branches spread out in his garden.
17His roots wrap around the rock heap,
And look for a place in the stones.
18k If he is destroyed from his place,
Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19“Behold, this is the joy of His way,
And lout of the earth others will grow.
20Behold, mGod will not 5cast away the blameless,
Nor will He uphold the evildoers.
21He will yet fill your mouth with laughing,
And your lips with 6rejoicing.
22Those who hate you will be nclothed with shame,
And the dwelling place of the wicked 7will come to nothing.”
Job 9
Job: There Is No Mediator
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Truly I know it is so,
But how can a aman be brighteous before God?
3If one wished to 1contend with Him,
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4c God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
6He dshakes the earth out of its place,
And its epillars tremble;
7He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
8f He alone spreads out the heavens,
And 2treads on the 3waves of the sea;
9g He made 4the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 241