Job 25


Bildad talks again.


Bildad talked to Job again.  He said that God is in control of everything. He has many armies with too many soldiers to count. His light shines on everyone.
[1] Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
[2] Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.
[3] Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?


No man can be perfect. No man is as good as God.
[4] How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?


The moon and stars are not as good as God either. The stars are not pure.
[5] Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.


Men are lower than the moon and stars.
[6] How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?
 

Job 26

Job answers Bildad.


Job does not think that Bildad has helped him.  Bildad talks about God's power, but Job also knows about God's power.
[1] But Job answered and said,
[2] How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?
[3] How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
[4] To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?



Job talks about God's power.

Job talks about God's power. He says that God is in control over things that live and things that are dead.
[5] Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.


God sees every bad thing that happens. He can see everything in Hell.
[6] Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.


God stretches the north of the earth. The earth hangs in space on nothing.
[7] He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.


God keeps the rain in thick clouds.
[8] He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.


God covers His throne with clouds.
[9] He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.


God has set up boundaries around the water on earth.
[10] He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.


Even the pillars in Heaven are amazed when God says commands.
[11] The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.


God's power divides the sea. He destroys people who think they are better than other people.
[12] He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.
 

God puts beautiful things in the sky and makes the animals.
[13] By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.


Men can only understand a little of God's power.
[14] Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?
 

Job 27
 

Job continued to speak. He said that while he is alive, he will not say bad things. He will not lie.
[1] Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
[2] As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
[3] All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
[4] My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.


His friends said he has sinned, but Job will not agree with them. He will continue to be righteous and obey God.
[5] God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
[6] My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.


His enemies and the people against him are wicked and bad.
[7] Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.


Job talks about people who sin but pretend they are good. They will not obey God's laws. God will not hear them cry if they are in trouble.
[8] For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
[9] Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
[10] Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?



Job talks about how God punishes sinful people.


Job says he will teach his friends about God. He will teach them what happens to sinful people.
[11] I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
[12] Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?
[13] This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
 

If a sinful man has children, they will not have enough food.
[14] If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.


His family will die. His widow will not cry for him.
[15] Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.


A sinful man collected silver and fancy clothes.  But other people who are not sinful will divide his silver and wear his clothes.
[16] Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
[17] He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.


A sinful man builds a house, but it is not strong. It is like the home of a moth.
[18] He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.


A rich man will go to bed, but when he wakes up, he is not rich anymore.
[19] The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.


A sinful man is afraid at night.
[20] Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.

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The east wind carries away the rich man.  A storm blows him away.
[21] The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.


God will punish the sinful man.  Other men will be glad the sinful man is gone.
[22] For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
[23] Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.
 

Job 28

Job compares looking for minerals in the ground to looking for wisdom.


Valuable minerals are in the ground. Some of them are silver, gold, iron, and brass.
[1] Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
[2] Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.


Men dig in the earth to find the valuable minerals.
[3] He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.


Water comes out of the ground while men are looking for the minerals.
[4] The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.


Food grows on top of the earth. Down deep in the earth, it is hot.
[5] As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

 

Sapphires are one of the valuable minerals in the earth that Job talks about.
This is sapphire when it first comes out of the ground. Photo from : www.mcrocks.com	This is a sapphire that has been cut and polished. Photo from: www.primagem.com

Men find sapphires (a blue valuable mineral) and gold in the earth.
[6] The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.


The valuable minerals are under the ground. No bird or lion has seen deep under the ground.
[7] There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
[8] The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.


Men go underground and find the valuable minerals. They cut out paths like rivers in the rock.
[9] He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
[10] He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.


Men work underground and stop the water. Then they find the valuable minerals.
[11] He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.


Job says that men do not know where to look to find wisdom and understanding.
[12] But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?


Men cannot pay money for wisdom. They cannot find it on earth. They cannot find it under the ground or in the water.
[13] Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
[14] The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

 

Men cannot buy wisdom with gold, silver, onyx, sapphire, or crystal. Wisdom is more valuable than these things.
[15] It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
[16] It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
[17] The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

Wisdom is more valuable than coral, pearls, and rubies. It is more valuable than the topaz that comes from Ethiopia.
[18] No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
[19] The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.


Job asks where wisdom comes from. He asks where the place of understanding is.  No living person has seen it. No birds in the air have seen it.
[20] Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
[21] Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.


Death and destruction say they have heard about wisdom.
[22] Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.


Job says that God knows the place of wisdom and understanding.
[23] God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.


God can see to the ends of the earth. He can see under the whole heaven.  He knows how much the winds and water weigh.
[24] For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
[25] To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

God made the rain, lightning, and thunder.
[26] When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
[27] Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

God told man that wisdom means that a man respects God. Understanding means that a man does not sin.
[28] And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
 

Job 29
 

Job talks about his life in the past.


Job continues talking. He wishes his life was the same as in the past.  In the past, God saved him from trouble.  He says that God's light shined on him. God's light helped him walk in the darkness.
[1] Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
[2] Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
[3] When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;


God helped him when he was younger.
[4] As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;


He says that God was with him in the past. At that time, his children were with him.
[5] When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;



He had plenty of milk and olive oil.
[6] When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;


Job was a judge or city official. He went for meetings at the city gate. When he arrived, the younger men moved, and the older men stood up. They showed their respect for Job.
[7] When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
[8] The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.


The princes and city leaders stopped talking.
[9] The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
[10] The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.


People saw and heard him. They respected him and liked him. He helped orphans and people who were poor. He helped people who had no one else to help them.
[11] When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
[12] Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.


He helped people who were ready to die. He helped widows.
[13] The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

He was a very good man and had good judgment.
[14] I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.


He helped blind and disabled people. He helped poor people. He helped strangers if they needed help.
[15] I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
[16] I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.


He defeated bad people. He did not let them profit from doing bad things.
[17] And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
 

Job said he always thought he would have a long life. He thought he would die in his home.
[18] Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

He said that in the past, he had strong roots and branches like a big tree.
[19] My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.


In the past, he was strong and fresh every day.
[20] My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.


Other people listened to him when he talked. They wanted to know his opinions.
[21] Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
[22] After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
[23] And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

People enjoyed being around Job in the past. He joked with them.
[24] If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

Other people trusted him and followed his advice. He always helped people.
[25] I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
 

Job 30


Job talks about his life now.


Job talks about foolish or bad men he knew before. Now their children make fun of him.


Job says that young people now make fun of him.  Job knew their fathers, and he did not think they were good people. He thought they were lazy and did not use their lives well.
[1] But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
[2] Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?

Those people were always hungry. They went to the wilderness to look for food. They cut up bushes and roots to eats.
[3] For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
[4] Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.

Other men chased them away. They hid in caves and rocks. They hid under bushes and cried like donkeys.
[5] They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)
[6] To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
[7] Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.


These bad and foolish men had children.
[8] They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.


The children now hate Job. They spit in his face and run away from him.
[9] And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
[10] They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.


God made him weak, and now they do not obey the laws. They push him away and try to destroy him.
[11] Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.
[12] Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.


No one tells them to do this. They block Job's way, and he is afraid of them.  They try to destroy his soul.
[13] They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
[14] They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.
[15] Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.



Job talks about how he feels now.


Job is very upset about his problems. He does not sleep or rest well. He has pain in his bones and muscles. He feels like he's choking.
[16] And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
[17] My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.
[18] By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
 

He feels that he is worthless like dust and ashes.
[19] He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.


He says he cries to God, but God does not hear him. He said he stands up, but God does not see him.
[20] I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.


Job says that God is now mean to him.  He said God's strong hand is against him. He said God throws him up in the wind to destroy him.
[21] Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
[22] Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.


He says he knows God will make him die.
[23] For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.


He says that God does not help people who are dead even if they cry to him.
[24] Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.

Job said he always cried for people who were poor or in trouble.
[25] Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

When he was looking for good things to happen, bad things happened.  When he was looking for light, darkness came.
[26] When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

He is sick with bowel trouble.
[27] My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.


He mourns and cries. He makes noises like animals.
[28] I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.
[29] I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.

His skin has turned black, and his bones are burned.
[30] My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
[31] My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.