GOD GIVES SONGS IN THE NIGHT
Key verse: 35:10,11
NIV
34 Then Elihu said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me,(A) you men of learning.
3 For the ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.(B)
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;(C)
let us learn together what is good.(D)
5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent,(E)
but God denies me justice.(F)
6 Although I am right,
I am considered a liar;(G)
although I am guiltless,(H)
his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’(I)
7 Is there anyone like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?(J)
8 He keeps company with evildoers;
he associates with the wicked.(K)
9 For he says, ‘There is no profit
in trying to please God.’(L)
10 “So listen to me,(M) you men of understanding.(N)
Far be it from God to do evil,(O)
from the Almighty to do wrong.(P)
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;(Q)
he brings on them what their conduct deserves.(R)
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,(S)
that the Almighty would pervert justice.(T)
13 Who appointed(U) him over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?(V)
14 If it were his intention
and he withdrew his spirit[a](W) and breath,(X)
15 all humanity would perish(Y) together
and mankind would return to the dust.(Z)
16 “If you have understanding,(AA) hear this;
listen to what I say.(AB)
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?(AC)
Will you condemn the just and mighty One?(AD)
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
and to nobles,(AE) ‘You are wicked,’(AF)
19 who shows no partiality(AG) to princes
and does not favor the rich over the poor,(AH)
for they are all the work of his hands?(AI)
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;(AJ)
the people are shaken and they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.(AK)
21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;(AL)
he sees their every step.(AM)
22 There is no deep shadow,(AN) no utter darkness,(AO)
where evildoers can hide.(AP)
23 God has no need to examine people further,(AQ)
that they should come before him for judgment.(AR)
24 Without inquiry he shatters(AS) the mighty(AT)
and sets up others in their place.(AU)
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,(AV)
he overthrows them in the night(AW) and they are crushed.(AX)
26 He punishes them for their wickedness(AY)
where everyone can see them,
27 because they turned from following him(AZ)
and had no regard for any of his ways.(BA)
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
so that he heard the cry of the needy.(BB)
29 But if he remains silent,(BC) who can condemn him?(BD)
If he hides his face,(BE) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,(BF)
30 to keep the godless(BG) from ruling,(BH)
from laying snares for the people.(BI)
31 “Suppose someone says to God,
‘I am guilty(BJ) but will offend no more.
32 Teach me what I cannot see;(BK)
if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’(BL)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
when you refuse to repent?(BM)
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know.
34 “Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;(BN)
his words lack insight.’(BO)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
for answering like a wicked man!(BP)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
scornfully he claps his hands(BQ) among us
and multiplies his words(BR) against God.”(BS)
35 Then Elihu said:
2 “Do you think this is just?
You say, ‘I am in the right,(BT) not God.’(BU)
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,[b]
and what do I gain by not sinning?’(BV)
4 “I would like to reply to you
and to your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavens(BW) and see;
gaze at the clouds so high above you.(BX)
6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
If your sins are many, what does that do to him?(BY)
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,(BZ)
or what does he receive(CA) from your hand?(CB)
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,(CC)
and your righteousness only other people.(CD)
9 “People cry out(CE) under a load of oppression;(CF)
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.(CG)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,(CH)
who gives songs(CI) in the night,(CJ)
11 who teaches(CK) us(CL) more than he teaches[c] the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than[d] the birds in the sky?’
12 He does not answer(CM) when people cry out
because of the arrogance(CN) of the wicked.(CO)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.(CP)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
when you say that you do not see him,(CQ)
that your case(CR) is before him
and you must wait for him,(CS)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes(CT)
and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.[e](CU)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;(CV)
without knowledge he multiplies words.”(CW)
Footnotes
Cross references
- Job 34:2 : S Job 32:10
- Job 34:3 : Job 12:11
- Job 34:4 : S Job 12:12; Heb 5:14
- Job 34:4 : 1Th 5:21
- Job 34:5 : S Job 10:7
- Job 34:5 : S Job 6:29
- Job 34:6 : S Job 6:28
- Job 34:6 : S Job 9:21
- Job 34:6 : S Job 6:4; S 10:3; S Jer 10:19
- Job 34:7 : S Job 9:21; S 15:16
- Job 34:8 : S Job 22:15
- Job 34:9 : S Job 9:29-31; S 21:15
- Job 34:10 : Job 32:10
- Job 34:10 : ver 16; S Job 12:12
- Job 34:10 : S Ge 18:25
- Job 34:10 : ver 12; Dt 32:4; Job 8:3; 36:23; Ps 92:15; Ro 3:5; 9:14
- Job 34:11 : S Job 21:31; S Mt 16:27
- Job 34:11 : Jer 17:10; 32:19; Eze 33:20
- Job 34:12 : S ver 10; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18
- Job 34:12 : S Job 8:3; Ps 9:16; Col 3:25; 2Th 1:6
- Job 34:13 : Heb 1:2
- Job 34:13 : Job 36:23; 38:4, 6; Isa 40:14
- Job 34:14 : S Ge 6:3
- Job 34:14 : S Nu 16:22; S Job 27:3
- Job 34:15 : S Ge 6:13; La 3:22; Mal 3:6; Jn 3:16
- Job 34:15 : S Ge 2:7; S Job 7:21; 9:22; Ps 90:10
- Job 34:16 : S ver 10
- Job 34:16 : S Job 32:10
- Job 34:17 : ver 30; 2Sa 23:3-4; Pr 20:8, 26; 24:23-25; 28:28
- Job 34:17 : ver 29; S Job 10:7; 40:8; Ro 3:5-6
- Job 34:18 : S Job 12:18
- Job 34:18 : Ex 22:28; Isa 40:24
- Job 34:19 : S Job 13:10; S Ac 10:34
- Job 34:19 : S Lev 19:15; Jas 2:5
- Job 34:19 : S Job 10:3
- Job 34:20 : ver 25; S Ex 11:4; S Job 20:8
- Job 34:20 : S Job 12:19
- Job 34:21 : Jer 32:19
- Job 34:21 : S Job 14:16; Pr 15:3; S Heb 4:13
- Job 34:22 : S Job 3:5
- Job 34:22 : Ps 74:20
- Job 34:22 : S Ge 3:8; S Job 11:20
- Job 34:23 : Ps 11:4
- Job 34:23 : Job 11:11
- Job 34:24 : Isa 8:9; 9:4; Jer 51:20; Da 2:34
- Job 34:24 : Job 12:19
- Job 34:24 : Da 2:21
- Job 34:25 : S Job 11:11
- Job 34:25 : S ver 20
- Job 34:25 : Pr 5:21-23
- Job 34:26 : S Ge 6:5; S Job 8:22; S 28:24; Ps 9:5; Jer 44:5
- Job 34:27 : Ps 14:3
- Job 34:27 : S 1Sa 15:11
- Job 34:28 : S Ex 22:23; S Job 5:15; S 12:19
- Job 34:29 : Ps 28:1; 83:1; 109:1
- Job 34:29 : S ver 17; Ro 8:34
- Job 34:29 : Ps 13:1
- Job 34:29 : Ps 83:18; 97:9
- Job 34:30 : S Job 8:13
- Job 34:30 : S ver 17
- Job 34:30 : Ps 25:15; 31:4; 91:3; 124:7; 140:5; Pr 29:2-12
- Job 34:31 : Ps 51:5; Lk 15:21; Ro 7:24; 1Jn 1:8, 10
- Job 34:32 : Ex 33:13; Job 35:11; 38:36; Ps 15:2; 25:4; 27:11; 51:6; 86:11; 139:23-24; 143:8
- Job 34:32 : Job 33:27; S Lk 19:8
- Job 34:33 : S 2Ki 17:13; Job 33:23; 36:10, 15, 18, 21; 41:11; 42:6; Pr 17:23; Jnh 3:8
- Job 34:35 : Job 35:16; 38:2; 42:3
- Job 34:35 : Job 26:3
- Job 34:36 : S Job 6:29; S 22:15
- Job 34:37 : S Job 27:23
- Job 34:37 : Job 35:16
- Job 34:37 : Job 23:2
- Job 35:2 : S Job 33:32
- Job 35:2 : S Job 2:9; S 32:2
- Job 35:3 : S Job 9:29-31; S 21:15
- Job 35:5 : S Ge 15:5; S Dt 10:14
- Job 35:5 : S Job 11:7-9; Ps 19:1-4
- Job 35:6 : S Job 7:20
- Job 35:7 : Ro 11:35
- Job 35:7 : 1Co 4:7
- Job 35:7 : S Job 22:2-3; Lk 17:10
- Job 35:8 : Eze 18:24
- Job 35:8 : Eze 18:5-9; Zec 7:9-10
- Job 35:9 : Ex 2:23
- Job 35:9 : S Job 20:19
- Job 35:9 : S Job 5:15; S 12:19
- Job 35:10 : S Job 4:17
- Job 35:10 : S Job 8:21
- Job 35:10 : Ps 42:8; 77:6; 119:62; 149:5; Ac 16:25
- Job 35:11 : S Job 21:22; Lk 12:24
- Job 35:11 : Job 12:7
- Job 35:12 : S 1Sa 8:18
- Job 35:12 : S Job 15:25
- Job 35:12 : Ps 66:18
- Job 35:13 : S Dt 1:45; S 1Sa 8:18; S Job 15:31; S Pr 15:8
- Job 35:14 : S Job 9:11
- Job 35:14 : Ps 37:6
- Job 35:14 : Job 31:35
- Job 35:15 : S Job 9:24
- Job 35:15 : S Job 18:5; Ps 10:11; Hos 7:2; Am 8:7
- Job 35:16 : Tit 1:10
- Job 35:16 : S Job 34:35, 37; 1Co 4:20; Jude 1:10
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Elihu Asserts God's Justice
34 Then Elihu answered and said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3 for (A)the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose (B)what is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘I am (C)in the right,
and (D)God has taken away my right;
6 in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am (E)without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
who (F)drinks up scoffing like water,
8 who travels in company with evildoers
and walks (G)with wicked men?
9 For (H)he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
that he should take delight in God.’
10 “Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God that he should (I)do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11 For according to (J)the work of a man he will repay him,
and (K)according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and (L)the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who (M)laid on him[a] the whole world?
14 If he should (N)set his heart to it
and (O)gather to himself his (P)spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and man would (Q)return to dust.
16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 (R)Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who (S)says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19 who (T)shows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich (U)more than the poor,
for (V)they are all the work of his hands?
20 In a moment (W)they die;
at (X)midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by (Y)no human hand.
21 “For his eyes are on (Z)the ways of a man,
and he sees all his (AA)steps.
22 There is no (AB)gloom or (AC)deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God[b] has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in (AD)judgment.
24 He (AE)shatters the mighty without investigation
and sets (AF)others in their place.
25 Thus, knowing their works,
he (AG)overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place for all to see,
27 because they turned aside from (AH)following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 so that they (AI)caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he (AJ)heard the cry of the afflicted—
29 When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him,
whether it be a nation or a man?—
30 that a godless man should not reign,
that he should not ensnare the people.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32 (AK)teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33 Will he then make repayment to suit you,
because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
therefore (AL)declare what you know.[c]
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 ‘Job (AM)speaks without knowledge;
his words are without insight.’
36 Would that Job were tried to the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he (AN)claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”
Elihu Condemns Job
35 And Elihu answered and said:
2 “Do you think this to be just?
Do you say, (AO)‘It is my right before God,’
3 that you ask, (AP)‘What advantage have I?
How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
4 I will answer you
and (AQ)your friends with you.
5 (AR)Look at the heavens, and see;
and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, (AS)what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 (AT)If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
and your righteousness (AU)a son of man.
9 “Because of the multitude of (AV)oppressions people (AW)cry out;
they call for help because of the arm of (AX)the mighty.[d]
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my (AY)Maker,
who gives (AZ)songs in the night,
11 who teaches us (BA)more than the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 There they (BB)cry out, but he does not answer,
because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
nor does the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when you say that you (BC)do not see him,
that the case is before him, and you are (BD)waiting for him!
15 And now, because (BE)his anger does not punish,
and he does not take much note of transgression,[e]
16 Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
he (BF)multiplies words (BG)without knowledge.”
Footnotes
Cross references
- Job 34:3 : ch. 12:11
- Job 34:4 : 1 Thess. 5:21, 22
- Job 34:5 : See ch. 33:9
- Job 34:5 : ch. 27:2
- Job 34:6 : ch. 33:9
- Job 34:7 : See ch. 15:16
- Job 34:8 : [Ps. 1:1]
- Job 34:9 : ch. 9:22, 23, 30, 31; 21:7, 15; 24:1; [ch. 35:3; Mal. 3:14]
- Job 34:10 : ch. 36:23; Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; 2 Chr. 19:7; Ps. 92:15; Rom. 9:14
- Job 34:11 : Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Matt. 16:27; Rom. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 22:12
- Job 34:11 : Jer. 17:10; 32:19; Ezek. 33:20
- Job 34:12 : See ch. 8:3
- Job 34:13 : See ch. 38:4-7
- Job 34:14 : [ch. 2:3]
- Job 34:14 : Ps. 104:29; [Ps. 146:4]
- Job 34:14 : ch. 32:8
- Job 34:15 : See ch. 10:9
- Job 34:17 : [Gen. 18:25]
- Job 34:18 : Ex. 22:28
- Job 34:19 : Deut. 10:17; 2 Chr. 19:7; Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17
- Job 34:19 : [James 2:5]
- Job 34:19 : See ch. 31:15
- Job 34:20 : ch. 21:13
- Job 34:20 : Ex. 11:4; [ch. 27:20; 36:20]
- Job 34:20 : Dan. 8:25; [Lam. 4:6]
- Job 34:21 : ch. 14:16; See ch. 31:4
- Job 34:21 : ch. 14:16; See ch. 31:4
- Job 34:22 : [Ps. 139:12; Amos 9:2, 3; Heb. 4:13]
- Job 34:22 : See ch. 3:5
- Job 34:23 : ch. 14:3
- Job 34:24 : Ps. 2:9
- Job 34:24 : See ch. 8:19
- Job 34:25 : Prov. 12:7
- Job 34:27 : 1 Sam. 15:11; Ps. 28:5; Isa. 5:12
- Job 34:28 : ch. 35:9; James 5:4; [Gen. 18:20, 21]
- Job 34:28 : Ex. 3:7; 22:23; Isa. 32:17
- Job 34:32 : ch. 35:11; 36:22; Ps. 19:12; 86:11
- Job 34:33 : ch. 33:32
- Job 34:35 : See ch. 35:16
- Job 34:37 : See ch. 27:23
- Job 35:2 : See ch. 32:2
- Job 35:3 : See ch. 34:9
- Job 35:4 : ch. 34:8, 36
- Job 35:5 : [ch. 22:12]
- Job 35:6 : Prov. 8:36; Jer. 7:19
- Job 35:7 : ch. 22:2, 3; Prov. 9:12; Luke 17:10; [ch. 41:11; Rom. 11:35]
- Job 35:8 : ch. 25:6
- Job 35:9 : Amos 3:9
- Job 35:9 : Ex. 2:23; [ch. 34:28]
- Job 35:9 : [ch. 22:8]
- Job 35:10 : ch. 4:17; Deut. 32:6
- Job 35:10 : Ps. 42:8; 77:6; 149:5; [Acts 16:25]
- Job 35:11 : ch. 36:22; Ps. 94:12; Isa. 28:26
- Job 35:12 : See ch. 27:9
- Job 35:14 : ch. 9:11; 23:8, 9
- Job 35:14 : [ch. 13:15]
- Job 35:15 : Num. 16:29; Ps. 89:32
- Job 35:16 : ch. 34:37
- Job 35:16 : ch. 34:35; 36:12; 38:2; 42:3
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. God can do no wrong (34:1-37)
Elihu's 2nd speech is addressed to the three friends, then to Job. God is the Sovereign Creator. There is no way to hide from him. He is just. He does not show partiality to prince or pauper (5-3
). A man who does wrong must repent and seek God's mercy. He can't just say, 'Sorry. I won't do it again,' and end the matter. We must come to God in God's way, on God's terms. God wants us to repent of sin and seek his mercy (31-33).
2. Does God listen to proud men? (35:1-16)
Elihu's 3rd speech is addressed to Job. There is no reason why God should listen to Job or to anyone else. God is God. His essential nature is not affected by men's deeds--good or bad. He created us, and made us wiser than birds or beasts. When men suffer, and cry out in arrogance or bitterness, God does not listen. But when we seek God our Maker with humble and repentant hearts, he gives us songs in the night.
Prayer: Lord, I seek you with a humble and repentant heart. Hear my prayer.
One Word: God gives songs in the night