1 ELIHU also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.

1Elihu also proceeded, and said,

2Suffer mee a little, and I will shewe thee, that I haue yet to speake on Gods behalfe.

3I will fetch my knowledge from afarre, and will ascribe righteousnesse to my Maker.

4For truely my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge, is with thee.

5Behold, God is mightie, and despiseth not any: he is mightie in strength and wisedome.

6He preserueth not the life of the wicked: but giueth right to the poore.

7Hee withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne, yea he doth establish them for euer, and they are exalted.

8And if they bee bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction:

9Then hee sheweth them their worke, and their transgressions, that they haue exceeded.

10He openeth also their eare to discipline, and commandeth that they returne from iniquitie.

11If they obey and serue him, they shall spend their dayes in prosperitie, and their yeeres in pleasures.

12But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

13But the hypocrites in heart heape vp wrath: they crie not when he bindeth them.

14They die in youth, and their life is among the vncleane.

15He deliuereth the poore in his affliction, and openeth their eares in oppression.

16Euen so would he haue remooued thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitnesse, and that which should be set on thy table, should be full of fatnesse.

17But thou hast fulfilled the iudgement of the wicked: iudgement and iustice take hold on thee.

18Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransome cannot deliuer thee.

19Will he esteeme thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

20Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

21Take heed, regard not iniquitie: for this hast thou chosen rather then affliction.

22Beholde, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

23Who hath inioyned him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquitie?

24Remember that thou magnifie his worke, which men behold.

25Euery man may see it, man may behold it afarre off.

26Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his yeeres be searched out.

27For hee maketh small the drops of water: they powre downe raine according to the vapour thereof:

28Which the clouds doe drop, and distill vpon man aboundantly.

29Also can any vnderstand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

30Behold, he spreadeth his light vpon it, and couereth the bottome of the sea.

31For by them iudgeth he the people, he giueth meate in abundance.

32With clouds he couereth the light, and commaundeth it not to shine, by the cloud that commeth betwixt.

33The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattel also concerning the Uapour.

 

 

 

 

 

V == Job 9:4 ; 12:13 , 16 ; 37:23 ; Ps 99:4

 

 

 

VII == Ps 33:18

 

VIII == Ps 107:10

 

 

X == Job 33:18 , 23

 

XI == Job 27:13 ; Isa 1:19-20

 

 

XIII == Rom 2:5

 

XIV == Deut 23:17 ; Job 15:32 ; 22:16 ; Ps 55:23

XVI == Ps 18:19 ; 23:5 ; 31:8 ; 36:8 ; 118:5

 

 

 

 

XVIII == Ps 49:7

 

 

XIX == Prov 11:4

 

 

XXI == Ps 66:18 ; Heb 11:25

XXII == Isa 40:13-14 ; Rom 11:34 ; 1st Cor 2:16

XXIII == Job 34:10 , 13

XXIV == Ps 92:5 ; Rev 15:3

XXVI == Ps 90:2 ; 102:24 , 27 ; 1st Cor 13:12 ; Heb 1:12

XXVII == Ps 147:8

 

XXVIII == Prov 3:20

XXX == Job 37:3

 

XXXI == Job 37:13 ; 38:23 ; Ps 136:25 ; Acts 14:17

XXXII == Ps 147:8

XXXIII == 1st Kings 18:41 , 45

 

 

1 Elihu proceeded further and said:

2 Wait yet a little and I will instruct you, for there are still words to be said on God's behalf.

3 I will bring my knowledge from afar, and to my Maker I will accord the right.

4 For indeed, my theme cannot fail me: the one perfect in knowledge I set before you.

5 Behold, God rejects the obstinate in heart; he preserves not the life of the wicked.

6 He withholds not the just man's rights, but grants vindication to the oppressed,

7 And with kings upon thrones he sets them, exalted forever.

8 Or if they are bound with fetters and held fast by bonds of affliction,

9 Then he makes known to them what they have done and their sins of boastful pride.

10 He opens their ears to correction and exhorts them to turn back from evil.

11 If they obey and serve him, they spend their days in prosperity, their years in happiness.

12 But if they obey not, they perish; they die for lack of knowledge.

13 The impious in heart lay up anger for themselves; they cry not for help when he enchains them;

14 Therefore they expire in youth, and perish among the reprobate.

15 But he saves the unfortunate through their affliction, and instructs them through distress.

21 Take heed, turn not to evil; for you have preferred carousal to affliction.

22 Behold, God is sublime in his power. What teacher is there like him?

23 Who prescribes for him his conduct, or who can say, "You have done wrong"?

24 Remember, you should extol his work, which men have praised in song.

25 All men contemplate it; man beholds it from afar.

26 Lo, God is great beyond our knowledge; the number of his years is past searching out.

27 He holds in check the waterdrops that filter in rain through his mists,

28 Till the skies run with them and the showers rain down on mankind.

31 For by these he nourishes the nations, and gives them food in abundance.

30 Lo! he spreads the clouds in layers as the carpeting of his tent.

32 In his hands he holds the lightning, and he commands it to strike the mark.

33 His thunder speaks for him and incites the fury of the storm.

NO NUMBER 20 IN NEW AMERICAN BIBLE

v 1-4. In 32:19 Elihu was so full of things to say he was about to burst, and even now he asks them to be patient as he still has more to say. He is confident of his wisdom because God was with him in it.

 

 

 

v 5-7. God is mighty yet impartial. He maintained that God didn’t prolong the life of wicked but did exalt the righteous. Job  had allowed that, but not always in this life.

 

 

v 8-12. If the righteous are afflicted, God is calling their attention to forsake pride and obey Him. If they obey He blesses them, but if not He punishes. This is a round about way of telling Job he wasn’t suffering for wickedness, but to make him humble.

 

 

 

 

v 13-15. Depraved ones such as male and female prostitutes in pagan shrines would die young, but God hears the call of the truly repentant.

 

v 16-19. God is trying to bring Job from distress to blessing, so he should not pronounce judgment on God, lest he is enticed away and God will not hear him.
v 21. Instead of complaining and longing for the night of death, Job should have chosen submission in his affliction.

v 22-26. Elihu turns to perhaps a better way of convincing Job. He speaks of and builds up God’s majesty, and instead of criticizing Him, suggests submission to Him.

 

 

 

v 27-30. Now he begins speaking of the power of God in “nature”. He speaks of the evaporation of water which results in rain, the thunder and lightning which come with it, and how the rivers rush to the ocean to start over again.

 

 

v 31. By the floods God judges the people and by the same rain, they are able to raise abundant food.
v 32,33. Clouds blot out the sun and thunder announces the storm. Animals also predict weather changes and storms by their behavior.