Job

1So the three men stopped answering Job. Job was sure he had done nothing wrong.

So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

NoteJob's three friends had been arguing with him for a long time. Now they gave up and stopped.

2Then a man named Elihu became angry. He was the son of Barachel, from the family of Buz and of Ram. He was angry at Job. Job kept saying he was right instead of saying God was right.

Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

NoteBuz and Ram were the names of family groups. People told you their family name to say who they were. Elihu is a new person in the story. He has been listening quietly all this time.

3He was angry at Job's three friends too. They said Job was wrong, but they could not show how.

Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

NoteTo condemn someone means to say they did something bad. The friends kept saying Job was bad, but they could not prove it.

4Elihu had waited before speaking to Job. The other men were all older than he was.

Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.

NoteBack then, young people waited for older people to speak first. It was a way to show respect.

5Then Elihu saw the three men had nothing left to say. That made him angry.

When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.

1Elihu said, "Job, please listen to me. Listen to every word I say."

Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.

NoteElihu is a young man who has been listening. Job and his friends have talked for a long time. Now Elihu takes his turn to speak.

2"Look, I am opening my mouth now. My words are ready to come out."

Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.

3"My words come from an honest heart. My lips will say plainly what I know."

My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.

4"God's Spirit made me. The breath of God, who is stronger than anyone, gives me life."

The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

NoteBreath here means life itself. When you are breathing, you are alive. Elihu says God gave him that life.

5"Answer me back if you can. Get your words ready and stand up."

If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.

6"Before God, I am just like you. I was made from clay too."

Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead: I also am formed out of the clay.

NoteClay is soft, sticky mud from the ground. People shaped it into pots and bowls. The Bible says God made the first person from the ground.

7"You do not need to be scared of me. I will not press down hard on you."

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.

NotePutting a heavy hand on someone means pushing them around. Elihu promises he will not do that to Job.

8"I heard you say these things. I heard your own voice say them."

Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

9"You said, 'I am clean. I have done nothing wrong. There is no evil in me.'"

I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

NoteClean here does not mean washed with water. It means a person has done nothing wrong.

10"'But God keeps finding reasons to blame me. He treats me like an enemy.'"

Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,

11"'He locks my feet in wooden clamps. He watches every step I take.'"

He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.

NoteThese wooden clamps are called stocks. They locked shut around a prisoner's feet. Then he could not walk away.

12"But you are wrong about this. Here is my answer: God is greater than any person."

Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

13"Why do you argue with him? He does not explain himself to anyone."

Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

1Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

NoteFor many chapters Job asked God why he was hurting so much. Now God answers him at last. The voice comes out of a storm wind. LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name.

2"Who is this speaking about my plans? Your words do not know anything. They only make things darker.

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

NoteTo darken something here means to make it hard to see or understand. God says Job's words hide things instead of showing them.

3Stand up and get ready, like a strong man. I will ask you questions. You will answer me.

Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

NoteLong ago people wore long loose robes. To work or run, they tucked the robe up into their belt. "Gird up thy loins" means get ready for something hard.

4Where were you when I built the earth? Tell me, if you understand.

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

NoteThe foundation is the bottom part of a building. Builders lay it first. Everything else rests on top of it.

5Who decided how big the earth should be? Do you know? Who measured it with a line?

Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

NoteBuilders used a long string to measure a building. God speaks of making the earth the very same way.

6What holds the earth up? Who set its first corner stone in place?

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

NoteThe corner stone is the first big stone laid in a building. Every other stone is lined up with it.

7That was when the morning stars sang together. All the sons of God shouted with joy.

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

NoteThe morning stars and the sons of God both mean the angels. They are God's helpers in heaven. They cheered while God made the world.

8Who shut the sea behind doors? It rushed out like a baby being born.

Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9I dressed the sea in clouds. I wrapped it in thick darkness, like a baby's blanket.

When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

NoteA swaddlingband was a long strip of cloth. New babies were wrapped up snugly in it. God says he wrapped the new sea the same way.

10I set the line the sea could not cross. I put bars and doors in place.

And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

NoteOld doors were shut with a heavy bar laid across them. God says the sea is closed in like that.

11I said, 'You may come this far, but no farther. Your proud waves must stop here.'

And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

12In all your life, have you ever told the morning to come? Have you shown the sunrise where to start?

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

NoteDayspring is an old word for sunrise. It means the moment when day springs up.

13The morning light spreads to the far edges of the earth. It shakes bad people out of the earth.

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

NotePeople who stole often did it in the dark. Morning light sends them running to hide. It is like shaking crumbs out of a blanket.

14In the light, the earth takes shape like soft clay pressed by a stamp. Its hills stand out like folds in a coat.

It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

NoteA seal was a small stamp with a picture cut into it. People pressed it into soft clay to leave a mark. Morning light makes hills and valleys show up that way.

15The light that bad people want is kept away from them. The arm they lift up is broken.

And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

NoteLifting your arm up high meant getting ready to hit someone. A broken arm means you cannot hurt anyone now.

16Have you gone to the springs deep under the sea? Have you walked in its deepest valleys?

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

NoteLong ago people thought springs of water fed the sea from far below. Nobody could go down there and look.

17Has anyone opened the gates of death for you? Have you seen the doors of deep darkness?

Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

NotePeople talked about the place of the dead as if it were a city. It had big gates. Living people never went through them.

18Have you seen how wide the whole earth is? Tell me, if you know all of it.

Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

1Then the LORD spoke to Job again. He said:

Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,

NoteThe LORD in big letters stands for God's own name. Job is a good man who lost everything. He has been asking God why.

2"Will the man who finds fault argue with God, who is stronger than all? Let the man who blames God answer me now."

Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Note"The Almighty" means the one who is stronger than anyone. In the King James, "contendeth" means argues, and "reproveth" means blames.

3Then Job answered the LORD. He said:

Then Job answered the LORD, and said,

4"Look, I am small and not important. What can I say back to you? I will put my hand over my mouth."

Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

NoteThe King James says "I am vile." Long ago "vile" meant small and worth little. It did not mean nasty. Putting a hand over your mouth means you have stopped talking.

5"I spoke one time, but I have no answer. I spoke a second time. I will say no more."

Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

NoteSaying "once" and then "twice" was a way to say enough. Job means he has said all he has to say.

6Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the whirlwind, a strong spinning storm. He said:

Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

NoteA whirlwind is wind that spins around very fast. God speaks to Job from inside the storm.

7"Get ready now, like a man. I will ask you questions. You will tell me the answers."

Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

NoteThe King James says "Gird up thy loins." People then wore long robes. They tied the robe up around their waist before hard work. It means get ready.

8"Will you say that my way of judging is wrong? Will you blame me so you can look right?"

Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

Note"My judgment" means God's way of deciding what is right. God asks if Job will call that way wrong.

9"Is your arm as strong as God's arm? Can your voice boom like thunder, the way his does?"

Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

NoteAn arm stands for how strong someone is. A loud voice like thunder was how people pictured God speaking.

10"Then dress yourself up in greatness. Put on honor and glory and beauty."

Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.

Note"Deck thyself" means dress yourself up. Majesty is the greatness that a king wears. God is telling Job to try being God for a moment.

11"Let your anger pour out. Look at every proud person and bring him down low."

Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.

NoteA proud person thinks he is better than everyone else. The King James word "abase" means to bring someone down low.

12"Look at every proud person and make him humble. Step on wicked people right where they stand."

Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

13"Bury them all together in the dirt. Shut them away in the grave."

Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.

NoteThe dust means the ground where dead people are buried. Long ago a cloth was tied over a dead person's face.

14"If you can do that, then even I will admit it. Your own hand can save you."

Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

NoteThe right hand stands for a person's own strength. God means Job would have to save himself with no help.

1Then Job answered the LORD. He said:

Then Job answered the LORD, and said,

NoteThe LORD in capital letters stands for God's own special name.

2"I know You can do anything. No plan of Yours can be stopped.

I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

3You asked me who talks about Your plans without knowing them. That was me. I talked about things I did not understand. They were too great for me to know.

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

NoteEarlier, God had asked Job many questions Job could not answer.

4You said, 'Listen, and I will speak. I will ask you questions, and you will answer me.'

Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

5Before, I only heard about You with my ears. But now my own eyes have seen You.

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

6So I take back what I said. I am sorry, sitting here in dust and ashes."

Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

NoteWhen people were very sad or sorry, they sat in dust and ashes. It showed everyone how they felt inside.

7After the LORD said these things to Job, he spoke to Eliphaz from Teman. He said, "I am angry with you and your two friends. You did not say true things about me, but my servant Job did.

And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

NoteEliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were Job's three friends. They had come to visit him when he lost everything. They kept telling him his troubles were his own fault.

8So bring seven bulls and seven rams. Go to my servant Job. Burn them on an altar as a gift to me for yourselves. Then my servant Job will pray for you. I will listen to his prayer. I will not punish you for your foolish words, though you did not say true things about me, as my servant Job did.

Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

NoteA burnt offering was a gift given to God. An animal was burned on a stone table called an altar. Seven bulls and seven rams was a very big, costly gift.

9So Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah went and did what the LORD said. And the LORD listened to Job's prayer.

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.

NoteTeman, Shuah, and Naamah were the places the three friends came from.

10After Job prayed for his friends, the LORD gave him good things again. He gave Job twice as much as he had before.

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

11Then all his brothers and sisters came to see him. His old friends came too. They ate a meal with him in his house. They felt sad with him and comforted him for all the trouble the LORD had brought on him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

NotePeople did not have coins yet. They used pieces of silver, weighed out, to buy things. A gold ring was a rich gift too.

12The LORD blessed the last part of Job's life more than the first part. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 pairs of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.

So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

NoteOxen are big strong cattle. Two were tied side by side to pull a plow through a field. That pair was called a yoke.

13He also had seven sons and three daughters.

He had also seven sons and three daughters.

14He named his first daughter Jemima. He named the second one Kezia. He named the third one Kerenhappuch.

And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.

NoteThese names have meanings. Jemima means dove, a gentle bird. Kezia is a sweet-smelling spice. Kerenhappuch means a little box for eye makeup.

15In all that land, no women were as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father gave them a share of his land and things, along with their brothers.

And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

NoteUsually only sons were given the family's land. Giving daughters a share too was unusual and kind.

16After this, Job lived 140 more years. He saw his children, and their children, for four generations.

After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.

NoteFour generations means his children, their children, and two more after that.

17Then Job died. He was very old and had lived a full life.

So Job died, being old and full of days.

Note"Full of days" was a way of saying he lived a long, good life.

12The LORD spoke to me again. He said:

The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,

13"Son of man, suppose a land sins against me and is very unfaithful. Then I will reach out my hand against it. I will take away its supply of bread. I will send hunger there. I will cut off both people and animals.

Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

NoteThe old words say God will "break the staff of the bread." A staff is a walking stick you lean on. Bread was like a stick that people leaned on to stay strong. Breaking it means the food is gone. That is called a famine: no food anywhere, for a long time.

14Even if these three men lived there, it would not change this. Noah, Daniel, and Job did what was right. But their good lives would save only themselves, says the Lord GOD.

Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

NoteNoah built a huge boat and lived through a great flood. Daniel was a wise man who kept trusting God in a faraway land. Job kept trusting God even when he lost everything. All three were known for living good lives. Their "souls" means their own lives.

15Or suppose I send wild animals through the land. They hurt it and leave it empty. No one can even walk through, because of the animals.

If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:

NoteIn 1611, "noisome" meant harmful or dangerous. It did not mean smelly. "Desolate" means empty, with nobody living there.

16As surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if these three men lived there, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Only they would be saved. The land would still be empty.

Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

Note"As I live" is a very strong promise. It means: this is as sure as the fact that I am alive.

17Or suppose I bring war on that land. I say, 'Let the sword go through the land.' So I cut off both people and animals.

Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

NoteA sword stands for war here. Bringing a sword on a land means armies coming to fight there.

18As surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if these three men lived there, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Only they would be saved.

Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.

19Or suppose I send a deadly sickness into that land. I pour out my anger there, and blood is spilled. I cut off both people and animals.

Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:

Note"Pestilence" is a sickness that spreads fast and kills many people.

20As surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, they could not save their own son or daughter. Their good lives would save only themselves.

Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.