Job 35

Job 35

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness

1Elihu continued and said:

2“Do you think this to be just?[#Job 32.2]

You say, ‘I am in the right before God.’

3If you ask, ‘What advantage have I?[#Job 9.30, 31; 34.9]

How am I better off than if I had sinned?’

4I will answer you

and your friends with you.

5Look at the heavens and see;[#Job 22.12]

observe the clouds, which are higher than you.

6If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?[#Prov 8.36; Jer 7.19]

And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

7If you are righteous, what do you give to him,[#Job 22.2, 3; Prov 9.12; Lk 17.10]

or what does he receive from your hand?

8Your wickedness affects others like you,

and your righteousness, other human beings.

9“Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;[#Ex 2.23; Job 12.19]

they call for help because of the arm of the mighty.

10But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,[#Job 27.10; Ps 42.8; 149.5; Acts 16.25]

who gives strength in the night,

11who teaches us more than the animals of the earth[#Ps 94.12; Lk 12.24]

and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’

12There they cry out, but he does not answer,[#Prov 1.28]

because of the pride of evildoers.

13Surely God does not hear an empty cry,[#Job 27.9; Prov 15.29; Isa 1.15; Jer 11.11]

nor does the Almighty regard it.

14How much less when you say that you do not see him,[#Ps 37.5, 6]

that the case is before him and you are waiting for him!

15And now, because his anger does not punish[#Eccl 8.11]

and he does not greatly heed transgression,

16Job opens his mouth in empty talk;[#Job 34.35, 37]

he multiplies words without knowledge.”

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Published by: National Council of the Churches of Christ