Job 33

Elihu Calls Job to Listen

1 “But now, Job, listen up to my words; pay attention to everything I say.

2 I am opening my mouth, my tongue is ready to speak straight from my heart.

3 My words come from an honest heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know.

4 The Spirit of God made me, the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5 Answer me if you can; stand up, get yourself ready.

6 See, I am just like you before God; I too was taken from clay.

7 So do not be scared of me; I will not crush you with pressure.”

Elihu Calls Out Job’s Claims

8 “But Job, I heard you say these things myself, your own words against you:

9 ‘I am pure, I am clean, I am innocent; no guilt on me.’

10 But you say God finds ways to accuse me, treats me like His enemy.

11 He puts my feet in chains, watches all my paths.’

12 But I tell you, Job, you are wrong in this, God is greater than man.

13 Why you complain that He does not answer, that He is not giving account of what He does,

God Speaks in Different Ways

14 God speaks one way, even two, though people do not pay attention.

15 In a dream, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lay in bed,

16 He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings,

17 To turn man from his wrong actions and keep him from pride.

18 He keeps their souls from the pit, their lives from crossing over to death by the sword.

God Speaks Through Suffering Too

19 Or a man is disciplined on his bed with pain, constant distress in his bones,

20 So that food makes him sick and the choicest meal turns nasty.

21 His body wastes away to nothing, bones once unseen now stick out.

22 His soul draws near the pit, his life to messengers of death.

23 But if there is an angel on his side, a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell him what is right,

24 And to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the pit; I found a ransom for him’.

25 Then his flesh is renewed like a child’s; he has restored to the days of his youth.

26 He prays to God and gets favor, sees God’s face with shouts of joy, and God restores his righteousness.

27 He sings in front of others, saying, ‘I sinned, twisted the truth, but God did not pay me what I deserved.

28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light.’

God’s Purpose in Discipline

29 God does all these things to a man, two or three times,

30 To turn his soul back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on him.

Elihu’s Final Plea to Job

31 “Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; keep quiet, and let me talk.

32 But if you got something to say, speak up, because I want to justify you.

33 If not, then listen to me; stay silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”