JOB 39

« Job 38 | Job 39 | Job 40 »

God Speaks of Nature and Its Beings39:1 “Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth?

Do you observe the calving of the deer?

2 “Can you count the months they fulfill,

Or do you know the time they give birth?

3 “They kneel down, they bring forth their young,

They get rid of their labor pains.

4 “Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field;

They leave and do not return to them.

5 “Who sent out the wild donkey free?

And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,

6 To whom I gave the wilderness for a home

And the salt land for his dwelling place?

7 “He scorns the tumult of the city,

The shoutings of the driver he does not hear.

8 “He explores the mountains for his pasture

And searches after every green thing.

9 “Will the wild ox consent to serve you,

Or will he spend the night at your manger?

10 “Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with ropes,

Or will he harrow the valleys after you?

11 “Will you trust him because his strength is great

And leave your labor to him?

12 “Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain

And gather it from your threshing floor?

13 “The ostriches’ wings flap joyously

With the pinion and plumage of love,

14 For she abandons her eggs to the earth

And warms them in the dust,

15 And she forgets that a foot may crush them,

Or that a wild beast may trample them.

16 “She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers;

Though her labor be in vain, she is unconcerned;

17 Because God has made her forget wisdom,

And has not given her a share of understanding.

18 “When she lifts herself on high,

She laughs at the horse and his rider.

19 “Do you give the horse his might?

Do you clothe his neck with a mane?

20 “Do you make him leap like the locust?

His majestic snorting is terrible.

21 “He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength;

He goes out to meet the weapons.

22 “He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;

And he does not turn back from the sword.

23 “The quiver rattles against him,

The flashing spear and javelin.

24 “With shaking and rage he races over the ground,

And he does not stand still at the voice of the trumpet.

25 “As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’

And he scents the battle from afar,

And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.

26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,

Stretching his wings toward the south?

27 “Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up

And makes his nest on high?

28 “On the cliff he dwells and lodges,

Upon the rocky crag, an inaccessible place.

29 “From there he spies out food;

His eyes see it from afar.

30 “His young ones also suck up blood;

And where the slain are, there is he.”

JOB 40

« Job 39 | Job 40 | Job 41 »

Job: What Can I Say?  40:1 Then the LORD said to Job,

2 “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?

Let him who reproves God answer it.”

    3 Then Job answered the LORD and said,

4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?

I lay my hand on my mouth.

5 “Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;

Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

God Questions Job    6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm and said,

7 “Now gird up your loins like a man;

I will ask you, and you instruct Me.

8 “Will you really annul My judgment?

Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?

9 “Or do you have an arm like God,

And can you thunder with a voice like His?

10 “Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity,

And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.

11 “Pour out the overflowings of your anger,

And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low.

12 “Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him,

And tread down the wicked where they stand.

13 “Hide them in the dust together;

Bind them in the hidden place.

14 “Then I will also confess to you,

That your own right hand can save you.

God’s Power Shown in Creatures15 “Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you;

He eats grass like an ox.

16 “Behold now, his strength in his loins

And his power in the muscles of his belly.

17 “He bends his tail like a cedar;

The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

18 “His bones are tubes of bronze;

His limbs are like bars of iron.

19 “He is the first of the ways of God;

Let his maker bring near his sword.

20 “Surely the mountains bring him food,

And all the beasts of the field play there.

21 “Under the lotus plants he lies down,

In the covert of the reeds and the marsh.

22 “The lotus plants cover him with shade;

The willows of the brook surround him.

23 “If a river rages, he is not alarmed;

He is confident, though the Jordan rushes to his mouth.

24 “Can anyone capture him when he is on watch,

With barbs can anyone pierce his nose?

PROVERBS 25

« Proverbs 24 | Proverbs 25 | Proverbs 26 »

Similitudes, Instructions  25:1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,

But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,

So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4 Take away the dross from the silver,

And there comes out a vessel for the smith;

5 Take away the wicked before the king,

And his throne will be established in righteousness.

6 Do not claim honor in the presence of the king,

And do not stand in the place of great men;

7 For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”

Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,

Whom your eyes have seen.

8 Do not go out hastily to argue your case;

Otherwise, what will you do in the end,

When your neighbor humiliates you?

9 Argue your case with your neighbor,

And do not reveal the secret of another,

10 Or he who hears it will reproach you,

And the evil report about you will not pass away.

11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver

Is a word spoken in right circumstances.

12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold

Is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,

For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14 Like clouds and wind without rain

Is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely.

15 By forbearance a ruler may be persuaded,

And a soft tongue breaks the bone.

16 Have you found honey? Eat only what you need,

That you not have it in excess and vomit it.

17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,

Or he will become weary of you and hate you.

18 Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow

Is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

19 Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot

Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.

20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda,

Is he who sings songs to a troubled heart.

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;

And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

22 For you will heap burning coals on his head,

And the LORD will reward you.

23 The north wind brings forth rain,

And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.

24 It is better to live in a corner of the roof

Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

25 Like cold water to a weary soul,

So is good news from a distant land.

26 Like a trampled spring and a polluted well

Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

27 It is not good to eat much honey,

Nor is it glory to search out one’s own glory.

28 Like a city that is broken into and without walls

Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

PSALM 97

« Psalm 96 | Psalm 97 | Psalm 98 »

The LORD’S Power and Dominion.97:1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;

Let the many islands be glad.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

3 Fire goes before Him

And burns up His adversaries round about.

4 His lightnings lit up the world;

The earth saw and trembled.

5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD,

At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens declare His righteousness,

And all the peoples have seen His glory.

7 Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images,

Who boast themselves of idols;

Worship Him, all you gods.

8 Zion heard this and was glad,

And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced

Because of Your judgments, O LORD.

9 For You are the LORD Most High over all the earth;

You are exalted far above all gods.

10 Hate evil, you who love the LORD,

Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;

He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11 Light is sown like seed for the righteous

And gladness for the upright in heart.

12 Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones,

And give thanks to His holy name.