Job 34 Cross References - LEB

¹ Thus* Elihu _⌊spoke up_⌋* and said, ² "Hear my words, you wise men, and listen to me, you who know, ³ for the ear tests words, and the palate tastes _⌊food_⌋.* ⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us determine among ourselves what is good— ⁵ for Job has said, 'I am righteous, but God has taken away my justice. ⁶ Should I lie concerning my justice? Though I am without transgression, my wound caused by an arrow is incurable.' ⁷ What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water? ⁸ And he goes on the road in company with instigators of mischief, and walks with men of wickedness. ⁹ Indeed, he says, 'A man does not profit when he takes delight in God.' ¹⁰ "Therefore, listen to me, _⌊people who have sense_⌋:* far be it from God _⌊that he should commit wickedness_⌋* and that Shaddai _⌊should do wrong_⌋.* ¹¹ Indeed, he will repay according to a human being's deeds, and according to a man's way he will let it happen to him. ¹² What's more, God truly does not act wickedly, and Shaddai does not pervert justice. ¹³ Who gave him charge over the earth? Or* who laid on him the whole world? ¹⁴ If he should set his heart to it, and he should gather his spirit and his breath to himself, ¹⁵ all flesh would perish together, and humankind would return to dust. ¹⁶ "But* if you have understanding, hear this; listen to _⌊what I say_⌋.* ¹⁷ Shall he who hates justice really govern? Or will you* declare the Righteous One, the Mighty, guilty?— ¹⁸ the one who says to a king, 'You worthless man,' to noblemen, 'You wicked man,' ¹⁹ who _⌊shows no partiality to officials_⌋* and who _⌊does not take note of the noble more than of the insignificant_⌋,* for all of them are the work of his hands? ²⁰ In a moment they die, and in the middle of the night the people are shaken, and they pass away, and they take away the mighty _⌊effortlessly_⌋.* ²¹ "Indeed, his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he sees all his steps. ²² There is no darkness, and there is no deep shadow where instigators of mischief might hide themselves. ²³ Indeed, he has not yet appointed a time for man to go to God in the judgment. ²⁴ He shatters the mighty without investigation, and he sets others in their place. ²⁵ Therefore he knows their works, and he overturns them in the night _⌊so that_⌋* they are crushed. ²⁶ He strikes them _⌊where the wicked stood_⌋,* _⌊where there are onlookers_⌋,* ²⁷ because they have turned aside from him and have not understood any of his ways, ²⁸ so that they cause the cry of distress from the helpless to come to him, and he hears the cry of distress from the needy, ²⁹ but he remains quiet, and who can condemn? And he hides his face, and who can behold him? Yet* he is over a nation and over a person alike, ³⁰ so that godless human beings should not reign, nor those who ensnare the people. ³¹ "Indeed, does anyone say to God, 'I have endured chastisement; I will not act corruptly again; ³² teach me yourself _⌊what I cannot see_⌋;* if I have done wrong, I will not repeat it'? ³³ _⌊According to your judgment_⌋,* must he repay it because you rejected this? Indeed, you must choose, and not I, so* declare what you know. ³⁴ _⌊Those who have sense_⌋* say to me, and the wise man hearing me says: ³⁵ 'Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without insight. ³⁶ Would that Job were tested up to the end because his answers are like those from men of mischief, ³⁷ for he adds transgression to his sin; he claps hands among us, and he multiplies his words against God.'"

⁵ may the wise hear and increase learning, and the one who understands gain direction,*

¹⁵ I am speaking as to sensible people; you judge what I am saying.

²⁰ Brothers, do not become children in your understanding, but with respect to wickedness be as a child, and in your understanding be mature.

³⁰ Is there injustice on my tongue? Or can my palate not discern calamity?*

¹¹ Does not the ear test words and the palate taste food for itself?

³⁰ no,* I have not allowed my mouth to sin, to ask his life with a curse.

² Please look, I open my mouth; my tongue in my mouth speaks.

¹⁵ Now the spiritual person discerns all things, but he himself is judged by no one.

¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil.

³⁰ All who saw it said, "Nothing like this has ever been since the _⌊Israelites_⌋* went up from the land of Egypt until this day. Take note of it, consider it, and speak up."

⁷ Look, all you _⌊Israelites_⌋!* _⌊Make your decision_⌋* and advice here."

³⁶ Would that Job were tested up to the end because his answers are like those from men of mischief,

² And the spirit of Yahweh shall rest on him— a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and might, a spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh. ³ And his _⌊breath_⌋* is in the fear of Yahweh. And he shall judge not by his eyesight, and he shall rebuke not by _⌊what he hears with_⌋* his ears. ⁴ But he shall judge the poor with righteousness, and he shall decide for the needy of the earth with rectitude. And he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and he shall kill the wicked person with the breath of his lips. ⁵ And righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

²⁴ Do not judge according to outward appearance, but judge according to righteous judgment!"

² And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

² Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if by you the world is judged, are you unworthy of the most insignificant courts? ³ Do you not know that we will judge angels, not to mention ordinary matters? ⁴ Therefore, if you have courts with regard to ordinary matters, do you seat* these despised people in the church? ⁵ I say this to your shame. So is there not anyone wise among you who will be able to render a decision between his brothers?

¹¹ But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was condemned. ¹² For before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he* was afraid of those who were of the circumcision, ¹³ and the rest of the Jews also joined in this hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with them in their hypocrisy. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not being straightforward with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of them all, "If you, although you* are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?"

²¹ but examine all things; hold fast to what is good.

¹⁷ who crushes me with a tempest and multiplies* my wounds without cause.

⁷ because of your knowledge that I am not guilty, and there is no escaping from your hand?

⁴ For you say, 'My teaching is pure, and I am clean in your sight.'

¹⁷ _⌊although_⌋* violence is not on my hands, and my prayer is pure.

² "_⌊As God lives_⌋,* he has removed my justice, and Shaddai has made my inner self* bitter.

¹⁴ I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a headband.

¹ Then these three men ceased from answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes.

⁹ 'I am clean, without transgression; I am pure, and there is no guilt in me.

⁴ for the arrows of Shaddai are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

¹³ His archers surround me; he slashes open my kidneys, and he does not have compassion; he pours out my gall on the ground.

⁴ my lips surely will not speak falseness, and my tongue surely will not utter deceit. ⁵ Far be it from me that _⌊I would say that you* are right_⌋;* until I pass away, I will not put away from me my blamelessness. ⁶ I hold fast to my righteousness, and I will not let it go; my heart will not blame any of my days.

¹⁹ And then when he hears the words of this oath, then* _⌊he will assure himself_⌋* in his heart, _⌊saying_⌋,* '_⌊Safety shall be mine even though I go in the stubbornness of my heart_⌋,'* thereby destroying the well-watered land along with the parched.*

¹⁶ _⌊How much less_⌋* he who is abominable and corrupt,* a man drinking wickedness like water.

²² "_⌊How long_⌋,* O simple ones, will you love simplicity? And how long will scoffers delight in their scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?

¹⁷ For they ate the bread of wickedness, and they drank the wine of violence.

¹⁰ So* he said to her, "You speak like one of the foolish women speaks. Indeed, should we receive the good from God, but* not receive the evil?" In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

³ Should your loose talk put people to silence? _⌊And when you mock, shall no one put you to shame_⌋?*

⁵ For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

¹⁵ Will you keep to the way of old that the people of mischief have trod,

¹ Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked; nor does he stand in the way of sinners; nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers.

⁴ I do not sit with deceitful people, nor will I go about with hypocrites.

¹⁸ When you see a thief, then you are pleased with him, and your association is with adulterers.

¹² See, these are the wicked, and they increase wealth, ever carefree. ¹³ Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence. ¹⁴ And I have been plagued all day and rebuked _⌊every morning_⌋.* ¹⁵ If I had said, "I will speak thus," behold, I would have acted treacherously against your children's generation.

¹⁵ My child, do not walk in their way.* Keep your foot from their paths,

¹² in order to deliver you from the way of evil,* from a man who speaks devious things—

¹⁴ In the path of the wicked do not go; do not walk in the way of those who do evil.

²⁰ Walk with the wise and be wise, but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.

³³ Do not be deceived! "Bad company corrupts good morals."*

²² It is all one; therefore I say, 'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.' ²³ When the whip* kills suddenly, he mocks at the despair of the innocent.

³⁰ If I wash myself with soap,* and I cleanse my hands with lye, ³¹ then you plunge me into the slime pit, and my clothes abhor me.

¹⁴ And they say to God, 'Turn away from us, for* we do not desire to know your ways. ¹⁵ Who is Shaddai that we should serve him, or* what would we benefit when we plead with him?' ¹⁶ Look, their prosperity is not in their hands; the schemes of the wicked are repugnant* to me.

³⁰ Indeed, the wicked is spared from the day of disaster; he is delivered from the day of wrath.

¹⁷ Those who said to God, 'Turn away from us,' and 'What can Shaddai do to us?'

¹⁰ Or, in Shaddai will he find delight? Will he call upon God at all times?

³ If you ask what it profits you: 'How do I benefit _⌊by refraining from my sin_⌋?'*

⁴ Take pleasure in Yahweh as well, and he will give to you the requests of your heart.

¹⁴ You have said, 'It is useless* to serve God! What is the gain if we keep* his requirements, and if we walk as mourners _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh of hosts?

²⁵ Far be it from you to do such a thing as this, to kill the righteous with the wicked, that* the righteous would be as the wicked! Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do justice?"

⁴ The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are just; he is a faithful God, and _⌊without injustice_⌋;* righteous and upright is he.

⁷ So now, let the fear of Yahweh be upon you all. _⌊Be careful what you do_⌋,* for there is neither wickedness nor _⌊showing partiality_⌋* and taking bribes with Yahweh our God."

³ Does God pervert justice, _⌊or_⌋* Shaddai pervert righteousness?

² "Hear my words, you wise men, and listen to me, you who know, ³ for the ear tests words, and the palate tastes _⌊food_⌋.*

³⁴ _⌊Those who have sense_⌋* say to me, and the wise man hearing me says:

²³ Who has prescribed his way for him? Or* who says, 'You have done wrong'?

²³ As for Shaddai, we cannot attain him; he is exalted in power, and he does not oppress justice and abundant righteousness.

¹⁵ to declare that Yahweh is upright. He is my rock, and there is no injustice* in him.

³² He who commits adultery with a woman lacks _⌊sense_⌋,* he destroys himself* who does it.

³² He who ignores instruction despises himself,* but he who hears admonition gains heart.*

¹ You will be in the right, O Yahweh, when I complain to you. Even so, let me speak my claims with you. Why does the way of the wicked succeed? All those who deal treacherously with treachery are at ease.

⁴ May it never be! But let God be true but every human being a liar, just as it is written,
"In order that you may be justified in your words, and may prevail when you are* judged."* ⁵ But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, is not unjust, is he? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.)

¹⁴ What then shall we say? There is no injustice with God, is there?* May it never be!

¹³ No one who is being tempted should say, "I am being tempted by God," for God _⌊cannot be tempted_⌋* by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

²⁶ He prays to God, then he accepts him, and he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he repays to the human being his righteousness.

¹² And to you belongs loyal love, O Lord, because you will render to each according to his work.

³¹ They shall eat from the fruit of their way, and they shall be sated from their own schemes,

¹² if you say, "Look, we do not know this," does not he who weighs hearts perceive it? And he who keeps your soul,* he knows and will repay humankind according to his deeds.

¹⁹ great in counsel and great in deed, whose eyes are opened to all the ways of the children of humankind, to give to each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds,

¹⁷ "Yet* _⌊your people_⌋* say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' yet their way is not fair. ¹⁸ When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die _⌊because of it_⌋.* ¹⁹ And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it* _⌊he will certainly live_⌋!* ²⁰ Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each person according to his ways."

²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and at that time he will reward each one according to _⌊what he has done_⌋.*

⁶ who will reward each one according to his works:

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

⁷ Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked, for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap, ⁸ because the one who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

¹⁷ And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your temporary residence,

¹² "Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what his deeds are!

⁷ For Yahweh is righteous; he loves righteous deeds. The upright shall see his face.

¹⁷ Yahweh is righteous in all his ways, and loyal in all his works.

¹² Are you not from of old, O Yahweh my God, my Holy One? You* shall not die. O Yahweh, you have marked them* for judgment; O Rock, you have established them* for reproof. ¹³ Your eyes are too pure to see evil, and you are not able to look at wrongdoing.* Why do you look at the treacherous? Why are you silent when the wicked swallows up someone more righteous than him?

¹¹ To you, O Yahweh, is the greatness and the power and the splendor and the glory and the strength, for everything in the heavens and in the earth. Yours, O Yahweh, is the kingdom and exaltation over all as head!

⁴ "Where were you at my laying the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding. ⁵ Who determined its measurement? Yes, you do know. Or who stretched the measuring line upon it? ⁶ On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, ⁷ when the morning stars were singing together and all the sons of God* shouted for joy? ⁸ "Or who shut the sea in with doors at its bursting, when it went out of the womb, ⁹ at my making the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, ¹⁰ and I prescribed my rule for it, and I set bars and doors, ¹¹ and I said, 'You shall come up to here, but* you shall not go further, and here it will set a boundary _⌊for your proud surging waves_⌋'?* ¹² "Have you _⌊ever in your life_⌋* commanded the morning? Have you made the dawn know its place, ¹³ to take hold of the earth's skirts so that* the wicked might be shaken off from it? ¹⁴ It is changed like clay under a seal, and they appear like a garment. ¹⁵ And their light is withheld from the wicked, and their uplifted arm is broken. ¹⁶ "Have you entered into the sea's sources? Or have you walked around in the recesses of the deep? ¹⁷ Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of deep shadow? ¹⁸ Have you considered closely the earth's vast expanse? Declare it, if you know all of it. ¹⁹ "Where then* is the way where the light dwells? And where then* is its place, ²⁰ that you may take it to its territory, and that you might discern the paths to its home? ²¹ You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great. ²² Have you entered into the storehouses of the snow, or* have you seen the storehouses of the hail, ²³ which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war? ²⁴ Where then* is the way where the light is distributed, where he scatters the east wind upon the earth? ²⁵ "Who has cut open a channel for the torrents and a way for the _⌊thunder bolts_⌋,* ²⁶ to bring rain on a land _⌊where no one lives_⌋,* a desert _⌊where no humans live_⌋,* ²⁷ to satisfy desert and wasteland, and to cause the ground to put forth the rising of grass? ²⁸ Is there a father for the rain, or who fathered the drops of dew? ²⁹ From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who fathered the frost of heaven? ³⁰ Like stone the waters become hard, and the faces of the deep freeze. ³¹ "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, or can you loosen the cords of Orion? ³² Can you lead forth the southern constellations at their appointed time, or* can you lead the Bear with its children? ³³ Do you know heaven's statutes, or can you establish their rule on the earth? ³⁴ Can you lift up your voice to the clouds so that* a flood of water may cover you? ³⁵ Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go? And will they say to you, 'Here we are'? ³⁶ Who has put wisdom in the ibis,* or who has given understanding to the rooster?* ³⁷ Who can number the clouds with wisdom? Or* who can tilt heaven's jars, ³⁸ at the flowing of the dust into a cast and the clods cling together? ³⁹ "Can you hunt prey for the lion? And can you satisfy the hunger of strong lions ⁴⁰ when they are crouched in the dens, when they lie in the thicket in an ambush? ⁴¹ Who prepares for the crow its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and they wander around _⌊for lack of food_⌋?*

⁸ "Indeed, would you annul my justice? Would you condemn me, so that you might be righteous? ⁹ Or do you have an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his? ¹⁰ Adorn* yourself with pride and dignity, and clothe yourself with splendor. ¹¹ Pour out the overflowing of your anger, and look at all the proud, and humble them.

²³ From eternity, I was set up from the first, from the beginning* of the earth. ²⁴ When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs of _⌊abounding_⌋* water. ²⁵ Before mountains had been shaped, before hills, I was brought forth. ²⁶ When he had not yet made earth and fields, or the first dust of the world, ²⁷ _⌊when he established_⌋* the heavens, there I was, _⌊when he drew_⌋* a circle upon the face of the deep, ²⁸ _⌊when he made_⌋* skies from above, when he founded fountains of the deep, ²⁹ _⌊when he assigned_⌋* his limits to the sea, that waters shall not transgress his _⌊command_⌋,* _⌊when he marked_⌋* the foundations of the earth, ³⁰ I was _⌊beside_⌋* him, a master workman, and I was delighting day by day, rejoicing before him _⌊always_⌋,*

¹³ Who has measured up the spirit of Yahweh or informed him as _⌊his counselor_⌋*? ¹⁴ With whom has he consulted, that* he enlightened him* and taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and made the way of understanding known to him?

³⁵ And all the dwellers of the earth are regarded as nothing, and he does _⌊according to_⌋* his desire in the host of heaven and among the dwellers of earth, and there is not one who can hold back his hand, or _⌊ask him_⌋,* 'What are you doing?'

³⁴ "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?* ³⁵ Or who has given in advance to him, and it will be paid back to him?"* ³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for eternity! Amen.

¹⁷ "What is a human being that you make him great and that _⌊you fix your mind on him_⌋,*

⁴ He is wise in* heart and mighty in* strength; who has resisted him and succeeded?*

²⁹ You hide your face, they are terrified. You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

²² And they will be gathered in a gathering, like a prisoner _⌊in_⌋* a pit. And they will be shut _⌊in_⌋* a prison and be punished _⌊after_⌋* many days.

¹⁹ By the sweat of your brow* you shall eat bread, until your return to the ground. For from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

²² It is all one; therefore I say, 'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.'

⁹ Please* remember that you made me like clay, but* you turn me into dust again?

²³ Indeed, I know that you will bring me to death and to the house of assembly for all the living.

³ You return man to the dust, _⌊saying_⌋,* "Return, O sons of man." ⁴ For a thousand years in your eyes are like yesterday when it passes, or like a watch in the night. ⁵ You sweep them away like a flood. They fall asleep.* In the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew. ⁶ In the morning it blossoms and sprouts anew; by evening it withers and dries up. ⁷ For we are brought to an end by your anger, and we hasten off* by your wrath. ⁸ You have put our iniquities before you, our hidden sins into the light of your countenance. ⁹ For all of our days dwindle away in your rage; we complete our years like a sigh. ¹⁰ As for the days of our years, within them are seventy years or if by strength eighty years, and their pride* is trouble and disaster, for it passes quickly and we fly away.

⁷ And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it.

⁴ _⌊I have no wrath_⌋.* Whatever gives me thorns and briers, I will step forth against in battle. I will set it on fire altogether.

¹⁶ For I will not attack forever, and I will not be angry forever, for the spirit will grow faint before me, and the breaths that I myself I have made.

³ _⌊I also have insight_⌋* like you;* I am not more inferior than you.* And _⌊who does not know things like these_⌋?*

² _⌊What you* know_⌋,* I myself* also know— I am not more inferior than you.* ³ But I would speak to Shaddai, and I desire to argue with God. ⁴ "But* you* _⌊whitewash with lies_⌋;* all of you* are _⌊worthless healers_⌋.* ⁵ _⌊O that_⌋* you* would keep completely silent, and that it would become wisdom for you.* ⁶ Please hear my argument, and listen attentively to the pleadings of my lips.

²¹ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded and said, "Because of this, should not Shimei be put to death, for he cursed the anointed one of Yahweh?"

³ The God of Israel said to me, the rock of Israel has spoken; 'He who rules over mankind rules righteously, in the fear of God.

²² In all this, Job did not sin and did not _⌊charge God with wrongdoing_⌋.*

⁸ "Indeed, would you annul my justice? Would you condemn me, so that you might be righteous?

⁵ But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, is not unjust, is he? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.) ⁶ May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? ⁷ But if by my lying, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still condemned as a sinner?

²⁸ " 'You will not curse God,* and you will not curse a leader among your people.

²⁶ Also, imposing a fine on the righteous is not good, nor to flog nobles for uprightness.

³ Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! And are you sitting there judging me according to the law, and acting contrary to the law do you order me to be struck?"

⁵ And Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"*

⁷ Pay to everyone what is owed: pay taxes to whom taxes are due; pay customs duties to whom customs duties are due; pay respect to whom respect is due; pay honor to whom honor is due.*

¹⁷ Honor all people, love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.*

¹⁰ and especially those who go after the flesh in defiling lust* and who despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, they do not tremble in awe as they* blaspheme majestic beings,

⁸ Despite that, in the same way also these men, because of their* dreams, defile the flesh and reject authority and blaspheme majestic beings.

¹⁵ " 'You* shall not do injustice in judgment; _⌊you* shall not show partiality to the powerless_⌋;* you* shall not give preference _⌊to the powerful_⌋;* you* shall judge your* fellow citizen with justice.

¹⁷ For Yahweh your God, he is God of the gods and Lord of the lords, the great and mighty God, the awesome one who _⌊is not partial_⌋,* and he does not take bribes.

³ Is it good for you that you oppress, that you despise the labor of your hands, and you smile over the schemes of the wicked?

¹⁹ He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows _⌊the members of ancient families_⌋.*

²¹ He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens the girdle of the mighty.

⁸ _⌊Will you* show partiality for him_⌋?* Or do you* want to plead God's case?

¹⁵ Did not he who made me in the womb make them? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

¹⁹ Will your cry for help sustain you without distress, or* all the efforts of your strength?

² The kings of the earth establish themselves, and the rulers conspire* together against Yahweh and his anointed: ³ "Let us tear off their bonds, and cast their cords from us!" ⁴ He who sits enthroned in the heavens laughs. The Lord derides them.

⁶ those who trust their wealth and boast about the abundance of their riches? ⁷ Surely a man cannot redeem a brother. He cannot give to God his ransom

³¹ He who oppresses the poor insults him who made him, but he who has mercy on the poor honors him.

² Rich and poor have much in common; Yahweh is the maker of all of them.

⁸ Do not be surprised if you see the poor being oppressed with violence or do not see justice and righteousness in the province. For one official is watched by a higher official, and there are even higher officials over them!

¹⁴ Yahweh enters into judgment with the elders of his people and its princes. "And you! You have devoured the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses!

³⁴ So Peter opened his* mouth and* said, "In truth I understand that God is not one who shows partiality,

¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.

⁶ But from those _⌊who were influential_⌋* (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, _⌊God does not show partiality_⌋*)—for those who were influential added nothing to me.

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, giving up threats, knowing that both their Lord and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.

²⁵ For the one who does wrong will receive back whatever wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

²⁸ Therefore, since we* are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be thankful, through which let us serve God acceptably, with awe and reverence.

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers! Did not God choose the poor of the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

²⁹ _⌊And_⌋* in the middle of the night, Yahweh struck all of the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the prison house and every firstborn of an animal. ³⁰ And Pharaoh got up at night, he and all his servants and all Egypt, and a great cry of distress was in Egypt because there was not a house where there was no one dead.

³⁷ _⌊And then_⌋* in the morning when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these words. Then his heart died _⌊within him_⌋,* and he became like a stone. ³⁸ _⌊And then_⌋,* about ten days later, Yahweh struck Nabal and he died. ³⁹ When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, "Blessed be Yahweh who has vindicated the case of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and he has kept back his servant from evil; but Yahweh has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head." Then David sent and spoke with Abigail to take her for his wife.

¹⁰ And David said, "_⌊As Yahweh lives_⌋,* _⌊certainly_⌋* Yahweh will strike him, or his day will come and he will die, or he will go down in the battle and _⌊perish_⌋.*

²⁰ You must not long for the night, to cut off people _⌊in their place_⌋.*

¹⁹ How they become a desolation in a moment! They come to a complete end by terrors.

¹⁶ Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, will send leanness among his sturdy warriors, and a burning like the burning of fire will burn under his glory. ¹⁷ And the light of Israel will become like a fire, and his holy one like a flame, and it will burn and devour his thorns* and briers* in one day. ¹⁸ And he will destroy the glory of his forest and orchard _⌊completely_⌋,* and it will be like the wasting away of one who is sick. ¹⁹ And the rest of the trees* of his forest will be a small number, and a boy can write them down.

¹³ therefore this iniquity shall come for you like a breach about to fall, bulging out on a high wall _⌊that breaks_⌋* suddenly, in an instant.

³⁰ And Yahweh will cause the majesty of his voice to be heard, and he will cause the descent of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and a rainstorm and stones* of hail. ³¹ Indeed, Assyria will be shattered by the voice of Yahweh; he strikes with the rod. ³² And every stroke of the staff of foundation* that Yahweh lays will be on it with timbrels and lyres, and he will fight against it* with battles of brandishing. ³³ For Topheth has been prepared from yesterday; indeed, it is made ready for the king. He makes its pile of wood deep and wide; he makes fire and wood _⌊abundant_⌋.* The breath of Yahweh burns in it like a stream of sulfur.

³⁶ And the angel of Yahweh set out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. When* they rose in the morning, look! All of them were dead corpses.

³⁸ And this happened: he was bowing in worship in the house of Nisroch his god, and Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him with the sword. And they themselves escaped to the land of Ararat, and Esar-haddon his son reigned as king in his place.

³⁴ You were looking on _⌊until_⌋* a stone was chiseled out*—that not by hands—and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it broke them in pieces.

⁴⁴ And _⌊in the day of those kings_⌋,* the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will _⌊never_⌋* be destroyed, and the kingdom will not be left for another nation,* and it will bring an end to all these kingdoms, but it will stand _⌊forever_⌋.* ⁴⁵ _⌊Inasmuch as_⌋* you saw that a stone from the mountain was chiseled out* but not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, thereby the great God made known to the king what will be _⌊in the future_⌋,* and the dream is certain and its explanation trustworthy."

³⁰ _⌊That same night_⌋* Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed.

⁶ And he answered and said to me, "This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, 'Not by strength and not by power, but only by my Spirit,' says Yahweh of hosts.

⁶ But in the middle of the night there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

²⁰ But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your life* is demanded from you, and the things which you have prepared—whose will they be?'

²⁶ And just as it was in the days of Noah, so also it will be in the days of the Son of Man— ²⁷ they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building. ²⁹ But on the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed them all.

²³ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down _⌊because_⌋* he did not give the glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and* died.

² for you yourselves well know that the day of the Lord is coming in the same way as a thief in the night.

³ And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

¹³ So* she called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, "You are El-Roi,"* for she said, "Here I have seen after he who sees me."

⁹ For the eyes of Yahweh roam throughout all the earth to strengthen those whose heart is fully devoted to him. You have been foolish in this, for from now on you will have wars."

⁴ Does he not see my ways and count all my steps?

¹⁵ The eyes of Yahweh are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry for help.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

²¹ For before the eyes of Yahweh are _⌊human ways_⌋,* and all his paths he examines.

³ In every place, the eyes of Yahweh keep watch over the evil and the good.

¹⁷ For my eyes are on all their ways, they are not hidden _⌊from before me_⌋,* and their iniquity is not concealed from before my eyes.

¹⁰ I, Yahweh, examine the _⌊mind_⌋,* I test the _⌊heart_⌋,* and give to each one according to his way, according to the fruit of his deeds.

⁸ Look, the eyes of my Lord Yahweh are on the kingdom of sin, and I will destroy it from the surface of the earth. However, I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

⁵ Let darkness and deep shadow claim it; let clouds* settle on it; let them* terrify it with the blackness* of day.

¹⁷ because morning likewise is to them deep darkness; indeed, they know about the terrors of deep darkness.

³ Is not disaster for the evil one and ruin for the workers of mischief?

⁵ The boastful do not stand before* your eyes. You hate all evildoers.

¹¹ And if I should say, "Surely darkness will cover me, and the light around me will be as night," ¹² even the darkness is not too dark for you,* and the night shines as the day— the darkness and the light are alike for you.

²⁹ A stronghold for the upright is the way of Yahweh, but ruin belongs to _⌊evildoers_⌋.*

² The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; light has shined on those who lived in a land of darkness.

¹⁵ Ah! Those who make a plan deep, to hide it from Yahweh, and their deeds are* in a dark place. And they say, "Who sees us? And who knows us?"

²⁴ Or can a person hide himself in secret places and I cannot see him?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. "Do I not fill up the heaven and the earth?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

² If they dig into Sheol, from there my hand will take them, and even if they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down. ³ And even if they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search and will take them, and even if they hide from before my eyes at the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the sea serpent and it will bite them.

²³ And then _⌊I will say to them plainly_⌋,* 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!'

²⁷ And he will reply, saying to you, 'I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all you _⌊evildoers_⌋!'*

⁵ Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord should come, who will both enlighten the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the counsels of hearts, and then praise will come to each one from God.

¹³ And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom _⌊we must give our account_⌋*.

¹⁵ And the kings of the earth, and the most important people, and the military leaders, and the rich, and the powerful, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶ And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,

¹³ After all that has come upon us for our evil practices and for our great guilt—you, our God, have held back less than our guilt deserved and you have given us a remainder such as this.

³² "For* he is not a mortal like me that I can answer him, that _⌊we can come to trial together_⌋.* ³³ There is no arbiter between us that he might lay his hand on both of us.

⁶ and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for _⌊insight has many sides_⌋.* And know that God _⌊on your behalf_⌋* has forgotten _⌊some of_⌋* your guilt.

¹¹ For he knows _⌊those who are worthless_⌋;* _⌊when he sees_⌋* iniquity, _⌊he will not consider it_⌋.*

²¹ and it argues* for a mortal with God, and as _⌊a human_⌋* for his friend.

⁷ There an upright person could reason with him, and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

¹⁰ "Therefore, listen to me, _⌊people who have sense_⌋:* far be it from God _⌊that he should commit wickedness_⌋* and that Shaddai _⌊should do wrong_⌋.* ¹¹ Indeed, he will repay according to a human being's deeds, and according to a man's way he will let it happen to him. ¹² What's more, God truly does not act wickedly, and Shaddai does not pervert justice.

¹³⁷ You are righteous, O Yahweh, and your ordinances are upright.

³ He will not break a broken reed, and he not will extinguish a dim wick. He will bring justice forth in* faithfulness.

⁵ Thus says Yahweh:
"What injustice did your ancestors* find in me that they were far from me, and they went after the vanity, and they became vain?

⁷ "_⌊Righteousness belongs to you, O Lord_⌋,* and on us is open shame, just as it is this day to the people of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to all Israel, _⌊those who are near and those who are far off_⌋* in all the lands to which you have driven them,* because of their infidelity which they displayed against you. ⁸ Yahweh, on us is open shame, on our kings, on our princes, and on our ancestors,* because we have sinned against you. ⁹ _⌊Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord, our God_⌋,* for we have rebelled against him,

²⁰ On the contrary, O man, who are you who answers back to God? Will what is molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this"?*

³⁰ Therefore,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh the God of Israel, 'though I solemnly said that your house and the house of your ancestor* would walk before me forever, but now,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, 'far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me, I will treat with contempt! ³¹ Look, days are coming when I will cut off your _⌊strength_⌋* and the _⌊strength_⌋* of the house of your ancestor* _⌊so that no one in your house will live to old age_⌋.* ³² You will look at the distress of my dwelling place, despite all the good caused for Israel, but there will never be an old man in your household _⌊forever_⌋!* ³³ The only one I will not cut off from my altar is you.* Rather, to cause your eyes to fail and to cause your soul to grieve, _⌊all the members of your household_⌋* will die as men.* ³⁴ This is the sign for you that will come regarding your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: they will both die on the same day! ³⁵ But I will raise up for myself a reliable* priest; he will do just according to what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build for him a lasting* house and he will walk continually before my anointed one _⌊forever_⌋.* ³⁶ All the remainder of your household will come to bow down _⌊before_⌋* him for a bit of silver or a loaf of bread and will say, "Please assign me to one of the _⌊priestly offices_⌋* so that I can eat a morsel of bread." '"

²⁸ Then Samuel said to him, "Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor _⌊who is better than you_⌋.*

⁷ Go, tell Jeroboam, 'Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: "Because I raised you from the midst of the people and I made you leader over my people Israel, ⁸ I tore the kingdom from the house of David and I gave it to you. But you were not like my servant David who kept my commandments, and who went after me with all his heart, to do only what is right in my eyes.

¹⁴ Yahweh will raise up a king for himself over Israel who will even now cut off the house of Jeroboam this day.

² "_⌊How long_⌋* will you* torment me* and crush me with words?

⁹ You will break them with an iron rod. Like a potter's vessel you will shatter them."

⁴ May he provide justice for the poor of the people, save the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor.

⁵ They crush your people, O Yahweh; they oppress your inheritance.

⁷ He raises the helpless from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, ⁸ to seat them with princes, with the princes of his people.

²⁰ He says, "You are a war club for me, a weapon of battle, and I smash nations with you, and I destroy kingdoms with you. ²¹ And I smash the horse with you, and its rider, and I smash the chariot with you, and its rider. ²² And I smash man and woman with you, and I smash the old man and the boy with you, and I smash the young man and the young woman with you. ²³ And I smash the shepherd and his flock with you, and I smash the farmer and his team with you, and I smash the governors and the officials with you.

²¹ And he changes the times and the seasons, and he deposes kings and he sets up kings; he gives wisdom* to wise men and knowledge to men who know understanding.

³⁴ You were looking on _⌊until_⌋* a stone was chiseled out*—that not by hands—and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it broke them in pieces. ³⁵ Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold _⌊all at once_⌋* broke into pieces* and they became like chaff from the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away and any trace of them could not be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and it filled the whole earth.

²⁸ " 'Peres'—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.'" ²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be the third ruler in authority in the kingdom. ³⁰ _⌊That same night_⌋* Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. ³¹ * And Darius the Mede received the kingdom _⌊when he was about sixty-two years old_⌋.*

²⁰ In a moment they die, and in the middle of the night the people are shaken, and they pass away, and they take away the mighty _⌊effortlessly_⌋.*

¹⁵ he who fashions altogether their heart, he who understands all their works.

⁸ All of them _⌊wield swords_⌋;* they are _⌊trained in warfare_⌋,* each with his sword at his thigh to guard _⌊against terror_⌋* in the night.

¹ An oracle of Moab:
Because Ar is devastated in a night, Moab is destroyed; because Kir of Moab is devastated in a night, it is destroyed.

¹⁸ "And I—their works and thoughts!—am about to come to gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come and see my glory.

² _⌊But they did not consider_⌋* that I remember all their wickedness. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.

⁷ Yahweh has sworn by the pride of Jacob, "Surely I will never forget any of their deeds!

¹² And I saw the dead—the great and the small—standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.

³⁰ And Yahweh saved Israel on that day from the hand* of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea.

⁹ But you shall certainly kill him; your hand shall be first against him to kill him and next the hand of all of the people. ¹⁰ And you shall stone him with stones and let him die, for he tried to seduce you from Yahweh your God, the one bringing you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. ¹¹ And all of Israel shall hear, and they shall fear, and _⌊they shall not continue to act_⌋* according to this evil thing in your midst.

²¹ Then all the men of his city shall stone him with stones and let him die; and so you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all of Israel will hear, and they will fear.

¹¹ Thus says Yahweh, 'Look, I am going to raise up evil against you from within your house, and I will take your women before your eyes, and I will give them to your neighbor, and he shall sleep with your wives _⌊in broad daylight_⌋.* ¹² Though you did this in secret, I will do this thing before all of Israel _⌊in broad daylight_⌋!'"*

¹⁰ The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. ¹¹ And people* will say, "Surely there is a _⌊reward_⌋* for the righteous. Surely there is a God who judges in the land."*

²⁴ "And they shall go out and look at the corpses of the people* _⌊who have rebelled_⌋* against me,
for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."

²⁰ Reprove those who sin in the presence of all, in order that the rest also may experience fear.

²⁴ The sins of some people are evident, preceding them to judgment, but for some also they follow after them.

⁹ And the kings of the earth will weep and mourn over her, those who committed sexual immorality and lived sensually with her, when they see the smoke of her burning, ¹⁰ standing _⌊far off_⌋* because of the fear of her torment, saying,
"Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon the powerful city, because in one hour your judgment has come!"

²⁰ Rejoice over her, heaven and the saints and the apostles and the prophets, because God has pronounced your judgment on her!"

¹¹ "I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not kept my word." _⌊Samuel became angry_⌋,* and he cried out to Yahweh all night.

⁵ Because they do not regard the works of Yahweh, nor the work of his hands, he will destroy them and not rebuild them.

⁴³ Whoever is wise, then let him observe these things, and let them consider Yahweh's acts of loyal love.

⁵ But regarding those who turn aside to their crooked ways, Yahweh will lead them away with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.

²⁹ Since they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Yahweh, ³⁰ they were not willing to accept my counsel, they despised all my reproof.

³ An ox knows its owner and a donkey the manger of its master. Israel does not know; my people do not understand.

¹² And there will be lyre and harp, tambourine and flute, and wine at their feasts, but they do not look at the deeds* of Yahweh, and they do not see the work of his hands.

⁶ and those who turned back from _⌊following_⌋* Yahweh, and who did not seek Yahweh, and did not inquire of him."

¹⁵ But now, please _⌊consider_⌋* from this day forward, before one stone was placed on another in the temple of Yahweh, ¹⁶ _⌊from that time when_⌋* one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten, and when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures,* there were only twenty. ¹⁷ I struck you with blight, and with plant mildew, and hail, all the work of your hands. But _⌊you did not come back to me_⌋,'* _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ¹⁸ '_⌊Please consider_⌋* from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of Yahweh's temple was laid,* _⌊consider_⌋:* ¹⁹ Is there still seed in the store chamber? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still produce nothing? From this day forward I will bless you.'"

³¹ On that day, whoever is on the housetop and his goods are in the house must not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back ³² Remember Lot's wife!

³⁸ but Paul held the opinion they should not take this one along, who departed from them in Pamphylia and did not accompany them in the work.

¹⁰ For Demas deserted me, because he* loved the present age, and went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia; Titus went to Dalmatia.

³⁹ But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but among those who have faith to the preservation of our souls.

²³ _⌊And then_⌋* during those many days, the king of Egypt died, and the _⌊Israelites_⌋* groaned because of the work, and they cried out, and their cry for help because of the work went up to God. ²⁴ And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob,

⁷ And Yahweh said, "Surely I have seen the misery of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry of distress because of their oppressors, for I know their sufferings.

⁹ And now, look, the cry of distress of the _⌊Israelites_⌋* has come to me, and also I see the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.

²³ If you indeed afflict him, yes, if he cries out at all to me, I will certainly hear his cry of distress. ²⁴ And _⌊I will become angry_⌋,* and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children orphans. ²⁵ " 'If you lend money to my people, to the needy with you, you will not be to him as a creditor; you will not _⌊charge him interest_⌋.* ²⁶ If indeed you require the cloak of your neighbor as a pledge, you will return it to him at sundown, ²⁷ because it is his only garment; it is his cloak for his skin. In what will he sleep? _⌊And_⌋* when he cries out to me, I will hear, because I am gracious.

⁹ You have sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of orphans were crushed. ¹⁰ Therefore trapping nets are all around you, and panic suddenly terrifies you,

¹² From the city people groan, and the throat* of the wounded cries for help; yet* God does not _⌊regard it as unseemly_⌋.*

¹² because I saved the needy who cried for help, and I saved* the orphan for whom there was no helper. ¹³ The blessing of the wretched came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

¹⁹ if I have seen the one who perishes because of no clothing or* that there is no covering for the poor, ²⁰ if his loins have not blessed me, or* by means of my sheep's fleece he has warmed himself,

⁹ "Because of the multitude of oppressions, they cry out; they cry for help because of the arm of the mighty.

⁵ "Because of the oppression of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the poor, now I will rise up," Yahweh says. "I shall put them in the safety for which they* long."

⁷ For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel, and the man* of Judah is the plantation of his delight. And he waited for justice,* but look! Bloodshed!* For righteousness,* but look! A cry of distress!*

⁴ Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

¹ It happened that the king settled in his house. (Now Yahweh had given rest to him from all his enemies all around.)

⁹ It happened in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, that is, the seventh year of Hoshea the son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came against Samaria and laid siege against her. ¹⁰ At the end of three years, he captured it in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is, the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel; Samaria was captured. ¹¹ Then the king of Assyria deported Israel to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Habor, in the river regions of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, ¹² because they did not listen to the voice of Yahweh their God, and they transgressed his covenant; all that he had commanded Moses, the servant of Yahweh, they did not listen to nor did they obey.

¹⁴ All the leaders of the priests and the people likewise increased in unfaithfulness according to all the detestable things of the nations. And they polluted the house of Yahweh that he had consecrated in Jerusalem. ¹⁵ And Yahweh, the God of their ancestors,* had repeatedly and persistently sent to them by the hand of his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. ¹⁶ But they were mocking the messengers of God and despising his words and scoffing at his prophets until the wrath of Yahweh rose against his people until there was no remedy. ¹⁷ Therefore he brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, and he killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary. He showed no mercy on a young man, a virgin, the elderly, or decrepit. He delivered all into his hand.

¹⁴ If he tears down, then* it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then* he cannot be freed.

⁸ "When I go forward, _⌊he is not there_⌋,* or* backward, I cannot see him.* ⁹ _⌊When he works_⌋* on the left, _⌊I cannot perceive_⌋* him; he turns to the right, but* I cannot see him.

¹³ "But* he is _⌊alone_⌋,* and who can dissuade him? And _⌊whatever he desires_⌋,* _⌊indeed_⌋,* he does it.

¹ Then* Job again took up his discourse and said, ² "_⌊O that I were_⌋* as in the months before, as in the days when God watched over me, ³ when his shining lamp was over my head— by his light I walked through darkness—

¹ For the music director. A psalm of David.*
How long, O Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

⁹ Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my help; do not abandon nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.

⁷ O Yahweh, by your favor you caused my strong mountain to stand. You hid your face. I was bewildered.

⁷ Quickly answer me, O Yahweh; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me, or I will become like those descending to the pit.

³ And it shall happen on the day Yahweh gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and hard labor which _⌊you had to perform_⌋,* ⁴ that you will take this taunt against the king of Babylon, and you will say: "How the oppressor has ceased! his insolence* has ceased. ⁵ Yahweh has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, ⁶ that struck the peoples in wrath, a blow without ceasing, that ruled the nations in anger _⌊with unrestrained persecution_⌋.* ⁷ All of the earth rests and is quiet; they break forth into singing. ⁸ Even the cypresses rejoice over you, the cedars of Lebanon: 'Since you were laid down, no wood cutter comes up against us.'

³ You will protect a firm inclination in peace, in peace because he trusts in you.

¹⁷ And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the work of righteousness, quietness and security forever.

⁸ "But it will be that the nation or kingdom that will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put his neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, and with the famine, and with the plague," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "until I have destroyed it with my hand.

²⁷ "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you—not as the world gives, I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them* be afraid.

³¹ What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, together with him, freely give us all things? ³³ Who will bring charges against God's elect? God is the one who justifies. ³⁴ Who is the one who condemns? Christ* is the one who died, and more than that, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

⁷ And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds* in Christ Jesus.

²⁸ And the king had decided, so he made two golden calves and he said to them,* "_⌊You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough_⌋;* here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." ²⁹ He put one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. ³⁰ This thing became a sin, and the people walked before the one as far as Dan.

⁹ But Manasseh did not listen and tempted them to do evil more than the nations that Yahweh destroyed before the presence of the _⌊Israelites_⌋.*

²¹ "Indeed, his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he sees all his steps.

⁸ The wicked prowl about when vileness is exalted among the children of humankind.

² When the righteous are numerous, the people will rejoice, but when the wicked are ruling, people will groan. ³ A man who loves wisdom will make his parents glad, but the friend of prostitutes* will squander his wealth. ⁴ By justice a king gives stability to a land, but a man of bribes will ruin it. ⁵ A strong man who flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet. ⁶ In transgression, an evil man is a snare, but the righteous will sing and rejoice.* ⁷ The righteous knows the case of the poor, but the wicked does not understand knowledge. ⁸ Men of scoffing set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath. ⁹ If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man, then there is rankling and ridicule,* but there is no relief. ¹⁰ Men of blood hate the blameless, and they seek the life of the upright.* ¹¹ A fool gives all his breath,* but the wise holds back in quiet. ¹² A ruler listening to a word of falsehood, all his officials are wicked.

¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

¹¹ Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth.*

¹¹ I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him in my wrath.

¹⁶ For you have observed the regulations of Omri and all the works of the house of Ahab. And you have walked in their counsels, so that I am making you a desolation and your inhabitants an object of scorn. So you will bear the scorn of my people.

⁴ who opposes and who exalts himself over every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits down in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God. ⁵ Do you not remember that while* we were still with you, we were saying these things to you? ⁶ And you know that which restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his own time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is at work already; only the one who now restrains* will do so until he is out of the way,* ⁸ and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth, and wipe out by the appearance of his coming, ⁹ whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with every unrighteous deception against those who are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of the truth, so that they would be saved. ¹¹ And because of this, God sends them _⌊a powerful delusion_⌋* so that they will believe the lie,

³ And one of its heads appeared as though slaughtered to death, and its _⌊fatal wound_⌋* had been healed. And the whole earth was astonished and followed after the beast. ⁴ And they worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to make war with him?

¹¹ And I saw another beast coming up from the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he was speaking like a dragon. ¹² And he exercises all the authority of the first beast on behalf of him, and he causes the earth and those who live in it to worship the first beast _⌊whose fatal wound had been healed_⌋*. ¹³ And he performs great signs, so that he even causes fire from heaven to come down to the earth before people. ¹⁴ And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it has been granted to him to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who has the wound of the sword and yet lived.

⁴¹ I myself* also* went against them in hostility, and I brought them into the land of their enemies—or if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and then they pay for their guilt,

¹³ After all that has come upon us for our evil practices and for our great guilt—you, our God, have held back less than our guilt deserved and you have given us a remainder such as this. ¹⁴ Shall we again break your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who practice these detestable things? Would you not be angry with us until you destroy us with no remnant or remainder?

³³ You are righteous in everything that has come on us, for you dealt faithfully, and we have acted wickedly. ³⁴ Our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors* did not keep your law* and did not listen to your commandments and statutes that you declared to them. ³⁵ And in their kingdom and in the greatness you gave to them, and in the wide and fertile land that you gave before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their evil deeds. ³⁶ Behold, we are slaves to this day, and the land that you have given to our ancestors* to eat its fruits and enjoy its goodness—behold, we are slaves in it! ³⁷ Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have given over us because of our sins, and they are ruling over our dead bodies and our livestock at their pleasure. We are in great trouble. ³⁸ * "Now because of all of this we make a binding written agreement and are writing on the sealed documents the names of our commanders, our Levites, and our priests."

²⁷ "He will sing to men, and he will say, 'I have sinned and have perverted what is right, and it was not paid back to me.

³ So Job answered Yahweh and said, ⁴ "Look, I am insignificant. What shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. ⁵ Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; even* twice, but* I will not proceed."

⁶ Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

¹⁸ Indeed I heard Ephraim pitying themselves, 'You disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like a calf that is not trained. Bring me back and let me return, for you are Yahweh my God. ¹⁹ For after my turning back I repented, and after coming to understand I struck my thigh. I was ashamed and also humiliated, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.'

⁷ "_⌊Righteousness belongs to you, O Lord_⌋,* and on us is open shame, just as it is this day to the people of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to all Israel, _⌊those who are near and those who are far off_⌋* in all the lands to which you have driven them,* because of their infidelity which they displayed against you. ⁸ Yahweh, on us is open shame, on our kings, on our princes, and on our ancestors,* because we have sinned against you. ⁹ _⌊Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord, our God_⌋,* for we have rebelled against him, ¹⁰ and we have not listened to the voice of Yahweh our God, by following his law _⌊which he placed before us_⌋* by the hand of his servants the prophets. ¹¹ "And all Israel transgressed your law and turned aside so as not to listen to your voice, and so the curse and the oath which was written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. ¹² And so he has carried out his words which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring upon us a great calamity which was not done under all of heaven as it was done in Jerusalem. ¹³ Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all of this calamity has come upon us, and _⌊we have not implored_⌋* the face of Yahweh our God so as to turn from our iniquities and to attend closely to your faithfulness.* ¹⁴ So Yahweh has kept watch over the* calamity, and now he has brought it upon us. Indeed, Yahweh our God is righteous concerning all his works* that he has done, but we have not listened to his voice.

⁹ I will bear the rage of Yahweh, for I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes my justice. He will bring me out to the light; I will see his righteousness.

² I will say to God, 'You should not condemn me; let me know why you contend against me.

¹¹ who teaches us more than the animals of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?'

¹² Who can perceive his errors? Acquit me from hidden faults.

⁴ Make me know your ways, O Yahweh. Teach me your paths. ⁵ Cause me to walk in your truth and teach me, because you are the God of my salvation. I await you _⌊all day long_⌋.*

⁸ I* will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go. I will advise you with my eye upon you.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ And see if there is in me _⌊the worship of false gods_⌋,* and lead me in the way everlasting.

⁸ Cause me to hear your loyal love in the morning, for I trust you. Cause me to know the way that I should go, for I lift up my soul to you. ⁹ Deliver me from my enemies, O Yahweh. I take refuge in you.* ¹⁰ Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; your Spirit is good. Lead me onto level ground.

¹³ He who conceals his transgression will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes will obtain mercy.

⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! ⁹ And even now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." ¹⁰ And the crowds were asking him, saying, "What then should we do?" ¹¹ And he answered and* said to them, "The one who has two tunics must share with the one who does not have one,* and the one who has food must do likewise." ¹² And tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?" ¹³ And he said to them, "Collect no more than _⌊what you are ordered to_⌋."* ¹⁴ And those who served in the army were also asking him, saying, "What should we also do?" And he said to them, "Extort from no one, and do not blackmail anyone,* and be content with your pay."

²² that you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires,

²⁵ Therefore, putting aside the lie, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor,* because we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry and do not sin;* do not let the sun set on your anger, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ The one who steals must steal no longer, but instead must labor, working with his own hands what is good, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.

¹² _⌊If_⌋* he would snatch away, who could turn him? Who could say to him, 'What are you doing?'

³¹ Let him not trust in emptiness—he will be deceiving himself— for worthlessness will be his recompense.

⁴ "You who are tearing _⌊yourself_⌋* in your* anger, will the earth be forsaken because of you?* Or* will the rock be removed from its place?

⁵ "If you are able, answer me. Present your argument _⌊before me_⌋;* take your stand.

³² If _⌊you have anything to say_⌋,* _⌊answer me_⌋;* speak, for I desire _⌊to justify you_⌋.*

¹¹ Indeed, he will repay according to a human being's deeds, and according to a man's way he will let it happen to him.

¹¹ Who has come to confront me, that* I should repay him? Under all the heavens, _⌊it belongs to me_⌋.*

³⁰ If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments, ³¹ if they defile* my statutes and do not keep my commandments, ³² then I will punish their transgression with a rod, and their guilt with wounds.

⁶ All that Yahweh desires, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths.

³¹ If the righteous on earth will be repaid, _⌊how much more_⌋* the wicked and sinner.

⁹ Woe to the one who strives with his _⌊maker_⌋,* a potsherd among* potsherds of earth! Does the clay say to the one who fashions it, 'What are you making?' and 'Your work has no hands'?

¹² saying, 'These last people worked one hour and you made them equal to us who have endured the burden of the day and the burning heat!' ¹³ But he answered one of them and* said, 'Friend, I am not doing you wrong. Did you not come to an agreement with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what is yours and go! But I want to give to this last person the same as I gave* to you also. ¹⁵ Is it not* permitted for me to do whatever I want with what is mine? Or is your eye evil because I am generous?'

³⁵ Or who has given in advance to him, and it will be paid back to him?"*

⁶ since it is righteous in the sight of God to pay back those who are afflicting you with affliction, ⁷ and to you who are being afflicted, rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels,

² For if the word spoken through angels was binding and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just penalty,

²⁶ considering _⌊reproach endured for the sake of Christ_⌋* greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

² "Hear my words, you wise men, and listen to me, you who know,

⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us determine among ourselves what is good—

¹⁰ "Therefore, listen to me, _⌊people who have sense_⌋:* far be it from God _⌊that he should commit wickedness_⌋* and that Shaddai _⌊should do wrong_⌋.*

¹⁶ "But* if you have understanding, hear this; listen to _⌊what I say_⌋.*

² _⌊What you* know_⌋,* I myself* also know— I am not more inferior than you.*

² "Should the wise answer with windy knowledge, and should he fill his stomach with the east wind?

¹⁶ _⌊therefore_⌋* Job opens his mouth in empty talk— without knowledge he multiplies words."

² "Who is this darkening counsel by words without knowledge?

³ 'Who is this darkening counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I uttered, but* I did not understand; _⌊things too wonderful for me_⌋,* but I did not know.

⁶ The tents of the destroyers are at peace, and there is security for those who provoke God, for those whom God brings into his hand.*

⁷ "Why do the wicked live, grow old, even grow mighty in power?

¹⁶ Indeed,* God has made my heart faint, and Shaddai has terrified me.

¹ "Why are not times kept by Shaddai, and why do not those who know him see his days?

⁸ And he goes on the road in company with instigators of mischief, and walks with men of wickedness. ⁹ Indeed, he says, 'A man does not profit when he takes delight in God.'

³ You have tried my heart; you have examined me by night; you have tested me; you found nothing. I have decided that my mouth will not transgress.

² Prove me, O Yahweh, and test me. Try my _⌊innermost being_⌋* and my _⌊mind_⌋.*

¹¹ Behold, we consider blessed those who have endured. You have heard about the patient endurance of Job, and you saw the outcome from the Lord, that the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

²³ For rebellion is like the sin of divination; arrogance is like iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has rejected you from being king!"

² "_⌊How long_⌋* will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a mighty wind? ³ Does God pervert justice, _⌊or_⌋* Shaddai pervert righteousness?

² "Should an abundance of words go unanswered, or _⌊a man full of talk_⌋* be vindicated?* ³ Should your loose talk put people to silence? _⌊And when you mock, shall no one put you to shame_⌋?*

² "Even today my complaint is bitter; my hand is heavy in addition to my groaning.

²³ It claps its hands over him, and it hisses at him from its place.

² "Do you think this is justice when you say, '_⌊I am right_⌋* before God'? ³ If you ask what it profits you: 'How do I benefit _⌊by refraining from my sin_⌋?'*

⁷ _⌊And then_⌋* after Yahweh spoke these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "_⌊My wrath has been kindled_⌋* against you* and against the two of your friends, for you* have not spoken to me what is right as my servant Job has.

¹⁹ If you are willing and you are obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. ²⁰ But if you refuse and you rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword.
For the mouth of Yahweh has spoken."