Job 40-42 - Prayer Tents

Job 40

40Then the LORD said to Job,H3068H6030H347H5592"Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?"H7378H7706H3250H3198H433H6030

Job Responds to the Lord

3Then Job replied to the LORD,H347H6030H3068H5594"I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand.H7043H7725H7760H3027H3926H63105I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say."H259H1696H6030H8147H3254

The Lord Challenges Job Again

6Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind.H6030H3068H347H5591H5597"Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.H247H2504H1397H7592H30458"Will you discredit my justice and condemn me just to prove you are right?H6565H4941H7561H66639Are you as strong as God? Can you thunder with a voice like his?H2220H410H7481H696310All right, put on your glory and splendor, your honor and majesty.H5710H1347H1363H3847H1935H192611Give vent to your anger. Let it overflow against the proud.H6327H5678H639H7200H1343H821312Humiliate the proud with a glance; walk on the wicked where they stand.H7200H1343H3665H1915H756313Bury them in the dust. Imprison them in the world of the dead.H2934H6083H3162H2280H6440H293414Then even I would praise you, for your own strength would save you.H3034H3225H346715"Take a look at Behemoth, which I made, just as I made you. It eats grass like an ox.H930H6213H398H2682H124116See its powerful loins and the muscles of its belly.H3581H4975H202H8306H99017Its tail is as strong as a cedar. The sinews of its thighs are knit tightly together.H2654H2180H730H1517H6344H827618Its bones are tubes of bronze. Its limbs are bars of iron.H6106H650H5154H1634H4300H127019It is a prime example of God's handiwork, and only its Creator can threaten it.H7225H1870H410H6213H5066H2719H506620The mountains offer it their best food, where all the wild animals play.H2022H5375H944H2416H7704H783221It lies under the lotus plants, hidden by the reeds in the marsh.H7901H6628H5643H7070H120722The lotus plants give it shade among the willows beside the stream.H6628H5526H6752H6155H5158H543723It is not disturbed by the raging river, not concerned when the swelling Jordan rushes around it.H6231H5104H2648H982H1518H3383H631024No one can catch it off guard or put a ring in its nose and lead it away.H3947H5869H639H5344H4170

Job 41

The Lord’s Challenge Continues

41 "Can you catch Leviathan with a hook or put a noose around its jaw?H4900H3882H2443H3956H2256H8257 2Can you tie it with a rope through the nose or pierce its jaw with a spike?H7760H100H639H5344H3895H2336 3Will it beg you for mercy or implore you for pity?H7235H8469H1696H7390 4Will it agree to work for you, to be your slave for life?H3772H1285H3947H5650H5769 5Can you make it a pet like a bird, or give it to your little girls to play with?H7832H6833H7194H5291 6Will merchants try to buy it to sell it in their shops?H2271H3739H2673H3669 7Will its hide be hurt by spears or its head by a harpoon?H4390H5785H7905H7218H1709H6767 8If you lay a hand on it, you will certainly remember the battle that follows. You won't try that again!H7760H3709H2142H4421H3254 9No, it is useless to try to capture it. The hunter who attempts it will be knocked down.H8431H3576H2904H4758 10And since no one dares to disturb it, who then can stand up to me?H393H5782H5782H3320H6440 11Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine.H6923H7999H8064 12"I want to emphasize Leviathan's limbs and its enormous strength and graceful form.H2790H907H1369H1697H2433H6187 13Who can strip off its hide, and who can penetrate its double layer of armor?H1540H6440H3830H935H3718H7448 14Who could pry open its jaws? For its teeth are terrible!H6605H1817H6440H8127H367H5439 15Its scales are like rows of shields tightly sealed together.H4043H650H1346H5462H6862H2368 16They are so close together that no air can get between them.H259H5066H259H7307H935 17Each scale sticks tight to the next. They interlock and cannot be penetrated.H1692H376H251H3920H6504 18"When it sneezes, it flashes light! Its eyes are like the red of dawn.H5846H216H1984H5869H6079H7837 19Lightning leaps from its mouth; flames of fire flash out.H6310H1980H3940H3590H784H4422 20Smoke streams from its nostrils like steam from a pot heated over burning rushes.H5156H3318H6227H5301H1731H100 21Its breath would kindle coals, for flames shoot from its mouth.H5315H3857H1513H3851H3318H6310 22"The tremendous strength in Leviathan's neck strikes terror wherever it goes.H6677H3885H5797H1670H1750H6440 23Its flesh is hard and firm and cannot be penetrated.H4651H1320H1692H3332H4131 24Its heart is hard as rock, hard as a millstone.H3820H3332H68H3332H6400H8482 25When it rises, the mighty are afraid, gripped by terror.H7613H352H1481H7667H2398 26No sword can stop it, no spear, dart, or javelin.H2719H5381H6965H2595H4551H8302 27Iron is nothing but straw to that creature, and bronze is like rotten wood.H2803H1270H8401H5154H7539H6086 28Arrows cannot make it flee. Stones shot from a sling are like bits of grass.H1121H7198H1272H68H7050H2015H7179 29Clubs are like a blade of grass, and it laughs at the swish of javelins.H8455H2803H7179H7832H7494H3591 30Its belly is covered with scales as sharp as glass. It plows up the ground as it drags through the mud.H2303H2789H7502H2742H2916 31"Leviathan makes the water boil with its commotion. It stirs the depths like a pot of ointment.H4688H7570H5518H7760H3220H4841 32The water glistens in its wake, making the sea look white.H5410H215H310H2803H8415H7872 33Nothing on earth is its equal, no other creature so fearless.H6083H4915H6213H1097H2844 34Of all the creatures, it is the proudest. It is the king of beasts."H7200H1364H4428H1121H7830

Job 42

Job Responds to the Lord

42Then Job replied to the LORD.H347H6030H3068H5592"I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.H3045H3201H4209H12193You asked, 'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me.H5956H6098H1847H5046H995H6381H30454You said, 'Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.'H8085H1696H7592H30455I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.H8085H8088H241H5869H72006I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."H3988H5162H6083H665

Conclusion: The Lord Blesses Job

7After the LORD had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.H310H3068H1696H1697H347H3068H559H464H8489H639H2734H8147H7453H1696H3559H5650H3478So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has."H3947H7651H6499H7651H352H3212H5650H347H5927H5930H5650H347H6419H6440H5375H6213H5039H1696H3559H5650H3479So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the LORD commanded them, and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.H464H8489H1085H7747H6691H5284H3212H6213H3068H1696H3068H5375H6440H34710When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!H3068H7725H7622H7622H347H6419H7453H3068H3254H347H493211Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the LORD had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring.H935H251H269H3045H6440H398H3899H1004H5110H5162H7451H3068H935H376H5414H259H7192H376H5141H209112So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.H3068H1288H319H347H7225H702H6240H505H6629H8337H505H1581H505H6776H1241H505H86013He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters.H7658H1121H7969H132314He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch.H7121H8034H259H3224H8034H8145H7103H8034H7992H716315In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers.H776H802H4672H3303H1323H347H1H5414H5159H8432H25116Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren.H310H2421H347H3967H705H8141H7200H1121H1121H1121H702H175517Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life.H347H4191H2205H7649H3117