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Bildad Talks

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, “Power and fear belong to God. He keeps peace in His high places. Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not shine? How then can a man be right and good before God? How can he who is born of woman be clean? See, even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in His eyes. How much less man, who is a bug, and the son of man, who is a worm!”

Job Talks

26 Then Job answered, “What a help you are to the weak! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! How you have given wise words to him who has no wisdom! How much true learning you have given! To whom have your words been said? And from whose spirit have you spoken?

“The spirits of the dead shake under the waters and those living in them. The place of the dead has no covering before God and the place that destroys has no covering. He spreads out the north over empty waste, and hangs the earth on nothing. He holds the waters in His clouds, and the cloud does not break under them. He covers the face of the moon and spreads His cloud over it. 10 He has marked the sides around the waters where light and darkness are divided. 11 The pillars of heaven shake with fear. They are surprised and afraid of His sharp words. 12 He made the sea quiet by His power. And by His understanding He destroyed Rahab. 13 By His breath the heavens are made beautiful. His hand cut through the snake as it tried to get away. 14 See, these are only a few of the things He does. And how quiet are the words spoken about Him! But who can understand His powerful thunder?”

Bildad

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

“Dominion and awe belong to God;(B)
    he establishes order in the heights of heaven.(C)
Can his forces be numbered?
    On whom does his light not rise?(D)
How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?(E)
If even the moon(F) is not bright
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes,(G)
how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot—
    a human being,(H) who is only a worm!”(I)

Job

26 Then Job replied:

“How you have helped the powerless!(J)
    How you have saved the arm that is feeble!(K)
What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
    And what great insight(L) you have displayed!
Who has helped you utter these words?
    And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?(M)

“The dead are in deep anguish,(N)
    those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
The realm of the dead(O) is naked before God;
    Destruction[a](P) lies uncovered.(Q)
He spreads out the northern skies(R) over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.(S)
He wraps up the waters(T) in his clouds,(U)
    yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
He covers the face of the full moon,
    spreading his clouds(V) over it.
10 He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters(W)
    for a boundary between light and darkness.(X)
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,(Y)
    aghast at his rebuke.
12 By his power he churned up the sea;(Z)
    by his wisdom(AA) he cut Rahab(AB) to pieces.
13 By his breath the skies(AC) became fair;
    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.(AD)
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper(AE) we hear of him!(AF)
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Job 26:6 Hebrew Abaddon