Old Testament Bible Reading With Dr.Diana Brevan 06-28-2024

Job 40-42

New King James Version

God’s Power and Wisdom

40 Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said:

2 “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”

Job’s Response to God

3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

4 “Behold, I am vile;What shall I answer You?I lay my hand over my mouth.5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

God’s Challenge to Job

6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

7 “Now [a]prepare yourself like a man;I will question you, and you shall answer Me:

8 “Would you indeed [b]annul My judgment?Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?9 Have you an arm like God?Or can you thunder with a voice like His?10 Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,And array yourself with glory and beauty.11 Disperse the rage of your wrath;Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.12 Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low;Tread down the wicked in their place.13 Hide them in the dust together,Bind their faces in hidden darkness.14 Then I will also confess to youThat your own right hand can save you.

15 “Look now at the [c]behemoth, which I made along with you;He eats grass like an ox.16 See now, his strength is in his hips,And his power is in his stomach muscles.17 He moves his tail like a cedar;The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.18 His bones are like beams of bronze,His ribs like bars of iron.19 He is the first of the ways of God;Only He who made him can bring near His sword.20 Surely the mountains yield food for him,And all the beasts of the field play there.21 He lies under the lotus trees,In a covert of reeds and marsh.22 The lotus trees cover him with their shade;The willows by the brook surround him.23 Indeed the river may rage,Yet he is not disturbed;He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth,24 Though he takes it in his eyes,Or one pierces his nose with a snare.

God’s Power in the Leviathan

41 “Can you draw out Leviathan[d] with a hook,Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?2 Can you put a reed through his nose,Or pierce his jaw with a [e]hook?3 Will he make many supplications to you?Will he speak softly to you?4 Will he make a covenant with you?Will you take him as a servant forever?5 Will you play with him as with a bird,Or will you leash him for your maidens?6 Will your companions [f]make a banquet of him?Will they apportion him among the merchants?7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons,Or his head with fishing spears?8 Lay your hand on him;Remember the battle—Never do it again!9 Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false;Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him?10 No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up.Who then is able to stand against Me?11 Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him?Everything under heaven is Mine.

12 “I will not [g]conceal his limbs,His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.13 Who can [h]remove his outer coat?Who can approach him with a double bridle?14 Who can open the doors of his face,With his terrible teeth all around?15 His rows of [i]scales are his pride,Shut up tightly as with a seal;16 One is so near anotherThat no air can come between them;17 They are joined one to another,They stick together and cannot be parted.18 His sneezings flash forth light,And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.19 Out of his mouth go burning lights;Sparks of fire shoot out.20 Smoke goes out of his nostrils,As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.21 His breath kindles coals,And a flame goes out of his mouth.22 Strength dwells in his neck,And [j]sorrow dances before him.23 The folds of his flesh are joined together;They are firm on him and cannot be moved.24 His heart is as hard as stone,Even as hard as the lower millstone.25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;Because of his crashings they [k]are beside themselves.26 Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail;Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.27 He regards iron as straw,And bronze as rotten wood.28 The arrow cannot make him flee;Slingstones become like stubble to him.29 Darts are regarded as straw;He laughs at the threat of javelins.30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds;He spreads pointed marks in the mire.31 He makes the deep boil like a pot;He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.32 He leaves a shining wake behind him;One would think the deep had white hair.33 On earth there is nothing like him,Which is made without fear.34 He beholds every high thing;He is king over all the children of pride.”

Job’s Repentance and Restoration

42 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

2 “I know that You can do everything,And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.4 Listen, please, and let me speak;You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’

5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,But now my eye sees You.6 Therefore I abhor[l] myself,And repent in dust and ashes.”

7 And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. 8 Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept [m]him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord commanded them; for the Lord had [n]accepted Job. 10 And the Lord [o]restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold.

12 Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first [p]Jemimah, the name of the second [q]Keziah, and the name of the third [r]Keren-Happuch. 15 In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. 17 So Job died, old and full of days.

Footnotes

1. Job 40:7 Lit. gird up your loins

2. Job 40:8 nullify

3. Job 40:15 A large animal, exact identity unknown

4. Job 41:1 A large sea creature, exact identity unknown

5. Job 41:2 thorn

6. Job 41:6 Or bargain over him

7. Job 41:12 Lit. keep silent about

8. Job 41:13 Lit. take off the face of his garment

9. Job 41:15 Lit. shields

10. Job 41:22 despair

11. Job 41:25 Or purify themselves

12. Job 42:6 despise

13. Job 42:8 Lit. his face

14. Job 42:9 Lit. lifted up the face of Job

15. Job 42:10 Lit. turned the captivity of Job, what was captured from Job

16. Job 42:14 Lit. Handsome as the Day

17. Job 42:14 Cassia, a fragrance

18. Job 42:14 Lit. The Horn of Color or The Colorful Ray

Job 40-42

La Palabra (España)

40 El Señor siguió diciendo a Job:

2 ¿Quiere el censor discutir con el Todopoderoso?El que critica a Dios, que responda.

3 Job respondió al Señor:

4 Me siento pequeño, ¿qué contestaré?Me taparé la boca con la mano.5 Hablé una vez, no insistiré;hablé dos veces, nada añadiré.

Segundo discurso: Dios controla las fuerzas del mal

6 El Señor replicó a Job desde la tormenta:

7 Si tienes redaños, cíñete los lomos;te preguntaré y tú me instruirás:8 ¿Pretendes acaso violar mi derecho,condenarme para salir tú absuelto?9 ¿Tienes un brazo poderoso como Diosy es potente tu voz como la suya?10 ¡Pues vístete de gloria y majestad,rodéate de gloria y esplendor;11 da rienda suelta a tu cóleray abate con tu mirada al soberbio;12 hunde con tu mirada al arrogantey machaca a los malvados donde estén;13 entiérralos juntos en el polvo,mételos a todos en el calabozo!14 Entonces yo también te alabaré:“Tu diestra te ha dado la victoria”.

Behemot

15 Ahí tienes a Behemot,a quien creé, igual que a ti;come hierba, lo mismo que el buey.16 Fíjate en la dureza de sus lomos,en la fuerza de los músculos del vientre;17 empina su cola como un cedro,se traban los nervios de sus muslos;18 sus huesos parecen tubos de bronce,sus miembros, hierro forjado.19 Es primicia de las obras de Dios,su Hacedor lo amenazó con la espada.20 Los montes le pagan tributo,junto a él retozan las bestias.21 Se tumba arropado por los lotos,oculto en los carrizos de la marisma;22 los lotos le proporcionan sombra,los sauces del río lo protegen.23 No le asusta que el río se desborde,que un Jordán le llegue hasta el hocico.24 ¿Quién será capaz de atraparloo taladrarle con ganchos la narizmientras él está vigilante?

Leviatán

25 ¿Pescarías con anzuelo a Leviatány sujetarías su lengua con cuerdas?26 ¿Le pasarías un junco por la narizy traspasarías su mandíbula con garfios?27 ¿Te va a dirigir ruegos insistenteso calmarte con voz suplicante?28 ¿Haría un contrato contigo,para ser tu siervo de por vida?29 ¿Vas a jugar con él como con un pájaro,atándolo para que tus hijas se diviertan?30 ¿Lo pondrían en venta los pescadoresy se lo disputarían los mercaderes?31 ¿Le traspasarías la piel con arpones,la cabeza con artes de pesca?32 Si le has puesto la mano encima,te acordarás del combatey no volverás a intentarlo.

41 No esperes atraparlo, que es inútil;su sola presencia causa terror;2 ¡nadie es capaz de provocarlo!¿Quién, pues, será capaz de hacerme frente?3 ¿Quién me ha venido con regalospara que deba yo recompensarle?¡Si todo bajo el cielo es mío!4 ¿No hice que callara su arrogancia,su firme palabra y su alegato?5 ¿Quién le abrió el manto de su piely penetró por su doble coraza?6 ¿Quién abrió las puertas de sus fauces,tachonadas de dientes espantosos?7 Su lomo son hileras de escudos,bien apretados y sellados;8 sus piezas se unen tan trabadasque ni el aire se filtra entre ellas;9 se sueldan unas con otras,formando un bloque compacto.10 Su estornudo proyecta destellos,sus ojos parpadean como el alba.11 Sus fauces lanzan antorchas,proyectan chispas de fuego;12 de su hocico sale una humareda,como caldero que hierve atizado;13 su aliento enciende carbones,arroja llamaradas por su boca.14 Su fuerza está en su cuello,ante él tiembla el espanto.15 Son compactos los pliegues de su carne;como pegados a su cuerpo, ni se mueven.16 Su corazón es duro como la roca,resistente como piedra de moler.17 Su majestad asusta a los dioses;cuando oyen su estrépito, retroceden.18 De nada sirve la espada contra él,tampoco dardo, lanza o jabalina.19 El hierro es paja para él,madera podrida el bronce.20 No hay flecha que lo ponga en fuga,las piedras de la honda son como paja.21 Paja le parece el mazo,se ríe del silbar de las saetas.22 Su vientre son lastras afiladas,que arrastra como trillo por el lodo.23 Hace hervir las aguas profundas,convierte el mar en pebetero.24 Deja tras de sí un surco luminoso,una blanca cabellera en el Abismo.25 Nadie lo iguala en la tierra,pues es criatura sin miedo.26 Se enfrenta a los más altivos,es el rey de todas las bestias.

Intervención final de Job

42 Job respondió al Señor:

2 Reconozco que todo lo puedes,que ningún proyecto se te resiste.[Dijiste:]3 “¿Quién es ese que confunde mis designiospronunciando tales desatinos?”.Sí, hablé de cosas que no sabía,de maravillas que superan mi comprensión.[Dijiste:]4 “Escucha y déjame hablar;te preguntaré y tú me instruirás”.5 Te conocía sólo de oídas,pero ahora te han visto mis ojos;6 por eso, me retracto y me arrepiento,tumbado en el polvo y la ceniza.

V.— Epílogo (42,7-17)

7 Cuando el Señor terminó de decir esto a Job, se dirigió a Elifaz de Temán:

— Estoy enfadado contigo y con tus dos compañeros, porque no habéis hablado de mí como hay que hablar, al contrario de como lo ha hecho mi siervo Job. 8 Así que tomad siete novillos y siete carneros, id donde está mi siervo Job y ofrecedlos por vosotros en holocausto. Mi siervo Job intercederá por vosotros, yo le haré caso y no os trataré como merece vuestra audacia, por no haber hablado de mí como hay que hablar, al contrario de como lo ha hecho mi siervo Job.

9 Elifaz de Temán, Bildad de Súaj y Sofar de Naamat hicieron lo que el Señor ordenó, y el Señor mostró su favor a Job.

10 Cuando Job intercedió en favor de sus compañeros, el Señor cambió su suerte y duplicó todas sus posesiones. 11 Vinieron a visitarlo sus hermanos y hermanas, junto con viejos conocidos; comieron con él en su casa, se lamentaron y lo consolaron de la desgracia que el Señor le había enviado. Cada uno le regaló una suma de dinero y un anillo de oro.

12 El Señor bendijo a Job al final de su vida más aún que al principio. Se hizo con catorce mil ovejas, seis mil camellos, mil yuntas de bueyes y mil borricas. 13 Tuvo siete hijos y tres hijas: 14 la primera se llamaba Paloma; la segunda, Acacia; y la tercera, Azabache. 15 No había en toda la comarca mujeres más hermosas que las hijas de Job. Su padre las hizo herederas, igual que a sus hermanos.

16 Job vivió ciento cuarenta años más y conoció a sus hijos, a sus nietos y a sus biznietos. 17 Murió anciano tras una larga vida.