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Job Replies: God’s Majesty Is Unsearchable

26 But Job answered:

“How have you helped him who is without power?
    How have you saved the arm that has no strength?
How have you counseled him who has no wisdom?
    And how have you plentifully declared sound knowledge?
To whom have you uttered words?
    And whose breath came from you?

“The departed spirits tremble under the waters,
    and their inhabitants.
The underworld is naked before Him,
    and destruction has no covering.
He stretches out the north over empty space,
    He hangs the earth upon nothing.
He binds up the waters in His thick clouds,
    and the cloud is not broken under them.
He covers the face of the full moon
    and spreads His cloud over it.
10 He has circled the waters with boundaries,
    until the day and night come to an end.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble
    and are astonished at His reproof.
12 He divides the sea with His power,
    and by His understanding He strikes through the proud.
13 By His breath He has made fair the heavens;
    His hand has formed the fleeing serpent.
14 Indeed, these are but a part of His ways,
    and how small a whisper we hear of Him!
    But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Job

26 Then Job replied:

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Job 26:6 Hebrew Abaddon