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The Book of Job

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- Chapter 5 -

Eliphaz: Job is chastened by God

1
Therefore call, if there are any who will respond to you, and turn to one or another of the saints.
2
Truly, anger condemns the foolish to death, and envy kills the petty.
3
I have seen a fool with a strong root, and I have cursed his excellence without hesitation.
4
His sons will be far from prosperity and will be crushed at the gate, and there will be none who can rescue them.(a)
5
Their harvest, the starving will eat. The armed man will rob him, and the thirsty will drink his resources.
6
Nothing on earth occurs without a reason, and sorrow does not rise from the earth.
7
Man is born to labor, and the bird to fly.
8
Therefore, because of this, I will beg the Lord, and place my eloquence before God.
9
He does great and unfathomable and miraculous things without number.
10
He gives rain over the face of the earth and irrigates all things with the waters.
11
He places the humble on high and encourages the grieving towards health.
12
He dispels the thoughts of the spiteful, lest their hands be able to complete what they had begun.
13
He catches the wise in their cleverness and dissipates the counsel of the perverse.
14
They will encounter darkness in the daytime, and they will grope at midday just as in the night.(b)
15
Thereafter, he will act to save the needy from the sword of their mouth, and the poor from the hand of the violent.
16
And there will be hope for those in need, for iniquity will diminish its speech.
17
Blessed is the man whom God corrects; therefore, do not reject the chastisement of the Lord.
18
For he wounds and he cures; he strikes and his hands will heal.
19
He will deliver you into six tribulations, and in the seventh, evil will not touch you.(c)
20
During famine, he will rescue you from death, and during war, from the hand of the sword.
21
You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you will not fear calamity when it arrives.
22
In desolation and in famine, you will laugh, and you will not dread the beasts of the earth.
23
For you are in harmony with the stones of the land, and the beasts of the earth will make peace with you.
24
And you will know that your home has peace, and, concerning your appearance, you will not sin.
25
Likewise, you will know that your offspring will be manifold and your progeny will be like the grass of the earth.
26
You will enter the grave with abundance, just as a crop of wheat is gathered in its time.
27
Behold, this is just as we have found it, which you have heard; walk it through your mind.

Footnotes

(a)5:4 The expression ‘crushed at the gate’ may refer to an unfortunate outcome when they are being judged in court, for the ancient equivalent of the court case took place at the gates of the city, where the public could take notice of the event.(Conte)
(b)5:14 This verse refers to the three hours of darkness when Jesus was on the Cross. An eschatolotical interpreation, referring to the Three Days of Darkness is also possible.(Conte)
(c)5:19 six tribulations:could also be translated as ‘six years of tribulation.’ The translation ‘six years’ is a loose translation which favors the meaning of the passage over the literal wording. The six years of tribulation refers to the six plus years of the Antichrist’s reign. In the seventh year of the Antichrist’s reign, he will be defeated; he will not complete the seventh year of his reign. (Compare this translation to the translation, in the book of Daniel, where the text says seventy groups of seven, but the usual translation is seventy weeks of years.)(Conte)

Eliphaz: Job is chastened by God

1
“Call now; is there any who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2
For resentment kills the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple.
3
I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
4
His children are far from safety. They are crushed in the gate. Neither is there any to deliver them,
5
whose harvest the hungry eat up, and take it even out of the thorns. The snare gapes for their substance.
6
For affliction doesn’t come out of the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground;
7
but man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
8
“But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,
9
who does great things that can’t be fathomed, marvelous things without number;
10
who gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields;
11
so that he sets up on high those who are low, those who mourn are exalted to safety.
12
He frustrates the plans of the crafty, so that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.
13
He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.
14
They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.
15
But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.
16
So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.
17
“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18
For he wounds and binds up. He injures and his hands make whole.
19
He will deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven no evil will touch you.
20
In famine he will redeem you from death; in war, from the power of the sword.
21
You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither will you be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22
You will laugh at destruction and famine, neither will you be afraid of the animals of the earth.
23
For you will be allied with the stones of the field. The animals of the field will be at peace with you.
24
You will know that your tent is in peace. You will visit your fold, and will miss nothing.
25
You will know also that your offspring (a) will be great, your offspring as the grass of the earth.
26
You will come to your grave in a full age, like a shock of grain comes in its season.
27
Behold, we have researched it. It is so. Hear it, and know it for your good.”

Footnotes

(a)5:25 or, seed
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