New King James Version

Berean Standard Bible

1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

2“Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?

2“Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge?

3Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

3Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.

4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

4Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

5Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

5Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it?

6To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

6On what were its foundations set, or who laid its cornerstone,

7When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

7while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8“Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb;

8Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,

9When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band;

9when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket,

10When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors;

10when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors,

11When I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!’

11and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop’?

12“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place,

12In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,

13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

13that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

14It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment.

14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.

15From the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken.

15Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken.

16“Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?

16Have you journeyed to the vents of the sea or walked in the trenches of the deep?

17Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

17Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

18Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

18Have you surveyed the extent of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

19“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

19Where is the way to the home of light? Do you know where darkness resides,

20That you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home?

20so you can lead it back to its border? Do you know the paths to its home?

21Do you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great?

21Surely you know, for you were already born! And the number of your days is great!

22“Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail,

22Have you entered the storehouses of snow or observed the storehouses of hail,

23Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war?

23which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of war and battle?

24By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

24In which direction is the lightning dispersed, or the east wind scattered over the earth?

25“Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt,

25Who cuts a channel for the flood or clears a path for the thunderbolt,

26To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man;

26to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives,

27To satisfy the desolate waste, And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?

27to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass?

28Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

28Does the rain have a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew?

29From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth?

29From whose womb does the ice emerge? Who gives birth to the frost from heaven,

30The waters harden like stone, And the surface of the deep is frozen.

30when the waters become hard as stone and the surface of the deep is frozen?

31“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion?

31Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?

32Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

32Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear and her cubs?

33Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?

33Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?

34“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you?

34Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?

35Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?

35Can you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

36Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?

36Who has put wisdom in the heart or given understanding to the mind?

37Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

37Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Or who can tilt the water jars of the heavens

38When the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together?

38when the dust hardens into a mass and the clods of earth stick together?

39“Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

39Can you hunt the prey for a lioness or satisfy the hunger of young lions

40When they crouch in their dens, Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?

40when they crouch in their dens and lie in wait in the thicket?

41Who provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?

41Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain.