Gen 44:18, 34, 1Sa 19:4-5, 25:24-44, Est 4:13-14, 7:4, Job 32:4-37:24 | ESV | STEP | Then Judah went up to him and said , Oh, my lord , please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears , and let not your anger burn against your servant , for you are like Pharaoh himself.

18 Then Judah went up to him and said, ^a“Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and ^blet not your anger burn against your servant, for ^cyou are like Pharaoh himself.

Genesis 44:34

34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

1 Samuel 19:4-5

4 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king ^dsin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For ^ehe took his life in his hand ^fand he struck down the Philistine, ^gand the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against ^hinnocent blood by killing David without cause?”

1 Samuel 25:24-44

24 She fell at his feet and said, ⁱ“On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard ^jthis worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal ^{▼▼ Nabal means fool} is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, ^las the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because ^mthe Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from ⁿsaving with your own hand, now then ^olet your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this ^ppresent that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord ^qa sure house, because my lord ^ris fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies ^she shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince ^{▼▼Or leader} over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord ^uworking salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

32 And David said to Abigail, ^v“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, ^wwho have kept me this day from bloodguilt ^xand from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely ^yas the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, ^zwho has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, ^aa“Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

36 And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, ^abhe was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart ^acwas merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing ^adat all until the morning light. 37 In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And about ten days later ^aethe Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, ^af“Blessed be the Lord who has ^agavenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, ^ahand has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. ^aiThe Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and ^ajspoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” 41 And she rose ^akand bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” 42 And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

43 David also took Ahinoam of ^alJezreel, ^amand both of them became his wives. 44 Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

Esther 4:13-14

13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 7:4

4 ^anFor we have been sold, I and my people, ^aoto be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.”

Job 32:4-22

4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

“I am young in years,
and you are ^apaged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
to declare my opinion to you.
7 I said, ‘Let days speak,
and many years teach wisdom.’
8 But it is ^aqthe spirit in man,
^arthe breath of the Almighty, that makes him ^asunderstand.
9 ^atIt is not the old ^{▼▼Hebrew many [in years]} who are wise,
nor the aged who understand what is right.
10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
let me also declare my opinion.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened for your wise sayings,
while you searched out what to say.
12 I gave you my attention,
and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
or who answered his words.
13 Beware ^avlest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
God may vanquish him, not a man.’
14 He has not directed his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your speeches.
15 “They are dismayed; they answer no more;
they have not a word to say.
16 And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
because they stand there, and answer no more?
17 I also will answer with my share;
I also will declare my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
the spirit within me constrains me.
19 Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
like new ^awwineskins ready to burst.
20 ^axI must speak, that I may find ^ayrelief;
I must open my lips and answer.
21 I will not ^azshow partiality to any man
or use flattery toward any person.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
else my Maker would soon take me away.

Job 33

Elihu Rebukes Job

1 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I ^baopen my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 ^bbThe Spirit of God has made me,
and ^bcthe breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 ^bdAnswer me, if you can;
^beset your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of ^bfclay.
7 Behold, no ^bgfear of me need terrify you;
my ^bhpressure will not be heavy upon you.
8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am ^bipure, without ^bjtransgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he ^bkcounts me as his enemy,
11 he ^blputs my feet in the stocks
and ^bmwatches all my paths.’
12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you ^bncontend against him,
saying, ‘He ^bowill answer none of man’s ^{▼▼Hebrew his} words’? ^{▼▼Or He will not answer for any of his own words}
14 For God ^brspeaks in one way,
^bsand in two, though man ^btdoes not perceive it.
15 In ^bua dream, in ^bva vision of ^bwthe night,
when ^bxdeep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he ^byopens the ears of men
and terrifies them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his ^bzdeed
and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from ^caperishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his ^cbbones,
20 so that his ^cclife loathes bread,
and his appetite ^cdthe choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen ^cestick out.
22 His soul draws near ^cfthe pit,
and his life to ^cgthose who bring death.
23 If there be for him ^chan angel,
^cia mediator, ^cjone of the thousand,
to declare to man what is ^ckright for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found ^cla ransom;
25 let his flesh ^cmbecome fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26 then man ^{▼▼Hebrew he} ^coprays to God, and he accepts him;
he ^cpsees his face with a shout of joy,
and he ^cqrestores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men and says:
‘I ^crsinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my ^cssoul from going down ^ctinto the pit,
and my life shall ^culook upon the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, ^cvthree times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with ^cwthe light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words, ^cxanswer me;
^cyspeak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, ^czlisten to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Job 34

Elihu Asserts God’s Justice

1 Then Elihu answered and said:

2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3 for ^dathe ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose ^dbwhat is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘I am ^dcin the right,
and ^ddGod has taken away my right;
6 in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am ^dewithout transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
who ^dfdrinks up scoffing like water,
8 who travels in company with evildoers
and walks ^dgwith wicked men?
9 For ^dhhe has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
that he should take delight in God.’
10 “Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God that he should ^dido wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11 For according to ^djthe work of a man he will repay him,
and ^dkaccording to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and ^dlthe Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who ^dmlaid on him ^{▼▼Hebrew lacks on him} the whole world?
14 If he should ^doset his heart to it
and ^dpgather to himself his ^dqspirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and man would ^drreturn to dust.
16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 ^dsShall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who ^dtsays to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19 who ^dushows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich ^dvmore than the poor,
for ^dwthey are all the work of his hands?
20 In a moment ^dxthey die;
at ^dymidnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by ^dzno human hand.
21 “For his eyes are on ^eathe ways of a man,
and he sees all his ^ebsteps.
22 There is no ^ecgloom or ^eddeep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God ^{▼▼Hebrew he} has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in ^efjudgment.
24 He ^egshatters the mighty without investigation
and sets ^ehothers in their place.
25 Thus, knowing their works,
he ^eioverturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place for all to see,
27 because they turned aside from ^ejfollowing him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 so that they ^ekcaused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he ^elheard the cry of the afflicted—
29 When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him,
whether it be a nation or a man?—
30 that a godless man should not reign,
that he should not ensnare the people.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32 ^emteach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33 Will he then make repayment to suit you,
because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
therefore ^endeclare what you know. ^{▼▼The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 29–33 is uncertain}
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 ‘Job ^epspeaks without knowledge;
his words are without insight.’
36 Would that Job were tried to the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he ^eqclaps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”

Job 35

Elihu Condemns Job

1 And Elihu answered and said:

2 “Do you think this to be just?
Do you say, ^er‘It is my right before God,’
3 that you ask, ^es‘What advantage have I?
How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
4 I will answer you
and ^etyour friends with you.
5 ^euLook at the heavens, and see;
and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, ^evwhat do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 ^ewIf you are righteous, what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
and your righteousness ^exa son of man.
9 “Because of the multitude of ^eyoppressions people ^ezcry out;
they call for help because of the arm of ^fathe mighty. ^{▼▼Or the many}
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my ^fcMaker,
who gives ^fdsongs in the night,
11 who teaches us ^femore than the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 There they ^ffcry out, but he does not answer,
because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
nor does the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when you say that you ^fgdo not see him,
that the case is before him, and you are ^fhwaiting for him!
15 And now, because ^fihis anger does not punish,
and he does not take much note of transgression, ^{▼▼Theodotion, Symmachus (compare Vulgate); the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain}
16 Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
he ^fkmultiplies words ^flwithout knowledge.”

Job 36

Elihu Extols God’s Greatness

1 And Elihu continued, and said:

2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from ^fmafar
and ascribe ^fnrighteousness to my ^foMaker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is ^fpperfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and ^fqdoes not despise any;
he is ^frmighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives ^fsthe afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his ^fteyes from the righteous,
but with ^fukings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are ^fvexalted.
8 And if they are ^fwbound in chains
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are ^fxbehaving arrogantly.
10 He ^fyopens their ears to instruction
and commands that they ^fzreturn from iniquity.
11 ^gaIf they listen and serve him,
they ^gbcomplete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they ^gcperish by the sword
and die ^gdwithout knowledge.
13 “The ^gegodless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he ^gfbinds them.
14 They ^ggdie in youth,
and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers ^ghthe afflicted by their affliction
and ^giopens their ear by adversity.
16 He also allured you out of distress
into ^gja broad place where there was no cramping,
and what was set on your ^gktable was full of ^glfatness.
17 “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
and let not the greatness of ^gmthe ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your ^gncry for help avail to keep you from distress,
or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for ^gothe night,
when peoples vanish ^gpin their place.
21 Take care; ^gqdo not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is ^gra teacher like him?
23 Who has ^gsprescribed for him his way,
or who can say, ^gt‘You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember to ^guextol his work,
of which men have ^gvsung.
25 All mankind has looked on it;
man beholds it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we ^gwknow him not;
the number of his ^gxyears is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water;
they distill his ^gymist in ^gzrain,
28 which ^hathe skies pour down
and drop on mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand ^hbthe spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his ^hcpavilion?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he ^hdjudges peoples;
he gives ^hefood in abundance.
32 He covers his ^hfhands with the lightning
and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its crashing declares his presence; ^{▼▼Hebrew declares concerning him}
the cattle also declare that he rises.

Job 37

Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty

1 “At this also my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2 Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
and his ^hhlightning to the ^hicorners of the earth.
4 After it ^hjhis voice roars;
^hkhe thunders with his majestic voice,
and he does not restrain the lightnings ^{▼▼Hebrew them} when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders wondrously with his voice;
he does ^hmgreat things that we cannot ^hncomprehend.
6 For to ^hothe snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
7 He ^hpseals up the hand of every man,
that all men whom he made may ^hqknow it.
8 Then the beasts go into their ^hrlairs,
and remain in their ^hsdens.
9 From ^htits chamber ^hucomes the whirlwind,
and ^hvcold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God ^hwice is given,
and ^hxthe broad waters are frozen fast.
11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They ^hyturn around and around by his ^hzguidance,
^iato accomplish all that he commands them
on the face of ^ibthe habitable world.
13 Whether for ^iccorrection or for his ^idland
or for ^ielove, he causes it to happen.
14 “Hear this, O Job;
stop and ^ifconsider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Do you know the balancings ^{▼▼Or hoverings} of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is ^ihperfect in knowledge,
17 you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, like him, ⁱⁱspread out the skies,
hard as a cast metal ^ijmirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of ^ikdarkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?
21 “And now no one looks on the light
when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
God is clothed with ^ilawesome majesty.
23 The Almighty—we ^imcannot find him;
he is ⁱⁿgreat in power;
^iojustice and abundant righteousness he will not ^ipviolate.
24 Therefore men ^iqfear him;
he does not regard any who are ^irwise in their own conceit.” ^{▼▼Hebrew in heart}