Job 16
Names of God Bible
Job Speaks: My Friends Do Not Help Ease My Pain
16 Then Job replied to his friends,
2 “I have heard many things like this before.
You are all pathetic at comforting me.
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?
What disturbs you that you keep on answering me?
4 I, too, could speak like you
if we could trade places.
I could string words together against you
and shake my head at you.
5 I could encourage you with my mouth,
and my quivering lips could ease your pain.
6 If I speak, my pain is not eased.
If I stop talking, how much of it will go away?
7 “But now, God has worn me out.
You, God, have destroyed everyone who supports me.
8 You have shriveled me up, which itself is a witness against me.
My frail body rises up and testifies against me.
Job Describes What God Has Done to Him
9 “God’s anger tore me apart and attacked me.
He gritted his teeth at me.
My opponent looked sharply at me.
10 People gaped at me with wide-open mouths.
In scorn they slapped my cheeks.
They united against me.
11 El handed me over to unjust people
and threw me into the hands of wicked people.
12 I was at ease, and he shattered me.
He grabbed me by the back of the neck and smashed my skull.
He set me up as his target,
13 and his archers surrounded me.
He slashes open my kidneys without mercy
and spills my blood[a] on the ground.
14 He inflicts wound after wound on me.
He lunges at me like a warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
and I have thrown my strength in the dust.
16 My face is red from crying,
and dark shadows encircle my eyes,
17 although my hands have done nothing violent,
and my prayer is sincere.
Job Appeals His Case to Heaven
18 “Earth, don’t cover my blood.
Don’t ever let my cry for justice be stopped.
19 Even now, look! My witness is in heaven,
and the one who testifies for me is above,
20 the spokesman for my thoughts.[b]
My eyes drip with tears to Eloah
22 because in a few short years I will take the path of no return.[c]
21 But my witness will plead for a human in front of Eloah.
The Son of Man will plead for his friend!
Job 16
Easy-to-Read Version
Job Answers Eliphaz
16 Then Job answered:
2 “I have heard all these things before.
You men give me trouble, not comfort.
3 Your long speeches never end!
Why do you continue arguing?
4 I also could say the same things you say,
if you had my troubles.
I could say wise things against you
and shake my head at you.
5 But I would say things to encourage you
and give you hope.
6 “Nothing I say makes my pain go away.
But keeping quiet does not help either.
7 God, you surely took away my strength.
You destroyed my whole family.
8 You have made me thin and weak,
and people think that means I am guilty.
9 “God attacks me;
he is angry with me and tears my body apart.
He grinds his teeth against me.
My enemy looks at me with hate.
10 People have crowded around me.
They make fun of me and slap my face.
11 God has given me to evil people.
He let the wicked hurt me.
12 I was enjoying a quiet, peaceful life,
but then God crushed me.
Yes, he took me by the neck
and broke me into pieces.
He has made me his target.
13 With his archers all around me,
he shoots arrows into my kidneys.
He shows no mercy
and spills my gall[a] on the ground.
14 Again and again he attacks me.
He runs at me like a soldier in battle.
15 “I am very sad, so I wear this sackcloth.
I sit here in dust and ashes, feeling defeated.
16 My face is red from crying.
There are dark rings around my eyes.
17 I was never cruel to anyone,
and my prayers are pure.
18 “Earth, don’t hide the wrong things that were done to me.[b]
Don’t let my begging for fairness be stopped.
19 Even now there is someone in heaven who will speak for me.
There is someone above who will testify for me.
20 My friend speaks for me,
while my eyes pour out tears to God.
21 He speaks to God for me,
like someone[c] presenting an argument for a friend.
22 “In only a few years
I will go to that place of no return.
Job 16
New King James Version
Job Reproaches His Pitiless Friends
16 Then Job answered and said:
2 “I have heard many such things;
(A)Miserable[a] comforters are you all!
3 Shall [b]words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do,
If your soul were in my soul’s place.
I could heap up words against you,
And (B)shake my head at you;
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
And if I remain silent, how am I eased?
7 But now He has (C)worn me out;
You (D)have made desolate all my company.
8 You have shriveled me up,
And it is a (E)witness against me;
My leanness rises up against me
And bears witness to my face.
9 (F)He tears me in His wrath, and hates me;
He gnashes at me with His teeth;
(G)My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.
10 They (H)gape at me with their mouth,
They (I)strike me reproachfully on the cheek,
They gather together against me.
11 God (J)has delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He has (K)shattered me;
He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces;
He has (L)set me up for His target,
13 His archers surround me.
He pierces my [c]heart and does not pity;
He pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with wound upon wound;
He runs at me like a [d]warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
And (M)laid my [e]head in the dust.
16 My face is [f]flushed from weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although no violence is in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,
And (N)let my cry have no resting place!
19 Surely even now (O)my witness is in heaven,
And my evidence is on high.
20 My friends scorn me;
My eyes pour out tears to God.
21 (P)Oh, that one might plead for a man with God,
As a man pleads for his [g]neighbor!
22 For when a few years are finished,
I shall (Q)go the way of no return.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
