Job Presents His Case

Job begins with sarcasm, telling the friends that wisdom will die with them, then insists that he is not beneath them and knows these things too. He says he has become a laughingstock despite calling on God, and he points to the strange fact that the wicked often live securely while those at ease dismiss the one whose foot slips.

T¹hen Job answered: ²“Truly then you are the people ³But I also have a mind; ⁴I am a laughingstock to my friends, ⁵The one at ease scorns misfortune ⁶The tents of robbers are safe,

Job says the animals, birds, earth, and fish all know that the Lord's hand has done this and that every living breath rests with him. He adds that people test words as the palate tastes food, and he grants that age is associated with wisdom and long life with understanding.

⁷But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ⁸Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; ⁹Which of all these does not know ¹⁰The life of every living thing is in His hand, ¹¹Does not the ear test words ¹²Wisdom is found with the elderly,

Job says wisdom and might belong to God, whose actions cannot be reversed when he tears down, withholds waters, or sends them out in flood. He then unfolds that sovereignty across public life: God strips counselors, priests, elders, nobles, and kings, reveals hidden things, enlarges and destroys nations, and leaves leaders groping in darkness without light.

¹³Wisdom and strength belong to God; ¹⁴What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; ¹⁵If He holds back the waters, they dry up, ¹⁶True wisdom and power belong to Him. ¹⁷He leads counselors away barefoot ¹⁸He loosens the bonds placed by kings ¹⁹He leads priests away barefoot ²⁰He deprives the trusted of speech ²¹He pours out contempt on nobles ²²He reveals the deep things of darkness ²³He makes nations great and destroys them; ²⁴He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason ²⁵They grope in the darkness without light;