Job 26
1 Then Job answered,
Job replied [to Bildad], saying this [sarcastically]:
2 “How have you helped him who is without power! How have you saved the arm that has no strength!
“I am a very weak and helpless man; and (you [certainly] have not helped me [SAR] very much!/[do you think that] you have helped me [SAR] very much?) [RHQ]
3 How have you counselled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!
(You certainly have counseled me well—I, who am not wise at all./[Do you think that] you have counseled me well—I, who am not wise at all?) [RHQ] ([I’m sure you think that] you have given a lot of very good advice to me. [RHQ]
4 To whom have you uttered words? Whose spirit came out of you?
Who helped you to say all those [great/wise] things? Who inspired you to speak like you did?”
5 “The departed spirits tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
“[Because] the spirits of dead people [are afraid], [they] tremble in the waters that are deep under the earth.
God knows all about [those who are in] the place of the dead; there is nothing down there that prevents God from seeing what is there. (Sheol h7585)
7 He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing.
God stretched out the earth over the huge empty space and caused the earth to have nothing [to support it].
8 He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not burst under them.
He fills the thick/dense clouds with water and prevents that water from bursting the clouds.
9 He encloses the face of his throne, and spreads his cloud on it.
He causes clouds to (obscure/prevent us from seeing) the moon.
10 He has described a boundary on the surface of the waters, and to the confines of light and darkness.
He separated the light from the darkness and put the horizon to mark the place where the night ends and the daytime begins.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his rebuke.
When [he is angry, it is as though] he rebukes the pillars that hold up the sky. They are (shocked/very fearful), and they tremble.
12 He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.
With his power he calmed the sea; with his skill/wisdom he destroyed Rahab, the huge sea monster.
13 By his Spirit the heavens are garnished. His hand has pierced the swift serpent.
With his breath he caused the sky to be bright/clear; with his hand he killed the great dragon in the sea.
14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
But those events show only a small amount of his power; [it is as though] we are hearing only whispers of his powerful voice. When we hear thunder, [we say, ] ‘(Who can really understand [how great] his power [is]/No one can [really] understand [how great] his power [is]!) [RHQ]’”
