Job 26
1 And Job answered and said,
Job replied [to Bildad], saying this [sarcastically]:
2 How hast thou helped the powerless; how saved the arm that is without 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 hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom, and abundantly declared the thing as it is!
(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 For whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?
Who helped you to say all those [great/wise] things? Who inspired you to speak like you did?”
5 The shades tremble beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof;
“[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 stretcheth out the north over empty space, he hangeth the earth upon nothing;
God stretched out the earth over the huge empty space and caused the earth to have nothing [to support it].
8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them.
He fills the thick/dense clouds with water and prevents that water from bursting the clouds.
9 He covereth the face of his throne, he spreadeth his cloud upon it.
He causes clouds to (obscure/prevent us from seeing) the moon.
10 He hath traced a fixed circle over the waters, unto 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 the heavens 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 stirreth up the sea by his power, and by his understanding he smiteth 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 adorned; his hand hath formed the fleeing serpent.
With his breath he caused the sky to be bright/clear; with his hand he killed the great dragon in the sea.
14 Lo, these are the borders of his ways; but what a whisper of a word do we hear of him! And 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]’”
