Part 566

26:2. Whose helper art thou? is it of him that is weak? and dost thou hold up the arm of him that has no strength?

26:3. To whom hast thou given counsel? perhaps to him that hath no wisdom, and thou hast shewn thy very great prudence.

26:4. Whom hast thou desired to teach? was it not him that made life?

26:5. Behold the giants groan under the waters, and they that dwell with them.

26:6. Hell is naked before him, and there is no covering for destruction.

26:7. He stretched out the north over the empty space, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

26:8. He bindeth up the waters in his clouds, so that they break not out and fall down together.

26:9. He withholdeth the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud over it.

26:10. He hath set bounds about the waters, till light and darkness come to an end.

26:11. The pillars of heaven tremble, and dread at his beck.

26:12. By his power the seas are suddenly gathered together, and his wisdom has struck the proud one.

26:13. His spirit hath adorned the heavens, and his obstetric hand brought forth the winding serpent.

His obstetric hand brought forth the winding serpent. . .That is, the omnipotent power of God: which brought forth all things created in time, but conceived in the Divine mind from all eternity. The winding serpent, a constellation of fixed stars winding round the north pole, called Draco. This appears from the foregoing part of the same verse, His spirit hath adorned the heavens.

26:14. Lo, these things are said in part of his ways: and seeing we have heard scarce a little drop of his word, who shall be able to behold the thunder of his greatness?

Job Chapter 27

Job persists in asserting his own innocence, and that hypocrites will be punished in the end.

27:1. Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:

27:2. As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who hath brought my soul to bitterness,

27:3. As long as breath remaineth in me, and the spirit of God in my nostrils,

27:4. My lips shall not speak iniquity, neither shall my tongue contrive lying.

27:5. God forbid that I should judge you to be just: till I die I will not depart from my innocence.

27:6. My justification, which I have begun to hold, I will not forsake: for my heart doth not reprehend me in all my life.

27:7. Let my enemy be as the ungodly, and my adversary as the wicked one.

27:8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite if through covetousness he take by violence, and God deliver not his soul?

27:9. Will God hear his cry, when distress shall come upon him?

27:10. Or can he delight himself in the Almighty, and call upon God at all times?

27:11. I will teach you by the hand of God, what the Almighty hath, and I will not conceal it.

27:12. Behold you all know it, and why do you speak vain things without cause?