'God' in the Bible

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

“May that day be darkness;Let not God above care for it,Nor light shine on it.

“Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,And whom God has hedged in?

“Is not your fear of God your confidence,And the integrity of your ways your hope?

“By the breath of God they perish,And by the blast of His anger they come to an end.

‘Can mankind be just before God?Can a man be pure before his Maker?

“But as for me, I would seek God,And I would place my cause before God;

“Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves,So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

“For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,Their poison my spirit drinks;The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

“Oh that my request might come to pass,And that God would grant my longing!

“Would that God were willing to crush me,That He would loose His hand and cut me off!

“Does God pervert justice?Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?

“If you would seek GodAnd implore the compassion of the Almighty,

“So are the paths of all who forget God;And the hope of the godless will perish,

“Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity,Nor will He support the evildoers.

“In truth I know that this is so;But how can a man be in the right before God?

“It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how,When He overturns them in His anger;

“God will not turn back His anger;Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab.

“I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;Let me know why You contend with me.

“But would that God might speak,And open His lips against you,

And show you the secrets of wisdom!For sound wisdom has two sides.Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity.

“Can you discover the depths of God?Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

“I am a joke to my friends,The one who called on God and He answered him;The just and blameless man is a joke.

“The tents of the destroyers prosper,And those who provoke God are secure,Whom God brings into their power.

“But I would speak to the Almighty,And I desire to argue with God.

“Will you speak what is unjust for God,And speak what is deceitful for Him?

“Will you show partiality for Him?Will you contend for God?

“Indeed, you do away with reverenceAnd hinder meditation before God.

“Do you hear the secret counsel of God,And limit wisdom to yourself?

“Are the consolations of God too small for you,Even the word spoken gently with you?

That you should turn your spirit against GodAnd allow such words to go out of your mouth?

Because he has stretched out his hand against GodAnd conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty.

“God hands me over to ruffiansAnd tosses me into the hands of the wicked.

“My friends are my scoffers;My eye weeps to God.

“O that a man might plead with GodAs a man with his neighbor!

“Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,And this is the place of him who does not know God.”

Know then that God has wronged meAnd has closed His net around me.

“Pity me, pity me, O you my friends,For the hand of God has struck me.

“Why do you persecute me as God does,And are not satisfied with my flesh?

“Even after my skin is destroyed,Yet from my flesh I shall see God;

“He swallows riches,But will vomit them up;God will expel them from his belly.

“When he fills his belly,God will send His fierce anger on himAnd will rain it on him while he is eating.

“This is the wicked man’s portion from God,Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”

Their houses are safe from fear,And the rod of God is not on them.

“They say to God, ‘Depart from us!We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out,Or does their calamity fall on them?Does God apportion destruction in His anger?

“You say, ‘God stores away a man’s iniquity for his sons.’Let God repay him so that he may know it.

“Can anyone teach God knowledge,In that He judges those on high?

“Can a vigorous man be of use to God,Or a wise man be useful to himself?

“Is not God in the height of heaven?Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!

“You say, ‘What does God know?Can He judge through the thick darkness?

“They said to God, ‘Depart from us!’And ‘What can the Almighty do to them?’

“For then you will delight in the AlmightyAnd lift up your face to God.

“It is God who has made my heart faint,And the Almighty who has dismayed me,

“From the city men groan,And the souls of the wounded cry out;Yet God does not pay attention to folly.

“How then can a man be just with God?Or how can he be clean who is born of woman?

“As God lives, who has taken away my right,And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul,

For as long as life is in me,And the breath of God is in my nostrils,

“For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off,When God requires his life?

“Will God hear his cryWhen distress comes upon him?

“Will he take delight in the Almighty?Will he call on God at all times?

“I will instruct you in the power of God;What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

“This is the portion of a wicked man from God,And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty.

“God understands its way,And He knows its place.

“Oh that I were as in months gone by,As in the days when God watched over me;

As I was in the prime of my days,When the friendship of God was over my tent;

“And what is the portion of God from aboveOr the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

Let Him weigh me with accurate scales,And let God know my integrity.

What then could I do when God arises?And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

“For calamity from God is a terror to me,And because of His majesty I can do nothing.

That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,For I would have denied God above.

But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God.

“Do not say,‘We have found wisdom;God will rout him, not man.’

“The Spirit of God has made me,And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

“Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this,For God is greater than man.

“Indeed God speaks once,Or twice, yet no one notices it.

Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,That he may see His face with joy,And He may restore His righteousness to man.

“Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men,

“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,But God has taken away my right;

“For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothingWhen he is pleased with God.’

“Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.Far be it from God to do wickedness,And from the Almighty to do wrong.

“Surely, God will not act wickedly,And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

“For He does not need to consider a man further,That he should go before God in judgment.

“For has anyone said to God,‘I have borne chastisement;I will not offend anymore;

‘For he adds rebellion to his sin;He claps his hands among us,And multiplies his words against God.’”

“But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,Who gives songs in the night,

“Surely God will not listen to an empty cry,Nor will the Almighty regard it.

“Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any;He is mighty in strength of understanding.

“Behold, God is exalted in His power;Who is a teacher like Him?

“Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him;The number of His years is unsearchable.