Text -- Job 22:26-30 (NET)

22:26 Surely then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face toward God. 22:27 You will pray to him and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him. 22:28 Whatever you decide on a matter, it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. 22:29 When people are brought low and you say ‘Lift them up!’ then he will save the downcast; 22:30 he will deliver even someone who is not innocent, who will escape through the cleanness of your hands.”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Job 22:26

¹ tc This is the same verb as in Ps 37:4. G. R. Driver suggests the word comes from another root that means “abandon oneself to, depend on” (“Problems in the Hebrew text of Job,” VTSup 3 [1955]: 84).

NET Notes: Job 22:27

¹ tn The words “to him” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

NET Notes: Job 22:28

¹ tn The word is גָּזַר (gazar, “to cut”), in the sense of deciding a matter.

NET Notes: Job 22:29

¹ tn There is no expressed subject here, and so the verb is taken as a passive voice again.

² tn The word גֵּוָה (gevah) means “loftiness; pride.” Here it simply says “up,” or “pride.” The rest is paraphrased. Of the many suggestions, the following provide a sampling: “It is because of pride” (ESV), “he abases pride” (H. H. Rowley); “[he abases] the lofty and the proud” (Beer); “[he abases] the word of pride” [Duhm]; “[he abases] the haughtiness of pride” [Fohrer and others]; “[he abases] the one who speaks proudly” [Weiser]; “[he abases] the one who boasts in pride” [Kissane]; and “God [abases] pride” [Budde, Gray].

³ tn Or “humble”; Heb “the lowly of eyes.”

NET Notes: Job 22:30

¹ tc The Hebrew has אִי־נָקִי (’i naqi), which could be taken as “island of the innocent” (so Ibn-Ezra), or “him that is not innocent” (so Rashi). But some have changed אִי (’i) to אִישׁ (’ish, “the innocent man”). Others differ: A. Guillaume links אִי (’i) to Arabic ‘ayya “whosoever,” and so leaves the text alone. M. Dahood secures the same idea from Ugaritic, but reads it אֵי (’e).

² tc The MT has “he will escape [or be delivered].” Theodotion has the second person, “you will be delivered.”