Text -- Job 23:9 (NET)

23:9 In the north when he is at work, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I see no trace of him.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Job 23:9

¹ sn The text has “the left hand,” the Semitic idiom for directions. One faces the rising sun, and so left is north, right is south.

² tc The form בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ (ba’asoto) would be the temporal clause using the infinitive construct with a pronoun (subject genitive). This would be “when he works.” Several follow the Syriac with “I seek him.” The LXX has “[when] he turns.” R. Gordis (Job, 261) notes that there is no need to emend the text; he shows a link to the Arabic cognate ghasa, “to cover.” To him this is a perfect parallel to יַעְטֹף (ya’tof, “covers himself”).

³ tn The verb is the apocopated form of the imperfect. The object is supplied.

⁴ tn The MT has “he turns,” but the Syriac and Vulgate have “I turn.”