13:8 Will you show him partiality? 1
Will you argue the case 2 for God?
13:10 He would certainly rebuke 3 you
if you secretly 4 showed partiality!
1 sn The idiom used here is “Will you lift up his face?” Here Job is being very sarcastic, for this expression usually means that a judge is taking a bribe. Job is accusing them of taking God’s side.
2 tn The same root is used here (רִיב, riv, “dispute, contention”) as in v. 6b (see note).
3 tn The verbal idea is intensified with the infinitive absolute. This is the same verb used in v. 3; here it would have the sense of “rebuke, convict.”
4 sn The use of the word “in secret” or “secretly” suggests that what they do is a guilty action (31:27a).