Job 2:10

2:10 But he replied, ¹  “You’re talking like one of the godless ²  women would do! Should we receive ³  what is good from God, and not also ⁴  receive ⁵  what is evil?” ⁶  In all this Job did not sin by what he said. ⁷ 

Psalms 75:7

75:7 For God is the judge! ⁸ 

He brings one down and exalts another. ⁹ 

Proverbs 29:26

29:26 Many people seek the face ¹⁰  of a ruler,

but it is from the Lord that one receives justice. ¹¹ 

Isaiah 45:7

45:7 I am ¹²  the one who forms light

and creates darkness; ¹³ 

the one who brings about peace

and creates calamity. ¹⁴ 

I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.

Amos 3:6

3:6 If an alarm sounds ¹⁵  in a city, do people not fear? ¹⁶ 

If disaster overtakes a ¹⁷  city, is the Lord not responsible? ¹⁸ 

¹ tn Heb “he said to her.”

² tn The word “foolish” (נָבָל, naval) has to do with godlessness more than silliness (Ps 14:1). To be foolish in this sense is to deny the nature and the work of God in life its proper place. See A. Phillips, “NEBALA – A Term for Serious Disorderly Unruly Conduct,” VT 25 (1975): 237-41; and W. M. W. Roth, “NBL,” VT 10 (1960): 394-409.

³ tn The verb קִבֵּל (qibbel) means “to accept, receive.” It is attested in the Amarna letters with the meaning “receive meekly, patiently.”

⁴ tn The adverb גָּם (gam, “also, even”) is placed here before the first clause, but belongs with the second. It intensifies the idea (see GKC 483 §153). See also C. J. Labuschagne, “The Emphasizing Particle GAM and Its Connotations,” Studia Biblica et Semitica, 193-203.

⁵ tn The two verbs in this sentence, Piel imperfects, are deliberative imperfects; they express the reasoning or deliberating in the interrogative sentences.

⁶ tn A question need not be introduced by an interrogative particle or adverb. The natural emphasis on the words is enough to indicate it is a question (GKC 473 §150.a).

⁷ tn Heb “sin with his lips,” an idiom meaning he did not sin by what he said.

⁸ tn Or “judges.”

⁹ tn The imperfects here emphasize the generalizing nature of the statement.

¹⁰ sn The idiom seek the face means to try to obtain favor from someone. According to the proverb, many people assume that true justice depends on the disposition of some earthly ruler.

¹¹ tn Heb “but from the Lord [is] justice of a man.” The last part uses the construct state followed by the genitive, which here shows the advantage – it is justice for the person. The implication of the matter is that people should seek the Lord’s favor (rather than a human ruler’s) if they want true justice.

¹² tn The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.

¹³ tn On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”

¹⁴ sn This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).

¹⁵ tn Heb “If the ram’s horn is blown.”

¹⁶ tn Or “tremble” (NASB, NIV, NCV); or “shake.”

¹⁷ tn Heb “is in”; NIV, NCV, NLT “comes to.”

¹⁸ tn Heb “has the Lord not acted?”