Job 29:13-16

29:13 the blessing of the dying man descended on me, ¹ 

and I made the widow’s heart rejoice; ² 

29:14 I put on righteousness and it clothed me, ³ 

my just dealing ⁴  was like a robe and a turban;

29:15 I was eyes for the blind

and feet for the lame;

29:16 I was a father ⁵  to the needy,

and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;

Ezekiel 18:7

18:7 does not oppress anyone, but gives the debtor back whatever was given in pledge, ⁶  does not commit robbery, ⁷  but gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked,

Ezekiel 18:16

18:16 does not oppress anyone or keep what has been given in pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his food to the hungry, and clothes the naked,

Romans 12:13

12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.

James 1:27

1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before ⁸  God the Father ⁹  is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From James, ¹⁰  a slave ¹¹  of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. ¹²  Greetings!

James 3:17

3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, ¹³  full of mercy and good fruit, ¹⁴  impartial, and not hypocritical. ¹⁵ 

¹ tn The verb is simply בּוֹא (bo’, “to come; to enter”). With the preposition עַל (’al, “upon”) it could mean “came to me,” or “came upon me,” i.e., descended (see R. Gordis, Job, 320).

² tn The verb אַרְנִן (’arnin) is from רָנַן (ranan, “to give a ringing cry”) but here “cause to give a ringing cry,” i.e., shout of joy. The rejoicing envisioned in this word is far greater than what the words “sing” or “rejoice” suggest.

³ tn Both verbs in this first half-verse are from לָבַשׁ (lavash, “to clothe; to put on clothing”). P. Joüon changed the vowels to get a verb “it adorned me” instead of “it clothed me” (Bib 11 [1930]: 324). The figure of clothing is used for the character of the person: to wear righteousness is to be righteous.

⁴ tn The word מִשְׁפָּטִי (mishpati) is simply “my justice” or “my judgment.” It refers to the decisions he made in settling issues, how he dealt with other people justly.

⁵ sn The word “father” does not have a wide range of meanings in the OT. But there are places that it is metaphorical, especially in a legal setting like this where the poor need aid.

⁶ tn Heb “restores to the debtor his pledge.” The root occurs in Exod 22:25 in reference to restoring a man’s garment as a pledge before nightfall.

⁷ tn The Hebrew term refers to seizure of property, usually by the rich (Isa 3:14; 10:2; Mic 2:2 [see Lev 5:21, 22]).

⁸ tn Or “in the sight of”; Grk “with.”

⁹ tn Grk “the God and Father.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

¹¹ tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

¹² tn Grk “to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles.

¹³ tn Or “willing to yield,” “open to persuasion.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “fruits.” The plural Greek term καρπούς has been translated with the collective singular “fruit.”

¹⁵ tn Or “sincere.”