Job 30:20

30:20 I cry out to you, ¹  but you do not answer me;

I stand up, ²  and you only look at me. ³ 

Psalms 102:17

102:17 when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, ⁴ 

and does not reject ⁵  their request. ⁶ 

Amos 5:22

5:22 Even if you offer me burnt and grain offerings, ⁷  I will not be satisfied;

I will not look with favor on your peace offerings of fattened calves. ⁸ 

¹ sn The implication from the sentence is that this is a cry to God for help. The sudden change from third person (v. 19) to second person (v. 20) is indicative of the intense emotion of the sufferer.

² sn The verb is simple, but the interpretation difficult. In this verse it probably means he stands up in prayer (Jer 15:1), but it could mean that he makes his case to God. Others suggest a more figurative sense, like the English expression “stand pat,” meaning “remain silent” (see Job 29:8).

³ tn If the idea of prayer is meant, then a pejorative sense to the verb is required. Some supply a negative and translate “you do not pay heed to me.” This is supported by one Hebrew ms and the Vulgate. The Syriac has the whole colon read with God as the subject, “you stand and look at me.”

⁴ tn The Hebrew adjective עַרְעָר (’arar, “destitute”) occurs only here in the OT. It is derived from the verbal root ערר (“to strip oneself”).

⁵ tn Heb “despise.”

⁶ tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 16-17 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 15.

⁷ tn Heb “burnt offerings and your grain offerings.”

⁸ tn Heb “Peace offering[s], your fattened calves, I will not look at.”