34:8 He goes about 1 in company 2 with evildoers,
he goes along 3 with wicked men. 4
34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’ 5
12:6 But 6 the tents of robbers are peaceful,
and those who provoke God are confident 7 –
who carry their god in their hands. 8
21:7 “Why do the wicked go on living, 9
grow old, 10 even increase in power?
24:1 “Why are times not appointed by 11 the Almighty? 12
Why do those who know him not see his days?
1 tn The perfect verb with the vav (ו) consecutive carries the sequence forward from the last description.
2 tn The word חֶבְרַה (khevrah, “company”) is a hapax legomenon. But its meaning is clear enough from the connections to related words and this context as well.
3 tn The infinitive construct with the ל (lamed) preposition may continue the clause with the finite verb (see GKC 351 §114.p).
4 tn Heb “men of wickedness”; the genitive is attributive (= “wicked men”).
5 tn Gordis, however, takes this expression in the sense of “being in favor with God.”
6 tn The verse gives the other side of the coin now, the fact that the wicked prosper.
7 tn The plural is used to suggest the supreme degree of arrogant confidence (E. Dhorme, Job, 171).
8 sn The line is perhaps best understood as describing one who thinks he is invested with the power of God.
9 sn A. B. Davidson (Job, 154) clarifies that Job’s question is of a universal scope. In the government of God, why do the wicked exist at all? The verb could be translated “continue to live.”
10 tn The verb עָתַק (’ataq) means “to move; to proceed; to advance.” Here it is “to advance in years” or “to grow old.” This clause could serve as an independent clause, a separate sentence; but it more likely continues the question of the first colon and is parallel to the verb “live.”
11 tn The preposition מִן (min) is used to express the cause (see GKC 389 §121.f).
12 tc The LXX reads “Why are times hidden from the Almighty?” as if to say that God is not interested in the events on the earth. The MT reading is saying that God fails to set the times for judgment and vindication and makes good sense as it stands.