Job 34:9

34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man

when he makes his delight with God.’ ¹ 

Job 35:3

35:3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’ ² 

and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’ ³ 

Isaiah 30:11

30:11 Turn aside from the way,

stray off the path. ⁴ 

Remove from our presence the Holy One of Israel.” ⁵ 

Malachi 1:13-14

1:13 You also say, ‘How tiresome it is.’ You turn up your nose at it,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and instead bring what is stolen, lame, or sick. You bring these things for an offering! Should I accept this from you?” ⁶  asks the Lord. 1:14 “There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king,” ⁷  says the Lord who rules over all, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”

¹ tn Gordis, however, takes this expression in the sense of “being in favor with God.”

² tn The referent of “you” is usually understood to be God.

³ tn The Hebrew text merely says, “What do I gain from my sin?” But Job has claimed that he has not sinned, and so this has to be elliptical: “more than if I had sinned” (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 224). It could also be, “What do I gain without sin?”

⁴ sn The imagery refers to the way or path of truth, as revealed by God to the prophet.

⁵ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

⁶ tn Heb “from your hand,” a metonymy of part (the hand) for whole (the person).

⁷ sn The epithet great king was used to describe the Hittite rulers on their covenant documents and so, in the covenant ideology of Malachi, is an apt description of the Lord.