38:4 “Where were you
when I laid the foundation 1 of the earth?
Tell me, 2 if you possess understanding!
38:21 You know, for you were born before them; 3
and the number of your days is great!
8:9 For we were born yesterday 4 and do not have knowledge,
since our days on earth are but a shadow. 5
15:7 “Were you the first man ever born?
Were you brought forth before the hills?
1 tn The construction is the infinitive construct in a temporal clause, using the preposition and the subjective genitive suffix.
2 tn The verb is the imperative; it has no object “me” in the text.
3 tn The imperfect verb after the adverb אָז (’az, “then”) functions as a preterite: “you were born.” The line is sarcastic.
4 tn The Hebrew has “we are of yesterday,” the adverb functioning as a predicate. Bildad’s point is that they have not had time to acquire great knowledge because they are recent.
5 tn E. Dhorme (Job, 116) observes that the shadow is the symbol of ephemeral things (14:2; 17:7; Ps 144:4). The shadow passes away quickly (116).