Job 13:15

13:15 Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; ¹ 

I will surely ²  defend ³  my ways to his face!

Job 23:10-12

23:10 But he knows the pathway that I take; ⁴ 

if he tested me, I would come forth like gold. ⁵ 

23:11 My feet ⁶  have followed ⁷  his steps closely;

I have kept to his way and have not turned aside. ⁸ 

23:12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion. ⁹ 

Job 27:5-6

27:5 I will never ¹⁰  declare that you three ¹¹  are in the right;

until I die, I will not set aside my integrity!

27:6 I will maintain my righteousness

and never let it go;

my conscience ¹²  will not reproach me

for as long as I live. ¹³ 

Job 31:1-40

Job Vindicates Himself

31:1 “I made a covenant with ¹⁴  my eyes;

how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin? ¹⁵ 

31:2 What then would be one’s lot from God above,

one’s heritage from the Almighty ¹⁶  on high?

31:3 Is it not misfortune for the unjust,

and disaster for those who work iniquity?

31:4 Does he not see my ways

and count all my steps?

31:5 If ¹⁷  I have walked in falsehood,

and if ¹⁸  my foot has hastened ¹⁹  to deceit –

31:6 let him ²⁰  weigh me with honest ²¹  scales;

then God will discover ²²  my integrity.

31:7 If my footsteps have strayed from the way,

if my heart has gone after my eyes, ²³ 

or if anything ²⁴  has defiled my hands,

31:8 then let me sow ²⁵  and let another eat,

and let my crops ²⁶  be uprooted.

31:9 If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door, ²⁷ 

31:10 then let my wife turn the millstone ²⁸  for another man,

and may other men have sexual relations with her. ²⁹ 

31:11 For I would have committed ³⁰  a shameful act, ³¹ 

an iniquity to be judged. ³² 

31:12 For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, ³³ 

and it would uproot ³⁴  all my harvest.

31:13 “If I have disregarded the right of my male servants

or my female servants

when they disputed ³⁵  with me,

31:14 then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; ³⁶ 

when he intervenes, ³⁷ 

how will I respond to him?

31:15 Did not the one who made me in the womb make them? ³⁸ 

Did not the same one form us in the womb?

31:16 If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, ³⁹ 

or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

31:17 If I ate my morsel of bread myself,

and did not share any of it with orphans ⁴⁰  –

31:18 but from my youth I raised the orphan ⁴¹  like a father,

and from my mother’s womb ⁴² 

I guided the widow! ⁴³ 

31:19 If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing,

or a poor man without a coat,

31:20 whose heart did not bless me ⁴⁴ 

as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep, ⁴⁵ 

31:21 if I have raised my hand ⁴⁶  to vote against the orphan,

when I saw my support in the court, ⁴⁷ 

31:22 then ⁴⁸  let my arm fall from the shoulder, ⁴⁹ 

let my arm be broken off at the socket. ⁵⁰ 

31:23 For the calamity from God was a terror to me, ⁵¹ 

and by reason of his majesty ⁵²  I was powerless.

31:24 “If I have put my confidence in gold

or said to pure gold,

‘You are my security!’

31:25 if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth,

or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,

31:26 if I looked at the sun ⁵³  when it was shining,

and the moon advancing as a precious thing,

31:27 so that my heart was secretly enticed,

and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth, ⁵⁴ 

31:28 then this ⁵⁵  also would be iniquity to be judged, ⁵⁶ 

for I would have been false ⁵⁷  to God above.

31:29 If ⁵⁸  I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy ⁵⁹ 

or exulted ⁶⁰  because calamity ⁶¹  found him –

31:30 I ⁶²  have not even permitted my mouth ⁶³  to sin

by asking ⁶⁴  for his life through a curse –

31:31 if ⁶⁵  the members of my household ⁶⁶  have never said, ⁶⁷ 

‘If only there were ⁶⁸  someone

who has not been satisfied from Job’s ⁶⁹  meat!’ –

31:32 But ⁷⁰  no stranger had to spend the night outside,

for I opened my doors to the traveler ⁷¹  –

31:33 if ⁷²  I have covered my transgressions as men do, ⁷³ 

by hiding ⁷⁴  iniquity in my heart, ⁷⁵ 

31:34 because I was terrified ⁷⁶  of the great multitude, ⁷⁷ 

and the contempt of families terrified me,

so that I remained silent

and would not go outdoors – ⁷⁸ 

Job’s Appeal

31:35 “If only I had ⁷⁹  someone to hear me!

Here is my signature – ⁸⁰ 

let the Almighty answer me!

If only I had an indictment ⁸¹ 

that my accuser had written. ⁸² 

31:36 Surely ⁸³  I would wear it proudly ⁸⁴  on my shoulder,

I would bind ⁸⁵  it on me like a crown;

31:37 I would give him an accounting of my steps;

like a prince I would approach him.

Job’s Final Solemn Oath ⁸⁶ 

31:38 “If my land cried out against me ⁸⁷ 

and all its furrows wept together,

31:39 if I have eaten its produce without paying, ⁸⁸ 

or caused the death ⁸⁹  of its owners, ⁹⁰ 

31:40 then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat,

and in place of barley, weeds!” ⁹¹ 

The words of Job are ended.

Psalms 7:3-5

7:3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say, ⁹² 

or am guilty of unjust actions, ⁹³ 

7:4 or have wronged my ally, ⁹⁴ 

or helped his lawless enemy, ⁹⁵ 

7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase ⁹⁶  me ⁹⁷  and catch me; ⁹⁸ 

may he trample me to death ⁹⁹ 

and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. ¹⁰⁰  (Selah)

Psalms 44:17-21

44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you ¹⁰¹ 

or violated your covenant with us. ¹⁰² 

44:18 We have not been unfaithful, ¹⁰³ 

nor have we disobeyed your commands. ¹⁰⁴ 

44:19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs; ¹⁰⁵ 

you have covered us with darkness. ¹⁰⁶ 

44:20 If we had rejected our God, ¹⁰⁷ 

and spread out our hands in prayer to another god, ¹⁰⁸ 

44:21 would not God discover it,

for he knows ¹⁰⁹  one’s thoughts? ¹¹⁰ 

Isaiah 38:3

38:3 “Please, Lord. Remember how I have served you ¹¹¹  faithfully and with wholehearted devotion, ¹¹²  and how I have carried out your will.” ¹¹³  Then Hezekiah wept bitterly. ¹¹⁴ 

Acts 24:16

24:16 This is the reason ¹¹⁵  I do my best to always ¹¹⁶  have a clear ¹¹⁷  conscience toward God and toward people. ¹¹⁸ 

Romans 9:1

Israel’s Rejection Considered

9:1 ¹¹⁹ I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me ¹²⁰  in the Holy Spirit –

Romans 9:1

Israel’s Rejection Considered

9:1 ¹²¹ I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me ¹²²  in the Holy Spirit –

Colossians 4:4

4:4 Pray that I may make it known as I should. ¹²³ 

Galatians 6:4

6:4 Let each one examine ¹²⁴  his own work. Then he can take pride ¹²⁵  in himself and not compare himself with ¹²⁶  someone else.

Galatians 6:1

Support One Another

6:1 Brothers and sisters, ¹²⁷  if a person ¹²⁸  is discovered in some sin, ¹²⁹  you who are spiritual ¹³⁰  restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. ¹³¹  Pay close attention ¹³²  to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.

Galatians 1:5

1:5 to whom be glory forever and ever! Amen.

Galatians 1:19-20

1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles ¹³³  except James the Lord’s brother. 1:20 I assure you ¹³⁴  that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you! ¹³⁵ 

Hebrews 13:18

13:18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to conduct ourselves rightly in every respect.

Hebrews 13:1

Final Exhortations

13:1 Brotherly love must continue.

Hebrews 3:16

3:16 For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership? ¹³⁶ 

Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ¹³⁷  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ¹³⁸ 

Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ¹³⁹  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ¹⁴⁰ 

Hebrews 3:19

3:19 So ¹⁴¹  we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.

[13:15]  ¹ tn There is a textual difficulty here that factors into the interpretation of the verse. The Kethib is לֹא (lo’, “not”), but the Qere is לוֹ (lo, “to him”). The RSV takes the former: “Behold, he will slay me, I have no hope.” The NIV takes it as “though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” Job is looking ahead to death, which is not an evil thing to him. The point of the verse is that he is willing to challenge God at the risk of his life; and if God slays him, he is still confident that he will be vindicated – as he says later in this chapter. Other suggestions are not compelling. E. Dhorme (Job, 187) makes a slight change of אֲיַחֵל (’ayakhel, “I will hope”) to אַחִיל (’akhil, “I will [not] tremble”). A. B. Davidson (Job, 98) retains the MT, but interprets the verb more in line with its use in the book: “I will not wait” (cf. NLT).

[13:15]  ² tn On אַךְ (’akh, “surely”) see GKC 483 §153 on intensive clauses.

[13:15]  ³ tn The verb once again is יָכָה (yakhah, in the Hiphil, “argue a case, plead, defend, contest”). But because the word usually means “accuse” rather than “defend,” I. L. Seeligmann proposed changing “my ways” to “his ways” (“Zur Terminologie für das Gerichtsverfahren im Wortschatz des biblischen Hebräisch,” VTSup 16 [1967]: 251-78). But the word can be interpreted appropriately in the context without emendation.

[23:10]  ⁴ tn The expression דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי (derekh ’immadi) means “the way with me,” i.e., “the way that I take.” The Syriac has “my way and my standing.” Several commentators prefer “the way of my standing,” meaning where to look for me. J. Reider offers “the way of my life” (“Some notes to the text of the scriptures,” HUCA 3 [1926]: 115). Whatever the precise wording, Job knows that God can always find him.

[23:10]  ⁵ tn There is a perfect verb followed by an imperfect in this clause with the protasis and apodosis relationship (see GKC 493 §159.b).

[23:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “my foot.”

[23:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “held fast.”

[23:11]  ⁸ tn The last clause, “and I have not turned aside,” functions adverbially in the sentence. The form אָט (’at) is a pausal form of אַתֶּה (’atteh), the Hiphil of נָטָה (natah, “stretch out”).

[23:12]  ⁹ tc The form in the MT (מֵחֻקִּי, mekhuqqi) means “more than my portion” or “more than my law.” An expanded meaning results in “more than my necessary food” (see Ps 119:11; cf. KJV, NASB, ESV). HALOT 346 s.v. חֹק 1 indicates that חֹק (khoq) has the meaning of “portion” and is here a reference to “what is appointed for me.” The LXX and the Latin versions, along with many commentators, have בְּחֵקִי (bÿkheqi, “in my bosom”).

[27:5]  ¹⁰ tn The text uses חָלִילָה לִּי (khalilah li) meaning “far be it from me,” or more strongly, something akin to “sacrilege.”

[27:5]  ¹¹ tn In the Hebrew text “you” is plural – a reference to Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad. To make this clear, “three” is supplied in the translation.

[27:6]  ¹² tn Heb “my heart.”

[27:6]  ¹³ tn The prepositional phrase “from my days” probably means “from the days of my birth,” or “all my life.”

[31:1]  ¹⁴ tn The idea of cutting a covenant for something may suggest a covenant that is imposed, except that this construction elsewhere argues against it (see 2 Chr 29:10).

[31:1]  ¹⁵ tn This half-verse is the effect of the covenant. The interrogative מָה (mah) may have the force of the negative, and so be translated “not to pay attention.”

[31:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “lot of Shaddai,” which must mean “the lot from Shaddai,” a genitive of source.

[31:5]  ¹⁷ tn The normal approach is to take this as the protasis, and then have it resumed in v. 7 after a parenthesis in v. 6. But some take v. 6 as the apodosis and a new protasis in v. 7.

[31:5]  ¹⁸ tn The “if” is understood by the use of the consecutive verb.

[31:5]  ¹⁹ sn The verbs “walk” and “hasten” (referring in the verse to the foot) are used metaphorically for the manner of life Job lived.

[31:6]  ²⁰ tn “God” is undoubtedly the understood subject of this jussive. However, “him” is retained in the translation at this point to avoid redundancy since “God” occurs in the second half of the verse.

[31:6]  ²¹ tn The word צֶדֶךְ (tsedeq, “righteousness”) forms a fitting genitive for the scales used in trade or justice. The “scales of righteousness” are scales that conform to the standard (see the illustration in Deut 25:13-15). They must be honest scales to make just decisions.

[31:6]  ²² tn The verb is וְיֵדַע (vÿyeda’, “and [then] he [God] will know”). The verb could also be subordinated to the preceding jussive, “so that God may know.” The meaning of “to know” here has more the idea of “to come to know; to discover.”

[31:7]  ²³ sn The meaning is “been led by what my eyes see.”

[31:7]  ²⁴ tc The word מֻאוּם (mu’um) could be taken in one of two ways. One reading is to represent מוּם (mum, “blemish,” see the Masorah); the other is for מְאוּמָה (mÿ’umah, “anything,” see the versions and the Kethib). Either reading fits the passage.

[31:8]  ²⁵ tn The cohortative is often found in the apodosis of the conditional clause (see GKC 320 §108.f).

[31:8]  ²⁶ tn The word means “what sprouts up” (from יָצָא [yatsa’] with the sense of “sprout forth”). It could refer metaphorically to children (and so Kissane and Pope), as well as in its literal sense of crops. The latter fits here perfectly.

[31:9]  ²⁷ tn Gordis notes that the word פֶּתַח (petakh, “door”) has sexual connotations in rabbinic literature, based on Prov 7:6ff. (see b. Ketubbot 9b). See also the use in Song 4:12 using a synonym.

[31:10]  ²⁸ tn Targum Job interpreted the verb טָחַן (takhan, “grind”) in a sexual sense, and this has influenced other versions and commentaries. But the literal sense fits well in this line. The idea is that she would be a slave for someone else. The second line of the verse then might build on this to explain what kind of a slave – a concubine (see A. B. Davidson, Job, 215).

[31:10]  ²⁹ tn Heb “bow down over her,” an idiom for sexual relations.

[31:11]  ³⁰ tn Heb “for that [would be].” In order to clarify the referent of “that,” which refers to v. 9 rather than v. 10, the words “I have committed” have been supplied in the translation.

[31:11]  ³¹ tn The word for “shameful act” is used especially for sexual offenses (cf. Lev 18:27).

[31:11]  ³² tc Some have deleted this verse as being short and irrelevant, not to mention problematic. But the difficulties are not insurmountable, and there is no reason to delete it. There is a Kethib-Qere reading in each half verse; in the first the Kethib is masculine for the subject but the Qere is feminine going with “shameless deed.” In the second colon the Kethib is the feminine agreeing with the preceding noun, but the Qere is masculine agreeing with “iniquity.”

[31:12]  ³³ tn Heb “to Abaddon.”

[31:12]  ³⁴ tn The verb means “to root out,” but this does not fit the parallelism with fire. Wright changed two letters and the vowels in the verb to get the root צָרַף (tsaraf, “to burn”). The NRSV has “burn to the root.”

[31:13]  ³⁵ tn This construction is an adverbial clause using the temporal preposition, the infinitive from רִיב (riv, “contend”), and the suffix which is the subjective genitive.

[31:14]  ³⁶ tn Heb “arises.” The LXX reads “takes vengeance,” an interpretation that is somewhat correct but unnecessary. The verb “to rise” would mean “to confront in judgment.”

[31:14]  ³⁷ tn The verb פָקַד (paqad) means “to visit,” but with God as the subject it means any divine intervention for blessing or cursing, anything God does that changes a person’s life. Here it is “visit to judge.”

[31:15]  ³⁸ tn Heb “him,” but the plural pronoun has been used in the translation to indicate that the referent is the servants mentioned in v. 13 (since the previous “him” in v. 14 refers to God).

[31:16]  ³⁹ tn Heb “kept the poor from [their] desire.”

[31:17]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “and an orphan did not eat from it.”

[31:18]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “he grew up with me.” Several commentators have decided to change the pronoun to “I,” and make it causative.

[31:18]  ⁴² tn The expression “from my mother’s womb” is obviously hyperbolic. It is a way of saying “all his life.”

[31:18]  ⁴³ tn Heb “I guided her,” referring to the widow mentioned in v. 16.

[31:20]  ⁴⁴ tn The MT has simply “if his loins did not bless me.” In the conditional clause this is another protasis. It means, “if I saw someone dying and if he did not thank me for clothing them.” It is Job’s way of saying that whenever he saw a need he met it, and he received his share of thanks – which prove his kindness. G. R. Driver has it “without his loins having blessed me,” taking “If…not” as an Aramaism, meaning “except” (AJSL 52 [1935/36]: 164f.).

[31:20]  ⁴⁵ tn This clause is interpreted here as a subordinate clause to the first half of the verse. It could also be a separate clause: “was he not warmed…?”

[31:21]  ⁴⁶ tn The expression “raised my hand” refers to a threatening manner or gesture in the court rather than a threat of physical violence in the street. Thus the words “to vote” are supplied in the translation to indicate the setting.

[31:21]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “gate,” referring to the city gate where judicial decisions were rendered in the culture of the time. The translation uses the word “court” to indicate this to the modern reader, who might not associate a city gate complex with judicial functions.

[31:22]  ⁴⁸ sn Here is the apodosis, the imprecation Job pronounces on himself if he has done any of these things just listed.

[31:22]  ⁴⁹ tn The point is that if he has raised his arm against the oppressed it should be ripped off at the joint. The MT has “let fall my shoulder [כְּתֵפִי, kÿtefi] from the nape of the neck [or shoulder blade (מִשִּׁכְמָה, mishikhmah)].”

[31:22]  ⁵⁰ tn The word קָנֶה (qaneh) is “reed; shaft; beam,” and here “shoulder joint.” All the commentaries try to explain how “reed” became “socket; joint.” This is the only place that it is used in such a sense. Whatever the exact explanation – and there seems to be no convincing view – the point of the verse is nonetheless clear.

[31:23]  ⁵¹ tc The LXX has “For the terror of God restrained me.” Several commentators changed it to “came upon me.” Driver had “The fear of God was burdensome.” I. Eitan suggested “The terror of God was mighty upon me” (“Two unknown verbs: etymological studies,” JBL 42 [1923]: 22-28). But the MT makes clear sense as it stands.

[31:23]  ⁵² tn The form is וּמִשְּׂאֵתוֹ (umissÿ’eto); the preposition is causal. The form, from the verb נָשָׂא (nasa’, “to raise; to lift high”), refers to God’s exalted person, his majesty (see Job 13:11).

[31:26]  ⁵³ tn Heb “light”; but parallel to the moon it is the sun. This section speaks of false worship of the sun and the moon.

[31:27]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “and my hand kissed my mouth.” The idea should be that of “my mouth kissed my hand.” H. H. Rowley suggests that the hand was important in waving or throwing the kisses of homage to the sun and the moon, and so it receives the focus. This is the only place in the OT that refers to such a custom. Outside the Bible it was known, however.

[31:28]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “it.”

[31:28]  ⁵⁶ tn See v. 11 for the construction. In Deut 17:2ff. false worship of heavenly bodies is a capital offense. In this passage, Job is talking about just a momentary glance at the sun or moon and the brief lapse into a pagan thought. But it is still sin.

[31:28]  ⁵⁷ tn The verb כָּחַשׁ (kakhash) in the Piel means “to deny.” The root meaning is “to deceive; to disappoint; to grow lean.” Here it means that he would have failed or proven unfaithful because his act would have been a denial of God.

[31:29]  ⁵⁸ tn The problem with taking this as “if,” introducing a conditional clause, is finding the apodosis, if there is one. It may be that the apodosis is understood, or summed up at the end. This is the view taken here. But R. Gordis (Job, 352) wishes to take this word as the indication of the interrogative, forming the rhetorical question to affirm he has never done this. However, in that case the parenthetical verses inserted become redundant.

[31:29]  ⁵⁹ sn The law required people to help their enemies if they could (Exod 23:4; also Prov 20:22). But often in the difficulties that ensued, they did exult over their enemies’ misfortune (Pss 54:7; 59:10 [11], etc.). But Job lived on a level of purity that few ever reach. Duhm said, “If chapter 31 is the crown of all ethical developments of the O.T., verse 29 is the jewel in that crown.”

[31:29]  ⁶⁰ tn The Hitpael of עוּר (’ur) has the idea of “exult.”

[31:29]  ⁶¹ tn The word is רָע (ra’, “evil”) in the sense of anything that harms, interrupts, or destroys life.

[31:30]  ⁶² tn This verse would then be a parenthesis in which he stops to claim his innocence.

[31:30]  ⁶³ tn Heb “I have not given my palate.”

[31:30]  ⁶⁴ tn The infinitive construct with the ל (lamed) preposition (“by asking”) serves in an epexegetical capacity here, explaining the verb of the first colon (“permitted…to sin”). To seek a curse on anyone would be a sin.

[31:31]  ⁶⁵ tn Now Job picks up the series of clauses serving as the protasis.

[31:31]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “the men of my tent.” In context this refers to members of Job’s household.

[31:31]  ⁶⁷ sn The line is difficult to sort out. Job is saying it is sinful “if his men have never said, ‘O that there was one who has not been satisfied from his food.’” If they never said that, it would mean there were people out there who needed to be satisfied with his food.

[31:31]  ⁶⁸ tn The optative is again expressed with “who will give?”

[31:31]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Job) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:32]  ⁷⁰ tn This verse forms another parenthesis. Job stops almost at every point now in the conditional clauses to affirm his purity and integrity.

[31:32]  ⁷¹ tn The word in the MT, אֹרחַ (’orakh, “way”), is a contraction from אֹרֵחַ (’oreakh, “wayfarer”); thus, “traveler.” The same parallelism is found in Jer 14:8. The reading here “on/to the road” is meaningless otherwise.

[31:33]  ⁷² tn Now the protasis continues again.

[31:33]  ⁷³ sn Some commentators suggest taking the meaning here to be “as Adam,” referring to the Paradise story of the sin and denial.

[31:33]  ⁷⁴ tn The infinitive is epexegetical, explaining the first line.

[31:33]  ⁷⁵ tn The MT has “in my bosom.” This is the only place in the OT where this word is found. But its meaning is well attested from Aramaic.

[31:34]  ⁷⁶ tn Here too the verb will be the customary imperfect – it explains what he continually did in past time.

[31:34]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “the great multitude.” But some commentators take רַבָּה (rabbah) adverbially: “greatly” (see RSV).

[31:34]  ⁷⁸ sn There is no clear apodosis for all these clauses. Some commentators transfer the verses around to make them fit the constructions. But the better view is that there is no apodosis – that Job broke off here, feeling it was useless to go further. Now he will address God and not men. But in vv. 38-40b he does return to a self-imprecation. However, there is not sufficient reason to start rearranging all the verses.

[31:35]  ⁷⁹ tn The optative is again introduced with “who will give to me hearing me? – O that someone would listen to me!”

[31:35]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “here is my ‘tav’” (הֵן תָּוִי, hen tavi). The letter ת (tav) is the last letter of the alphabet in Hebrew. In paleo-Hebrew the letter was in the form of a cross or an “X,” and so used for one making a mark or a signature. In this case Job has signed his statement and delivered it to the court – but he has yet to be charged. Kissane thought that this being the last letter of the alphabet, Job was saying, “This is my last word.” Others take the word to mean “desire” – “this is my desire, that God would answer me” (see E. F. Sutcliffe, “Notes on Job, textual and exegetical,” Bib 30 [1949]: 71-72; G. R. Driver, AJSL 3 [1935/36]: 166; P. P. Saydon, “Philological and Textual Notes to the Maltese Translation of the Old Testament,” CBQ 23 [1961]: 252). R. Gordis (Job, 355) also argues strongly for this view.

[31:35]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “a scroll,” in the context referring to a scroll containing the accusations of Job’s legal adversary (see the next line).

[31:35]  ⁸² tn The last line is very difficult; it simply says, “a scroll [that] my [legal] adversary had written.” The simplest way to handle this is to see it as a continuation of the optative (RSV).

[31:36]  ⁸³ tn The clause begins with the positive oath formula, אִם־לֹא (’im-lo’).

[31:36]  ⁸⁴ tn The word “proudly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied (note the following line).

[31:36]  ⁸⁵ tn This verb is only found in Prov 6:21. But E. Dhorme (Job, 470) suggests that (with metathesis) we have a derivative מַעֲדַנּוֹת (ma’adannot, “bonds; ties”) in 38:31.

[31:38]  ⁸⁶ sn Many commentators place vv. 38-40b at the end of v. 34, so that there is no return to these conditional clauses after his final appeal.

[31:38]  ⁸⁷ sn Some commentators have suggested that the meaning behind this is that Job might not have kept the year of release (Deut 15:1), and the law against mixing seed (Lev 19:19). But the context will make clear that the case considered is obtaining the land without paying for it and causing the death of its lawful owner (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 206). Similar to this would be the case of Naboth’s vineyard.

[31:39]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “without silver.”

[31:39]  ⁸⁹ tc The versions have the verb “grieved” here. The Hebrew verb means “to breathe,” but the form is Hiphil. This verb in that stem could mean something of a contemptuous gesture, like “sniff” in Mal 1:13. But with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) in Job 11:20 it means “to cause death,” i.e., “to cause to breathe out; to expire.” This is likely the meaning here, although it is possible that it only meant “to cause suffering” to the people.

[31:39]  ⁹⁰ tn There is some debate over the meaning of בְּעָלֶיהָ (bÿ’aleyha), usually translated “its owners.” Dahood, following others (although without their emendations), thought it referred to “laborers” (see M. Dahood, Bib 41 [1960]: 303; idem, Bib 43 [1962]: 362).

[31:40]  ⁹¹ tn The word בָּאְשָׁה (bo’shah, from בָּאַשׁ [ba’as, “to have a foul smell”]) must refer to foul smelling weeds.

[7:3]  ⁹² tn Heb “if I have done this.”

[7:3]  ⁹³ tn Heb “if there is injustice in my hands.” The “hands” figuratively suggest deeds or actions.

[7:4]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “if I have repaid the one at peace with me evil.” The form שׁוֹלְמִי (sholÿmi, “the one at peace with me”) probably refers to a close friend or ally, i.e., one with whom the psalmist has made a formal agreement. See BDB 1023 s.v. שָׁלוֹם 4.a.

[7:4]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “or rescued my enemy in vain.” The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive (the verb form is pseudo-cohortative; see IBHS 576-77 §34.5.3) carries on the hypothetical nuance of the perfect in the preceding line. Some regard the statement as a parenthetical assertion that the psalmist is kind to his enemies. Others define חָלַץ (khalats) as “despoil” (cf. NASB, NRSV “plundered”; NIV “robbed”), an otherwise unattested nuance for this verb. Still others emend the verb to לָחַץ (lakhats, “oppress”). Most construe the adverb רֵיקָם (reqam, “emptily, vainly”) with “my enemy,” i.e., the one who is my enemy in vain.” The present translation (1) assumes an emendation of צוֹרְרִי (tsorÿriy, “my enemy”) to צוֹרְרוֹ (tsorÿro, “his [i.e., the psalmist’s ally’s] enemy”) following J. Tigay, “Psalm 7:5 and Ancient Near Eastern Treaties,” JBL 89 (1970): 178-86, (2) understands the final mem (ם) on רֵיקָם as enclitic, and (3) takes רִיק (riq) as an adjective modifying “his enemy.” (For other examples of a suffixed noun followed by an attributive adjective without the article, see Pss 18:17 (“my strong enemy”), 99:3 (“your great and awesome name”) and 143:10 (“your good spirit”). The adjective רִיק occurs with the sense “lawless” in Judg 9:4; 11:3; 2 Chr 13:7. In this case the psalmist affirms that he has not wronged his ally, nor has he given aid to his ally’s enemies. Ancient Near Eastern treaties typically included such clauses, with one or both parties agreeing not to lend aid to the treaty partner’s enemies.

[7:5]  ⁹⁶ tn The vocalization of the verb form seems to be a mixture of Qal and Piel (see GKC 168 §63.n). The translation assumes the Piel, which would emphasize the repetitive nature of the action. The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a jussive. The psalmist is so certain that he is innocent of the sins mentioned in vv. 3-4, he pronounces an imprecation on himself for rhetorical effect.

[7:5]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.

[7:5]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “and may he overtake.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. The object “me,” though unexpressed, is understood from the preceding statement.

[7:5]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “and may he trample down to the earth my life.”

[7:5]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “and my honor in the dust may he cause to dwell.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. Some emend כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy, “my honor”) to כְבֵדִי (khÿvediy, “my liver” as the seat of life), but the term כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy) is to be retained since it probably refers to the psalmist’s dignity or honor.

[44:17]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “we have not forgotten you.” To “forget” God refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see v. 20, as well as Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 9:17).Thus the translation “we have not rejected you” has been used.

[44:17]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “and we did not deal falsely with your covenant.”

[44:18]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “our heart did not turn backward.” Cf. Ps 78:57.

[44:18]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “and our steps did [not] turn aside from your path.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line). God’s “path” refers to his commands, i.e., the moral pathway he has prescribed for the psalmist. See Pss 17:5; 25:4.

[44:19]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “yet you have battered us in a place of jackals.”

[44:19]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל+מָוֶת [mavet + tsel]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness” (cf. NIV, NRSV). An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 44:19 darkness symbolizes defeat and humiliation.

[44:20]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “If we had forgotten the name of our God.” To “forget the name” here refers to rejecting the Lord’s authority (see Jer 23:27) and abandoning him as an object of prayer and worship (see the next line).

[44:20]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “and spread out your hands to another god.” Spreading out the hands was a prayer gesture (see Exod 9:29, 33; 1 Kgs 8:22, 38; 2 Chr 6:12-13, 29; Ezra 9:15; Job 11:13; Isa 1:15). In its most fundamental sense זר (“another; foreign; strange”) refers to something that is outside one’s circle, often making association with it inappropriate. A “strange” god is an alien deity, an “outside god” (see L. A. Snijders, TDOT 4:54-55).

[44:21]  ¹⁰⁹ tn The active participle describes what is characteristically true.

[44:21]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “would not God search out this, for he knows the hidden things of [the] heart?” The expression “search out” is used metonymically here, referring to discovery, the intended effect of a search. The “heart” (i.e., mind) is here viewed as the seat of one’s thoughts. The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course he would!” The point seems to be this: There is no way the Israelites who are the speakers in the psalm would reject God and turn to another god, for the omniscient God would easily discover such a sin.

[38:3]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “walked before you.” For a helpful discussion of the background and meaning of this Hebrew idiom, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 254.

[38:3]  ¹¹² tn Heb “and with a complete heart”; KJV, ASV “with a perfect heart.”

[38:3]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “and that which is good in your eyes I have done.”

[38:3]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “wept with great weeping”; NCV “cried loudly”; TEV “began to cry bitterly.”

[24:16]  ¹¹⁵ tn BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 9.a, “ἐν τούτῳ πιστεύομεν this is the reason why we believe Jn 16:30; cp. Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ¹¹⁶ tn BDAG 224 s.v. διά 2.a, “διὰ παντός…always, continually, constantly…Ac 2:25 (Ps 15:8); 10:2; 24:16.” However, the positioning of the adverb “always” in the English translation is difficult; the position used is one of the least awkward.

[24:16]  ¹¹⁷ tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).

[9:1]  ¹¹⁹ sn Rom 9:1–11:36. These three chapters are among the most difficult and disputed in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. One area of difficulty is the relationship between Israel and the church, especially concerning the nature and extent of Israel’s election. Many different models have been constructed to express this relationship. For a representative survey, see M. Barth, The People of God (JSNTSup), 22-27. The literary genre of these three chapters has been frequently identified as a diatribe, a philosophical discussion or conversation evolved by the Cynic and Stoic schools of philosophy as a means of popularizing their ideas (E. Käsemann, Romans, 261 and 267). But other recent scholars have challenged the idea that Rom 9–11 is characterized by diatribe. Scholars like R. Scroggs and E. E. Ellis have instead identified the material in question as midrash. For a summary and discussion of the rabbinic connections, see W. R. Stegner, “Romans 9.6-29 – A Midrash,” JSNT 22 (1984): 37-52.

[9:1]  ¹²⁰ tn Or “my conscience bears witness to me.”

[9:1]  ¹²¹ sn Rom 9:1–11:36. These three chapters are among the most difficult and disputed in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. One area of difficulty is the relationship between Israel and the church, especially concerning the nature and extent of Israel’s election. Many different models have been constructed to express this relationship. For a representative survey, see M. Barth, The People of God (JSNTSup), 22-27. The literary genre of these three chapters has been frequently identified as a diatribe, a philosophical discussion or conversation evolved by the Cynic and Stoic schools of philosophy as a means of popularizing their ideas (E. Käsemann, Romans, 261 and 267). But other recent scholars have challenged the idea that Rom 9–11 is characterized by diatribe. Scholars like R. Scroggs and E. E. Ellis have instead identified the material in question as midrash. For a summary and discussion of the rabbinic connections, see W. R. Stegner, “Romans 9.6-29 – A Midrash,” JSNT 22 (1984): 37-52.

[9:1]  ¹²² tn Or “my conscience bears witness to me.”

[4:4]  ¹²³ tn The phrase begins with the ἵνα (Jina) clause and is subordinate to the imperative προσκαρτερεῖτε (proskartereite) in v. 2. The reference to the idea that Paul must make it known indicates that this clause is probably best viewed as purpose and not content, like the ἵνα of v. 3. It is the second purpose stated in the context; the first is expressed through the infinitive λαλῆσαι (lalhsai) in v. 3. The term “pray” at the beginning of the sentence is intended to pick up the imperative of v. 3.

[6:4]  ¹²⁴ tn Or “determine the genuineness of.”

[6:4]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “he will have a reason for boasting.”

[6:4]  ¹²⁶ tn Or “and not in regard to.” The idea of comparison is implied in the context.

[6:1]  ¹²⁷ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.

[6:1]  ¹²⁸ tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.

[6:1]  ¹²⁹ tn Or “some transgression” (L&N 88.297).

[6:1]  ¹³⁰ sn Who are spiritual refers to people who are controlled and directed by God’s Spirit.

[6:1]  ¹³¹ tn Or “with a gentle spirit” or “gently.”

[6:1]  ¹³² tn Grk “taking careful notice.”

[1:19]  ¹³³ tn Grk “But another of the apostles I did not see, except…” with “another” in emphatic position in the Greek text. Paul is determined to make the point that his contacts with the original twelve apostles and other leaders of the Jerusalem church were limited, thus asserting his independence from them.

[1:20]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “behold.”

[1:20]  ¹³⁵ tn Grk “What things I am writing to you, behold, before God [that] I am not lying.”

[3:16]  ¹³⁶ tn Grk “through Moses.”

[3:1]  ¹³⁷ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ¹³⁸ tn Grk “of our confession.”

[3:1]  ¹³⁹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “of our confession.”

[3:19]  ¹⁴¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate a summary or conclusion to the argument of the preceding paragraph.