Job 13:18

Context

13:18 See now,¹ I have prepared² my³ case;⁴

I know that I am right.⁵

Job 37:19

Context

37:19 Tell us what we should⁶ say to him.

We cannot prepare a case⁷

because of the darkness.

Psalms 43:1

Context

Psalm 43⁸

43:1 Vindicate me, O God!

Fight for me⁹ against an ungodly nation!

Deliver me¹⁰ from deceitful and evil men!¹¹

Isaiah 43:26

Context

43:26 Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate!

You, prove to me that you are right!¹²

[13:18] ¹tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) functions almost as an imperative here, calling attention to what follows: “look” (archaic: behold).

[13:18] ²tn The verb עָרַךְ (’arakh) means “to set in order, set in array [as a battle], prepare” in the sense here of arrange and organize a lawsuit.

[13:18] ³tn The pronoun is added because this is what the verse means.

[13:18] ⁴tn The word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) usually means “judgment; decision.” Here it means “lawsuit” (and so a metonymy of effect gave rise to this usage; see Num 27:5; 2 Sam 15:4).

[13:18] ⁵tn The pronoun is emphatic before the verb: “I know that it is I who am right.” The verb means “to be right; to be righteous.” Some have translated it “vindicated,” looking at the outcome of the suit.

[37:19] ⁶tn The imperfect verb here carries the obligatory nuance, “what we should say?”

[37:19] ⁷tn The verb means “to arrange; to set in order.” From the context the idea of a legal case is included.

[43:1] ⁸sn Psalm 43. Many medieval Hebrew mss combine Psalm 43 and Psalm 42 into one psalm. Psalm 43 is the only psalm in Book 2 of the Psalter (Psalms 42-72) that does not have a heading, suggesting that it was originally the third and concluding section of Psalm 42. Ps 43:5 is identical to the refrain in Ps 42:11 and almost identical to the refrain in Ps 42:5.

[43:1] ⁹tn Or “argue my case.”

[43:1] ¹⁰tn The imperfect here expresses a request or wish. Note the imperatives in the first half of the verse. See also v. 3.

[43:1] ¹¹tn Heb “from the deceitful and evil man.” The Hebrew text uses the singular form “man” in a collective sense, as the reference to a “nation” in the parallel line indicates.

[43:26] ¹²tn Heb “you, tell in order that you may be right”; NAB “prove your innocence.”