Job 14:8

14:8 Although its roots may grow old ¹  in the ground

and its stump begins to die ²  in the soil, ³ 

Job 28:13

28:13 Mankind does not know its place; ⁴ 

it cannot be found in the land of the living.

Job 38:33

38:33 Do you know the laws of the heavens,

or can you set up their rule over the earth?

[14:8]  ¹ tn The Hiphil of זָקַן (zaqan, “to be old”) is here an internal causative, “to grow old.”

[14:8]  ² tn The Hiphil is here classified as an inchoative Hiphil (see GKC 145 §53.e), for the tree only begins to die. In other words, it appears to be dead, but actually is not completely dead.

[14:8]  ³ tn The LXX translates “dust” [soil] with “rock,” probably in light of the earlier illustration of the tree growing in the rocks.

[28:13]  ⁴ tc The LXX has “its way, apparently reading דַּרְכָה (darkhah) in place of עֶרְכָּהּ (’erkah, “place”). This is adopted by most modern commentators. But R. Gordis (Job, 308) shows that this change is not necessary, for עֶרֶךְ (’erekh) in the Bible means “order; row; disposition,” and here “place.” An alternate meaning would be “worth” (NIV, ESV).