Job 15:21

15:21 Terrifying sounds fill ¹  his ears;

in a time of peace marauders ²  attack him.

Job 18:14

18:14 He is dragged from the security of his tent, ³ 

and marched off ⁴  to the king ⁵  of terrors.

Job 20:25

20:25 When he pulls it out ⁶  and it comes out of his back,

the gleaming point ⁷  out of his liver,

terrors come over him.

Job 30:15

30:15 Terrors are turned loose ⁸  on me;

they drive away ⁹  my honor like the wind,

and like a cloud my deliverance has passed away.

[15:21]  ¹ tn The word “fill” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation.

[15:21]  ² tn The word שׁוֹדֵד (shoded) means “a robber; a plunderer” (see Job 12:6). With the verb bo’ the sentence means that the robber pounces on or comes against him (see GKC 373 §118.f). H. H. Rowley observes that the text does not say that he is under attack, but that the sound of fears is in his ears, i.e., that he is terrified by thoughts of this.

[18:14]  ³ tn Heb “from his tent, his security.” The apposition serves to modify the tent as his security.

[18:14]  ⁴ tn The verb is the Hiphil of צָעַד (tsa’ad, “to lead away”). The problem is that the form is either a third feminine (Rashi thought it was referring to Job’s wife) or the second person. There is a good deal of debate over the possibility of the prefix t- being a variant for the third masculine form. The evidence in Ugaritic and Akkadian is mixed, stronger for the plural than the singular. Gesenius has some samples where the third feminine form might also be used for the passive if there is no expressed subject (see GKC 459 §144.b), but the evidence is not strong. The simplest choices are to change the prefix to a י (yod), or argue that the ת (tav) can be masculine, or follow Gesenius.

[18:14]  ⁵ sn This is a reference to death, the king of all terrors. Other identifications are made in the commentaries: Mot, the Ugaritic god of death; Nergal of the Babylonians; Molech of the Canaanites, the one to whom people sent emissaries.

[20:25]  ⁵ tn The MT has “he draws out [or as a passive, “it is drawn out/forth”] and comes [or goes] out of his back.” For the first verb שָׁלַף (shalaf, “pull, draw”), many commentators follow the LXX and use שֶׁלַח (shelakh, “a spear”). It then reads “and a shaft comes out of his back,” a sword flash comes out of his liver.” But the verse could also be a continuation of the preceding.

[20:25]  ⁶ tn Possibly a reference to lightnings.

[30:15]  ⁷ tn The passive singular verb (Hophal) is used with a plural subject (see GKC 388 §121.b).

[30:15]  ⁸ tc This translation assumes that “terrors” (in the plural) is the subject. Others emend the text in accordance with the LXX, which has, “my hope is gone like the wind.”