Job 18:3

18:3 Why should we be regarded as beasts,

and considered stupid ¹  in your sight?

Job 3:12

3:12 Why did the knees welcome me, ² 

and why were there ³  two breasts ⁴ 

that I might nurse at them? ⁵ 

Job 21:4

21:4 Is my ⁶  complaint against a man? ⁷ 

If so, ⁸  why should I not be impatient? ⁹ 

Job 21:7

The Wicked Prosper

21:7 “Why do the wicked go on living, ¹⁰ 

grow old, ¹¹  even increase in power?

Job 33:13

33:13 Why do you contend against him,

that he does not answer all a person’s ¹²  words?

Job 24:1

The Apparent Indifference of God

24:1 “Why are times not appointed by ¹³  the Almighty? ¹⁴ 

Why do those who know him not see his days?

[18:3]  ¹ tn The verb נִטְמִינוּ (nitminu) has been explained from different roots. Some take it from תָּמֵא (tame’, “to be unclean”), and translate it “Why should we be unclean in your eyes?” Most would connect it to טָמַם (tamam, “to stop up”), meaning “to be stupid” in the Niphal. Another suggestion is to follow the LXX and read from דָּמַם (damam, “to be reduced to silence”). Others take it from דָּמָּה (damah) with a meaning “to be like.” But what is missing is the term of comparison – like what? Various suggestions have been made, but all are simply conjectures.

[3:12]  ² tn The verb קִדְּמוּנִי (qiddÿmuni) is the Piel from קָדַם (qadam), meaning “to come before; to meet; to prevent.” Here it has the idea of going to meet or welcome someone. In spite of various attempts to connect the idea to the father or to adoption rites, it probably simply means the mother’s knees that welcome the child for nursing. See R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 42.

[3:12]  ³ tn There is no verb in the second half of the verse. The idea simply has, “and why breasts that I might suck?”

[3:12]  ⁴ sn The commentaries mention the parallel construction in the writings of Ashurbanipal: “You were weak, Ashurbanipal, you who sat on the knees of the goddess, queen of Nineveh; of the four teats that were placed near to your mouth, you sucked two and you hid your face in the others” (M. Streck, Assurbanipal [VAB], 348).

[3:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “that I might suckle.” The verb is the Qal imperfect of יָנַק (yanaq, “suckle”). Here the clause is subordinated to the preceding question and so function as a final imperfect.

[21:4]  ³ tn The addition of the independent pronoun at the beginning of the sentence (“Is it I / against a man / my complaint”) strengthens the pronominal suffix on “complaint” (see GKC 438 §135.f).

[21:4]  ⁴ sn The point seems to be that if his complaint were merely against men he might expect sympathy from other men; but no one dares offer him sympathy when his complaint is against God. So he will give free expression to his spirit (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 147).

[21:4]  ⁵ tn On disjunctive interrogatives, see GKC 475 §150.g.

[21:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “why should my spirit/breath not be short” (see Num 21:4; Judg 16:16).

[21:7]  ⁴ sn A. B. Davidson (Job, 154) clarifies that Job’s question is of a universal scope. In the government of God, why do the wicked exist at all? The verb could be translated “continue to live.”

[21:7]  ⁵ tn The verb עָתַק (’ataq) means “to move; to proceed; to advance.” Here it is “to advance in years” or “to grow old.” This clause could serve as an independent clause, a separate sentence; but it more likely continues the question of the first colon and is parallel to the verb “live.”

[33:13]  ⁵ tc The MT has “all his words.” This must refer to “man” in the previous verse. But many wish to change it to “my words,” since it would be summarizing Job’s complaint to God.

[24:1]  ⁶ tn The preposition מִן (min) is used to express the cause (see GKC 389 §121.f).

[24:1]  ⁷ tc The LXX reads “Why are times hidden from the Almighty?” as if to say that God is not interested in the events on the earth. The MT reading is saying that God fails to set the times for judgment and vindication and makes good sense as it stands.