Job 19:3

19:3 These ten times ¹  you have been reproaching me; ² 

you are not ashamed to attack me! ³ 

Job 20:29

20:29 Such is the lot God allots the wicked,

and the heritage of his appointment ⁴  from God.”

Job 21:23

Death Levels Everything

21:23 “One man dies in his full vigor, ⁵ 

completely secure and prosperous,

Job 27:12

27:12 If you yourselves have all seen this,

Why in the world ⁶  do you continue this meaningless talk? ⁷ 

Job 28:12

No Price Can Buy Wisdom

28:12 “But wisdom – where can it be found?

Where is the place of understanding?

Job 28:20

God Alone Has Wisdom

28:20 “But wisdom – where does it come from? ⁸ 

Where is the place of understanding?

Job 38:2

38:2 “Who is this ⁹  who darkens counsel ¹⁰ 

with words without knowledge?

[19:3]  ¹ sn The number “ten” is a general expression to convey that this has been done often (see Gen 31:7; Num 14:22).

[19:3]  ² tn The Hiphil of the verb כָּלַם (kalam) means “outrage; insult; shame.” The verbs in this verse are prefixed conjugations, and may be interpreted as preterites if the reference is to the past time. But since the action is still going on, progressive imperfects work well.

[19:3]  ³ tn The second half of the verse uses two verbs, the one dependent on the other. It could be translated “you are not ashamed to attack me” (see GKC 385-86 §120.c), or “you attack me shamelessly.” The verb חָכַר (hakhar) poses some difficulties for both the ancient versions and the modern commentators. The verb seems to be cognate to Arabic hakara, “to oppress; to ill-treat.” This would mean that there has been a transformation of ח (khet) to ה (he). Three Hebrew mss actually have the ח (khet). This has been widely accepted; other suggestions are irrelevant.

[20:29]  ⁴ tn For the word אִמְרוֹ (’imro) some propose reading “his appointment,” and the others, “his word.” Driver shows that “the heritage of his appointment” means “his appointed heritage” (see GKC 440 §135.n).

[21:23]  ⁷ tn The line has “in the bone of his perfection.” The word עֶצֶם (’etsem), which means “bone,” is used pronominally to express “the same, very”; here it is “in the very fullness of his strength” (see GKC 449 §139.g). The abstract תֹּם (tom) is used here in the sense of physical perfection and strengths.

[27:12]  ¹⁰ tn The interrogative uses the demonstrative pronoun in its emphatic position: “Why in the world…?” (IBHS 312-13 §17.4.3c).

[27:12]  ¹¹ tn The text has the noun “vain thing; breath; vapor,” and then a denominative verb from the same root: “to become vain with a vain thing,” or “to do in vain a vain thing.” This is an example of the internal object, or a cognate accusative (see GKC 367 §117.q). The LXX has “you all know that you are adding vanity to vanity.”

[28:20]  ¹³ tn The refrain is repeated, except now the verb is תָּבוֹא (tavo’, “come”).

[38:2]  ¹⁶ tn The demonstrative pronoun is used here to emphasize the interrogative pronoun (see GKC 442 §136.c).

[38:2]  ¹⁷ sn The referent of “counsel” here is not the debate between Job and the friends, but the purposes of God (see Ps 33:10; Prov 19:21; Isa 19:17). Dhorme translates it “Providence.”