Job 26:13

26:13 By his breath ¹  the skies became fair;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent. ² 

Job 34:10

God is Not Unjust

34:10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. ³ 

Far be it from ⁴  God to do wickedness,

from the Almighty to do evil.

[26:13]  ¹ tn Or “wind”; or perhaps “Spirit.” The same Hebrew word, רוּחַ (ruakh), may be translated as “wind,” “breath,” or “spirit/Spirit” depending on the context.

[26:13]  ² sn Here too is a reference to pagan views indirectly. The fleeing serpent was a designation for Leviathan, whom the book will simply describe as an animal, but the pagans thought to be a monster of the deep. God’s power over nature is associated with defeat of pagan gods (see further W. F. Albright, Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan; idem, BASOR 53 [1941]: 39).

[34:10]  ³ tn Heb “men of heart.” The “heart” is used for the capacity to understand and make the proper choice. It is often translated “mind.”

[34:10]  ⁴ tn For this construction, see Job 27:5.