Job 3:13

3:13 For now ¹  I would be lying down

and ²  would be quiet, ³ 

I would be asleep and then at peace ⁴ 

Job 3:25

3:25 For the very thing I dreaded ⁵  has happened ⁶  to me,

and what I feared has come upon me. ⁷ 

Job 6:22

Friends’ Fears

6:22 “Have I ⁸  ever said, ⁹  ‘Give me something,

and from your fortune ¹⁰  make gifts ¹¹  in my favor’?

Job 6:24

No Sin Discovered

6:24 “Teach ¹²  me and I, for my part, ¹³  will be silent;

explain to me ¹⁴  how I have been mistaken. ¹⁵ 

Job 13:23

13:23 How many are my ¹⁶  iniquities and sins?

Show me my transgression and my sin. ¹⁷ 

Job 19:3

19:3 These ten times ¹⁸  you have been reproaching me; ¹⁹ 

you are not ashamed to attack me! ²⁰ 

Job 23:5

23:5 I would know with what words ²¹  he would answer me,

and understand what he would say to me.

Job 30:2

30:2 Moreover, the strength of their ²²  hands –

what use was it to me?

Men whose strength ²³  had perished;

Job 31:36

31:36 Surely ²⁴  I would wear it proudly ²⁵  on my shoulder,

I would bind ²⁶  it on me like a crown;

Job 32:10

32:10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen ²⁷  to me.

I, even I, will explain what I know.’

Job 33:31

33:31 Pay attention, Job – listen to me;

be silent, and I will speak.

Job 33:33

33:33 If not, you listen to me;

be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Job 36:2

36:2 “Be patient ²⁸  with me a little longer

and I will instruct you,

for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf. ²⁹ 

[3:13]  ¹ tn The word עַתָּה (’attah, “now”) may have a logical nuance here, almost with the idea of “if that had been the case…” (IBHS 667-68 §39.3.4f). However, the temporal “now” is retained in translation since the imperfect verb following two perfects “suggests what Job’s present state would be if he had had the quiet of a still birth” (J. E. Hartley, Job [NICOT], 95, n. 23). Cf. GKC 313 §106.p.

[3:13]  ² tn The copula on the verb indicates a sequence for the imperfect: “and then I would….” In the second half of the verse it is paralleled by “then.”

[3:13]  ³ tn The text uses a combination of the perfect (lie down/sleep) and imperfect (quiet/rest). The particle עַתָּה (’attah, “now”) gives to the perfect verb its conditional nuance. It presents actions in the past that are not actually accomplished but seen as possible (GKC 313 §106.p).

[3:13]  ⁴ tn The last part uses the impersonal verb “it would be at rest for me.”

[3:25]  ⁵ tn The construction uses the cognate accusative with the verb: “the fear I feared,” or “the dread thing I dreaded” (פַחַד פָּחַדְתִּי, pakhad pakhadti). The verb פָּחַד (pakhad) has the sense of “dread” and the noun the meaning “thing dreaded.” The structure of the sentence with the perfect verb followed by the preterite indicates that the first action preceded the second – he feared something but then it happened. Some commentaries suggest reading this as a conditional clause followed by the present tense translation: “If I fear a thing it happens to me” (see A. B. Davidson, Job, 24). The reason for this change is that it is hard for some to think that in his prime Job had such fears. He did have a pure trust and confidence in the Lord (16:19, 29:18ff). But on the other hand, he did make sacrifices for his sons because he thought they might sin. There is evidence to suggest that he was aware that calamity could strike, and this is not necessarily incompatible with trust.

[3:25]  ⁶ tn The verb אָתָה (’atah) is Aramaic and is equivalent to the Hebrew verb בּוֹא (bo’, “come, happen”).

[3:25]  ⁷ tn The final verb is יָבֹא (yavo’, “has come”). It appears to be an imperfect, but since it is parallel to the preterite of the first colon it should be given that nuance here. Of course, if the other view of the verse is taken, then this would simply be translated as “comes,” and the preceding preterite also given an English present tense translation.

[6:22]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew הֲכִי (hakhi) literally says “Is it because….”

[6:22]  ¹⁰ sn For the next two verses Job lashes out in sarcasm against his friends. If he had asked for charity, for their wealth, he might have expected their cold response. But all he wanted was sympathy and understanding (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 63).

[6:22]  ¹¹ tn The word כֹּחַ (koakh) basically means “strength, force”; but like the synonym חַיִל (khayil), it can also mean “wealth, fortune.” E. Dhorme notes that to the Semitic mind, riches bring power (Job, 90).

[6:22]  ¹² tn Or “bribes.” The verb שִׁחֲדוּ (shikhadu) means “give a שֹׁחַד (shokhad, “bribe”).” The significance is simply “make a gift” (especially in the sense of corrupting an official [Ezek 16:33]). For the spelling of the form in view of the guttural, see GKC 169 §64.a.

[6:24]  ¹³ tn The verb “teach” or “instruct” is the Hiphil הוֹרוּנִי (horuni), from the verb יָרָה (yarah); the basic idea of “point, direct” lies behind this meaning. The verb is cognate to the noun תּוֹרָה (torah, “instruction, teaching, law”).

[6:24]  ¹⁴ tn The independent personal pronoun makes the subject of the verb emphatic: “and I will be silent.”

[6:24]  ¹⁵ tn The verb is הָבִינוּ (havinu, “to cause someone to understand”); with the ל (lamed) following, it has the sense of “explain to me.”

[6:24]  ¹⁶ tn The verb שָׁגָה (shagah) has the sense of “wandering, getting lost, being mistaken.”

[13:23]  ¹⁷ tn The pronoun “my” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied here in the translation.

[13:23]  ¹⁸ sn Job uses three words for sin here: “iniquities,” which means going astray, erring; “sins,” which means missing the mark or the way; and “transgressions,” which are open rebellions. They all emphasize different kinds of sins and different degrees of willfulness. Job is demanding that any sins be brought up. Both Job and his friends agree that great afflictions would have to indicate great offenses – he wants to know what they are.

[19:3]  ²¹ 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]  ²² 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]  ²³ 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.

[23:5]  ²⁵ tn Heb “the words he would answer me.”

[30:2]  ²⁹ tn The reference is to the fathers of the scorners, who are here regarded as weak and worthless.

[30:2]  ³⁰ tn The word כֶּלַח (kelakh) only occurs in Job 5:26; but the Arabic cognate gives this meaning “strength.” Others suggest כָּלַח (kalakh, “old age”), ֹכּל־חַיִל (kol-khayil, “all vigor”), כֹּל־לֵחַ (kol-leakh, “all freshness”), and the like. But there is no reason for such emendation.

[31:36]  ³³ tn The clause begins with the positive oath formula, אִם־לֹא (’im-lo’).

[31:36]  ³⁴ tn The word “proudly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied (note the following line).

[31:36]  ³⁵ tn This verb is only found in Prov 6:21. But E. Dhorme (Job, 470) suggests that (with metathesis) we have a derivative מַעֲדַנּוֹת (ma’adannot, “bonds; ties”) in 38:31.

[32:10]  ³⁷ tc In most Hebrew mss this imperative is singular, and so addressed to Job. But two Hebrew mss and the versions have the plural. Elihu was probably addressing all of them.

[36:2]  ⁴¹ tn The verb כָּתַּר (kattar) is the Piel imperative; in Hebrew the word means “to surround” and is related to the noun for crown. But in Syriac it means “to wait.” This section of the book of Job will have a few Aramaic words.

[36:2]  ⁴² tn The Hebrew text simply has “for yet for God words.”