Job 30:21

30:21 You have become cruel to me; ¹ 

with the strength of your hand you attack me. ² 

Job 1:11

1:11 But ³  extend your hand and strike ⁴  everything he has, and he will no doubt ⁵  curse you ⁶  to your face!”

Job 2:5

2:5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, ⁷  and he will no doubt ⁸  curse you to your face!”

Job 1:12

1:12 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, ⁹  everything he has is ¹⁰  in your power. ¹¹  Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!” ¹²  So Satan went out ¹³  from the presence of the Lord. ¹⁴ 

[30:21]  ¹ tn The idiom uses the Niphal verb “you are turned” with “to cruelty.” See Job 41:20b, as well as Isa 63:10.

[30:21]  ² tc The LXX reads this verb as “you scourged/whipped me.” But there is no reason to adopt this change.

[1:11]  ³ tn The particle אוּלָם (’ulam, “but”) serves to restrict the clause in relation to the preceding clause (IBHS 671-73 §39.3.5e, n. 107).

[1:11]  ⁴ tn The force of the imperatives in this sentence are almost conditional – if God were to do this, then surely Job would respond differently.

[1:11]  ⁵ sn The formula used in the expression is the oath formula: “if not to your face he will curse you” meaning “he will surely curse you to your face.” Satan is so sure that the piety is insincere that he can use an oath formula.

[1:11]  ⁶ tn See the comments on Job 1:5. Here too the idea of “renounce” may fit well enough; but the idea of actually cursing God may not be out of the picture if everything Job has is removed. Satan thinks he will denounce God.

[2:5]  ⁵ sn The “bones and flesh” are idiomatic for the whole person, his physical and his psychical/spiritual being (see further H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 26-28).

[2:5]  ⁶ sn This is the same oath formula found in 1:11; see the note there.

[1:12]  ⁷ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “behold”) introduces a foundational clause upon which the following volitional clause is based.

[1:12]  ⁸ tn The versions add a verb here: “delivered to” or “abandoned to” the hand of Satan.

[1:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “in your hand.” The idiom means that it is now Satan’s to do with as he pleases.

[1:12]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew word order emphatically holds out Job’s person as the exception: “only upon him do not stretch forth your hand.”

[1:12]  ¹¹ tn The Targum to Job adds “with permission” to show that he was granted leave from God’s presence.

[1:12]  ¹² sn So Satan, having received his permission to test Job’s sincerity, goes out from the Lord’s presence. But Satan is bound by the will of the Most High not to touch Job himself. The sentence gives the impression that Satan’s departure is with a certain eagerness and confidence.