Discovery BoxJob 32:4--37:24
Context32:4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking 1 to Job, because the others 2 were older than he was. 32:5 But when Elihu saw 3 that the three men had no further reply, 4 he became very angry.
32:6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up: 5
“I am young, 6 but you are elderly;
that is why I was fearful, 7
and afraid to explain 8 to you what I know.
32:7 I said to myself, ‘Age 9 should speak, 10
and length of years 11 should make wisdom known.’
32:8 But it is a spirit in people,
the breath 12 of the Almighty,
that makes them understand.
32:9 It is not the aged 13 who are wise,
nor old men who understand what is right.
32:10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen 14 to me.
I, even I, will explain what I know.’
32:11 Look, I waited for you to speak; 15
I listened closely to your wise thoughts, 16 while you were searching for words.
32:12 Now I was paying you close attention, 17
yet 18 there was no one proving Job wrong, 19
not one of you was answering his statements!
32:13 So do not say, 20 ‘We have found wisdom!
God will refute 21 him, not man!’
32:14 Job 22 has not directed 23 his words to me,
and so I will not reply to him with your arguments. 24
32:15 “They are dismayed 26 and cannot answer any more;
they have nothing left to say. 27
32:16 And I have waited. 28 But because they do not speak,
because they stand there and answer no more,
32:17 I too will answer my part,
I too will explain what I know.
32:18 For I am full of words,
and the spirit within me 29 constrains me. 30
32:19 Inside I am like wine which has no outlet, 31
like new wineskins 32 ready to burst!
32:20 I will speak, 33 so that I may find relief;
I will open my lips, so that I may answer.
32:21 I will not show partiality to anyone, 34
nor will I confer a title 35 on any man.
32:22 for I do not know how to give honorary titles, 36
if I did, 37 my Creator would quickly do away with me. 38
33:1 “But now, O Job, listen to my words,
and hear 39 everything I have to say! 40
33:2 See now, I have opened 41 my mouth;
my tongue in my mouth has spoken. 42
33:3 My words come from the uprightness of my heart, 43
and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely. 44
33:4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 45
33:5 Reply to me, if you can;
set your arguments 46 in order before me
and take your stand!
33:6 Look, I am just like you in relation to God;
I too have been molded 47 from clay.
33:7 Therefore no fear of me should terrify you,
nor should my pressure 48 be heavy on you. 49
33:8 “Indeed, you have said in my hearing 50
(I heard the sound of the words!):
33:9 51 ‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean 52 and have no iniquity.
33:10 53 Yet God 54 finds occasions 55 with me;
he regards me as his enemy!
33:11 56 He puts my feet in shackles;
he watches closely all my paths.’
33:12 Now in this, you are not right – I answer you, 57
for God is greater than a human being. 58
33:13 Why do you contend against him,
that he does not answer all a person’s 59 words?
33:14 “For God speaks, the first time in one way,
the second time in another,
though a person does not perceive 60 it.
33:15 In a dream, a night vision,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they sleep in their beds.
33:16 Then he gives a revelation 61 to people,
and terrifies them with warnings, 62
33:17 to turn a person from his sin, 63
and to cover a person’s pride. 64
33:18 He spares a person’s life from corruption, 65
his very life from crossing over 66 the river.
33:19 Or a person is chastened 67 by pain on his bed,
and with the continual strife of his bones, 68
33:20 so that his life loathes food,
and his soul rejects appetizing fare. 69
33:21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
and his bones, which were not seen,
are easily visible. 70
33:22 He 71 draws near to the place of corruption,
and his life to the messengers of death. 72
33:23 If there is an angel beside him,
one mediator 73 out of a thousand,
to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness; 74
33:24 and if 75 God 76 is gracious to him and says,
‘Spare 77 him from going down
to the place of corruption,
I have found a ransom for him,’ 78
33:25 then his flesh is restored 79 like a youth’s;
he returns to the days of his youthful vigor. 80
33:26 He entreats God, and God 81 delights in him,
he sees God’s face 82 with rejoicing,
and God 83 restores to him his righteousness. 84
33:27 That person sings 85 to others, 86 saying:
‘I have sinned and falsified what is right,
but I was not punished according to what I deserved. 87
from going down to the place of corruption,
and my life sees the light!’
33:29 “Indeed, God does all these things,
twice, three times, in his dealings 90 with a person,
33:30 to turn back his life from the place of corruption,
that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
33:31 Pay attention, Job – listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
33:32 If you have any words, 91 reply to me;
speak, for I want to justify you. 92
33:33 If not, you listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
34:1 Elihu answered:
34:2 “Listen to my words, you wise men;
hear 94 me, you learned men. 95
34:3 For the ear assesses 96 words
as the mouth 97 tastes food.
34:4 Let us evaluate 98 for ourselves what is right; 99
let us come to know among ourselves what is good.
34:5 For Job says, ‘I am innocent, 100
but God turns away my right.
34:6 Concerning my right, should I lie? 101
My wound 102 is incurable,
although I am without transgression.’ 103
34:7 What man is like Job,
who 104 drinks derision 105 like water!
34:8 He goes about 106 in company 107 with evildoers,
he goes along 108 with wicked men. 109
34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’ 110
34:10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. 111
Far be it from 112 God to do wickedness,
from the Almighty to do evil.
34:11 For he repays a person for his work, 113
and according to the conduct of a person,
he causes the consequences to find him. 114
34:12 Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
34:13 Who entrusted 115 to him the earth?
And who put him over 116 the whole world?
34:14 If God 117 were to set his heart on it, 118
and gather in his spirit and his breath,
34:15 all flesh would perish together
and human beings would return to dust.
34:16 “If you have 119 understanding, listen to this,
hear what I have to say. 120
that one who hates justice can govern? 122
And will you declare guilty
the supremely righteous 123 One,
34:18 who says to a king, 124 ‘Worthless man’ 125
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men,’
34:19 who shows no partiality to princes,
and does not take note of 126 the rich more than the poor,
because all of them are the work of his hands?
34:20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night, 127
people 128 are shaken 129 and they pass away.
The mighty are removed effortlessly. 130
34:21 For his eyes are on the ways of an individual,
he observes all a person’s 131 steps.
34:22 There is no darkness, and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide themselves. 132
34:23 For he does not still consider a person, 133
that he should come before God in judgment.
34:24 He shatters the great without inquiry, 134
and sets up others in their place.
34:25 Therefore, he knows their deeds,
he overthrows them 135 in the night 136
and they are crushed.
34:26 He strikes them for their wickedness, 137
in a place where people can see, 138
34:27 because they have turned away from following him,
and have not understood 139 any of his ways,
34:28 so that they caused 140 the cry of the poor
to come before him,
so that he hears 141 the cry of the needy.
34:29 But if God 142 is quiet, who can condemn 143 him?
If he hides his face, then who can see him?
Yet 144 he is over the individual and the nation alike, 145
34:30 so that the godless man should not rule,
and not lay snares for the people. 146
34:31 “Has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured chastisement, 147
but I will not act wrongly any more.
34:32 Teach me what I cannot see. 148
If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’
34:33 Is it your opinion 149 that God 150 should recompense it,
because you reject this? 151
But you must choose, and not I,
so tell us what you know.
34:34 Men of understanding say to me –
any wise man listening to me says –
34:35 that 152 Job speaks without knowledge
and his words are without understanding. 153
34:36 But 154 Job will be tested to the end,
because his answers are like those of wicked men.
34:37 For he adds transgression 155 to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands, 156
and multiplies his words against God.”
35:1 Then Elihu answered:
35:2 “Do you think this to be 158 just:
when 159 you say, ‘My right before God.’ 160
35:3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’ 161
and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’ 162
35:4 I 163 will reply to you, 164
and to your friends with you.
35:5 Gaze at the heavens and see;
consider the clouds, which are higher than you! 165
35:6 If you sin, how does it affect God? 166
If your transgressions are many,
what does it do to him? 167
35:7 If you are righteous, what do you give to God,
or what does he receive from your hand?
35:8 Your wickedness affects only 168 a person like yourself,
and your righteousness only other people. 169
because of the excess of oppression; 171
they cry out for help
because of the power 172 of the mighty. 173
35:10 But no one says, ‘Where is God, my Creator,
who gives songs in the night, 174
35:11 who teaches us 175 more than 176 the wild animals of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
35:12 Then 177 they cry out – but he does not answer –
because of the arrogance of the wicked.
35:13 Surely it is an empty cry 178 – God does not hear it;
the Almighty does not take notice of it.
35:14 How much less, then,
when you say that you do not perceive him,
that the case is before him
and you are waiting for him! 179
35:15 And further, 180 when you say
that his anger does not punish, 181
and that he does not know transgression! 182
35:16 So Job opens his mouth to no purpose; 183
without knowledge he multiplies words.”
36:2 “Be patient 186 with me a little longer
and I will instruct you,
for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf. 187
36:3 With my knowledge I will speak comprehensively, 188
and to my Creator I will ascribe righteousness. 189
36:4 For in truth, my words are not false;
it is one complete 190 in knowledge
who is with you.
36:5 Indeed, God is mighty; and he does not despise people, 191
he 192 is mighty, and firm 193 in his intent. 194
36:6 He does not allow the wicked to live, 195
but he gives justice to the poor.
36:7 He does not take his eyes 196 off the righteous;
but with kings on the throne
he seats the righteous 197 and exalts them forever. 198
36:8 But if they are bound in chains, 199
and held captive by the cords of affliction,
36:9 then he reveals 200 to them what they have done, 201
and their transgressions,
that they were behaving proudly.
36:10 And he reveals 202 this 203 for correction,
and says that they must turn 204 from evil.
36:11 If they obey and serve him,
they live out their days in prosperity
and their years in pleasantness. 205
36:12 But if they refuse to listen,
they pass over the river of death, 206
and expire without knowledge.
36:13 The godless at heart 207 nourish anger, 208
they do not cry out even when he binds them.
36:14 They die 209 in their youth,
and their life ends among the male cultic prostitutes. 210
36:15 He delivers the afflicted by 211 their 212 afflictions,
he reveals himself to them 213 by their suffering.
36:16 And surely, he drew you 214 from the mouth of distress,
to a wide place, unrestricted, 215
and to the comfort 216 of your table
filled with rich food. 217
36:17 But now you are preoccupied with the judgment due the wicked,
judgment and justice take hold of you.
36:18 Be careful that 218 no one entices you with riches;
do not let a large bribe 219 turn you aside.
36:19 Would your wealth 220 sustain you,
so that you would not be in distress, 221
even all your mighty efforts? 222
36:20 Do not long for the cover of night
to drag people away from their homes. 223
36:21 Take heed, do not turn to evil,
for because of this you have been tested 224 by affliction.
36:22 Indeed, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher 225 like him?
36:23 Who has prescribed his ways for him?
Or said to him, ‘You have done what is wicked’?
36:24 Remember to extol 226 his work,
which people have praised in song.
36:25 All humanity has seen it;
people gaze on it from afar.
36:26 “Yes, God is great – beyond our knowledge! 227
The number of his years is unsearchable.
36:27 He draws up drops of water;
they distill 228 the rain into its mist, 229
36:28 which the clouds pour down
and shower on humankind abundantly.
36:29 Who can understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion? 230
36:30 See how he scattered 231 his lightning 232 about him;
he has covered the depths 233 of the sea.
36:31 It is by these that he judges 234 the nations
and supplies food in abundance.
36:32 With his hands 235 he covers 236 the lightning,
and directs it against its target.
36:33 237 His thunder announces the coming storm,
the cattle also, concerning the storm’s approach.
37:1 At this also my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
37:2 Listen carefully 238 to the thunder of his voice,
to the rumbling 239 that proceeds from his mouth.
37:3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
even his lightning to the far corners 240 of the earth.
37:4 After that a voice roars;
he thunders with an exalted voice,
and he does not hold back his lightning bolts 241
when his voice is heard.
37:5 God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways; 242
he does great things beyond our understanding. 243
37:6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall 244 to earth,’
and to the torrential rains, 245 ‘Pour down.’ 246
37:7 He causes everyone to stop working, 247
so that all people 248 may know 249 his work.
37:8 The wild animals go to their lairs,
and in their dens they remain.
37:9 A tempest blows out from its chamber,
icy cold from the driving winds. 250
37:10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the breadth of the waters freeze solid.
37:11 He loads the clouds with moisture; 251
he scatters his lightning through the clouds.
37:12 The clouds 252 go round in circles,
wheeling about according to his plans,
to carry out 253 all that he commands them
over the face of the whole inhabited world.
37:13 Whether it is for punishment 254 for his land,
or whether it is for mercy,
he causes it to find its mark. 255
37:14 “Pay attention to this, Job!
Stand still and consider the wonders God works.
37:15 Do you know how God commands them, 256
how he makes lightning flash in his storm cloud? 257
37:16 Do you know about the balancing 258 of the clouds,
that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge?
37:17 You, whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind,
37:18 will you, with him, spread out 259 the clouds,
solid as a mirror of molten metal?
37:19 Tell us what we should 260 say to him.
We cannot prepare a case 261
because of the darkness.
37:20 Should he be informed that I want 262 to speak?
If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!
37:21 But now, the sun 263 cannot be looked at 264 –
it is bright in the skies –
after a wind passed and swept the clouds away. 265
37:22 From the north he comes in golden splendor; 266
around God is awesome majesty.
37:23 As for the Almighty, 267 we cannot attain to him!
He is great in power,
but justice 268 and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.
37:24 Therefore people fear him,
for he does not regard all the wise in heart.” 269
[32:4] 1 tc This reading requires repointing the word בִּדְבָרִים (bidbarim, “with words”) to בְּדָבְּרָם (bÿdabbÿram, “while they spoke [with Job]”). If the MT is retained, it would mean “he waited for Job with words,” which while understandable is awkward.
[32:4] 2 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the other friends) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:5] 3 tn The first clause beginning with a vav (ו) consecutive and the preterite can be subordinated to the next similar verb as a temporal clause.
[32:5] 4 tn Heb “that there was no reply in the mouth of the three men.”
[32:6] 5 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[32:6] 6 tn The text has “small in days.”
[32:6] 7 tn The verb זָחַלְתִּי (zakhalti) is found only here in the OT, but it is found in a ninth century Aramaic inscription as well as in Biblical Aramaic. It has the meaning “to be timid” (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 208).
[32:6] 8 tn The Piel infinitive with the preposition (מֵחַוֹּת, mekhavvot) means “from explaining.” The phrase is the complement: “explain” what Elihu feared.
[32:7] 10 tn The imperfect here is to be classified as an obligatory imperfect.
[32:7] 11 tn Heb “abundance of years.”
[32:8] 12 tn This is the word נְשָׁמָה (nÿshamah, “breath”); according to Gen 2:7 it was breathed into Adam to make him a living person (“soul”). With that divine impartation came this spiritual understanding. Some commentators identify the רוּחַ (ruakh) in the first line as the Spirit of God; this “breath” would then be the human spirit. Whether Elihu knew that much, however, is hard to prove.
[32:9] 13 tn The MT has “the great” or “the many,” meaning great in years according to the parallelism.
[32:10] 14 tc In most Hebrew
[32:11] 15 tn Heb “for your words.”
[32:11] 16 tn The word means “understanding.” It refers to the faculty of perception and comprehension; but it also can refer to what that produces, especially when it is in the plural (see Ps 49:4). See R. Gordis, Job, 368. Others translate it “reasonings,” “arguments,” etc.
[32:12] 17 tn The verb again is from בִּין (bin, “to perceive; to understand”); in this stem it means to “to pay close attention.”
[32:12] 18 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “behold”) has a deictic force here, calling attention to the thought that is now presented.
[32:12] 19 tn The participle מוֹכִיחַ (mokhiakh) is from the verb יָכַח (yakhakh) that has been used frequently in the book of Job. It means “to argue; to contend; to debate; to prove; to dispute.” The usage of the verb shows that it can focus on the beginning of an argument, the debating itself, or the resolution of the conflict. Here the latter is obviously meant, for they did argue and contend and criticize – but could not prove Job wrong.
[32:13] 20 tn Heb “lest you say.” R. Gordis (Job, 368) calls this a breviloquence: “beware lest [you say].” He then suggests the best reading for their quote to be, “We have attained wisdom, but only God can refute him, not man.” H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 209) suggests the meaning is a little different, namely, that they are saying they have found wisdom in Job, and only God can deal with it. Elihu is in effect saying that they do not need God, for he is quite capable for this.
[32:13] 21 tn The root is נָדַף (nadaf, “to drive away; to drive off”). Here it is in the abstract sense of “succeed in doing something; confound,” and so “refute; rebut.” Dhorme wants to change the meaning of the word with a slight emendation in the text, deriving it from אָלַף (’alaf, “instruct”) the form becoming יַלְּפֶנוּ (yallÿfenu) instead of יִדְּפֶנּוּ (yiddÿfenu), obtaining the translation “God will instruct us.” This makes a smoother reading, but does not have much support for it.
[32:14] 22 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Job) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:14] 23 tn The verb עַרַךְ (’arakh) means “to arrange in order; to set forth; to direct; to marshal.” It is used in military contexts for setting the battle array; it is used in legal settings for preparing the briefs.
[32:14] 24 tn Heb “your words.”
[32:15] 25 sn Elihu now will give another reason why he will speak – the arguments of these friends failed miserably. But before he gets to his argument, he will first qualify his authority.
[32:15] 26 tn The verb חַתּוּ (khattu) is from חָתַת (khatat) which means “to be terrified.” But here it stresses the resulting dilemma. R. Gordis (Job, 369) renders it, “they are shattered, beaten in an argument.”
[32:15] 27 tn Heb “words have moved away from them,” meaning words are gone from them, they have nothing left to say.
[32:16] 28 tn Some commentators take this as a question: “And shall [or must] I wait because they do not speak?” (A. B. Davidson, R. Gordis). But this is not convincing because the silence of the friends is the reason for him to speak, not to wait.
[32:18] 29 tn Heb “the spirit of my belly.”
[32:18] 30 tn The verb צוּק (tsuq) means “to constrain; to urge; to press.” It is used in Judg 14:17; 16:16 with the sense of wearing someone down with repeated entreaties. Elihu cannot withhold himself any longer.
[32:19] 31 tn Heb “in my belly I am like wine that is not opened” (a Niphal imperfect), meaning sealed up with no place to escape.
[32:19] 32 tc The Hebrew text has כְּאֹבוֹת חֲדָשִׁים (kÿ’ovot khadashim), traditionally rendered “like new wineskins.” But only here does the phrase have this meaning. The LXX has “smiths” for “new,” thus “like smith’s bellows.” A. Guillaume connects the word with an Arabic word for a wide vessel for wine shaped like a cup (“Archaeological and philological note on Job 32:19,” PEQ 93 [1961]: 147-50). Some have been found in archaeological sites. The poor would use skins, the rich would use jars. The key to putting this together is the verb at the end of the line, יִבָּקֵעַ (yibbaqea’, “that are ready to burst”). The point of the statement is that Elihu is bursting to speak, and until now has not had the opening.
[32:20] 33 tn The cohortative expresses Elihu’s resolve to speak.
[32:21] 34 tn The idiom is “I will not lift up the face of a man.” Elihu is going to show no favoritism, but speak his mind.
[32:21] 35 tn The verb means “to confer an honorary title; to give a mark of distinction,” but it is often translated with the verb “flatter.” Elihu will not take sides, he will not use pompous titles.
[32:22] 36 tn The construction uses a perfect verb followed by the imperfect. This is a form of subordination equivalent to a complementary infinitive (see GKC 385-86 §120.c).
[32:22] 37 tn The words “if I did” are supplied in the translation to make sense out of the two clauses.
[32:22] 38 tn Heb “quickly carry me away.”
[33:1] 39 tn Heb “give ear,” the Hiphil denominative verb from “ear.”
[33:1] 40 tn Heb “hear all my words.”
[33:2] 41 tn The perfect verbs in this verse should be classified as perfects of resolve: “I have decided to open…speak.”
[33:2] 42 sn H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 210) says, “The self-importance of Elihu is boundless, and he is the master of banality.” He adds that whoever wrote these speeches this way clearly intended to expose the character rather than exalt him.
[33:3] 43 tc This expression is unusual; R. Gordis (Job, 371) says it can be translated, “the purity of my heart [is reflected] in my words,” but that is far-fetched and awkward. So there have been suggestions for emending יֹשֶׁר (yosher, “uprightness”). Kissane’s makes the most sense if a change is desired: “shall reveal” (an Arabic sense of yasher), although Holscher interpreted “shall affirm” (yasher, with a Syriac sense). Dhorme has “my heart will repeat” (יָשׁוּר, yashur), but this is doubtful. If Kissane’s view is taken, it would say, “my heart will reveal my words.” Some commentators would join “and knowledge” to this colon, and read “words of knowledge” – but that requires even more emendations.
[33:3] 44 tn More literally, “and the knowledge of my lips they will speak purely.”
[33:4] 45 tc Some commentators want to put this verse after v. 6, while others omit the verse entirely. Elihu is claiming here that he is inspired by God.
[33:5] 46 tn The Hebrew text does not contain the term “arguments,” but this verb has been used already for preparing or arranging a defense.
[33:6] 47 tn The verb means “nipped off,” as a potter breaks off a piece of clay when molding a vessel.
[33:7] 48 tc The noun means “my pressure; my burden” in the light of the verb אָכֲף (’akhaf, “to press on; to grip tightly”). In the parallel passages the text used “hand” and “rod” in the hand to terrify. The LXX has “hand” here for this word. But simply changing it to “hand” is ruled out because the verb is masculine.
[33:7] 49 tn See Job 9:34 and 13:21.
[33:8] 50 tn Heb “in my ears.”
[33:9] 51 sn See Job 9:21; 10:7; 23:7; 27:4; ch. 31.
[33:9] 52 tn The word is a hapax legomenon; hap is from חָפַף (khafaf). It is used in New Hebrew in expressions like “to wash” the head. Cognates in Syriac and Akkadian support the meaning “to wash; to clean.”
[33:10] 53 sn See Job 10:13ff.; 19:6ff.; and 13:24.
[33:10] 54 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:10] 55 tn The Hebrew means “frustrations” or “oppositions.” The RSV has “displeasure,” NIV “faults,” and NRSV “occasions.” Rashi chose the word found in Judg 14:4 – with metathesis – meaning “pretexts” (תֹּאֲנוֹת, to’anot); this is followed by NAB, NASB.
[33:12] 57 tn The meaning of this verb is “this is my answer to you.”
[33:12] 58 tc The LXX has “he that is above men is eternal.” Elihu is saying that God is far above Job’s petty problems.
[33:13] 59 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.
[33:14] 60 tn The Syriac and the Vulgate have “and he does not repeat it,” a reading of the text as it is, according to E. Dhorme (Job, 403). But his argument is based on another root with this meaning – a root which does not exist (see L. Dennefeld, RB 48 [1939]: 175). The verse is saying that God does speak to man.
[33:16] 61 tn The idiom is “he uncovers the ear of men.” This expression means “inform” in Ruth 4:4; 1 Sam 20:2, etc. But when God is the subject it means “make a revelation” (see 1 Sam 9:15; 2 Sam 7:27).
[33:16] 62 tc Heb “and seals their bonds.” The form of the present translation, “and terrifies them with warnings,” is derived only by emending the text. Aquila, the Vulgate, Syriac, and Targum Job have “their correction” for “their bond,” which is what the KJV used. But the LXX, Aquila, and the Syriac have “terrifies” for the verb. This involves a change in pointing from יָחְתֹּם (yakhtom) to יְחִתֵּם (yÿkhittem). The LXX has “appearances of fear” instead of “bonds.” The point of the verse seems to be that by terrifying dreams God makes people aware of their ways.
[33:17] 63 tc The MT simply has מַעֲשֶׂה (ma’aseh, “deed”). The LXX has “from his iniquity” which would have been מֵעַוְלָה (me’avlah). The two letters may have dropped out by haplography. The MT is workable, but would have to mean “[evil] deeds.”
[33:17] 64 tc Here too the sense of the MT is difficult to recover. Some translations took it to mean that God hides pride from man. Many commentators changed יְכַסֶּה (yÿkhasseh, “covers”) to יְכַסֵּחַ (yÿkhasseakh, “he cuts away”), or יְכַלֶּה (yÿkhalleh, “he puts an end to”). The various emendations are not all that convincing.
[33:18] 65 tn A number of interpreters and translations take this as “the pit” (see Job 17:14; cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[33:18] 66 tc Here is another difficult line. The verb normally means “to pass through; to pass over,” and so this word would normally mean “from passing through [or over].” The word שֶׁלַח (shelakh) does at times refer to a weapon, but most commentators look for a parallel with “the pit [or corruption].” One suggestion is שְׁאוֹלָה (shÿ’olah, “to Sheol”), proposed by Duhm. Dhorme thought it was שַׁלַח (shalakh) and referred to the passageway to the underworld (see M. Tsevat, VT 4 [1954]: 43; and Svi Rin, BZ 7 [1963]: 25). See discussion of options in HALOT 1517-18 s.v. IV שֶׁלַח. The idea of crossing the river of death fits the idea of the passage well, although the reading “to perish by the sword” makes sense and was followed by the NIV.
[33:19] 67 tc The MT has the passive form, and so a subject has to be added: “[a man] is chastened.” The LXX has the active form, indicating “[God] chastens,” but the object “a man” has to be added. It is understandable why the LXX thought this was active, within this sequence of verbs; and that is why it is the inferior reading.
[33:19] 68 tc The Kethib “the strife of his bones is continual,” whereas the Qere has “the multitude of his bones are firm.” The former is the better reading in this passage. It indicates that the pain is caused by the ongoing strife.
[33:20] 69 tn Heb “food of desire.” The word “rejects” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[33:21] 70 tc Heb “are laid bare.” This is the Qere reading; the Kethib means “bare height.” Gordis reverses the word order: “his bones are bare [i.e., crushed] so that they cannot be looked upon.” But the sense of that is not clear.
[33:22] 71 tn Heb “his soul [נֶפֶשׁ, nefesh, “life”] draws near.”
[33:22] 72 tn The MT uses the Hiphil participle, “to those who cause death.” This seems to be a reference to the belief in demons that brought about death, an idea not mentioned in the Bible itself. Thus many proposals have been made for this expression. Hoffmann and Budde divide the word into לְמוֹ מֵתִּים (lÿmo metim) and simply read “to the dead.” Dhorme adds a couple of letters to get לִמְקוֹם מֵתִּים (limqom metim, “to the place [or abode] of the dead”).
[33:23] 73 sn The verse is describing the way God can preserve someone from dying by sending a messenger (translated here as “angel”), who could be human or angelic. This messenger will interpret/mediate God’s will. By “one … out of a thousand” Elihu could have meant either that one of the thousands of messengers at God’s disposal might be sent or that the messenger would be unique (see Eccl 7:28; and cp. Job 9:3).
[33:23] 74 tn This is a smoother reading. The MT has “to tell to a man his uprightness,” to reveal what is right for him. The LXX translated this word “duty”; the choice is adopted by some commentaries. However, that is too far from the text, which indicates that the angel/messenger is to call the person to uprightness.
[33:24] 75 tn This verse seems to continue the protasis begun in the last verse, with the apodosis coming in the next verse.
[33:24] 76 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:24] 77 tc The verb is either taken as an anomalous form of פָּדַע (pada’, “to rescue; to redeem,” or “to exempt him”), or it is emended to some similar word, like פָּרַע (para’, “to let loose,” so Wright).
[33:24] 78 sn This verse and v. 28 should be compared with Ps 49:7-9, 15 (8-10, 16 HT) where the same basic vocabulary and concepts are employed.
[33:25] 79 tc The word רֻטֲפַשׁ (rutafash) is found nowhere else. One suggestion is that it should be יִרְטַב (yirtav, “to become fresh”), connected to רָטַב (ratav, “to be well watered [or moist]”). It is also possible that it was a combination of רָטַב (ratav, “to be well watered”) and טָפַשׁ (tafash, “to grow fat”). But these are all guesses in the commentaries.
[33:25] 80 tn The word describes the period when the man is healthy and vigorous, ripe for what life brings his way.
[33:26] 81 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:26] 82 tn Heb “his face”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:26] 83 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:26] 84 tc Many commentators think this line is superfluous and so delete it. The RSV changed the verb to “he recounts,” making the idea that the man publishes the news of his victory or salvation (taking “righteousness” as a metonymy of cause).
[33:27] 85 tc The verb יָשֹׁר (yashor) is unusual. The typical view is to change it to יָשִׁיר (yashir, “he sings”), but that may seem out of harmony with a confession. Dhorme suggests a root שׁוּר (shur, “to repeat”), but this is a doubtful root. J. Reider reads it יָשֵׁיר (yasher) and links it to an Arabic word “confesses” (ZAW 24 [1953]: 275).
[33:27] 87 tn The verb שָׁוָה (shavah) has the impersonal meaning here, “it has not been requited to me.” The meaning is that the sinner has not been treated in accordance with his deeds: “I was not punished according to what I deserved.”
[33:28] 88 sn See note on “him” in v. 24.
[33:29] 89 sn Elihu will repeat these instructions for Job to listen, over and over in painful repetition. See note on the heading to 32:1.
[33:29] 90 tn The phrase “in his dealings” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
[33:32] 91 tn Heb “if there are words.”
[33:32] 92 tn The infinitive construct serves as the complement or object of “I desire.” It could be rendered “to justify you” or “your justification, “namely, “that you be justified.”
[34:1] 93 sn This speech of Elihu focuses on defending God. It can be divided into these sections: Job is irreligious (2-9), God is just (10-15), God is impartial and omniscient (16-30), Job is foolish to rebel (31-37).
[34:2] 94 tn Heb “give ear to me.”
[34:2] 95 tn The Hebrew word means “the men who know,” and without a complement it means “to possess knowledge.”
[34:3] 96 tn Or “examines; tests; tries; discerns.”
[34:3] 97 tn Or “palate”; the Hebrew term refers to the tongue or to the mouth in general.
[34:4] 98 sn Elihu means “choose after careful examination.”
[34:4] 99 tn The word is מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) again, with the sense of what is right or just.
[34:5] 100 tn Heb “righteous,” but in this context it means to be innocent or in the right.
[34:6] 101 tn The verb is the Piel imperfect of כָּזַב (kazav), meaning “to lie.” It could be a question: “Should I lie [against my right?] – when I am innocent. If it is repointed to the Pual, then it can be “I am made to lie,” or “I am deceived.” Taking it as a question makes good sense here, and so emendations are unnecessary.
[34:6] 102 tn The Hebrew text has only “my arrow.” Some commentators emend that word slightly to get “my wound.” But the idea could be derived from “arrows” as well, the wounds caused by the arrows. The arrows are symbolic of God’s affliction.
[34:6] 103 tn Heb “without transgression”; but this is parallel to the first part where the claim is innocence.
[34:7] 104 tn Heb “he drinks,” but coming after the question this clause may be subordinated.
[34:7] 105 tn The scorn or derision mentioned here is not against Job, but against God. Job scorns God so much, he must love it. So to reflect this idea, Gordis has translated it “blasphemy” (cf. NAB).
[34:8] 106 tn The perfect verb with the vav (ו) consecutive carries the sequence forward from the last description.
[34:8] 107 tn The word חֶבְרַה (khevrah, “company”) is a hapax legomenon. But its meaning is clear enough from the connections to related words and this context as well.
[34:8] 108 tn The infinitive construct with the ל (lamed) preposition may continue the clause with the finite verb (see GKC 351 §114.p).
[34:8] 109 tn Heb “men of wickedness”; the genitive is attributive (= “wicked men”).
[34:9] 110 tn Gordis, however, takes this expression in the sense of “being in favor with God.”
[34:10] 111 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] 112 tn For this construction, see Job 27:5.
[34:11] 113 tn Heb “for the work of man, he [= God] repays him.”
[34:11] 114 tn Heb “he causes it to find him.” The text means that God will cause a man to find (or receive) the consequences of his actions.
[34:13] 115 tn The verb פָּקַד (paqad) means “to visit; to appoint; to number.” Here it means “to entrust” for care and governing. The implication would be that there would be someone higher than God – which is what Elihu is repudiating by the rhetorical question. No one entrusted God with this.
[34:13] 116 tn The preposition is implied from the first half of the verse.
[34:14] 117 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[34:14] 118 tc This is the reading following the Qere. The Kethib and the Syriac and the LXX suggest a reading יָשִׂים (yasim, “if he [God] recalls”). But this would require leaving out “his heart,” and would also require redividing the verse to make “his spirit” the object. It makes better parallelism, but may require too many changes.
[34:16] 119 tn The phrase “you have” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.
[34:16] 120 tn Heb “the sound of my words.”
[34:17] 121 tn The force of הַאַף (ha’af) is “Is it truly the case?” The point is being made that if Job were right God could not be judging the world.
[34:17] 122 tn The verb חָבַשׁ (khavash) has the basic idea of “to bind,” as in binding on the yoke, and then in the sense of subduing people under authority (cf. Assyrian absanu). The imperfect verb here is best expressed with the potential nuance.
[34:17] 123 tn The two words could be taken separately, but they seem to form a fine nominal hendiadys, because the issue is God’s justice. So the word for power becomes the modifier.
[34:18] 124 tc Heb “Does one say,” although some smooth it out to say “Is it fit to say?” For the reading “who says,” the form has to be repointed to הַאֹמֵר (ha’omer) meaning, “who is the one saying.” This reading is supported by the LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac. Also it seems to flow better with the following verse. It would be saying that God is over the rulers and can rebuke them. The former view is saying that no one rebukes kings, much less Job rebuking God.
[34:18] 125 tn The word בְּלִיָּעַל (bÿliyya’al) means both “worthless” and “wicked.” It is common in proverbial literature, and in later writings it became a description of Satan. It is usually found with “son of.”
[34:19] 126 tn The verb means “to give recognition; to take note of” and in this passage with לִפְנֵי (lifne, “before”) it means to show preferential treatment to the rich before the poor. The word for “rich” here is an unusual word, found parallel to “noble” (Isa 32:2). P. Joüon thinks it is a term of social distinction (Bib 18 [1937]: 207-8).
[34:20] 127 tn Dhorme transposes “in the middle of the night” with “they pass away” to get a smoother reading. But the MT emphasizes the suddenness by putting both temporal ideas first. E. F. Sutcliffe leaves the order as it stands in the text, but adds a verb “they expire” after “in the middle of the night” (“Notes on Job, textual and exegetical,” Bib 30 [1949]: 79ff.).
[34:20] 128 tn R. Gordis (Job, 389) thinks “people” here mean the people who count, the upper class.
[34:20] 129 tn The verb means “to be violently agitated.” There is no problem with the word in this context, but commentators have made suggestions for improving the idea. The proposal that has the most to commend it, if one were inclined to choose a new word, is the change to יִגְוָעוּ (yigva’u, “they expire”; so Ball, Holscher, Fohrer, and others).
[34:20] 130 tn Heb “not by hand.” This means without having to use force.
[34:21] 131 tn Heb “his”; the referent (a person) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[34:22] 132 tn The construction of this colon uses the Niphal infinitive construct from סָתַר (satar, “to be hidden; to hide”). The resumptive adverb makes this a relative clause in its usage: “where the evildoers can hide themselves.”
[34:23] 133 tn Heb “for he does not put upon man yet.” This has been given a wide variety of interpretations, all of which involve a lot of additional thoughts. The word עוֹד (’od, “yet, still”) has been replaced with מוֹעֵד (mo’ed, “an appointed time,” Reiske and Wright), with the ם (mem) having dropped out by haplography. This makes good sense. If the MT is retained, the best interpretation would be that God does not any more consider (from “place upon the heart”) man, that he might appear in judgment.
[34:24] 134 tn Heb “[with] no investigation.”
[34:25] 135 tn The direct object “them” is implied and has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[34:25] 136 tn The Hebrew term “night” is an accusative of time.
[34:26] 137 tn Heb “under wicked men,” or “under wickednesses.” J. C. Greenfield shows that the preposition can mean “among” as well (“Prepositions B Tachat in Jes 57:5,” ZAW 32 [1961]: 227). That would allow “among wicked men.” It could also be “instead of” or even “in return for [their wickedness]” which is what the RSV does.
[34:26] 138 tn The text simply uses רֹאִים (ro’im): “[in the place where there are] seers,” i.e., spectators.
[34:27] 139 tn The verb הִשְׂכִּילוּ (hiskilu) means “to be prudent; to be wise.” From this is derived the idea of “be wise in understanding God’s will,” and “be successful because of prudence” – i.e., successful with God.
[34:28] 140 tn The verse begins with the infinitive construct of בּוֹא (bo’, “go”), showing the result of their impious actions.
[34:28] 141 tn The verb here is an imperfect; the clause is circumstantial to the preceding clause, showing either the result, or the concomitant action.
[34:29] 142 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[34:29] 143 tn The verb in this position is somewhat difficult, although it does make good sense in the sentence – it is just not what the parallelism would suggest. So several emendations have been put forward, for which see the commentaries.
[34:29] 144 tn The line simply reads “and over a nation and over a man together.” But it must be the qualification for the points being made in the previous lines, namely, that even if God hides himself so no one can see, yet he is still watching over them all (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 222).
[34:29] 145 tn The word translated “alike” (Heb “together”) has bothered some interpreters. In the reading taken here it is acceptable. But others have emended it to gain a verb, such as “he visits” (Beer), “he watches over” (Duhm), “he is compassionate” (Kissane), etc. But it is sufficient to say “he is over.”
[34:30] 146 tn This last verse is difficult because it is unbalanced and cryptic. Some have joined the third line of v. 29 with this entire verse to make a couplet. But the same result is achieved by simply regarding this verse as the purpose of v. 29. But there still are some words that must be added. In the first colon, “[he is over the nations]…preventing from ruling.” And in the second colon, “laying” has to be supplied before “snares.”
[34:31] 147 tn The Hebrew text has only “I lift up” or “I bear” (= I endure). The reading “I have been led astray” is obtained by changing the vowels to read a passive. If the MT is retained, an object has to be supplied, such as “chastisement” (so RSV, NASB) or “punishment” (NRSV). If not, then a different reading would be followed (e.g., “I was misguided” [NAB]; “I am guilty” [NIV]).
[34:32] 148 tn Heb “what I do not see,” more specifically, “apart from [that which] I see.”
[34:33] 149 tn Heb “is it from with you,” an idiomatic expression meaning “to suit you” or “according to your judgment.”
[34:33] 150 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[34:33] 151 tn There is no object on the verb, and the meaning is perhaps lost. The best guess is that Elihu is saying Job has rejected his teaching.
[34:35] 152 tn Adding “that” in the translation clarifies Elihu’s indirect citation of the wise individuals’ words.
[34:35] 153 tn The Hiphil infinitive construct is here functioning as a substantive. The word means “prudence; understanding.”
[34:36] 154 tc The MT reads אָבִי (’avi, “my father”), which makes no sense. Some follow the KJV and emend the word to make a verb “I desire” or use the noun “my desire of it.” Others follow an Arabic word meaning “entreat, I pray” (cf. ESV, “Would that Job were tried”). The LXX and the Syriac versions have “but” and “surely” respectively. Since this is the only
[34:37] 155 tn Although frequently translated “rebellion,” the basic meaning of this Hebrew term is “transgression.”
[34:37] 156 tc If this reading stands, it would mean that Job shows contempt, meaning that he mocks them and accuses God. It is a bold touch, but workable. Of the many suggested emendations, Dhorme alters some of the vowels and obtains a reading “and casts doubt among us,” and then takes “transgression” from the first colon for the complement. Some commentators simply delete the line.
[35:1] 157 sn This short speech falls into two sections: Elihu refutes Job’s claim that goodness avails nothing (35:2-8), asserting that when the cry of the afflicted goes unanswered they have not learned their lesson (35:9-16).
[35:2] 158 tn The line could be read as “do you reckon this for justice? Here “to be” is understood.
[35:2] 159 tn The word “when” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.
[35:2] 160 tn The brief line could be interpreted in a number of ways. The MT simply has “my right from God.” It could be “I am right before God,” “I am more just/right than God” (identifying the preposition as a comparative min (מִן); cf. J. E. Hartley, Job [NICOT], 463), “I will be right before God,” or “My just cause against God.”
[35:3] 161 tn The referent of “you” is usually understood to be God.
[35:3] 162 tn The Hebrew text merely says, “What do I gain from my sin?” But Job has claimed that he has not sinned, and so this has to be elliptical: “more than if I had sinned” (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 224). It could also be, “What do I gain without sin?”
[35:4] 163 tn The emphatic pronoun calls attention to Elihu who will answer these questions.
[35:4] 164 tn The Hebrew text adds, “with words,” but since this is obvious, for stylistic reasons it has not been included in the translation.
[35:5] 165 tn The preposition is taken here as a comparative min (מִן). The line could also read “that are high above you.” This idea has appeared in the speech of Eliphaz (22:12), Zophar (11:7ff.), and even Job (9:8ff.).
[35:6] 166 tn Heb “him” (also in v. 7); the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[35:8] 168 tn The phrase “affects only” is supplied in the translation of this nominal sentence.
[35:8] 169 tn Heb “and to [or for] a son of man, your righteousness.”
[35:9] 170 tn The word “people” is supplied, because the sentence only has the masculine plural verb.
[35:9] 171 tn The final noun is an abstract plural, “oppression.” There is no reason to change it to “oppressors” to fit the early versions. The expression is literally “multitude of oppression.”
[35:9] 172 tn Heb “the arm,” a metaphor for strength or power.
[35:9] 173 tn Or “of the many” (see HALOT 1172 s.v. I רַב 6.a).
[35:10] 174 tn There have been several attempts to emend the line, none of which are particularly helpful or interesting. H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 225) says, “It is a pity to rob Elihu of a poetic line when he creates one.”
[35:11] 175 tn The form in the text, the Piel participle from אָלַף (’alaf, “teach”) is written in a contracted form; the full form is מְאַלְּפֵנוּ (mÿ’allÿfenu).
[35:11] 176 tn Some would render this “teaches us by the beasts.” But Elihu is stressing the unique privilege humans have.
[35:12] 177 tn The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) connects this verse to v. 11. “There” can be locative or temporal – and here it is temporal (= “then”).
[35:13] 178 tn Heb “surely – vanity, he does not hear.” The cry is an empty cry, not a prayer to God. Dhorme translates it, “It is a pure waste of words.”
[35:14] 179 sn The point is that if God does not listen to those who do not turn to him, how much less likely is he to turn to one who complains against him.
[35:15] 180 tn The expression “and now” introduces a new complaint of Elihu – in addition to the preceding. Here the verb of v. 14, “you say,” is understood after the temporal ki (כִּי).
[35:15] 181 tn The verb פָקַד (paqad) means “to visit” (also “to appoint; to muster; to number”). When God visits, it means that he intervenes in one’s life for blessing or cursing (punishing, destroying).
[35:15] 182 tn The word פַּשׁ (pash) is a hapax legomenon. K&D 12:275 derived it from an Arabic word meaning “belch,” leading to the idea of “overflow.” BDB 832 s.v. defines it as “folly.” Several define it as “transgression” on the basis of the versions (Theodotion, Symmachus, Vulgate). The RSV took it as “greatly heed,” but that is not exactly “greatly know,” when the text beyond that requires “not know at all.” The NIV has “he does not take the least notice of wickedness.”
[35:16] 183 tn The word הֶבֶל (hevel) means “vanity; futility; to no purpose.”
[36:1] 184 sn This very lengthy speech can be broken down into the following sections: the discipline of suffering (36:2-25), the work and wisdom of God (36:26–37:24).
[36:1] 185 tn The use of וַיֹּסֶף (vayyosef) is with the hendiadys construction: “and he added and said,” meaning “and he said again, further.”
[36:2] 186 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] 187 tn The Hebrew text simply has “for yet for God words.”
[36:3] 188 tn Heb “I will carry my knowledge to-from afar.” The expression means that he will give a wide range to knowledge, that he will speak comprehensively.
[36:3] 189 tn This line gives the essence of all of Elihu’s speech – to give or ascribe righteousness to God against the charges of Job. Dhorme translates this “I will justify my Maker,” and that is workable if it carries the meaning of “declaring to be right.”
[36:4] 190 tn The word is תְּמִים (tÿmim), often translated “perfect.” It is the same word used of Job in 2:3. Elihu is either a complete stranger to modesty or is confident regarding the knowledge that he believes God has revealed to him for this situation. See the note on the heading before 32:1.
[36:5] 191 tn The object “people” is not in the Hebrew text but is implied.
[36:5] 192 tn The text simply repeats “mighty.”
[36:5] 193 tn The last two words are simply כֹּחַ לֵב (koakh lev, “strong in heart”), meaning something like “strong; firm in his decisions.”
[36:5] 194 tc There are several problems in this verse: the repetition of “mighty,” the lack of an object for “despise,” and the meaning of “strength of heart.” Many commentators reduce the verse to a single line, reading something like “Lo, God does not reject the pure in heart” (Kissane). Dhorme and Pope follow Nichols with: “Lo, God is mighty in strength, and rejects not the pure in heart.” This reading moved “mighty” to the first line and took the second to be בַּר (bar, “pure”).
[36:6] 195 tn Or “he does not keep the wicked alive.”
[36:7] 196 tc Many commentators accept the change of “his eyes” to “his right” (reading דִּינוֹ [dino] for עֵינָיו [’enayv]). There is no compelling reason for the change; it makes the line commonplace.
[36:7] 197 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the righteous) has been repeated from the first part of the verse for clarity.
[36:7] 198 tn Heb “he seats them forever and exalts them.” The last verb can be understood as expressing a logical consequence of the preceding action (cf. GKC 328 §111.l = “he seats them forever so that he exalts them”). Or the two verbs can be taken as an adverbial hendiadys whereby the first modifies the second adverbially: “he exalts them by seating them forever” or “when he seats them forever” (cf. GKC 326 §111.d). Some interpret this verse to say that God seats kings on the throne, making a change in subject in the middle of the verse. But it makes better sense to see the righteous as the subject matter throughout – they are not only protected, but are exalted.
[36:8] 199 tn Dhorme thinks that the verse is still talking about kings, who may be in captivity. But this diverts attention from Elihu’s emphasis on the righteous.
[36:9] 200 tn The verb נָגַד (nagad) means “to declare; to tell.” Here it is clear that God is making known the sins that caused the enslavement or captivity, so “reveal” makes a good interpretive translation.
[36:9] 201 tn Heb “their work.”
[36:10] 202 tn The idiom once again is “he uncovers their ear.”
[36:10] 203 tn The revelation is in the preceding verse, and so a pronoun must be added to make the reference clear.
[36:10] 204 tn The verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to turn; to return”) is one of the two major words in the OT for “repent” – to return from evil. Here the imperfect should be obligatory – they must do it.
[36:11] 205 tc Some commentators delete this last line for metrical considerations. But there is no textual evidence for the deletion; it is simply the attempt by some to make the meter rigid.
[36:12] 206 tn This is a similar expression to the one in Job 33:18, where the suggestion was made by many that it means crossing over the canal or river of death. Some retain the earlier interpretation of “perish by the sword” (cf. NIV).
[36:13] 207 tn The expression “godless [or hypocrite] in heart” is an intensification of the description. It conveys that they are intentionally godless. See Matt 23:28.
[36:13] 208 tn Heb “they put anger.” This is usually interpreted to mean they lay up anger, or put anger in their hearts.
[36:14] 209 tn The text expresses this with “their soul dies.”
[36:14] 210 tn Heb “among the male prostitutes” who were at the temple – the “holy ones,” with “holy” being used in that sense of “separated to that form of temple service.” So uncleanness and shame are some of the connotations of the reference. Some modern translations give the general sense only: “their life ends in shame” (NRSV); “and perish among the reprobate” (NAB); “die…after wasting their lives in immoral living” (NLT).
[36:15] 211 tn The preposition בּ (bet) in these two lines is not location but instrument, not “in” but “by means of.” The affliction and the oppression serve as a warning for sin, and therefore a means of salvation.
[36:15] 213 tn Heb “he uncovers their ear.”
[36:16] 214 tn The Hebrew verb means “to entice; to lure; to allure; to seduce,” but these have negative connotations. The English “to persuade; to draw” might work better. The verb is the Hiphil perfect of סוּת (sut). But the nuance of the verb is difficult. It can be equivalent to an English present expressing what God is doing (Peake). But the subject is contested as well. Since the verb usually has an evil connotation, there have been attempts to make the “plaza” the subject – “the wide place has led you astray” (Ewald).
[36:16] 215 tn Heb “a broad place where there is no cramping beneath [or under] it.”
[36:16] 216 tn The word נַחַת (nakhat) could be translated “set” if it is connected with the verb נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest,” but then “to lay to rest, to set”). Kissane translates it “comfort.” Dhorme thinks it could come from נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”) or נָחַת (nakhat, “to descend”). But his conclusion is that it is a dittography after “under it” (p. 545).
[36:16] 217 tn Heb “filled with fat.”
[36:18] 218 tn The first expression is idiomatic: the text says, “because wrath lest it entice you” – thus, beware.
[36:18] 219 tn The word is כֹּפֶר (kofer), often translated “ransom,” but frequently in the sense of a bribe.
[36:19] 220 tn The form in the MT is “your cry (for help).” See J. E. Hartley (Job [NICOT], 472-73) and E. Dhorme (Job, 547-48) on the difficulties.
[36:19] 221 tn This part has only two words לֹא בְצָר (lo’ bÿtsar, “not in distress”). The negated phrase serves to explain the first colon.
[36:19] 222 tc For the many suggestions and the reasoning here, see the commentaries.
[36:20] 223 tn The meaning of this line is difficult. There are numerous suggestions for emending the text. Kissane takes the first verb in the sense of “oppress,” and for “the night” he has “belonging to you,” meaning “your people.” This reads: “Oppress not them that belong not to you, that your kinsmen may mount up in their place.”
[36:21] 224 tn Normally “tested” would be the translation for the Niphal of בָּחַר (bakhar). Although the Qal is employed here, the context favors “tested” rather than “chose.”
[36:22] 225 tn The word מוֹרֶה (moreh) is the Hiphil participle from יָרַה (yarah). It is related to the noun תּוֹרָה (torah, “what is taught” i.e., the law).
[36:24] 226 tn The expression is “that you extol,” serving as an object of the verb.
[36:26] 227 tn The last part has the verbal construction, “and we do not know.” This clause is to be used adverbially: “beyond our understanding.”
[36:27] 228 tn The verb means “to filter; to refine,” and so a plural subject with the drops of water as the subject will not work. So many read the singular, “he distills.”
[36:27] 229 tn This word עֵד (’ed) occurs also in Gen 2:6. The suggestion has been that instead of a mist it represents an underground watercourse that wells up to water the ground.
[36:29] 230 tn Heb “his booth.”
[36:30] 231 tn The word actually means “to spread,” but with lightning as the object, “to scatter” appears to fit the context better.
[36:30] 232 tn The word is “light,” but taken to mean “lightning.” Theodotion had “mist” here, and so most commentators follow that because it is more appropriate to the verb and the context.
[36:31] 234 tn The verb is יָדִין (yadin, “he judges”). Houbigant proposedיָזוּן (yazun, “he nourishes”). This has found wide acceptance among commentators (cf. NAB). G. R. Driver retained the MT but gave a meaning “enriches” to the verb (“Problems in the Hebrew text of Job,” VTSup 3 [1955]: 88ff.).
[36:32] 235 tn R. Gordis (Job, 422) prefers to link this word with the later Hebrew word for “arch,” not “hands.”
[36:32] 236 tn Because the image might mean that God grabs the lightning and hurls it like a javelin (cf. NLT), some commentators want to change “covers” to other verbs. Dhorme has “lifts” (נִשָּׂא [nissa’] for כִּסָּה [kissah]). This fit the idea of God directing the lightning bolts.
[36:33] 237 tn Peake knew of over thirty interpretations for this verse. The MT literally says, “He declares his purpose [or his shout] concerning it; cattle also concerning what rises.” Dhorme has it: “The flock which sniffs the coming storm has warned the shepherd.” Kissane: “The thunder declares concerning him, as he excites wrath against iniquity.” Gordis translates it: “His thunderclap proclaims his presence, and the storm his mighty wrath.” Many more could be added to the list.
[37:2] 238 tn The imperative is followed by the infinitive absolute from the same root to express the intensity of the verb.
[37:2] 239 tn The word is the usual word for “to meditate; to murmur; to groan”; here it refers to the low building of the thunder as it rumbles in the sky. The thunder is the voice of God (see Ps 29).
[37:3] 240 tn Heb “wings,” and then figuratively for the extremities of garments, of land, etc.
[37:4] 241 tn The verb simply has the pronominal suffix, “them.” The idea must be that when God brings in all the thunderings he does not hold back his lightning bolts either.
[37:5] 242 tn The form is the Niphal participle, “wonders,” from the verb פָּלָא (pala’, “to be wonderful; to be extraordinary”). Some commentators suppress the repeated verb “thunders,” and supply other verbs like “shows” or “works,” enabling them to make “wonders” the object of the verb rather than leaving it in an adverbial role. But as H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 236) notes, no change is needed, for one is not surprised to find repetition in Elihu’s words.
[37:5] 243 tn Heb “and we do not know.”
[37:6] 244 tn The verb actually means “be” (found here in the Aramaic form). The verb “to be” can mean “to happen, to fall, to come about.”
[37:6] 245 tn Heb “and [to the] shower of rain and shower of rains, be strong.” Many think the repetition grew up by variant readings; several Hebrew
[37:6] 246 tn Heb “Be strong.”
[37:7] 247 tn Heb “by the hand of every man he seals.” This line is intended to mean with the heavy rains God suspends all agricultural activity.
[37:7] 248 tc This reading involves a change in the text, for in MT “men” is in the construct. It would be translated, “all men whom he made” (i.e., all men of his making”). This is the translation followed by the NIV and NRSV. Olshausen suggested that the word should have been אֲנָשִׁים (’anashim) with the final ם (mem) being lost to haplography.
[37:7] 249 tn D. W. Thomas suggested a meaning of “rest” for the verb, based on Arabic. He then reads אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh) for man, and supplies a ם (mem) to “his work” to get “that every man might rest from his work [in the fields].”
[37:9] 250 tn The “driving winds” reflects the Hebrew “from the scatterers.” This refers to the north winds that bring the cold air and the ice and snow and hard rains.
[37:11] 251 tn The word “moisture” is drawn from רִי (ri) as a contraction for רְוִי (rÿvi). Others emended the text to get “hail” (NAB) or “lightning,” or even “the Creator.” For these, see the various commentaries. There is no reason to change the reading of the MT when it makes perfectly good sense.
[37:12] 252 tn The words “the clouds” are supplied from v. 11; the sentence itself actually starts: “and it goes round,” referring to the cloud.
[37:12] 253 tn Heb “that it may do.”
[37:13] 254 tn Heb “rod,” i.e., a rod used for punishment.
[37:13] 255 tn This is interpretive; Heb “he makes find it.” The lightning could be what is intended here, for it finds its mark. But R. Gordis (Job, 429) suggests man is the subject – let him find what it is for, i.e., the fate appropriate for him.
[37:15] 256 tn The verb is בְּשׂוּם (bÿsum, from שִׂים [sim, “set”]), so the idea is how God lays [or sets] [a command] for them. The suffix is proleptic, to be clarified in the second colon.
[37:15] 257 tn Dhorme reads this “and how his stormcloud makes lightning to flash forth?”
[37:16] 258 tn As indicated by HALOT 618 s.v. מִפְלָשׂ, the concept of “balancing” probably refers to “floating” or “suspension” (cf. NIV’s “how the clouds hang poised” and J. E. Hartley, Job [NICOT], 481-82, n. 2).
[37:18] 259 tn The verb means “to beat out; to flatten,” and the analogy in the next line will use molten metal. From this verb is derived the word for the “firmament” in Gen 1:6-8, that canopy-like pressure area separating water above and water below.
[37:19] 260 tn The imperfect verb here carries the obligatory nuance, “what we should say?”
[37:19] 261 tn The verb means “to arrange; to set in order.” From the context the idea of a legal case is included.
[37:20] 262 tn This imperfect works well as a desiderative imperfect.
[37:21] 263 tn The light here must refer to the sun in the skies that had been veiled by the storm. Then, when the winds blew the clouds away, it could not be looked at because it was so dazzling. Elihu’s analogy will be that God is the same – in his glory one cannot look at him or challenge him.
[37:21] 264 tn The verb has an indefinite subject, and so should be a passive here.
[37:21] 265 tn Heb “and cleaned them.” The referent is the clouds (v. 18), which has been supplied in the translation for clarity. There is another way of reading this verse: the word translated “bright” means “dark; obscured” in Syriac. In this interpretation the first line would mean that they could not see the sun, because it was darkened by the clouds, but then the wind came and blew the clouds away. Dhorme, Gray, and several others take it this way, as does the NAB.
[37:22] 266 tn The MT has “out of the north comes gold.” Left in that sense the line seems irrelevant. The translation “golden splendor” (with RV, RSV, NRSV, NIV) depends upon the context of theophany. Others suggest “golden rays” (Dhorme), the aurora borealis (Graetz, Gray), or some mythological allusion (Pope), such as Baal’s palace. Golden rays or splendor is what is intended, although the reference is not to a natural phenomenon – it is something that would suggest the glory of God.
[37:23] 267 tn The name “Almighty” is here a casus pendens, isolating the name at the front of the sentence and resuming it with a pronoun.
[37:23] 268 tn The MT places the major disjunctive accent (the atnach) under “power,” indicating that “and justice” as a disjunctive clause starting the second half of the verse (with ESV, NASB, NIV, NLT). Ignoring the Masoretic accent, NRSV has “he is great in power and justice.”
[37:24] 269 sn The phrase “wise of heart” was used in Job 9:4 in a negative sense.
