Job 40:8-11

40:8 Would you indeed annul ¹  my justice?

Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?

40:9 Do you have an arm as powerful as God’s, ² 

and can you thunder with a voice like his?

40:10 Adorn yourself, then, with majesty and excellency,

and clothe yourself with glory and honor!

40:11 Scatter abroad ³  the abundance ⁴  of your anger.

Look at every proud man ⁵  and bring him low;

[40:8]  ¹ tn The verb פָּרַר (parar) means “to annul; to break; to frustrate.” It was one thing for Job to claim his own integrity, but it was another matter altogether to nullify God’s righteousness in the process.

[40:9]  ² tn Heb “do you have an arm like God?” The words “as powerful as” have been supplied in the translation to clarify the metaphor.

[40:11]  ³ tn The verb was used for scattering lightning (Job 37:11). God is challenging Job to unleash his power and judge wickedness in the world.

[40:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “the overflowings.”

[40:11]  ⁵ tn The word was just used in the positive sense of excellence or majesty; now the exalted nature of the person refers to self-exaltation, or pride.