Job 6:20

6:20 They were distressed, ¹ 

because each one had been ²  so confident;

they arrived there, ³  but were disappointed.

Job 40:23

40:23 If the river rages, ⁴  it is not disturbed,

it is secure, ⁵  though the Jordan

should surge up to its mouth.

Job 18:7

18:7 His vigorous steps ⁶  are restricted, ⁷ 

and his own counsel throws him down. ⁸ 

Job 11:18

11:18 And you will be secure, because there is hope;

you will be protected ⁹ 

and will take your rest in safety.

Job 12:6

12:6 But ¹⁰  the tents of robbers are peaceful,

and those who provoke God are confident ¹¹  –

who carry their god in their hands. ¹² 

[6:20]  ¹ tn The verb בּוֹשׁ (bosh) basically means “to be ashamed”; however, it has a wider range of meaning such as “disappointed” or “distressed.” The feeling of shame or distress is because of their confidence that they knew what they were doing. The verb is strengthened here with the parallel חָפַר (khafar, “to be confounded, disappointed”).

[6:20]  ² tn The perfect verb has the nuance of past perfect here, for their confidence preceded their disappointment. Note the contrast, using these verbs, in Ps 22:6: “they trusted in you and they were not put to shame [i.e., disappointed].”

[6:20]  ³ tn The LXX misread the prepositional phrase as the noun “their cities”; it gives the line as “They too that trust in cities and riches shall come to shame.”

[40:23]  ⁴ tn The word ordinarily means “to oppress.” So many commentators have proposed suitable changes: “overflows” (Beer), “gushes” (Duhm), “swells violently” (Dhorme, from a word that means “be strong”).

[40:23]  ⁵ tn Or “he remains calm.”

[18:7]  ⁷ tn Heb “the steps of his vigor,” the genitive being the attribute.

[18:7]  ⁸ tn The verb צָרַר (tsarar) means “to be cramped; to be straitened; to be hemmed in.” The trouble has hemmed him in, so that he cannot walk with the full, vigorous steps he had before. The LXX has “Let the meanest of men spoil his goods.”

[18:7]  ⁹ tn The LXX has “causes him to stumble,” which many commentators accept; but this involves the transposition of the three letters. The verb is שָׁלַךְ (shalakh, “throw”) not כָּשַׁל (kashal, “stumble”).

[11:18]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew verb means “to dig”; but this does not provide a good meaning for the verse. A. B. Davidson offers an interpretation of “search,” suggesting that before retiring at night Job would search and find everything in order. Some offer a better solution, namely, redefining the word on the basis of Arabic hafara, “to protect” and repointing it to וְחֻפַרְתָּ (vÿkhufarta, “you will be protected”). Other attempts to make sense of the line have involved the same process, but they are less convincing (for some of the more plausible proposals, see D. J. A. Clines, Job [WBC], 257).

[12:6]  ¹³ tn The verse gives the other side of the coin now, the fact that the wicked prosper.

[12:6]  ¹⁴ tn The plural is used to suggest the supreme degree of arrogant confidence (E. Dhorme, Job, 171).

[12:6]  ¹⁵ sn The line is perhaps best understood as describing one who thinks he is invested with the power of God.