Job 8:11

8:11 Can the papyrus plant grow tall ¹  where there is no marsh?

Can reeds flourish ²  without water?

Job 24:10

24:10 They go about naked, without clothing,

and go hungry while they carry the sheaves. ³ 

Job 31:39

31:39 if I have eaten its produce without paying, ⁴ 

or caused the death ⁵  of its owners, ⁶ 

Job 34:6

34:6 Concerning my right, should I lie? ⁷ 

My wound ⁸  is incurable,

although I am without transgression.’ ⁹ 

Job 38:2

38:2 “Who is this ¹⁰  who darkens counsel ¹¹ 

with words without knowledge?

Job 39:16

39:16 She is harsh ¹²  with her young,

as if they were not hers;

she is unconcerned

about the uselessness of her labor.

Job 41:26

41:26 Whoever strikes it with a sword ¹³ 

will have no effect, ¹⁴ 

nor with the spear, arrow, or dart.

[8:11]  ¹ sn H. H. Rowley observes the use of the words for plants that grow in Egypt and suspects that Bildad either knew Egypt or knew that much wisdom came from Egypt. The first word refers to papyrus, which grows to a height of six feet (so the verb means “to grow tall; to grow high”). The second word refers to the reed grass that grows on the banks of the river (see Gen 41:2, 18).

[8:11]  ² tn The two verbs, גָּאָה (ga’ah) and שָׂגָה (sagah), have almost the same meanings of “flourish, grow, become tall.”

[24:10]  ³ sn The point should not be missed – amidst abundant harvests, carrying sheaves about, they are still going hungry.

[31:39]  ⁵ tn Heb “without silver.”

[31:39]  ⁶ tc The versions have the verb “grieved” here. The Hebrew verb means “to breathe,” but the form is Hiphil. This verb in that stem could mean something of a contemptuous gesture, like “sniff” in Mal 1:13. But with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) in Job 11:20 it means “to cause death,” i.e., “to cause to breathe out; to expire.” This is likely the meaning here, although it is possible that it only meant “to cause suffering” to the people.

[31:39]  ⁷ tn There is some debate over the meaning of בְּעָלֶיהָ (bÿ’aleyha), usually translated “its owners.” Dahood, following others (although without their emendations), thought it referred to “laborers” (see M. Dahood, Bib 41 [1960]: 303; idem, Bib 43 [1962]: 362).

[34:6]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Heb “without transgression”; but this is parallel to the first part where the claim is innocence.

[38:2]  ⁹ tn The demonstrative pronoun is used here to emphasize the interrogative pronoun (see GKC 442 §136.c).

[38:2]  ¹⁰ sn The referent of “counsel” here is not the debate between Job and the friends, but the purposes of God (see Ps 33:10; Prov 19:21; Isa 19:17). Dhorme translates it “Providence.”

[39:16]  ¹¹ sn This verb, “to deal harshly; to harden; to treat cruelly,” is used for hardening the heart elsewhere (see Isa 63:17).

[41:26]  ¹³ tn This is the clearest reading, following A. B. Davidson, Job, 285. The versions took different readings of the construction.

[41:26]  ¹⁴ tn The verb קוּם (qum, “stand”) with בְּלִי (bÿli, “not”) has the sense of “does not hold firm,” or “gives way.”