Job 8:12

8:12 While they are still beginning to flower ¹ 

and not ripe for cutting, ² 

they can wither away ³ 

faster ⁴  than any grass! ⁵ 

Job 20:15

20:15 The wealth that he consumed ⁶  he vomits up,

God will make him throw it out ⁷  of his stomach.

Job 40:12

40:12 Look at every proud man and abase him;

crush the wicked on the spot! ⁸ 

Job 41:1

The Description of Leviathan

41:1 (40:25) ⁹  “Can you pull in ¹⁰  Leviathan with a hook,

and tie down ¹¹  its tongue with a rope?

[8:12]  ¹ tn The word has been traditionally translated “greenness” (so KJV, ASV), but some modern commentators argue for “in flower.” The word is found only in Song 6:11 (where it may be translated “blossoms”). From the same root is אָבִיב (’aviv, “fresh young ears of barley”). Here the word refers to the plant that is still in its early stages of flowering. It should not be translated to suggest the plant is flowering (cf. NRSV), but translating as if the plant is green (so NASB) is also problematic.

[8:12]  ² sn The idea is that as the plant begins to flower, but before it is to be cut down, there is no sign of withering or decay in it. But if the water is withdrawn, it will wither sooner than any other herb. The point Bildad will make of this is that when people rebel against God and his grace is withheld, they perish more swiftly than the water reed.

[8:12]  ³ tn The imperfect verb here is the modal use of potential, “can wither away” if the water is not there.

[8:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “before.”

[8:12]  ⁵ tn The LXX interprets the line: “does not any herb wither before it has received moisture?”

[20:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “swallowed.”

[20:15]  ⁷ tn The choice of words is excellent. The verb יָרַשׁ (yarash) means either “to inherit” or “to disinherit; to dispossess.” The context makes the figure clear that God is administering the emetic to make the wicked throw up the wealth (thus, “God will make him throw it out…”); but since wealth is the subject there is a disinheritance meant here.

[40:12]  ¹¹ tn The expression translated “on the spot” is the prepositional phrase תַּחְתָּם (takhtam, “under them”). “Under them” means in their place. But it can also mean “where someone stands, on the spot” (see Exod 16:29; Jos 6:5; Judg 7:21, etc.).

[41:1]  ¹⁶ sn Beginning with 41:1, the verse numbers through 41:9 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 41:1 ET = 40:25 HT, 41:2 ET = 40:26 HT, etc., through 41:34 ET = 41:26 HT. The Hebrew verse numbers in the remainder of the chapter differ from the verse numbers in the English Bible. Beginning with 42:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.

[41:1]  ¹⁷ tn The verb מָשַׁךְ (mashakh) means “to extract from the water; to fish.” The question here includes the use of a hook to fish the creature out of the water so that its jaws can be tied safely.

[41:1]  ¹⁸ tn The verb שָׁקַע (shaqa’) means “to cause to sink,” if it is connected with the word in Amos 8:8 and 9:5. But it may have the sense of “to tie; to bind.” If the rope were put around the tongue and jaw, binding tightly would be the sense.