Job 9:32

9:32 For he ¹  is not a human being like I am,

that ²  I might answer him,

that we might come ³  together in judgment.

Job 38:3

38:3 Get ready for a difficult task ⁴  like a man;

I will question you

and you will inform me!

Job 40:4-5

40:4 “Indeed, I am completely unworthy ⁵  – how could I reply to you?

I put ⁶  my hand over my mouth to silence myself. ⁷ 

40:5 I have spoken once, but I cannot answer;

twice, but I will say no more.” ⁸ 

Job 42:3-6

42:3 you asked, ⁹ 

‘Who is this who darkens counsel

without knowledge?’

But ¹⁰  I have declared without understanding ¹¹ 

things too wonderful for me to know. ¹² 

42:4 You said, ¹³ 

‘Pay attention, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you will answer me.’

42:5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,

but now my eye has seen you. ¹⁴ 

42:6 Therefore I despise myself, ¹⁵ 

and I repent in dust and ashes!

[9:32]  ¹ tn The personal pronoun that would be expected as the subject of a noun clause is sometimes omitted (see GKC 360 §116.s). Here it has been supplied.

[9:32]  ² tn The consecutive clause is here attached without the use of the ו (vav), but only by simple juxtaposition (see GKC 504-5 §166.a).

[9:32]  ³ tn The sense of the verb “come” with “together in judgment” means “to confront one another in court.” See Ps 143:2.

[38:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “Gird up your loins.” This idiom basically describes taking the hem of the long garment or robe and pulling it up between the legs and tucking it into the front of the belt, allowing easier and freer movement of the legs. “Girding the loins” meant the preparation for some difficult task (Jer 1:17), or for battle (Isa 5:27), or for running (1 Kgs 18:46). C. Gordon suggests that it includes belt-wrestling, a form of hand-to-hand mortal combat (“Belt-wrestling in the Bible World,” HUCA 23 [1950/51]: 136).

[40:4]  ⁵ tn The word קַלֹּתִי (qalloti) means “to be light; to be of small account; to be unimportant.” From this comes the meaning “contemptible,” which in the causative stem would mean “to treat with contempt; to curse.” Dhorme tries to make the sentence a conditional clause and suggests this meaning: “If I have been thoughtless.” There is really no “if” in Job’s mind.

[40:4]  ⁶ tn The perfect verb here should be classified as an instantaneous perfect; the action is simultaneous with the words.

[40:4]  ⁷ tn The words “to silence myself” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[40:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “I will not add.”

[42:3]  ⁹ tn The expression “you asked” is added here to clarify the presence of the line to follow. Many commentators delete it as a gloss from Job 38:2. If it is retained, then Job has to be recalling God’s question before he answers it.

[42:3]  ¹⁰ tn The word לָכֵן (lakhen) is simply “but,” as in Job 31:37.

[42:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and I do not understand.” The expression serves here in an adverbial capacity. It also could be subordinated as a complement: “I have declared [things that] I do not understand.”

[42:3]  ¹² tn The last clause is “and I do not know.” This is also subordinated to become a dependent clause.

[42:4]  ¹³ tn This phrase, “you said,” is supplied in the translation to introduce the recollection of God’s words.

[42:5]  ¹⁴ sn This statement does not imply there was a vision. He is simply saying that this experience of God was real and personal. In the past his knowledge of God was what he had heard – hearsay. This was real.

[42:6]  ¹⁵ tn Or “despise what I said.” There is no object on the verb; Job could be despising himself or the things he said (see L. J. Kuyper, “Repentance of Job,” VT 9 [1959]: 91-94).