Psalms 106:3

106:3 How blessed are those who promote justice,

and do what is right all the time!

Job 23:11-12

23:11 My feet ¹  have followed ²  his steps closely;

I have kept to his way and have not turned aside. ³ 

23:12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion. ⁴ 

Job 27:10

27:10 Will he find delight ⁵  in the Almighty?

Will he call out to God at all times?

Proverbs 17:17

17:17 A friend ⁶  loves at all times,

and a relative ⁷  is born to help in adversity. ⁸ 

[23:11]  ¹ tn Heb “my foot.”

[23:11]  ² tn Heb “held fast.”

[23:11]  ³ tn The last clause, “and I have not turned aside,” functions adverbially in the sentence. The form אָט (’at) is a pausal form of אַתֶּה (’atteh), the Hiphil of נָטָה (natah, “stretch out”).

[23:12]  ⁴ tc The form in the MT (מֵחֻקִּי, mekhuqqi) means “more than my portion” or “more than my law.” An expanded meaning results in “more than my necessary food” (see Ps 119:11; cf. KJV, NASB, ESV). HALOT 346 s.v. חֹק 1 indicates that חֹק (khoq) has the meaning of “portion” and is here a reference to “what is appointed for me.” The LXX and the Latin versions, along with many commentators, have בְּחֵקִי (bÿkheqi, “in my bosom”).

[27:10]  ⁵ tn See the note on 22:26 where the same verb is employed.

[17:17]  ⁶ sn The verse uses synonymous parallelism, so “friend” and “relative” are equated. Others, however, will take the verse with antithetical parallelism: W. G. Plaut argues that friendship is a spiritual relationship whereas a brother’s ties are based on a blood relationship – often adversity is the only thing that brings brothers together (Proverbs, 189).

[17:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “a brother.”

[17:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “is born for adversity.” This is not referring to sibling rivalry but to the loyalty a brother shows during times of calamity. This is not to say that a brother only shows loyalty when there is trouble, nor that he always does in these times (e.g., 18:19, 24; 19:7; 27:10). The true friend is the same as a brotherly relation – in times of greatest need the loyal love is displayed.