Job 6:23

Or ‘Deliver me ¹  from the enemy’s power, ²  and from the hand of tyrants ³  ransom ⁴  me’?

deliver me from the hand of the enemy, ransom me from the clutches of the ruthless’?

Or, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’ Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

Have I ever asked you to rescue me from my enemies? Have I asked you to save me from ruthless people?

Nor did I beg you to go out on a limb for me. So why all this dodging and shuffling?

Or, Get me out of the power of my hater? or, Give money so that I may be free from the power of the cruel ones?

Or, ‘Save me from an opponent’s hand’? Or, ‘Ransom me from the hand of oppressors’?

Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?

Or ‘Deliver me ¹  from the enemy’s power, ²  and from the hand of tyrants ³  ransom ⁴  me’?

¹ tn The verse now gives the ultimate reason why Job might have urged his friends to make a gift – if it were possible. The LXX, avoiding the direct speech in the preceding verse and this, does make this verse the purpose statement – “to deliver from enemies….”

² tn Heb “hand,” as in the second half of the verse.

³ tn The עָרִיצִים (’aritsim) are tyrants, the people who inspire fear (Job 15:20; 27:13); the root verb עָרַץ (’arats) means “to terrify” (Job 13:25).

⁴ tn The verb now is the imperfect; since it is parallel to the imperative in the first half of the verse it is imperfect of instruction, much like English uses the future for instruction. The verb פָּדָה (padah) means “to ransom, redeem,” often in contexts where payment is made.