Ayub 17:14

17:14 If I cry ¹  to corruption, ²  ‘You are my father,’

and to the worm, ‘My Mother,’ or ‘My sister,’

Ayub 31:1

Job Vindicates Himself

31:1 “I made a covenant with ³  my eyes;

how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin? ⁴ 

Ayub 42:14

42:14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, ⁵  the second Keziah, ⁶  and the third Keren-Happuch. ⁷ 

[17:14]  ¹ tn This is understood because the conditional clauses seem to run to the apodosis in v. 15.

[17:14]  ² tn The word שַׁחַת (shakhat) may be the word “corruption” from a root שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) or a word “pit” from שׁוּחַ (shuakh, “to sink down”). The same problem surfaces in Ps 16:10, where it is parallel to “Sheol.” E. F. Sutcliffe, The Old Testament and the Future Life, 76ff., defends the meaning “corruption.” But many commentators here take it to mean “the grave” in harmony with “Sheol.” But in this verse “worms” would suggest “corruption” is better.

[31:1]  ³ tn The idea of cutting a covenant for something may suggest a covenant that is imposed, except that this construction elsewhere argues against it (see 2 Chr 29:10).

[31:1]  ⁴ tn This half-verse is the effect of the covenant. The interrogative מָה (mah) may have the force of the negative, and so be translated “not to pay attention.”

[42:14]  ⁵ sn The Hebrew name Jemimah means “dove.”

[42:14]  ⁶ sn The Hebrew name Keziah means “cassia.”

[42:14]  ⁷ sn The Hebrew name Keren-Happuch means “horn of eye-paint.”