Ayub 5:12

5:12 He frustrates ¹  the plans ²  of the crafty ³ 

so that ⁴  their hands cannot accomplish

what they had planned! ⁵ 

Ayub 13:10

13:10 He would certainly rebuke ⁶  you

if you secretly ⁷  showed partiality!

Ayub 19:13

Job’s Forsaken State

19:13 “He has put my relatives ⁸  far from me;

my acquaintances only ⁹  turn away from me.

Ayub 22:4

22:4 Is it because of your piety ¹⁰  that he rebukes you

and goes to judgment with you? ¹¹ 

Ayub 26:8

26:8 He locks the waters in his clouds,

and the clouds do not burst with the weight of them.

Ayub 34:11

34:11 For he repays a person for his work, ¹² 

and according to the conduct of a person,

he causes the consequences to find him. ¹³ 

Ayub 36:5

36:5 Indeed, God is mighty; and he does not despise people, ¹⁴ 

he ¹⁵  is mighty, and firm ¹⁶  in his intent. ¹⁷ 

Ayub 36:31

36:31 It is by these that he judges ¹⁸  the nations

and supplies food in abundance.

[5:12]  ¹ tn The Hiphil form מֵפֵר (mefer) is the participle from פָּרַר (parar, “to annul; to frustrate; to break”). It continues the doxological descriptions of God; but because of the numerous verses in this section, it may be clearer to start a new sentence with this form (rather than translating it “who…”).

[5:12]  ² tn The word is related to the verb “to think; to plan; to devise,” and so can mean “thoughts; plans; imagination.” Here it refers to the plan of the crafty that must be frustrated (see also Isa 44:25 for the contrast).

[5:12]  ³ tn The word עֲרוּמִים (’arumim) means “crafty” or “shrewd.” It describes the shrewdness of some to achieve their ends (see Gen 3:1, where the serpent is more cunning than all the creatures, that is, he knows where the dangers are and will attempt to bring down the innocent). In the next verse it describes the clever plans of the wise – those who are wise in their own sight.

[5:12]  ⁴ tn The consecutive clause showing result or purpose is simply introduced with the vav and the imperfect/jussive (see GKC 504-5 §166.a).

[5:12]  ⁵ tn The word תּוּשִׁיָּה (tushiyyah) is a technical word from wisdom literature. It has either the idea of the faculty of foresight, or of prudence in general (see 12:6; 26:3). It can be parallel in the texts to “wisdom,” “counsel,” “help,” or “strength.” Here it refers to what has been planned ahead of time.

[13:10]  ⁶ tn The verbal idea is intensified with the infinitive absolute. This is the same verb used in v. 3; here it would have the sense of “rebuke, convict.”

[13:10]  sn Peake’s observation is worth noting, namely, that as Job attacks the unrighteousness of God boldly he nonetheless has confidence in God’s righteousness that would not allow liars to defend him.

[13:10]  ⁷ sn The use of the word “in secret” or “secretly” suggests that what they do is a guilty action (31:27a).

[19:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “brothers.”

[19:13]  ⁹ tn The LXX apparently took אַךְ־זָרוּ (’akh, “even, only,” and zaru, “they turn away”) together as if it was the verb אַכְזָרוּ (’akhzaru, “they have become cruel,” as in 20:21). But the grammar in the line would be difficult with this. Moreover, the word is most likely from זוּר (zur, “to turn away”). See L. A. Snijders, “The Meaning of zar in the Old Testament,” OTS 10 (1964): 1-154 (especially p. 9).

[22:4]  ¹⁰ tn The word “your fear” or “your piety” refers to Job’s reverence – it is his fear of God (thus a subjective genitive). When “fear” is used of religion, it includes faith and adoration on the positive side, fear and obedience on the negative.

[22:4]  ¹¹ sn Of course the point is that God does not charge Job because he is righteous; the point is he must be unrighteous.

[34:11]  ¹² tn Heb “for the work of man, he [= God] repays him.”

[34:11]  ¹³ tn Heb “he causes it to find him.” The text means that God will cause a man to find (or receive) the consequences of his actions.

[36:5]  ¹⁴ tn The object “people” is not in the Hebrew text but is implied.

[36:5]  ¹⁵ tn The text simply repeats “mighty.”

[36:5]  ¹⁶ tn The last two words are simply כֹּחַ לֵב (koakh lev, “strong in heart”), meaning something like “strong; firm in his decisions.”

[36:5]  ¹⁷ tc There are several problems in this verse: the repetition of “mighty,” the lack of an object for “despise,” and the meaning of “strength of heart.” Many commentators reduce the verse to a single line, reading something like “Lo, God does not reject the pure in heart” (Kissane). Dhorme and Pope follow Nichols with: “Lo, God is mighty in strength, and rejects not the pure in heart.” This reading moved “mighty” to the first line and took the second to be בַּר (bar, “pure”).

[36:31]  ¹⁸ tn The verb is יָדִין (yadin, “he judges”). Houbigant proposedיָזוּן (yazun, “he nourishes”). This has found wide acceptance among commentators (cf. NAB). G. R. Driver retained the MT but gave a meaning “enriches” to the verb (“Problems in the Hebrew text of Job,” VTSup 3 [1955]: 88ff.).