14:14 I will climb up to the tops 1 of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High!” 2
40:23 He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing;
he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.
1 tn Heb “the high places.” This word often refers to the high places where pagan worship was conducted, but here it probably refers to the “backs” or tops of the clouds. See HALOT 136 s.v. בָּמָה.
2 sn Normally in the OT the title “Most High” belongs to the God of Israel, but in this context, where the mythological overtones are so strong, it probably refers to the Canaanite high god El.