Ayub 20:13

20:13 if he retains it for himself

and does not let it go,

and holds it fast in his mouth, ¹ 

Ayub 29:4

29:4 just as I was in my most productive time, ² 

when God’s intimate friendship ³  was experienced in my tent,

Ayub 30:5

30:5 They were banished from the community ⁴  –

people ⁵  shouted at them

like they would shout at thieves ⁶  –

[20:13]  ¹ tn Heb “in the middle of his palate.”

[29:4]  ² tn Heb “in the days of my ripeness.” The word חֹרֶף (khoref) denotes the time when the harvest is gathered in because the fruit is ripe. Since this is the autumn, many translate that way here – but “autumn” has a different connotation now. The text is pointing to a time when the righteous reaps what he has sown, and can enjoy the benefits. The translation “most productive time” seems to capture the point better than “autumn” or even “prime.”

[29:4]  ³ tc The word סוֹד (sod) in this verse is an infinitive construct, prefixed with the temporal preposition and followed by a subjective genitive. It forms a temporal clause. There is some disagreement about the form and its meaning. The confusion in the versions shows that they were paraphrasing to get the general sense. In the Bible the derived noun (from יָסַד, yasad) means (a) a circle of close friends; (b) intimacy. Others follow the LXX and the Syriac with a meaning of “protect,” based on a change from ד (dalet) to כּ (kaf), and assuming the root was סָכַךְ (sakhakh). This would mean, “when God protected my tent” (cf. NAB). D. W. Thomas tries to justify this meaning without changing the text (“The Interpretation of BSOÝD in Job 29:4,” JBL 65 [1946]: 63-66).

[30:5]  ⁴ tn The word גֵּו (gev) is an Aramaic term meaning “midst,” indicating “midst [of society].” But there is also a Phoenician word that means “community” (DISO 48).

[30:5]  ⁵ tn The form simply is the plural verb, but it means those who drove them from society.

[30:5]  ⁶ tn The text merely says “as thieves,” but it obviously compares the poor to the thieves.