Ayub 1:2

1:2 Seven ¹  sons and three daughters were born to him. ² 

Ayub 1:9

1:9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God? ³ 

Ayub 1:15

1:15 and the Sabeans ⁴  swooped down ⁵  and carried them all away, and they killed ⁶  the servants with the sword! ⁷  And I – only I alone ⁸  – escaped to tell you!”

Ayub 2:5

2:5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, ⁹  and he will no doubt ¹⁰  curse you to your face!”

Ayub 3:8

3:8 Let those who curse the day ¹¹  curse it ¹²  –

those who are prepared to rouse ¹³  Leviathan. ¹⁴ 

Ayub 3:10

3:10 because it ¹⁵  did not shut the doors ¹⁶  of my mother’s womb on me, ¹⁷ 

nor did it hide trouble ¹⁸  from my eyes!

Ayub 4:13

4:13 In the troubling thoughts ¹⁹  of the dreams ²⁰  in the night

when a deep sleep ²¹  falls on men,

Ayub 4:19

4:19 how much more to those who live in houses of clay, ²² 

whose foundation is in the dust,

who are crushed ²³  like ²⁴  a moth?

Ayub 5:8-9

Blessings for the One Who Seeks God ²⁵ 

5:8 “But ²⁶  as for me, ²⁷  I would seek ²⁸  God, ²⁹ 

and to God ³⁰  I would set forth my case. ³¹ 

5:9 He does ³²  great and unsearchable ³³  things,

marvelous things without ³⁴  number; ³⁵ 

Ayub 5:11-12

5:11 he sets ³⁶  the lowly ³⁷  on high,

that those who mourn ³⁸  are raised ³⁹  to safety.

5:12 He frustrates ⁴⁰  the plans ⁴¹  of the crafty ⁴² 

so that ⁴³  their hands cannot accomplish

what they had planned! ⁴⁴ 

Ayub 5:14

5:14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, ⁴⁵ 

and grope about ⁴⁶  in the noontime as if it were night. ⁴⁷ 

Ayub 5:19

5:19 He will deliver you ⁴⁸  from six calamities;

yes, in seven ⁴⁹  no evil will touch you.

Ayub 6:29

6:29 Relent, ⁵⁰  let there be no falsehood; ⁵¹ 

reconsider, ⁵²  for my righteousness is intact! ⁵³ 

Ayub 9:7

9:7 he who commands the sun and ⁵⁴  it does not shine ⁵⁵ 

and seals up ⁵⁶  the stars;

Ayub 10:21

10:21 before I depart, never to return, ⁵⁷ 

to the land of darkness

and the deepest shadow, ⁵⁸ 

Ayub 11:11

11:11 For he ⁵⁹  knows deceitful ⁶⁰  men;

when he sees evil, will he not ⁶¹  consider it? ⁶² 

Ayub 12:5

12:5 For calamity, ⁶³  there is derision

(according to the ideas of the fortunate ⁶⁴ ) –

a fate ⁶⁵  for those whose feet slip!

Ayub 13:3

13:3 But I wish to speak ⁶⁶  to the Almighty, ⁶⁷ 

and I desire to argue ⁶⁸  my case ⁶⁹  with God.

Ayub 13:10

13:10 He would certainly rebuke ⁷⁰  you

if you secretly ⁷¹  showed partiality!

Ayub 14:2

14:2 He grows up ⁷²  like a flower and then withers away; ⁷³ 

he flees like a shadow, and does not remain. ⁷⁴ 

Ayub 14:8

14:8 Although its roots may grow old ⁷⁵  in the ground

and its stump begins to die ⁷⁶  in the soil, ⁷⁷ 

Ayub 15:28-29

15:28 he lived in ruined towns ⁷⁸ 

and in houses where ⁷⁹  no one lives,

where they are ready to crumble into heaps. ⁸⁰ 

15:29 He will not grow rich,

and his wealth will not endure,

nor will his possessions ⁸¹  spread over the land.

Ayub 15:32

15:32 Before his time ⁸²  he will be paid in full, ⁸³ 

and his branches will not flourish. ⁸⁴ 

Ayub 16:5

16:5 But ⁸⁵  I would strengthen ⁸⁶  you with my words; ⁸⁷ 

comfort from my lips would bring ⁸⁸  you relief.

Ayub 16:22

16:22 For the years that lie ahead are few, ⁸⁹ 

and then I will go on the way of no return. ⁹⁰ 

Ayub 17:16

17:16 Will ⁹¹  it ⁹²  go down to the barred gates ⁹³  of death?

Will ⁹⁴  we descend ⁹⁵  together into the dust?”

Ayub 19:12

19:12 His troops ⁹⁶  advance together;

they throw up ⁹⁷  a siege ramp against me,

and they camp around my tent.

Ayub 20:15

20:15 The wealth that he consumed ⁹⁸  he vomits up,

God will make him throw it out ⁹⁹  of his stomach.

Ayub 21:4

21:4 Is my ¹⁰⁰  complaint against a man? ¹⁰¹ 

If so, ¹⁰²  why should I not be impatient? ¹⁰³ 

Ayub 21:21

21:21 For what is his interest ¹⁰⁴  in his home

after his death, ¹⁰⁵ 

when the number of his months

has been broken off? ¹⁰⁶ 

Ayub 21:29

21:29 Have you never questioned those who travel the roads?

Do you not recognize their accounts ¹⁰⁷  –

Ayub 22:14

22:14 Thick clouds are a veil for him, so he does not see us, ¹⁰⁸ 

as he goes back and forth

in the vault ¹⁰⁹  of heaven.’ ¹¹⁰ 

Ayub 23:4

23:4 I would lay out my case ¹¹¹  before him

and fill my mouth with arguments.

Ayub 23:6

23:6 Would he contend ¹¹²  with me with great power?

No, he would only pay attention to me. ¹¹³ 

Ayub 24:4

24:4 They turn the needy from the pathway,

and the poor of the land hide themselves together. ¹¹⁴ 

Ayub 25:4

25:4 How then can a human being be righteous before God?

How can one born of a woman be pure? ¹¹⁵ 

Ayub 27:10

27:10 Will he find delight ¹¹⁶  in the Almighty?

Will he call out to God at all times?

Ayub 27:14

27:14 If his children increase – it is for the sword! ¹¹⁷ 

His offspring never have enough to eat. ¹¹⁸ 

Ayub 27:23

27:23 It claps ¹¹⁹  its hands at him in derision

and hisses him away from his place. ¹²⁰ 

Ayub 28:10-11

28:10 He has cut out channels ¹²¹  through the rocks;

his eyes have spotted ¹²²  every precious thing.

28:11 He has searched ¹²³  the sources ¹²⁴  of the rivers

and what was hidden he has brought into the light.

Ayub 28:14

28:14 The deep ¹²⁵  says, ‘It is not with ¹²⁶  me.’

And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

Ayub 28:21

28:21 For ¹²⁷  it has been hidden

from the eyes of every living creature,

and from the birds of the sky it has been concealed.

Ayub 29:2-3

29:2 “O that I could be ¹²⁸  as ¹²⁹  I was

in the months now gone, ¹³⁰ 

in the days ¹³¹  when God watched ¹³²  over me,

29:3 when ¹³³  he caused ¹³⁴  his lamp ¹³⁵ 

to shine upon my head,

and by his light

I walked ¹³⁶  through darkness; ¹³⁷ 

Ayub 29:7

29:7 When I went out to the city gate

and secured my seat in the public square, ¹³⁸ 

Ayub 29:13

29:13 the blessing of the dying man descended on me, ¹³⁹ 

and I made the widow’s heart rejoice; ¹⁴⁰ 

Ayub 30:25

30:25 Have I not wept for the unfortunate? ¹⁴¹ 

Was not my soul grieved for the poor?

Ayub 31:12

31:12 For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, ¹⁴² 

and it would uproot ¹⁴³  all my harvest.

Ayub 31:14

31:14 then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; ¹⁴⁴ 

when he intervenes, ¹⁴⁵ 

how will I respond to him?

Ayub 31:29

31:29 If ¹⁴⁶  I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy ¹⁴⁷ 

or exulted ¹⁴⁸  because calamity ¹⁴⁹  found him –

Ayub 32:5

32:5 But when Elihu saw ¹⁵⁰  that the three men had no further reply, ¹⁵¹  he became very angry.

Ayub 32:12

32:12 Now I was paying you close attention, ¹⁵² 

yet ¹⁵³  there was no one proving Job wrong, ¹⁵⁴ 

not one of you was answering his statements!

Ayub 32:16

32:16 And I have waited. ¹⁵⁵  But because they do not speak,

because they stand there and answer no more,

Ayub 32:19-20

32:19 Inside I am like wine which has no outlet, ¹⁵⁶ 

like new wineskins ¹⁵⁷  ready to burst!

32:20 I will speak, ¹⁵⁸  so that I may find relief;

I will open my lips, so that I may answer.

Ayub 33:10

33:10 ¹⁵⁹ Yet God ¹⁶⁰  finds occasions ¹⁶¹  with me;

he regards me as his enemy!

Ayub 34:24

34:24 He shatters the great without inquiry, ¹⁶² 

and sets up others in their place.

Ayub 35:2

35:2 “Do you think this to be ¹⁶³  just:

when ¹⁶⁴  you say, ‘My right before God.’ ¹⁶⁵ 

Ayub 36:17

36:17 But now you are preoccupied with the judgment due the wicked,

judgment and justice take hold of you.

Ayub 36:19

36:19 Would your wealth ¹⁶⁶  sustain you,

so that you would not be in distress, ¹⁶⁷ 

even all your mighty efforts? ¹⁶⁸ 

Ayub 37:16

37:16 Do you know about the balancing ¹⁶⁹  of the clouds,

that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge?

Ayub 37:20-21

37:20 Should he be informed that I want ¹⁷⁰  to speak?

If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!

37:21 But now, the sun ¹⁷¹  cannot be looked at ¹⁷²  –

it is bright in the skies –

after a wind passed and swept the clouds away. ¹⁷³ 

Ayub 39:7

39:7 It scorns the tumult in the town;

it does not hear the shouts of a driver. ¹⁷⁴ 

Ayub 39:18

39:18 But as soon as she springs up, ¹⁷⁵ 

she laughs at the horse and its rider.

Ayub 40:14

40:14 Then I myself will acknowledge ¹⁷⁶  to you

that your own right hand can save you. ¹⁷⁷ 

Ayub 41:4

41:4 Will it make a pact ¹⁷⁸  with you,

so you could take it ¹⁷⁹  as your slave for life?

Ayub 41:9

41:9 (41:1) ¹⁸⁰  See, his expectation is wrong, ¹⁸¹ 

he is laid low even at the sight of it. ¹⁸² 

Ayub 41:27

41:27 It regards iron as straw

and bronze as rotten wood.

[1:2]  ¹ sn The numbers used in the chapter, seven, three, and five, carry the symbolism in the Bible of perfection and completeness (see J. J. Davis, Biblical Numerology). Job’s “seven sons” are listed first because in the East sons were considered more valuable than daughters (recall Ruth, who is “better than seven sons” [Ruth 4:15]).

[1:2]  ² tn The verb begins the sentence: “and there were born.” This use of the preterite with vav (ו) consecutive, especially after the verb הָיָה (hayah, “to be”), is explanatory: there was a man…and there was born to him…” (IBHS 551-52 §33.2.2b).

[1:9]  ³ tn The Hebrew form has the interrogative ה (he) on the adverb חִנָּם (khinnam, “gratis”), a derivative either of the verb חָנַן (khanan, “to be gracious, show favor”), or its related noun חֵן (khen, “grace, favor”). The adverb has the sense of “free; gratis; gratuitously; for nothing; for no reason” (see BDB 336 s.v. חִנָּם). The idea is that Satan does not disagree that Job is pious, but that Job is loyal to God because of what he receives from God. He will test the sincerity of Job.

[1:15]  ⁴ tn The LXX has “the spoilers spoiled them” instead of “the Sabeans swooped down.” The translators might have connected the word to שְָׁבָה (shavah, “to take captive”) rather than שְׁבָא (shÿva’, “Sabeans”), or they may have understood the name as general reference to all types of Bedouin invaders from southern Arabia (HALOT 1381 s.v. שְׁבָא 2.c).

[1:15]  sn The name “Sheba” is used to represent its inhabitants, or some of them. The verb is feminine because the name is a place name. The Sabeans were a tribe from the Arabian peninsula. They were traders mostly (6:19). The raid came from the south, suggesting that this band of Sabeans were near Edom. The time of the attack seems to be winter since the oxen were plowing.

[1:15]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew is simply “fell” (from נָפַל, nafal). To “fall upon” something in war means to attack quickly and suddenly.

[1:15]  ⁶ sn Job’s servants were probably armed and gave resistance, which would be the normal case in that time. This was probably why they were “killed with the sword.”

[1:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “the edge/mouth of the sword”; see T. J. Meek, “Archaeology and a Point of Hebrew Syntax,” BASOR 122 (1951): 31-33.

[1:15]  ⁸ tn The pleonasms in the verse emphasize the emotional excitement of the messenger.

[2:5]  ⁹ sn The “bones and flesh” are idiomatic for the whole person, his physical and his psychical/spiritual being (see further H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 26-28).

[2:5]  ¹⁰ sn This is the same oath formula found in 1:11; see the note there.

[3:8]  ¹¹ tn Not everyone is satisfied with the reading of the MT. Gordis thought “day” should be “sea,” and “cursers” should be “rousers” (changing ’alef to ’ayin; cf. NRSV). This is an unnecessary change, for there is no textual problem in the line (D. J. A. Clines, Job [WBC], 71). Others have taken the reading “sea” as a personification and accepted the rest of the text, gaining the sense of “those whose magic binds even the sea monster of the deep” (e.g., NEB).

[3:8]  sn Those who curse the day are probably the professional enchanters and magicians who were thought to cast spells on days and overwhelm them with darkness and misfortune. The myths explained eclipses as the dragon throwing its folds around the sun and the moon, thus engulfing or swallowing the day and the night. This interpretation matches the parallelism better than the interpretation that says these are merely professional mourners.

[3:8]  ¹² tn The verb is probably “execrate, curse,” from קָבַב (qavav). But E. Ullendorff took it from נָקַב (naqav, “pierce”) and gained a reading “Let the light rays of day pierce it (i.e. the night) apt even to rouse Leviathan” (“Job 3:8,” VT 11 [1961]: 350-51).

[3:8]  ¹³ tn The verbal adjective עָתִיד (’atid) means “ready, prepared.” Here it has a substantival use similar to that of participles. It is followed by the Polel infinitive construct עֹרֵר (’orer). The infinitive without the preposition serves as the object of the preceding verbal adjective (GKC 350 §114.m).

[3:8]  ¹⁴ sn Job employs here the mythological figure Leviathan, the monster of the deep or chaos. Job wishes that such a creation of chaos could be summoned by the mourners to swallow up that day. See E. Ullendorff, “Job 3:8,” VT 11 (1961): 350-51.

[3:10]  ¹⁵ tn The subject is still “that night.” Here, at the end of this first section, Job finally expresses the crime of that night – it did not hinder his birth.

[3:10]  ¹⁶ sn This use of doors for the womb forms an implied comparison; the night should have hindered conception (see Gen 20:18 and 1 Sam 1:5).

[3:10]  ¹⁷ tn The Hebrew has simply “my belly [= womb].” The suffix on the noun must be objective – it was the womb of Job’s mother in which he lay before his birth. See however N. C. Habel, “The Dative Suffix in Job 33:13,” Bib 63 (1982): 258-59, who thinks it is deliberately ambiguous.

[3:10]  ¹⁸ tn The word עָמָל (’amal) means “work, heavy labor, agonizing labor, struggle” with the idea of fatigue and pain.

[4:13]  ¹⁹ tn Here too the word is rare. The form שְׂעִפִּים (sÿ’ippim, “disquietings”) occurs only here and in 20:2. The form שַׂרְעַפִּים (sar’appim, “disquieting thoughts”), possibly related by dissimilation, occurs in Pss 94:19 and 139:23. There seems to be a connection with סְעִפִּים (sÿ’ippim) in 1 Kgs 18:21 with the meaning “divided opinion”; this is related to the idea of סְעִפָּה (sÿ’ippah, “bough”). H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 47) concludes that the point is that like branches the thoughts lead off into different and bewildering places. E. Dhorme (Job, 50) links the word to an Arabic root (“to be passionately smitten”) for the idea of “intimate thoughts.” The idea here and in Ps 139 has more to do with anxious, troubling, disquieting thoughts, as in a nightmare.

[4:13]  ²⁰ tn Heb “visions” of the night.

[4:13]  ²¹ tn The word תַּרְדֵּמָה (tardemah) is a “deep sleep.” It is used in the creation account when the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam; and it is used in the story of Jonah when the prophet was asleep during the storm. The LXX interprets it to mean “fear,” rendering the whole verse “but terror falls upon men with dread and a sound in the night.”

[4:19]  ²² sn Those who live in houses of clay are human beings, for the human body was made of clay (Job 10:9; 33:6; and Isa 64:7). In 2 Cor 4:7 the body is an “earthen vessel” – a clay pot. The verse continues the analogy: houses have foundations, and the house of clay is founded on dust, and will return to dust (Gen 3:19; Ps 103:14). The reasoning is that if God finds defects in angels, he will surely find them in humans who are inferior to the angels because they are but dust. In fact, they are easily crushed like the moth.

[4:19]  ²³ tn The imperfect verb is in the plural, suggesting “they crush.” But since there is no subject expressed, the verb may be given an impersonal subject, or more simply, treated as a passive (see GKC 460 §144.g).

[4:19]  ²⁴ tn The prepositional compound לִפְנֵי (lifne) normally has the sense of “before,” but it has been used already in 3:24 in the sense of “like.” That is the most natural meaning of this line. Otherwise, the interpretation must offer some explanation of a comparison between how quickly a moth and a human can be crushed. There are suggestions for different readings here; see for example G. R. Driver, “Linguistic and Textual Problems: Jeremiah,” JQR 28 (1937/38): 97-129 for a change to “bird’s nest”; and J. A. Rimbach, “‘Crushed before the Moth’ (Job 4:19),” JBL 100 (1981): 244-46, for a change of the verb to “they are pure before their Maker.” However, these are unnecessary emendations.

[5:8]  ²⁵ sn Eliphaz affirms that if he were in Job’s place he would take refuge in God, but Job has to acknowledge that he has offended God and accept this suffering as his chastisement. Job eventually will submit to God in the end, but not in the way that Eliphaz advises here, for Job does not agree that the sufferings are judgments from God.

[5:8]  ²⁶ tn The word אוּלָם (’ulam) is a strong adversative “but.” This forms the contrast with what has been said previously and so marks a new section.

[5:8]  ²⁷ tn The independent personal pronoun here adds emphasis to the subject of the verb, again strengthening the contrast with what Job is doing (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 22, §106).

[5:8]  ²⁸ tn The imperfect verbs in this verse express not so much what Eliphaz does as what he would do if he were in Job’s place (even though in 13:3 we have the affirmation). The use fits the category of the imperfect used in conditional clauses (see GKC 319 §107.x).

[5:8]  ²⁹ tn The verb דָּרַשׁ (darash, “to seek”) followed by the preposition אֶל (’el, “towards”) has the meaning of addressing oneself to (God). See 8:19 and 40:10.

[5:8]  ³⁰ tn The Hebrew employs אֵל (’el) in the first line and אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) in the second for “God”, but the LXX uses κύριος (kurio", “Lord”) in both places in this verse. However, in the second colon it also has “Lord of all.” This is replaced in the Greek version of Aquila by παντοκράτωρ (pantokratwr, traditionally translated “Almighty”). On the basis of this information, H. M. Orlinsky suggests that the second name for God in the verses should be “Shaddai” (JQR 25 [1934/35]: 271).

[5:8]  ³¹ tn The Hebrew simply has “my word”; but in this expression that uses שִׂים (sim) with the meaning of “lay before” or “expound a cause” in a legal sense, “case” or “cause” would be a better translation.

[5:9]  ³² tn Heb “who does.” It is common for such doxologies to begin with participles; they follow the pattern of the psalms in this style. Because of the length of the sentence in Hebrew and the conventions of English style, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[5:9]  ³³ tn The Hebrew has וְאֵין חֵקֶר (vÿ’en kheqer), literally, “and no investigation.” The use of the conjunction on the expression follows a form of the circumstantial clause construction, and so the entire expression describes the great works as “unsearchable.”

[5:9]  ³⁴ tn The preposition in עַד־אֵין (’ad ’en, “until there was no”) is stereotypical; it conveys the sense of having no number (see Job 9:10; Ps 40:13).

[5:9]  ³⁵ sn H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 54) notes that the verse fits Eliphaz’s approach very well, for he has good understanding of the truth, but has difficulty in making the correct conclusions from it.

[5:11]  ³⁶ tn Heb “setting.” The infinitive construct clause is here taken as explaining the nature of God, and so parallel to the preceding descriptions. If read simply as a purpose clause after the previous verse, it would suggest that the purpose of watering the earth was to raise the humble (cf. NASB, “And sends water on the fields, // So that He sets on high those who are lowly”). A. B. Davidson (Job, 39) makes a case for this interpretation, saying that God’s gifts in nature have the wider purpose of blessing man, but he prefers to see the line as another benevolence, parallel to v. 10, and so suggests a translation “setting up” rather than “to set up.”

[5:11]  ³⁷ tn The word שְׁפָלִים (shÿfalim) refers to “those who are down.” This refers to the lowly and despised of the earth. They are the opposite of the “proud” (see Ps 138:6). Here there is a deliberate contrast between “lowly” and “on high.”

[5:11]  ³⁸ tn The meaning of the word is “to be dark, dirty”; therefore, it refers to the ash-sprinkled head of the mourner (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 54). The custom was to darken one’s face in sorrow (see Job 2:12; Ps 35:14; 38:7).

[5:11]  ³⁹ tn The perfect verb may be translated “be set on high; be raised up.” E. Dhorme (Job, 64) notes that the perfect is parallel to the infinitive of the first colon, and so he renders it in the same way as the infinitive, comparing the construction to that of 28:25.

[5:12]  ⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴¹ 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]  ⁴² 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]  ⁴³ 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]  ⁴⁴ 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.

[5:14]  ⁴⁵ sn God so confuses the crafty that they are unable to fulfill their plans – it is as if they encounter darkness in broad daylight. This is like the Syrians in 2 Kgs 6:18-23.

[5:14]  ⁴⁶ tn The verb מָשַׁשׁ (mashash) expresses the idea of groping about in the darkness. This is part of the fulfillment of Deut 28:29, which says, “and you shall grope at noonday as the blind grope in darkness.” This image is also in Isa 59:10.

[5:14]  ⁴⁷ sn The verse provides a picture of the frustration and bewilderment in the crafty who cannot accomplish their ends because God thwarts them.

[5:19]  ⁴⁸ tn The verb is the Hiphil imperfect of נָצַל (natsal, “deliver”). These verbs might have been treated as habitual imperfects if it were not for the use of the numerical images – “six calamities…in seven.” So the nuance is specific future instead.

[5:19]  ⁴⁹ tn The use of a numerical ladder as we have here – “six // seven” is frequent in wisdom literature to show completeness. See Prov 6:16; Amos 1:3, Mic 5:5. A number that seems to be sufficient for the point is increased by one, as if to say there is always one more. By using this Eliphaz simply means “in all troubles” (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 56).

[6:29]  ⁵⁰ tn The Hebrew verb שֻׁבוּ (shuvu) would literally be “return.” It has here the sense of “to begin again; to adopt another course,” that is, proceed on another supposition other than my guilt (A. B. Davidson, Job, 49). The LXX takes the word from יָשַׁב (yashav, “sit, dwell”) reading “sit down now.”

[6:29]  ⁵¹ tn The word עַוְלָה (’avlah) is sometimes translated “iniquity.” The word can mean “perversion, wickedness, injustice” (cf. 16:11). But here he means in regard to words. Unjust or wicked words would be words that are false and destroy.

[6:29]  ⁵² tn The verb here is also שֻׁבוּ (shuvu), although there is a Kethib-Qere reading. See R. Gordis, “Some Unrecognized Meanings of the Root Shub,” JBL 52 (1933): 153-62.

[6:29]  ⁵³ tn The text has simply “yet my right is in it.” A. B. Davidson (Job, 49, 50) thinks this means that in his plea against God, Job has right on his side. It may mean this; it simply says “my righteousness is yet in it.” If the “in it” does not refer to Job’s cause, then it would simply mean “is present.” It would have very little difference either way.

[9:7]  ⁵⁴ tn The form could also be subordinated, “that it shine not” (see further GKC 323 §109.g).

[9:7]  ⁵⁵ tn The verb זָרַח (zarakh) means “rise.” This is the ordinary word for the sunrise. But here it probably has the idea of “shine; glisten,” which is also attested in Hebrew and Aramaic.

[9:7]  sn There are various views on the meaning of this line in this verse. Some think it refers to some mysterious darkness like the judgment in Egypt (Exod 10:21-23), or to clouds building (3:5), often in accompaniment of earthquakes (see Joel 2:10, 3:15-16; Isa 13:10-13). It could also refer to an eclipse. All this assumes that the phenomenon here is limited to the morning or the day; but it could simply be saying that God controls light and darkness.

[9:7]  ⁵⁶ tn The verb חָתַם (khatam) with בְּעַד (bÿ’ad) before its complement, means “to seal; to wall up; to enclose.” This is a poetic way of saying that God prevents the stars from showing their light.

[10:21]  ⁵⁷ sn The verbs are simple, “I go” and “I return”; but Job clearly means before he dies. A translation of “depart” comes closer to communicating this. The second verb may be given a potential imperfect translation to capture the point. The NIV offered more of an interpretive paraphrase: “before I go to the place of no return.”

[10:21]  ⁵⁸ tn See Job 3:5.

[11:11]  ⁵⁹ tn The pronoun is emphatic implying that Zophar indicates that God indeed knows Job’s sin even if Job does not.

[11:11]  ⁶⁰ tn The expression is literally “men of emptiness” (see Ps 26:4). These are false men, for שָׁוְא (shavÿ’) can mean “vain, empty, or false, deceitful.”

[11:11]  ⁶¹ tn E. Dhorme (Job, 162) reads the prepositional phrase “to him” rather than the negative; he translates the line as “he sees iniquity and observes it closely.”

[11:11]  ⁶² tn Some commentators do not take this last clause as a question, but simply as a statement, namely, that when God sees evil he does not need to ponder or consider it – he knows it instantly. In that case it would be a circumstantial clause: “without considering it.” D. J. A. Clines lists quite an array of other interpretations for the line (Job [WBC], 255); for example, “and he is himself unobserved”; taking the word לֹא (lo’) as an emphatic; taking the negative as a noun, “considering them as nothing”; and others that change the verb to “they do not understand it.” But none of these are compelling; they offer no major improvement.

[12:5]  ⁶³ tn The first word, לַפִּיד (lapid), could be rendered “a torch of scorn,” but this gives no satisfying meaning. The ל (lamed) is often taken as an otiose letter, and the noun פִּיד (pid) is “misfortune, calamity” (cf. Job 30:24; 31:29).

[12:5]  ⁶⁴ tn The noun עַשְׁתּוּת (’ashtut, preferably עַשְׁתּוֹת, ’ashtot) is an abstract noun from עָשַׁת (’ashat, “to think”). The word שַׁאֲנָן (sha’anan) means “easy in mind, carefree,” and “happy.”

[12:5]  ⁶⁵ tn The form has traditionally been taken to mean “is ready” from the verb כּוּן (kun, “is fixed, sure”). But many commentators look for a word parallel to “calamity.” So the suggestion has been put forward that נָכוֹן (nakhon) be taken as a noun from נָכָה (nakhah, “strike, smite”): “a blow” (Schultens, Dhorme, Gordis), “thrust” or “kick” (HALOT 698 s.v. I נָכוֹן).

[13:3]  ⁶⁶ tn The verb is simply the Piel imperfect אֲדַבֵּר (’adabber, “I speak”). It should be classified as a desiderative imperfect, saying, “I desire to speak.” This is reinforced with the verb “to wish, desire” in the second half of the verse.

[13:3]  ⁶⁷ tn The Hebrew title for God here is אֶל־שַׁדַּי (’el shadday, “El Shaddai”).

[13:3]  ⁶⁸ tn The infinitive absolute functions here as the direct object of the verb “desire” (see GKC 340 §113.b).

[13:3]  ⁶⁹ tn The infinitive הוֹכֵחַ (hokheakh) is from the verb יָכַח (yakhakh), which means “to argue, plead, debate.” It has the legal sense here of arguing a case (cf. 5:17).

[13:10]  ⁷⁰ 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]  ⁷¹ sn The use of the word “in secret” or “secretly” suggests that what they do is a guilty action (31:27a).

[14:2]  ⁷² tn Heb יָצָא (yatsa’, “comes forth”). The perfect verb expresses characteristic action and so is translated by the present tense (see GKC 329 §111.s).

[14:2]  ⁷³ tn The verb וַיִּמָּל (vayyimmal) is from the root מָלַל (malal, “to languish; to wither”) and not from a different root מָלַל (malal, “to cut off”).

[14:2]  ⁷⁴ tn The verb is “and he does not stand.” Here the verb means “to stay fixed; to abide.” The shadow does not stay fixed, but continues to advance toward darkness.

[14:8]  ⁷⁵ tn The Hiphil of זָקַן (zaqan, “to be old”) is here an internal causative, “to grow old.”

[14:8]  ⁷⁶ tn The Hiphil is here classified as an inchoative Hiphil (see GKC 145 §53.e), for the tree only begins to die. In other words, it appears to be dead, but actually is not completely dead.

[14:8]  ⁷⁷ tn The LXX translates “dust” [soil] with “rock,” probably in light of the earlier illustration of the tree growing in the rocks.

[14:8]  sn Job is thinking here of a tree that dies or decays because of a drought rather than being uprooted, because the next verse will tell how it can revive with water.

[15:28]  ⁷⁸ sn K&D 11:266 rightly explains that these are not cities that he, the wicked, has destroyed, but that were destroyed by a judgment on wickedness. Accordingly, Eliphaz is saying that the wicked man is willing to risk such a curse in his confidence in his prosperity (see further H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 113).

[15:28]  ⁷⁹ tn The verbal idea serves here to modify “houses” as a relative clause; so a relative pronoun is added.

[15:28]  ⁸⁰ tn The Hebrew has simply “they are made ready for heaps.” The LXX translates it, “what they have prepared, let others carry away.” This would involve a complete change of the last word.

[15:29]  ⁸¹ tn This word מִנְלָם (minlam) also is a hapax legomenon, although almost always interpreted to mean “possession” (with Arabic manal) and repointed as מְנֹלָם (mÿnolam). M. Dahood further changes “earth” to the netherworld, and interprets it to mean “his possessions will not go down to the netherworld (“Value of Ugaritic for Textual Criticism,” Bib 40 [1959]: 164-66). Others suggest it means “ear of grain,” either from the common word for “ears of grain” or a hapax legomenon in Deuteronomy 23:26 [25].

[15:32]  ⁸² tn Heb “before his day.”

[15:32]  ⁸³ tn Those who put the last colon of v. 31 with v. 32 also have to change the verb תִּמָּלֵא (timmale’, “will be fulfilled”). E. Dhorme (Job, 225) says, “a mere glance at the use of yimmal…abundantly proves that the original text had timmal (G, Syr., Vulg), which became timmale’ through the accidental transposition of the ‘alep of bÿsi’o…in verse 31….” This, of course, is possible, if all the other changes up to now are granted. But the meaning of a word elsewhere in no way assures it should be the word here. The LXX has “his harvest shall perish before the time,” which could translate any number of words that might have been in the underlying Hebrew text. A commercial metaphor is not out of place here, since parallelism does not demand that the same metaphor appear in both lines.

[15:32]  ⁸⁴ tn Now, in the second half of the verse, the metaphor of a tree with branches begins.

[16:5]  ⁸⁵ tn “But” has been added in the translation to strengthen the contrast.

[16:5]  ⁸⁶ tn The Piel of אָמַץ (’amats) means “to strengthen, fortify.”

[16:5]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “my mouth.”

[16:5]  ⁸⁸ tn The verb יַחְשֹׂךְ (yakhsokh) means “to restrain; to withhold.” There is no object, so many make it first person subject, “I will not restrain.” The LXX and the Syriac have a different person – “I would not restrain.” G. R. Driver, arguing that the verb is intransitive here, made it “the solace of my lips would not [added] be withheld” (see JTS 34 [1933]: 380). D. J. A. Clines says that what is definitive is the use of the verb in the next line, where it clearly means “soothed, assuaged.”

[16:22]  ⁸⁹ tn The expression is “years of number,” meaning that they can be counted, and so “the years are few.” The verb simply means “comes” or “lie ahead.”

[16:22]  ⁹⁰ tn The verbal expression “I will not return” serves here to modify the journey that he will take. It is “the road [of] I will not return.”

[17:16]  ⁹¹ sn It is natural to assume that this verse continues the interrogative clause of the preceding verse.

[17:16]  ⁹² tn The plural form of the verb probably refers to the two words, or the two senses of the word in the preceding verse. Hope and what it produces will perish with Job.

[17:16]  ⁹³ tn The Hebrew word בַּדִּים (baddim) describes the “bars” or “bolts” of Sheol, referring (by synecdoche) to the “gates of Sheol.” The LXX has “with me to Sheol,” and many adopt that as “by my side.”

[17:16]  ⁹⁴ tn The conjunction אִם (’im) confirms the interrogative interpretation.

[17:16]  ⁹⁵ tn The translation follows the LXX and the Syriac versions with the change of vocalization in the MT. The MT has the noun “rest,” yielding, “will our rest be together in the dust?” The verb נָחַת (nakhat) in Aramaic means “to go down; to descend.” If that is the preferred reading – and it almost is universally accepted here – then it would be spelled נֵחַת (nekhat). In either case the point of the verse is clearly describing death and going to the grave.

[19:12]  ⁹⁶ sn Now the metaphor changes again. Since God thinks of Job as an enemy, he attacks with his troops, builds the siege ramp, and camps around him to besiege him. All the power and all the forces are at God’s disposal in his attack of Job.

[19:12]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “they throw up their way against me.” The verb סָלַל (salal) means “to build a siege ramp” or “to throw up a ramp”; here the object is “their way.” The latter could be taken as an adverbial accusative, “as their way.” But as the object it fits just as well. Some delete the middle clause; the LXX has “Together his troops fell upon me, they beset my ways with an ambush.”

[20:15]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “swallowed.”

[20:15]  ⁹⁹ tn The choice of words is excellent. The verb יָרַשׁ (yarash) means either “to inherit” or “to disinherit; to dispossess.” The context makes the figure clear that God is administering the emetic to make the wicked throw up the wealth (thus, “God will make him throw it out…”); but since wealth is the subject there is a disinheritance meant here.

[21:4]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The addition of the independent pronoun at the beginning of the sentence (“Is it I / against a man / my complaint”) strengthens the pronominal suffix on “complaint” (see GKC 438 §135.f).

[21:4]  ¹⁰¹ sn The point seems to be that if his complaint were merely against men he might expect sympathy from other men; but no one dares offer him sympathy when his complaint is against God. So he will give free expression to his spirit (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 147).

[21:4]  ¹⁰² tn On disjunctive interrogatives, see GKC 475 §150.g.

[21:4]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “why should my spirit/breath not be short” (see Num 21:4; Judg 16:16).

[21:21]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “his desire.” The meaning is that after he is gone he does not care about what happens to his household (“house” meaning “family” here).

[21:21]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “after him,” but clearly the meaning is “after he is gone.”

[21:21]  ¹⁰⁶ tc The rare word חֻצָּצוּ (khutsatsu) is probably a cognate of hassa in Arabic, meaning “to cut off.” There is also an Akkadian word “to cut in two” and “to break.” These fit the context here rather well. The other Hebrew words that are connected to the root חָצַצ (khatsats) do not offer any help.

[21:29]  ¹⁰⁷ tc The LXX reads, “Ask those who go by the way, and do not disown their signs.”

[21:29]  tn The idea is that the merchants who travel widely will talk about what they have seen and heard. These travelers give a different account of the wicked; they tell how he is spared. E. Dhorme (Job, 322) interprets “signs” concretely: “Their custom was to write their names and their thoughts somewhere at the main cross-roads. The main roads of Sinai are dotted with these scribblings made by such passers of a day.”

[22:14]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “and he does not see.” The implied object is “us.”

[22:14]  ¹⁰⁹ sn The word is “circle; dome”; here it is the dome that covers the earth, beyond which God sits enthroned. A. B. Davidson (Job, 165) suggests “on the arch of heaven” that covers the earth.

[22:14]  ¹¹⁰ sn The idea suggested here is that God is not only far off, but he is unconcerned as he strolls around heaven – this is what Eliphaz says Job means.

[23:4]  ¹¹¹ tn The word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) is normally “judgment; decision.” But in these contexts it refers to the legal case that Job will bring before God. With the verb עָרַךְ (’arakh, “to set in order; to lay out”) the whole image of drawing up a lawsuit is complete.

[23:6]  ¹¹² tn The verb is now רִיב (riv) and not יָכַח (yakhakh, “contend”); רִיב (riv) means “to quarrel; to dispute; to contend,” often in a legal context. Here it is still part of Job’s questioning about this hypothetical meeting – would God contend with all his power?

[23:6]  ¹¹³ tn The verbal clause יָשִׂם בִּי (yasim bi) has been translated “he would pay [attention] to me.” Job is saying that God will not need all his power – he will just have pay attention to Job’s complaint. Job does not need the display of power – he just wants a hearing.

[24:4]  ¹¹⁴ sn Because of the violence and oppression of the wicked, the poor and needy, the widows and orphans, all are deprived of their rights and forced out of the ways and into hiding just to survive.

[25:4]  ¹¹⁵ sn Bildad here does not come up with new expressions; rather, he simply uses what Eliphaz had said (see Job 4:17-19 and 15:14-16).

[27:10]  ¹¹⁶ tn See the note on 22:26 where the same verb is employed.

[27:14]  ¹¹⁷ tn R. Gordis (Job, 294) identifies this as a breviloquence. Compare Ps 92:8 where the last two words also constitute the apodosis.

[27:14]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “will not be satisfied with bread/food.”

[27:23]  ¹¹⁹ tn If the same subject is to be carried through here, it is the wind. That would make this a bold personification, perhaps suggesting the force of the wind. Others argue that it is unlikely that the wind claps its hands. They suggest taking the verb with an indefinite subject: “he claps” means “one claps. The idea is that of people rejoicing when the wicked are gone. But the parallelism is against this unless the second line is changed as well. R. Gordis (Job, 296) has “men will clap their hands…men will whistle upon him.”

[27:23]  ¹²⁰ tn Or “hisses at him from its place” (ESV).

[28:10]  ¹²¹ tn Or “tunnels.” The word is יְאֹרִים (yÿ’orim), the word for “rivers” and in the singular, the Nile River. Here it refers to tunnels or channels through the rocks.

[28:10]  ¹²² tn Heb “his eye sees.”

[28:11]  ¹²³ tc The translation “searched” follows the LXX and Vulgate; the MT reads “binds up” or “dams up.” This latter translation might refer to the damming of water that might seep into a mine (HALOT 289 s.v. חבשׁ; cf. ESV, NJPS, NASB, REB, NLT).

[28:11]  ¹²⁴ tc The older translations had “he binds the streams from weeping,” i.e., from trickling (מִבְּכִי, mibbÿkhi). But the Ugaritic parallel has changed the understanding, reading “toward the spring of the rivers” (`m mbk nhrm). Earlier than that discovery, the versions had taken the word as a noun as well. Some commentators had suggested repointing the Hebrew. Some chose מַבְּכֵי (mabbÿkhe, “sources”). Now there is much Ugaritic support for the reading (see G. M. Landes, BASOR 144 [1956]: 32f.; and H. L. Ginsberg, “The Ugaritic texts and textual criticism,” JBL 62 [1943]: 111).

[28:14]  ¹²⁵ sn The תְּהוֹם (tÿhom) is the “deep” of Gen 1:2, the abyss or primordial sea. It was always understood to be a place of darkness and danger. As remote as it is, it asserts that wisdom is not found there (personification). So here we have the abyss and the sea, then death and destruction – but they are not the places that wisdom resides.

[28:14]  ¹²⁶ tn The בּ (bet) preposition is taken here to mean “with” in the light of the parallel preposition.

[28:21]  ¹²⁷ tn The vav on the verb is unexpressed in the LXX. It should not be overlooked, for it introduces a subordinate clause of condition (R. Gordis, Job, 310).

[29:2]  ¹²⁸ tn The optative is here expressed with מִי־יִתְּנֵנִי (mi-yittÿneni, “who will give me”), meaning, “O that I [could be]…” (see GKC 477 §151.b).

[29:2]  ¹²⁹ tn The preposition כּ (kaf) is used here in an expression describing the state desired, especially in the former time (see GKC 376 §118.u).

[29:2]  ¹³⁰ tn The expression is literally “months of before [or of old; or past].” The word קֶדֶם (qedem) is intended here to be temporal and not spatial; it means days that preceded the present.

[29:2]  ¹³¹ tn The construct state (“days of”) governs the independent sentence that follows (see GKC 422 §130.d): “as the days of […] God used to watch over me.”

[29:2]  ¹³² tn The imperfect verb here has a customary nuance – “when God would watch over me” (back then), or “when God used to watch over me.”

[29:3]  ¹³³ tn This clause is in apposition to the preceding (see GKC 426 §131.o). It offers a clarification.

[29:3]  ¹³⁴ tn The form בְּהִלּוֹ (bÿhillo) is unusual; it should be parsed as a Hiphil infinitive construct with the elision of the ה (he). The proper spelling would have been with a ַ (patakh) under the preposition, reflecting הַהִלּוֹ (hahillo). If it were Qal, it would just mean “when his light shone.”

[29:3]  ¹³⁵ sn Lamp and light are symbols of God’s blessings of life and all the prosperous and good things it includes.

[29:3]  ¹³⁶ tn Here too the imperfect verb is customary – it describes action that was continuous, but in a past time.

[29:3]  ¹³⁷ tn The accusative (“darkness”) is here an adverbial accusative of place, namely, “in the darkness,” or because he was successfully led by God’s light, “through the darkness” (see GKC 374 §118.h).

[29:7]  ¹³⁸ sn In the public square. The area referred to here should not be thought of in terms of modern western dimensions. The wide space, plaza, or public square mentioned here is the open area in the gate complex where legal and business matters were conducted. The area could be as small as a few hundred square feet.

[29:13]  ¹³⁹ tn The verb is simply בּוֹא (bo’, “to come; to enter”). With the preposition עַל (’al, “upon”) it could mean “came to me,” or “came upon me,” i.e., descended (see R. Gordis, Job, 320).

[29:13]  ¹⁴⁰ tn The verb אַרְנִן (’arnin) is from רָנַן (ranan, “to give a ringing cry”) but here “cause to give a ringing cry,” i.e., shout of joy. The rejoicing envisioned in this word is far greater than what the words “sing” or “rejoice” suggest.

[30:25]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “for the hard of day.”

[31:12]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “to Abaddon.”

[31:12]  ¹⁴³ tn The verb means “to root out,” but this does not fit the parallelism with fire. Wright changed two letters and the vowels in the verb to get the root צָרַף (tsaraf, “to burn”). The NRSV has “burn to the root.”

[31:14]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “arises.” The LXX reads “takes vengeance,” an interpretation that is somewhat correct but unnecessary. The verb “to rise” would mean “to confront in judgment.”

[31:14]  ¹⁴⁵ tn The verb פָקַד (paqad) means “to visit,” but with God as the subject it means any divine intervention for blessing or cursing, anything God does that changes a person’s life. Here it is “visit to judge.”

[31:29]  ¹⁴⁶ tn The problem with taking this as “if,” introducing a conditional clause, is finding the apodosis, if there is one. It may be that the apodosis is understood, or summed up at the end. This is the view taken here. But R. Gordis (Job, 352) wishes to take this word as the indication of the interrogative, forming the rhetorical question to affirm he has never done this. However, in that case the parenthetical verses inserted become redundant.

[31:29]  ¹⁴⁷ sn The law required people to help their enemies if they could (Exod 23:4; also Prov 20:22). But often in the difficulties that ensued, they did exult over their enemies’ misfortune (Pss 54:7; 59:10 [11], etc.). But Job lived on a level of purity that few ever reach. Duhm said, “If chapter 31 is the crown of all ethical developments of the O.T., verse 29 is the jewel in that crown.”

[31:29]  ¹⁴⁸ tn The Hitpael of עוּר (’ur) has the idea of “exult.”

[31:29]  ¹⁴⁹ tn The word is רָע (ra’, “evil”) in the sense of anything that harms, interrupts, or destroys life.

[32:5]  ¹⁵⁰ tn The first clause beginning with a vav (ו) consecutive and the preterite can be subordinated to the next similar verb as a temporal clause.

[32:5]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “that there was no reply in the mouth of the three men.”

[32:12]  ¹⁵² tn The verb again is from בִּין (bin, “to perceive; to understand”); in this stem it means to “to pay close attention.”

[32:12]  ¹⁵³ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “behold”) has a deictic force here, calling attention to the thought that is now presented.

[32:12]  ¹⁵⁴ tn The participle מוֹכִיחַ (mokhiakh) is from the verb יָכַח (yakhakh) that has been used frequently in the book of Job. It means “to argue; to contend; to debate; to prove; to dispute.” The usage of the verb shows that it can focus on the beginning of an argument, the debating itself, or the resolution of the conflict. Here the latter is obviously meant, for they did argue and contend and criticize – but could not prove Job wrong.

[32:16]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Some commentators take this as a question: “And shall [or must] I wait because they do not speak?” (A. B. Davidson, R. Gordis). But this is not convincing because the silence of the friends is the reason for him to speak, not to wait.

[32:19]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Heb “in my belly I am like wine that is not opened” (a Niphal imperfect), meaning sealed up with no place to escape.

[32:19]  ¹⁵⁷ tc The Hebrew text has כְּאֹבוֹת חֲדָשִׁים (kÿ’ovot khadashim), traditionally rendered “like new wineskins.” But only here does the phrase have this meaning. The LXX has “smiths” for “new,” thus “like smith’s bellows.” A. Guillaume connects the word with an Arabic word for a wide vessel for wine shaped like a cup (“Archaeological and philological note on Job 32:19,” PEQ 93 [1961]: 147-50). Some have been found in archaeological sites. The poor would use skins, the rich would use jars. The key to putting this together is the verb at the end of the line, יִבָּקֵעַ (yibbaqea’, “that are ready to burst”). The point of the statement is that Elihu is bursting to speak, and until now has not had the opening.

[32:20]  ¹⁵⁸ tn The cohortative expresses Elihu’s resolve to speak.

[33:10]  ¹⁵⁹ sn See Job 10:13ff.; 19:6ff.; and 13:24.

[33:10]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:10]  ¹⁶¹ tn The Hebrew means “frustrations” or “oppositions.” The RSV has “displeasure,” NIV “faults,” and NRSV “occasions.” Rashi chose the word found in Judg 14:4 – with metathesis – meaning “pretexts” (תֹּאֲנוֹת, to’anot); this is followed by NAB, NASB.

[34:24]  ¹⁶² tn Heb “[with] no investigation.”

[35:2]  ¹⁶³ tn The line could be read as “do you reckon this for justice? Here “to be” is understood.

[35:2]  ¹⁶⁴ tn The word “when” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.

[35:2]  ¹⁶⁵ tn The brief line could be interpreted in a number of ways. The MT simply has “my right from God.” It could be “I am right before God,” “I am more just/right than God” (identifying the preposition as a comparative min (מִן); cf. J. E. Hartley, Job [NICOT], 463), “I will be right before God,” or “My just cause against God.”

[36:19]  ¹⁶⁶ tn The form in the MT is “your cry (for help).” See J. E. Hartley (Job [NICOT], 472-73) and E. Dhorme (Job, 547-48) on the difficulties.

[36:19]  ¹⁶⁷ tn This part has only two words לֹא בְצָר (lo’ bÿtsar, “not in distress”). The negated phrase serves to explain the first colon.

[36:19]  ¹⁶⁸ tc For the many suggestions and the reasoning here, see the commentaries.

[37:16]  ¹⁶⁹ tn As indicated by HALOT 618 s.v. מִפְלָשׂ, the concept of “balancing” probably refers to “floating” or “suspension” (cf. NIV’s “how the clouds hang poised” and J. E. Hartley, Job [NICOT], 481-82, n. 2).

[37:20]  ¹⁷⁰ tn This imperfect works well as a desiderative imperfect.

[37:21]  ¹⁷¹ tn The light here must refer to the sun in the skies that had been veiled by the storm. Then, when the winds blew the clouds away, it could not be looked at because it was so dazzling. Elihu’s analogy will be that God is the same – in his glory one cannot look at him or challenge him.

[37:21]  ¹⁷² tn The verb has an indefinite subject, and so should be a passive here.

[37:21]  ¹⁷³ tn Heb “and cleaned them.” The referent is the clouds (v. 18), which has been supplied in the translation for clarity. There is another way of reading this verse: the word translated “bright” means “dark; obscured” in Syriac. In this interpretation the first line would mean that they could not see the sun, because it was darkened by the clouds, but then the wind came and blew the clouds away. Dhorme, Gray, and several others take it this way, as does the NAB.

[39:7]  ¹⁷⁴ sn The animal is happier in open countryside than in a busy town, and on its own rather than being driven by a herdsman.

[39:18]  ¹⁷⁵ tn The colon poses a slight problem here. The literal meaning of the Hebrew verb translated “springs up” (i.e., “lifts herself on high”) might suggest flight. But some of the proposals involve a reading about readying herself to run.

[40:14]  ¹⁷⁶ tn The verb is usually translated “praise,” but with the sense of a public declaration or acknowledgment. It is from יָדָה (yadah, in the Hiphil, as here, “give thanks, laud”).

[40:14]  ¹⁷⁷ tn The imperfect verb has the nuance of potential imperfect: “can save; is able to save.”

[41:4]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Heb “will he cut a covenant.”

[41:4]  ¹⁷⁹ tn The imperfect verb serves to express what the covenant pact would cover, namely, “that you take.”

[41:9]  ¹⁸⁰ sn Job 41:9 in the English Bible is 41:1 in the Hebrew text (BHS). From here to the end of the chapter the Hebrew verse numbers differ from those in the English Bible, with 41:10 ET = 41:2 HT, 41:11 ET = 41:3 HT, etc. See also the note on 41:1.

[41:9]  ¹⁸¹ tn The line is difficult. “His hope [= expectation]” must refer to any assailant who hopes or expects to capture the creature. Because there is no antecedent, Dhorme and others transpose it with the next verse. The point is that the man who thought he was sufficient to confront Leviathan soon finds his hope – his expectation – false (a derivative from the verb כָּזַב [kazab, “lie”] is used for a mirage).

[41:9]  ¹⁸² tn There is an interrogative particle in this line, which most commentators ignore. But others freely emend the MT. Gunkel, following the mythological approach, has “his appearance casts down even a god.” Cheyne likewise has: “even divine beings the fear of him brings low” (JQR 9 [1896/97]: 579). Pope has, “Were not the gods cast down at the sight of him?” There is no need to bring in this mythological element.