Ayub 23:11

23:11 My feet ¹  have followed ²  his steps closely;

I have kept to his way and have not turned aside. ³ 

Ayub 28:8

28:8 Proud beasts ⁴  have not set foot on it,

and no lion has passed along it.

Ayub 19:12

19:12 His troops ⁵  advance together;

they throw up ⁶  a siege ramp against me,

and they camp around my tent.

Ayub 34:27

34:27 because they have turned away from following him,

and have not understood ⁷  any of his ways,

Ayub 21:14

21:14 So they say to God, ‘Turn away from us!

We do not want to ⁸  know your ways. ⁹ 

Ayub 22:15

22:15 Will you keep to the old path ¹⁰ 

that evil men have walked –

Ayub 31:4

31:4 Does he not see my ways

and count all my steps?

Ayub 34:8

34:8 He goes about ¹¹  in company ¹²  with evildoers,

he goes along ¹³  with wicked men. ¹⁴ 

Ayub 3:23

3:23 Why is light given ¹⁵  to a man ¹⁶ 

whose way is hidden, ¹⁷ 

and whom God has hedged in? ¹⁸ 

Ayub 24:13

24:13 There are those ¹⁹  who rebel against the light;

they do not know its ways

and they do not stay on its paths.

Ayub 18:8

18:8 For he has been thrown into a net by his feet ²⁰ 

and he wanders into a mesh. ²¹ 

Ayub 18:10

18:10 A rope is hidden for him ²²  on the ground

and a trap for him ²³  lies on the path.

Ayub 28:26

28:26 When he imposed a limit ²⁴  for the rain,

and a path for the thunderstorm, ²⁵ 

Ayub 8:19

8:19 Indeed, this is the joy of his way, ²⁶ 

and out of the earth ²⁷  others spring up. ²⁸ 

Ayub 19:8

19:8 He has blocked ²⁹  my way so I cannot pass,

and has set darkness ³⁰  over my paths.

Ayub 36:23

36:23 Who has prescribed his ways for him?

Or said to him, ‘You have done what is wicked’?

Ayub 22:28

22:28 Whatever you decide ³¹  on a matter,

it will be established for you,

and light will shine on your ways.

Ayub 28:23

28:23 God understands the way to it,

and he alone knows its place.

Ayub 6:18

6:18 Caravans ³²  turn aside from their routes;

they go ³³  into the wasteland ³⁴  and perish. ³⁵ 

Ayub 24:23

24:23 God ³⁶  may let them rest in a feeling of security, ³⁷ 

but he is constantly watching ³⁸  all their ways. ³⁹ 

Ayub 34:21

34:21 For his eyes are on the ways of an individual,

he observes all a person’s ⁴⁰  steps.

Ayub 12:24

12:24 He deprives the leaders of the earth ⁴¹ 

of their understanding; ⁴² 

he makes them wander

in a trackless desert waste. ⁴³ 

Ayub 23:10

23:10 But he knows the pathway that I take; ⁴⁴ 

if he tested me, I would come forth like gold. ⁴⁵ 

Ayub 31:7

31:7 If my footsteps have strayed from the way,

if my heart has gone after my eyes, ⁴⁶ 

or if anything ⁴⁷  has defiled my hands,

Ayub 38:25

38:25 Who carves out a channel for the heavy rains,

and a path for the rumble of thunder,

Ayub 22:14

22:14 Thick clouds are a veil for him, so he does not see us, ⁴⁸ 

as he goes back and forth

in the vault ⁴⁹  of heaven.’ ⁵⁰ 

Ayub 17:9

17:9 But the righteous man holds to his way,

and the one with clean hands grows stronger. ⁵¹ 

Ayub 24:4

24:4 They turn the needy from the pathway,

and the poor of the land hide themselves together. ⁵² 

Ayub 30:12

30:12 On my right the young rabble ⁵³  rise up;

they drive me from place to place, ⁵⁴ 

and build up siege ramps ⁵⁵  against me. ⁵⁶ 

Ayub 30:28

30:28 I go about blackened, ⁵⁷  but not by the sun;

in the assembly I stand up and cry for help.

Ayub 28:13

28:13 Mankind does not know its place; ⁵⁸ 

it cannot be found in the land of the living.

Ayub 2:2

2:2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where do you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, ⁵⁹  “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” ⁶⁰ 

Ayub 1:7

1:7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” ⁶¹  And Satan answered the Lord, ⁶²  “From roving about ⁶³  on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” ⁶⁴ 

Ayub 29:25

29:25 I chose ⁶⁵  the way for them ⁶⁶ 

and sat as their chief; ⁶⁷ 

I lived like a king among his troops;

I was like one who comforts mourners. ⁶⁸ 

Ayub 12:19

12:19 He leads priests away stripped ⁶⁹ 

and overthrows ⁷⁰  the potentates. ⁷¹ 

Ayub 13:15

13:15 Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; ⁷² 

I will surely ⁷³  defend ⁷⁴  my ways to his face!

Ayub 22:3

22:3 Is it of any special benefit ⁷⁵  to the Almighty

that you should be righteous,

or is it any gain to him

that you make your ways blameless? ⁷⁶ 

Ayub 34:32

34:32 Teach me what I cannot see. ⁷⁷ 

If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’

Ayub 30:13

30:13 They destroy ⁷⁸  my path;

they succeed in destroying me ⁷⁹ 

without anyone assisting ⁸⁰  them.

Ayub 29:3

29:3 when ⁸¹  he caused ⁸²  his lamp ⁸³ 

to shine upon my head,

and by his light

I walked ⁸⁴  through darkness; ⁸⁵ 

Ayub 16:22

16:22 For the years that lie ahead are few, ⁸⁶ 

and then I will go on the way of no return. ⁸⁷ 

Ayub 38:16

38:16 Have you gone to the springs that fill the sea, ⁸⁸ 

or walked about in the recesses of the deep?

Ayub 38:24

38:24 In what direction is lightning ⁸⁹  dispersed,

or the east winds scattered over the earth?

Ayub 9:8

9:8 he alone spreads out the heavens,

and treads ⁹⁰  on the waves of the sea; ⁹¹ 

Ayub 31:5

31:5 If ⁹²  I have walked in falsehood,

and if ⁹³  my foot has hastened ⁹⁴  to deceit –

Ayub 33:11

33:11 ⁹⁵ He puts my feet in shackles;

he watches closely all my paths.’

Ayub 38:20

38:20 that you may take them to their borders

and perceive the pathways to their homes? ⁹⁶ 

Ayub 31:32

31:32 But ⁹⁷  no stranger had to spend the night outside,

for I opened my doors to the traveler ⁹⁸  –

Ayub 38:19

38:19 “In what direction ⁹⁹  does light reside,

and darkness, where is its place,

Ayub 21:33

21:33 The clods of the torrent valley ¹⁰⁰  are sweet to him;

behind him everybody follows in procession,

and before him goes a countless throng.

Ayub 28:7

28:7 a hidden path ¹⁰¹  no bird of prey knows –

no falcon’s ¹⁰²  eye has spotted it.

Ayub 4:15

4:15 Then a breath of air ¹⁰³  passes ¹⁰⁴  by my face;

it makes ¹⁰⁵  the hair of my flesh stand up.

Ayub 13:27

13:27 And you put my feet in the stocks ¹⁰⁶ 

and you watch all my movements; ¹⁰⁷ 

you put marks ¹⁰⁸  on the soles of my feet.

Ayub 9:11

9:11 If ¹⁰⁹  he passes by me, I cannot see ¹¹⁰  him, ¹¹¹ 

if he goes by, I cannot perceive him. ¹¹² 

Ayub 15:19

15:19 to whom alone the land was given

when no foreigner passed among them. ¹¹³ 

Ayub 21:29

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

Do you not recognize their accounts ¹¹⁴  –

Ayub 38:32

38:32 Can you lead out

the constellations ¹¹⁵  in their seasons,

or guide the Bear with its cubs? ¹¹⁶ 

Ayub 41:32

41:32 It leaves a glistening wake behind it;

one would think the deep had a head of white hair.

Ayub 26:14

26:14 Indeed, these are but the outer fringes of his ways! ¹¹⁷ 

How faint is the whisper ¹¹⁸  we hear of him!

But who can understand the thunder of his power?”

Ayub 4:6

4:6 Is not your piety ¹¹⁹  your confidence, ¹²⁰ 

and your blameless ways your hope? ¹²¹ 

Ayub 23:8

The Inaccessibility and Power of God

23:8 “If I go to the east, he is not there,

and to the west, yet I do not perceive him.

Ayub 24:18

24:18 ¹²² “You say, ¹²³  ‘He is foam ¹²⁴  on the face of the waters; ¹²⁵ 

their portion of the land is cursed

so that no one goes to their vineyard. ¹²⁶ 

Ayub 28:4

28:4 Far from where people live ¹²⁷  he sinks a shaft,

in places travelers have long forgotten, ¹²⁸ 

far from other people he dangles and sways. ¹²⁹ 

Ayub 6:13

6:13 Is ¹³⁰  not my power to help myself nothing,

and has not every resource ¹³¹  been driven from me?

Ayub 7:6

7:6 My days ¹³²  are swifter ¹³³  than a weaver’s shuttle ¹³⁴ 

and they come to an end without hope. ¹³⁵ 

Ayub 12:25

12:25 They grope about in darkness ¹³⁶  without light;

he makes them stagger ¹³⁷  like drunkards.

Ayub 19:18

19:18 Even youngsters have scorned me;

when I get up, ¹³⁸  they scoff at me. ¹³⁹ 

Ayub 20:6

20:6 Even though his stature ¹⁴⁰  reaches to the heavens

and his head touches the clouds,

Ayub 41:22

41:22 Strength lodges in its neck,

and despair ¹⁴¹  runs before it.

Ayub 18:17

18:17 His memory perishes from the earth,

he has no name in the land. ¹⁴² 

Ayub 20:10

20:10 His sons must recompense ¹⁴³  the poor;

his own hands ¹⁴⁴  must return his wealth.

Ayub 20:29

20:29 Such is the lot God allots the wicked,

and the heritage of his appointment ¹⁴⁵  from God.”

Ayub 24:10

24:10 They go about naked, without clothing,

and go hungry while they carry the sheaves. ¹⁴⁶ 

Ayub 28:10

28:10 He has cut out channels ¹⁴⁷  through the rocks;

his eyes have spotted ¹⁴⁸  every precious thing.

Ayub 29:7-8

29:7 When I went out to the city gate

and secured my seat in the public square, ¹⁴⁹ 

29:8 the young men would see me and step aside, ¹⁵⁰ 

and the old men would get up and remain standing;

Ayub 31:38

Job’s Final Solemn Oath ¹⁵¹ 

31:38 “If my land cried out against me ¹⁵² 

and all its furrows wept together,

Ayub 32:19

32:19 Inside I am like wine which has no outlet, ¹⁵³ 

like new wineskins ¹⁵⁴  ready to burst!

Ayub 33:28

33:28 He redeemed my life ¹⁵⁵ 

from going down to the place of corruption,

and my life sees the light!’

Ayub 6:15

6:15 My brothers ¹⁵⁶  have been as treacherous ¹⁵⁷  as a seasonal stream, ¹⁵⁸ 

and as the riverbeds of the intermittent streams ¹⁵⁹ 

that flow away. ¹⁶⁰ 

Ayub 11:15

11:15 For ¹⁶¹  then you will lift up your face

without ¹⁶²  blemish; ¹⁶³ 

you will be securely established ¹⁶⁴ 

and will not fear.

Ayub 11:20

11:20 But the eyes of the wicked fail, ¹⁶⁵ 

and escape ¹⁶⁶  eludes them;

their one hope ¹⁶⁷  is to breathe their last.” ¹⁶⁸ 

Ayub 15:23

15:23 he wanders about – food for vultures; ¹⁶⁹ 

he knows that the day of darkness is at hand. ¹⁷⁰ 

Ayub 21:16

21:16 But their prosperity is not their own doing. ¹⁷¹ 

The counsel of the wicked is far from me! ¹⁷² 

Ayub 22:18

22:18 But it was he ¹⁷³  who filled their houses

with good things –

yet the counsel of the wicked ¹⁷⁴ 

was far from me. ¹⁷⁵ 

Ayub 23:14

23:14 For he fulfills his decree against me, ¹⁷⁶ 

and many such things are his plans. ¹⁷⁷ 

Ayub 34:17

34:17 Do you really think ¹⁷⁸ 

that one who hates justice can govern? ¹⁷⁹ 

And will you declare guilty

the supremely righteous ¹⁸⁰  One,

Ayub 39:5

39:5 Who let the wild donkey go free?

Who released the bonds of the donkey,

Ayub 24:22

24:22 But God ¹⁸¹  drags off the mighty by his power;

when God ¹⁸²  rises up against him, he has no faith in his life. ¹⁸³ 

Ayub 33:23

33:23 If there is an angel beside him,

one mediator ¹⁸⁴  out of a thousand,

to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness; ¹⁸⁵ 

[23:11]  ¹ tn Heb “my foot.”

[23:11]  ² tn Heb “held fast.”

[23:11]  ³ tn The last clause, “and I have not turned aside,” functions adverbially in the sentence. The form אָט (’at) is a pausal form of אַתֶּה (’atteh), the Hiphil of נָטָה (natah, “stretch out”).

[28:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “the sons of pride.” In Job 41:26 the expression refers to carnivorous wild beasts.

[19:12]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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.”

[34:27]  ⁷ tn The verb הִשְׂכִּילוּ (hiskilu) means “to be prudent; to be wise.” From this is derived the idea of “be wise in understanding God’s will,” and “be successful because of prudence” – i.e., successful with God.

[21:14]  ⁸ tn The absence of the preposition before the complement adds greater vividness to the statement: “and knowing your ways – we do not desire.”

[21:14]  ⁹ sn Contrast Ps 25:4, which affirms that walking in God’s ways means to obey God’s will – the Torah.

[22:15]  ¹⁰ tn The “old path” here is the way of defiance to God. The text in these two verses is no doubt making reference to the flood in Genesis, one of the perennial examples of divine judgment.

[34:8]  ¹¹ tn The perfect verb with the vav (ו) consecutive carries the sequence forward from the last description.

[34:8]  ¹² tn The word חֶבְרַה (khevrah, “company”) is a hapax legomenon. But its meaning is clear enough from the connections to related words and this context as well.

[34:8]  ¹³ tn The infinitive construct with the ל (lamed) preposition may continue the clause with the finite verb (see GKC 351 §114.p).

[34:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “men of wickedness”; the genitive is attributive (= “wicked men”).

[3:23]  ¹⁵ tn This first part of the verse, “Why is light given,” is supplied from the context. In the Hebrew text the verse simply begins with “to a man….” It is also in apposition to the construction in v. 20. But after so many qualifying clauses and phrases, a restatement of the subject (light, from v. 20) is required.

[3:23]  ¹⁶ sn After speaking of people in general (in the plural in vv. 21 and 22), Job returns to himself specifically (in the singular, using the same word גֶּבֶר [gever, “a man”] that he employed of himself in v. 3). He is the man whose way is hidden. The clear path of his former life has been broken off, or as the next clause says, hedged in so that he is confined to a life of suffering. The statement includes the spiritual perplexities that this involves. It is like saying that God is leading him in darkness and he can no longer see where he is going.

[3:23]  ¹⁷ tn The LXX translated “to a man whose way is hidden” with the vague paraphrase “death is rest to [such] a man.” The translators apparently combined the reference to “the grave” in the previous verse with “hidden”

[3:23]  ¹⁸ tn The verb is the Hiphil of סָכַךְ (sakhakh,“to hedge in”). The key parallel passage is Job 19:8, which says, “He has blocked [גָּדַר, gadar] my way so I cannot pass, and has set darkness over my paths.” To be hedged in is an implied metaphor, indicating that the pathway is concealed and enclosed. There is an irony in Job’s choice of words in light of Satan’s accusation in 1:10. It is heightened further when the same verb is employed by God in 38:8 (see F. I. Andersen, Job [TOTC], 109).

[24:13]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “They are among those who.”

[18:8]  ²⁰ tn See Ps 25:15.

[18:8]  ²¹ tn The word שְׂבָכָה (sÿvakhah) is used in scripture for the lattice window (2 Kgs 1:2). The Arabic cognate means “to be intertwined.” So the term could describe a net, matting, grating, or lattice. Here it would be the netting stretched over a pit.

[18:10]  ²² tn Heb “his rope.” The suffix must be a genitive expressing that the trap was for him, to trap him, and so an objective genitive.

[18:10]  ²³ tn Heb “his trap.” The pronominal suffix is objective genitive here as well.

[28:26]  ²⁴ tn Or “decree.”

[28:26]  ²⁵ tn Or “thunderbolt,” i.e., lightning. Heb “the roaring of voices/sounds,” which describes the nature of the storm.

[8:19]  ²⁶ tn This line is difficult. If the MT stands as it is, the expression must be ironic. It would be saying that the joy (all the security and prosperity) of its way (its life) is short-lived – that is the way its joy goes. Most commentators are not satisfied with this. Dhorme, for one, changes מְשׂוֹשׂ (mÿsos, “joy”) to מְסוֹס (mÿsos, “rotting”), and gets “behold him lie rotting on the path.” The sibilants can interchange this way. But Dhorme thinks the MT was written the way it was because the word was thought to be “joy,” when it should have been the other way. The word “way” then becomes an accusative of place. The suggestion is rather compelling and would certainly fit the context. The difficulty is that a root סוּס (sus, “to rot”) has to be proposed. E. Dhorme does this by drawing on Arabic sas, “to be eaten by moths or worms,” thus “worm-eaten; decaying; rotting.” Cf. NIV “its life withers away”; also NAB “there he lies rotting beside the road.”

[8:19]  ²⁷ tn Heb “dust.”

[8:19]  ²⁸ sn As with the tree, so with the godless man – his place will soon be taken by another.

[19:8]  ²⁹ tn The verb גָּדַר (gadar) means “to wall up; to fence up; to block.” God has blocked Job’s way so that he cannot get through. See the note on 3:23. Cf. Lam 3:7.

[19:8]  ³⁰ tn Some commentators take the word to be חָשַׁךְ (hasak), related to an Arabic word for “thorn hedge.”

[22:28]  ³¹ tn The word is גָּזַר (gazar, “to cut”), in the sense of deciding a matter.

[6:18]  ³² tn This is the usual rendering of the Hebrew אָרְחוֹת (’orkhot, “way, path”). It would mean that the course of the wadi would wind down and be lost in the sand. Many commentators either repoint the text to אֹרְחוֹת (’orÿkhot) when in construct (as in Isa 21:13), or simply redefine the existing word to mean “caravans” as in the next verse, and translate something like “caravans deviate from their route.” D. J. A. Clines (Job [WBC], 160-61) allows that “caravans” will be introduced in the next verse, but urges retention of the usual sense here. The two verses together will yield the same idea in either case – the river dries up and caravans looking for the water deviate from their course looking for it.

[6:18]  ³³ tn The verb literally means “to go up,” but here no real ascent is intended for the wasteland. It means that they go inland looking for the water. The streams wind out into the desert and dry up in the sand and the heat. A. B. Davidson (Job, 47) notes the difficulty with the interpretation of this verse as a reference to caravans is that Ibn Ezra says that it is not usual for caravans to leave their path and wander inland in search of water.

[6:18]  ³⁴ tn The word תֹּהוּ (tohu) was used in Genesis for “waste,” meaning without shape or structure. Here the term refers to the trackless, unending wilderness (cf. 12:24).

[6:18]  ³⁵ sn If the term “paths” (referring to the brook) is the subject, then this verb would mean it dies in the desert; if caravaneers are intended, then when they find no water they perish. The point in the argument would be the same in either case. Job is saying that his friends are like this water, and he like the caravaneer was looking for refreshment, but found only that the brook had dried up.

[24:23]  ³⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:23]  ³⁷ tn The expression לָבֶטַח (lavetakh, “in security”) precedes the verb that it qualifies – God “allows him to take root in security.” For the meaning of the verb, see Job 8:15.

[24:23]  ³⁸ tn Heb “his eyes are on.”

[24:23]  ³⁹ sn The meaning of the verse is that God may allow the wicked to rest in comfort and security, but all the time he is watching them closely with the idea of bringing judgment on them.

[34:21]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “his”; the referent (a person) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:24]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “the heads of the people of the earth.”

[12:24]  ⁴² tn Heb “heart.”

[12:24]  ⁴³ tn The text has בְּתֹהוּ לֹא־דָרֶךְ (bÿtohu lo’ darekh): “in waste – no way,” or “in a wasteland [where there is] no way,” thus, “trackless” (see the discussion of negative attributes using לֹא [lo’] in GKC 482 §152.u).

[23:10]  ⁴⁴ tn The expression דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי (derekh ’immadi) means “the way with me,” i.e., “the way that I take.” The Syriac has “my way and my standing.” Several commentators prefer “the way of my standing,” meaning where to look for me. J. Reider offers “the way of my life” (“Some notes to the text of the scriptures,” HUCA 3 [1926]: 115). Whatever the precise wording, Job knows that God can always find him.

[23:10]  ⁴⁵ tn There is a perfect verb followed by an imperfect in this clause with the protasis and apodosis relationship (see GKC 493 §159.b).

[31:7]  ⁴⁶ sn The meaning is “been led by what my eyes see.”

[31:7]  ⁴⁷ tc The word מֻאוּם (mu’um) could be taken in one of two ways. One reading is to represent מוּם (mum, “blemish,” see the Masorah); the other is for מְאוּמָה (mÿ’umah, “anything,” see the versions and the Kethib). Either reading fits the passage.

[22:14]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “and he does not see.” The implied object is “us.”

[22:14]  ⁴⁹ 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]  ⁵⁰ 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.

[17:9]  ⁵¹ tn The last two words are the imperfect verb יֹסִיף (yosif) which means “he adds,” and the abstract noun “energy, strength.” This noun is not found elsewhere; its Piel verb occurs in Job 4:4 and 16:5. “he increases strength.”

[24:4]  ⁵² 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.

[30:12]  ⁵³ tn This Hebrew word occurs only here. The word פִּרְחַח (pirkhakh, “young rabble”) is a quadriliteral, from פָּרַח (parakh, “to bud”) The derivative אֶפְרֹחַ (’efroakh) in the Bible refers to a young bird. In Arabic farhun means both “young bird” and “base man.” Perhaps “young rabble” is the best meaning here (see R. Gordis, Job, 333).

[30:12]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “they cast off my feet” or “they send my feet away.” Many delete the line as troubling and superfluous. E. Dhorme (Job, 438) forces the lines to say “they draw my feet into a net.”

[30:12]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “paths of their destruction” or “their destructive paths.”

[30:12]  ⁵⁶ sn See Job 19:12.

[30:28]  ⁵⁷ tn The construction uses the word קֹדֵר (qoder) followed by the Piel perfect of הָלַךְ (halakh, “I go about”). The adjective “blackened” refers to Job’s skin that has been marred by the disease. Adjectives are often used before verbs to describe some bodily condition (see GKC 374-75 §118.n).

[28:13]  ⁵⁸ tc The LXX has “its way, apparently reading דַּרְכָה (darkhah) in place of עֶרְכָּהּ (’erkah, “place”). This is adopted by most modern commentators. But R. Gordis (Job, 308) shows that this change is not necessary, for עֶרֶךְ (’erekh) in the Bible means “order; row; disposition,” and here “place.” An alternate meaning would be “worth” (NIV, ESV).

[2:2]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “answered the Lord and said” (also in v. 4). The words “and said” here and in v. 9 have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:2]  ⁶⁰ tn See the note on this phrase in 1:7.

[1:7]  ⁶¹ tn The imperfect may be classified as progressive imperfect; it indicates action that although just completed is regarded as still lasting into the present (GKC 316 §107.h).

[1:7]  ⁶² tn Heb “answered the Lord and said” (also in v. 9). The words “and said” here and in v. 9 have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:7]  ⁶³ tn The verb שׁוּט (shut) means “to go or rove about” (BDB 1001-2 s.v.). Here the infinitive construct serves as the object of the preposition.

[1:7]  ⁶⁴ tn The Hitpael (here also an infinitive construct after the preposition) of the verb הָלַךְ (halakh) means “to walk to and fro, back and forth, with the sense of investigating or reconnoitering (see e.g. Gen 13:17).

[1:7]  sn As the words are spoken by Satan, there is no self-condemnation in them. What they signify is the swiftness and thoroughness of his investigation of humans. The good angels are said to go to and fro in the earth on behalf of the suffering righteous (Zech 1:10, 11; 6:7), but Satan goes seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet 5:8).

[29:25]  ⁶⁵ tn All of these imperfects describe what Job used to do, and so they all fit the category of customary imperfect.

[29:25]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “their way.”

[29:25]  ⁶⁷ tn The text simply has “and I sat [as their] head.” The adverbial accusative explains his role, especially under the image of being seated. He directed the deliberations as a king directs an army.

[29:25]  ⁶⁸ tc Most commentators think this last phrase is odd here, and so they either delete it altogether, or emend it to fit the idea of the verse. Ewald, however, thought it appropriate as a transition to the next section, reminding his friends that unlike him, they were miserable comforters. Herz made the few changes in the text to get the reading “where I led them, they were willing to go” (ZAW 20 [1900]: 163). The two key words in the MT are אֲבֵלִים יְנַחֵם (’avelim yÿnakhem, “he [one who] comforts mourners”). Following Herz, E. Dhorme (Job, 422) has these changed to אוֹבִילֵם יִנַּחוּ (’ovilem yinnakhu). R. Gordis has “like one leading a camel train” (Job, 324). But Kissane also retains the line as a summary of the chapter, noting its presence in the versions.

[12:19]  ⁶⁹ tn Except for “priests,” the phraseology is identical to v. 17a.

[12:19]  ⁷⁰ tn The verb has to be defined by its context: it can mean “falsify” (Exod 23:8), “make tortuous” (Prov 19:3), or “plunge” into misfortune (Prov 21:12). God overthrows those who seem to be solid.

[12:19]  ⁷¹ tn The original meaning of אֵיתָן (’eytan) is “perpetual.” It is usually an epithet for a torrent that is always flowing. It carries the connotations of permanence and stability; here applied to people in society, it refers to one whose power and influence does not change. These are the pillars of society.

[13:15]  ⁷² tn There is a textual difficulty here that factors into the interpretation of the verse. The Kethib is לֹא (lo’, “not”), but the Qere is לוֹ (lo, “to him”). The RSV takes the former: “Behold, he will slay me, I have no hope.” The NIV takes it as “though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” Job is looking ahead to death, which is not an evil thing to him. The point of the verse is that he is willing to challenge God at the risk of his life; and if God slays him, he is still confident that he will be vindicated – as he says later in this chapter. Other suggestions are not compelling. E. Dhorme (Job, 187) makes a slight change of אֲיַחֵל (’ayakhel, “I will hope”) to אַחִיל (’akhil, “I will [not] tremble”). A. B. Davidson (Job, 98) retains the MT, but interprets the verb more in line with its use in the book: “I will not wait” (cf. NLT).

[13:15]  ⁷³ tn On אַךְ (’akh, “surely”) see GKC 483 §153 on intensive clauses.

[13:15]  ⁷⁴ tn The verb once again is יָכָה (yakhah, in the Hiphil, “argue a case, plead, defend, contest”). But because the word usually means “accuse” rather than “defend,” I. L. Seeligmann proposed changing “my ways” to “his ways” (“Zur Terminologie für das Gerichtsverfahren im Wortschatz des biblischen Hebräisch,” VTSup 16 [1967]: 251-78). But the word can be interpreted appropriately in the context without emendation.

[22:3]  ⁷⁵ tn The word חֵפֶץ (khefets) in this passage has the nuance of “special benefit; favor.” It does not just express the desire for something or the interest in it, but the profit one derives from it.

[22:3]  ⁷⁶ tn The verb תַתֵּם (tattem) is the Hiphil imperfect of תָּמַם (tamam, “be complete, finished”), following the Aramaic form of the geminate verb with a doubling of the first letter.

[34:32]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “what I do not see,” more specifically, “apart from [that which] I see.”

[30:13]  ⁷⁸ tn This verb נָתְסוּ (natÿsu) is found nowhere else. It is probably a variant of the verb in Job 19:10. R. Gordis (Job, 333-34) notes the Arabic noun natsun (“thorns”), suggesting a denominative idea “they have placed thorns in my path.” Most take it to mean they ruin the way of escape.

[30:13]  ⁷⁹ tc The MT has “they further my misfortune.” The line is difficult, with slight textual problems. The verb יֹעִילוּ (yo’ilu) means “to profit,” and so “to succeed” or “to set forward.” Good sense can be made from the MT as it stands, and many suggested changes are suspect.

[30:13]  ⁸⁰ tn The sense of “restraining” for “helping” was proposed by Dillmann and supported by G. R. Driver (see AJSL 52 [1935/36]: 163).

[29:3]  ⁸¹ tn This clause is in apposition to the preceding (see GKC 426 §131.o). It offers a clarification.

[29:3]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ sn Lamp and light are symbols of God’s blessings of life and all the prosperous and good things it includes.

[29:3]  ⁸⁴ tn Here too the imperfect verb is customary – it describes action that was continuous, but in a past time.

[29:3]  ⁸⁵ 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).

[16:22]  ⁸⁶ 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]  ⁸⁷ 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.”

[38:16]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “the springs of the sea.” The words “that fill” are supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning of the phrase.

[38:24]  ⁸⁹ tn Because the parallel with “light” and “east wind” is not tight, Hoffmann proposed ‘ed instead, “mist.” This has been adopted by many. G. R. Driver suggests “parching heat” (“Problems in the Hebrew text of Job,” VTSup 3 [1955]: 91-92).

[9:8]  ⁹⁰ tn Or “marches forth.”

[9:8]  ⁹¹ tn The reference is probably to the waves of the sea. This is the reading preserved in NIV and NAB, as well as by J. Crenshaw, “Wÿdorek `al-bamote ‘ares,” CBQ 34 (1972): 39-53. But many see here a reference to Canaanite mythology. The marginal note in the RSV has “the back of the sea dragon.” The view would also see in “sea” the Ugaritic god Yammu.

[31:5]  ⁹² tn The normal approach is to take this as the protasis, and then have it resumed in v. 7 after a parenthesis in v. 6. But some take v. 6 as the apodosis and a new protasis in v. 7.

[31:5]  ⁹³ tn The “if” is understood by the use of the consecutive verb.

[31:5]  ⁹⁴ sn The verbs “walk” and “hasten” (referring in the verse to the foot) are used metaphorically for the manner of life Job lived.

[33:11]  ⁹⁵ sn See Job 13:27.

[38:20]  ⁹⁶ tn The suffixes are singular (“that you may take it to its border…to its home”), referring to either the light or the darkness. Because either is referred to, the translation has employed plurals, since singulars would imply that only the second item, “darkness,” was the referent. Plurals are also employed by NAB and NIV.

[31:32]  ⁹⁷ tn This verse forms another parenthesis. Job stops almost at every point now in the conditional clauses to affirm his purity and integrity.

[31:32]  ⁹⁸ tn The word in the MT, אֹרחַ (’orakh, “way”), is a contraction from אֹרֵחַ (’oreakh, “wayfarer”); thus, “traveler.” The same parallelism is found in Jer 14:8. The reading here “on/to the road” is meaningless otherwise.

[38:19]  ⁹⁹ tn The interrogative with דֶרֶךְ (derekh) means “in what road” or “in what direction.”

[21:33]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The clods are those that are used to make a mound over the body. And, for a burial in the valley, see Deut 34:6. The verse here sees him as participating in his funeral and enjoying it. Nothing seems to go wrong with the wicked.

[28:7]  ¹⁰¹ tn The “path” could refer to the mine shaft or it could refer to wisdom. The former seems more likely in the present context; the word “hidden is supplied in the translation to indicate the mines are “hidden” from sharp-eyed birds of prey above.

[28:7]  ¹⁰² sn The kind of bird mentioned here is debated. The LXX has “vulture,” and so some commentaries follow that. The emphasis on the sight favors the view that it is the falcon.

[4:15]  ¹⁰³ tn The word רוּחַ (ruakh) can be “spirit” or “breath.” The implication here is that it was something that Eliphaz felt – what he saw follows in v. 16. The commentators are divided on whether this is an apparition, a spirit, or a breath. The word can be used in either the masculine or the feminine, and so the gender of the verb does not favor the meaning “spirit.” In fact, in Isa 21:1 the same verb חָלַף (khalaf, “pass on, through”) is used with the subject being a strong wind or hurricane “blowing across.” It may be that such a wind has caused Eliphaz’s hair to stand on end here. D. J. A. Clines (Job [WBC], 111) also concludes it means “wind,” noting that in Job a spirit or spirits would be called רְפָאִים (rÿfa’im), אֶלֹהִים (’elohim) or אוֹב (’ov).

[4:15]  ¹⁰⁴ tn The verbs in this verse are imperfects. In the last verse the verbs were perfects when Eliphaz reported the fear that seized him. In this continuation of the report the description becomes vivid with the change in verbs, as if the experience were in progress.

[4:15]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The subject of this verb is also רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”), since it can assume either gender. The “hair of my flesh” is the complement and not the subject; therefore the Piel is to be retained and not changed to a Qal as some suggest (and compare with Ps 119:120).

[13:27]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The word occurs here and in Job 33:11. It could be taken as “stocks,” in which the feet were held fast; or it could be “shackles,” which allowed the prisoner to move about. The parallelism favors the latter, if the two lines are meant to be referring to the same thing.

[13:27]  ¹⁰⁷ tn The word means “ways; roads; paths,” but it is used here in the sense of the “way” in which one goes about his activities.

[13:27]  ¹⁰⁸ tn The verb תִּתְחַקֶּה (titkhaqqeh) is a Hitpael from the root חָקָה (khaqah, parallel to חָקַק, khaqaq). The word means “to engrave” or “to carve out.” This Hitpael would mean “to imprint something on oneself” (E. Dhorme [Job, 192] says on one’s mind, and so derives the meaning “examine.”). The object of this is the expression “on the roots of my feet,” which would refer to where the feet hit the ground. Since the passage has more to do with God’s restricting Job’s movement, the translation “you set a boundary to the soles of my feet” would be better than Dhorme’s view. The image of inscribing or putting marks on the feet is not found elsewhere. It may be, as Pope suggests, a reference to marking the slaves to make tracking them easier. The LXX has “you have penetrated to my heels.”

[9:11]  ¹⁰⁹ tn The NIV has “when” to form a temporal clause here. For the use of “if,” see GKC 497 §159.w.

[9:11]  ¹¹⁰ tn The imperfect verbs in this verse are consistent with the clauses. In the conditional clauses a progressive imperfect is used, but in the following clauses the verbs are potential imperfects.

[9:11]  ¹¹¹ tn The pronoun “him” is supplied here; it is not in MT, but the Syriac and Vulgate have it (probably for translation purposes as well).

[9:11]  ¹¹² sn Like the mountains, Job knows that God has passed by and caused him to shake and tremble, but he cannot understand or perceive the reasons.

[15:19]  ¹¹³ sn Eliphaz probably thinks that Edom was the proverbial home of wisdom, and so the reference here would be to his own people. If, as many interpret, the biblical writer is using these accounts to put Yahwistic ideas into the discussion, then the reference would be to Canaan at the time of the fathers. At any rate, the tradition of wisdom to Eliphaz has not been polluted by foreigners, but has retained its pure and moral nature from antiquity.

[21:29]  ¹¹⁴ 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.”

[38:32]  ¹¹⁵ tn The word מַזָּרוֹת (mazzarot) is taken by some to refer to the constellations (see 2 Kgs 23:5), and by others as connected to the word for “crown,” and so “corona.”

[38:32]  ¹¹⁶ sn See Job 9:9.

[26:14]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “the ends of his ways,” meaning “the fringes.”

[26:14]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “how little is the word.” Here “little” means a “fraction” or an “echo.”

[4:6]  ¹¹⁹ tn The word יִרְאָה (yir’ah, “fear”) in this passage refers to Job’s fear of the Lord, his reverential devotion to God. H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 46) says that on the lips of Eliphaz the word almost means “your religion.” He refers to Moffatt’s translation, “Let your religion reassure you.”

[4:6]  ¹²⁰ tn The word כִּסְלָתֶךָ (kislatekha, “your confidence”) is rendered in the LXX by “founded in folly.” The word כֶּסֶל (kesel) is “confidence” (see 8:14) and elsewhere “folly.” Since it is parallel to “your hope” it must mean confidence here.

[4:6]  ¹²¹ tn This second half of the verse simply has “your hope and the integrity of your ways.” The expression “the perfection of your ways” is parallel to “your fear,” and “your hope” is parallel to “your confidence.” This sentence is an example of casus pendens or extraposition: “as for your hope, it is the integrity of your ways” (see GKC 458 §143.d).

[4:6]  sn Eliphaz is not being sarcastic to Job. He knows that Job is a God-fearing man who lives out his faith in life. But he also knows that Job should apply to himself the same things he tells others.

[24:18]  ¹²² tc Many commentators find vv. 18-24 difficult on the lips of Job, and so identify this unit as a misplaced part of the speech of Zophar. They describe the enormities of the wicked. But a case can also be made for retaining it in this section. Gordis thinks it could be taken as a quotation by Job of his friends’ ideas.

[24:18]  ¹²³ tn The verb “say” is not in the text; it is supplied here to indicate that this is a different section.

[24:18]  ¹²⁴ tn Or “is swift.”

[24:18]  ¹²⁵ sn The wicked person is described here as a spray or foam upon the waters, built up in the agitation of the waters but dying away swiftly.

[24:18]  ¹²⁶ tn The text reads, “he does not turn by the way of the vineyards.” This means that since the land is cursed, he/one does not go there. Bickell emended “the way of the vineyards” to “the treader of the vineyard” (see RSV, NRSV). This would mean that “no wine-presser would turn towards” their vineyards.

[28:4]  ¹²⁷ tc The first part of this verse, “He cuts a shaft far from the place where people live,” has received a lot of attention. The word for “live” is גָּר (gar). Some of the proposals are: “limestone,” on the basis of the LXX; “far from the light,” reading נֵר (ner); “by a foreign people,” taking the word to means “foreign people”; “a foreign people opening shafts”; or taking gar as “crater” based on Arabic. Driver puts this and the next together: “a strange people who have been forgotten cut shafts” (see AJSL 3 [1935]: 162). L. Waterman had “the people of the lamp” (“Note on Job 28:4,” JBL 71 [1952]: 167ff). And there are others. Since there is really no compelling argument in favor of one of these alternative interpretations, the MT should be preserved until shown to be wrong.

[28:4]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “forgotten by the foot.” This means that there are people walking above on the ground, and the places below, these mines, are not noticed by the pedestrians above.

[28:4]  ¹²⁹ sn This is a description of the mining procedures. Dangling suspended from a rope would be a necessary part of the job of going up and down the shafts.

[6:13]  ¹³⁰ tn For the use of the particle אִם (’im) in this kind of interrogative clause, see GKC 475 §150.g, note.

[6:13]  ¹³¹ tn The word means something like “recovery,” or the powers of recovery; it was used in Job 5:12. In 11:6 it applies to a condition of the mind, such as mental resource. Job is thinking not so much of relief or rescue from his troubles, but of strength to bear them.

[7:6]  ¹³² sn The first five verses described the painfulness of his malady, his life; now, in vv. 6-10 he will focus on the brevity of his life, and its extinction with death. He introduces the subject with “my days,” a metonymy for his whole life and everything done on those days. He does not mean individual days – they drag on endlessly.

[7:6]  ¹³³ tn The verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to be light” (40:4), and then by extension “to be swift; to be rapid” (Jer 4:13; Hab 1:8).

[7:6]  ¹³⁴ sn The shuttle is the part which runs through the meshes of the web. In Judg 16:14 it is a loom (see BDB 71 s.v. אֶרֶג), but here it must be the shuttle. Hezekiah uses the imagery of the weaver, the loom, and the shuttle for the brevity of life (see Isa 38:12). The LXX used, “My life is lighter than a word.”

[7:6]  ¹³⁵ tn The text includes a wonderful wordplay on this word. The noun is תִּקְוָה (tiqvah, “hope”). But it can also have the meaning of one of its cognate nouns, קַו (qav, “thread, cord,” as in Josh 2:18,21). He is saying that his life is coming to an end for lack of thread/for lack of hope (see further E. Dhorme, Job, 101).

[12:25]  ¹³⁶ tn The word is an adverbial accusative.

[12:25]  ¹³⁷ tn The verb is the same that was in v. 24, “He makes them [the leaders still] wander” (the Hiphil of תָּעָה, ta’ah). But in this passage some commentators emend the text to a Niphal of the verb and put it in the plural, to get the reading “they reel to and fro.” But even if the verse closes the chapter and there is no further need for a word of divine causation, the Hiphil sense works well here – causing people to wander like a drunken man would be the same as making them stagger.

[19:18]  ¹³⁸ sn The use of the verb “rise” is probably fairly literal. When Job painfully tries to get up and walk, the little boys make fun of him.

[19:18]  ¹³⁹ tn The verb דִּבֵּר (dibber) followed by the preposition בּ (bet) indicates speaking against someone, namely, scoffing or railing against someone (see Ps 50:20; 78:19). Some commentators find another root with the meaning “to turn one’s back on; to turn aside from.” The argument is rendered weak philologically because it requires a definition “from” for the preposition bet. See among others I. Eitan, “Studies in Hebrew Roots,” JQR 14 (1923-24): 31-52 [especially 38-41].

[20:6]  ¹⁴⁰ tn The word שִׂיא (si’) has been connected with the verb נָשָׂא (nasa’, “to lift up”), and so interpreted here as “pride.” The form is parallel to “head” in the next part, and so here it refers to his stature, the part that rises up and is crowned. But the verse does describe the pride of such a person, with his head in the heavens.

[41:22]  ¹⁴¹ tn This word, דְּאָבָה (dÿ’avah) is a hapax legomenon. But the verbal root means “to languish; to pine.” A related noun talks of dejection and despair in Deut 28:65. So here “despair” as a translation is preferable to “terror.”

[18:17]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “outside.” Cf. ESV, “in the street,” referring to absence from his community’s memory.

[20:10]  ¹⁴³ tn The early versions confused the root of this verb, taking it from רָצַץ (ratsats, “mistreat”) and not from רָצָה (ratsah, “be please with”). So it was taken to mean, “Let inferiors destroy his children.” But the verb is רָצָה (ratsah). This has been taken to mean “his sons will seek the favor of the poor.” This would mean that they would be reduced to poverty and need help from even the poor. Some commentators see this as another root רָצָה (ratsah) meaning “to compensate; to restore” wealth their father had gained by impoverishing others. This fits the parallelism well, but not the whole context that well.

[20:10]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Some commentators are surprised to see “his hands” here, thinking the passage talks about his death. Budde changed it to “his children,” by altering one letter. R. Gordis argued that “hand” can mean offspring, and so translated it that way without changing anything in the text (“A note on YAD,” JBL 62 [1943]: 343).

[20:29]  ¹⁴⁵ tn For the word אִמְרוֹ (’imro) some propose reading “his appointment,” and the others, “his word.” Driver shows that “the heritage of his appointment” means “his appointed heritage” (see GKC 440 §135.n).

[24:10]  ¹⁴⁶ sn The point should not be missed – amidst abundant harvests, carrying sheaves about, they are still going hungry.

[28:10]  ¹⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “his eye sees.”

[29:7]  ¹⁴⁹ 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.

[29:8]  ¹⁵⁰ tn The verb means “to hide; to withdraw.” The young men out of respect would withdraw or yield the place of leadership to Job (thus the translation “step aside”). The old men would rise and remain standing until Job took his seat – a sign of respect.

[31:38]  ¹⁵¹ sn Many commentators place vv. 38-40b at the end of v. 34, so that there is no return to these conditional clauses after his final appeal.

[31:38]  ¹⁵² sn Some commentators have suggested that the meaning behind this is that Job might not have kept the year of release (Deut 15:1), and the law against mixing seed (Lev 19:19). But the context will make clear that the case considered is obtaining the land without paying for it and causing the death of its lawful owner (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 206). Similar to this would be the case of Naboth’s vineyard.

[32:19]  ¹⁵³ 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]  ¹⁵⁴ 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.

[33:28]  ¹⁵⁵ sn See note on “him” in v. 24.

[6:15]  ¹⁵⁶ sn Here the brothers are all his relatives as well as these intimate friends of Job. In contrast to what a friend should do (show kindness/loyalty), these friends have provided no support whatsoever.

[6:15]  ¹⁵⁷ tn The verb בָּגְדוּ (bagÿdu, “dealt treacherously) has been translated “dealt deceitfully,” but it is a very strong word. It means “to act treacherously [or deceitfully].” The deception is the treachery, because the deception is not innocent – it is in the place of a great need. The imagery will compare it to the brook that may or may not have water. If one finds no water when one expected it and needed it, there is deception and treachery. The LXX softens it considerably: “have not regarded me.”

[6:15]  ¹⁵⁸ tn The Hebrew term used here is נָחַל (nakhal); this word differs from words for rivers or streams in that it describes a brook with an intermittent flow of water. A brook where the waters are not flowing is called a deceitful brook (Jer 15:18; Mic 1:14); one where the waters flow is called faithful (Isa 33:16).

[6:15]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “and as a stream bed of brooks/torrents.” The word אָפִיק (’afiq) is the river bed or stream bed where the water flows. What is more disconcerting than finding a well-known torrent whose bed is dry when one expects it to be gushing with water (E. Dhorme, Job, 86)?

[6:15]  ¹⁶⁰ tn The verb is rather simple – יַעֲבֹרוּ (ya’avoru). But some translate it “pass away” or “flow away,” and others “overflow.” In the rainy season they are deep and flowing, or “overflow” their banks. This is a natural sense to the verb, and since the next verse focuses on this, some follow this interpretation (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 15). But this idea does not parallel the first part of v. 15. So it makes better sense to render it “flow away” and see the reference to the summer dry spells when one wants the water but is disappointed.

[11:15]  ¹⁶¹ tn The absolute certainty of the statement is communicated with the addition of כִּי (ki) (see GKC 498 §159.ee).

[11:15]  ¹⁶² tn For this use of the preposition מִן (min) see GKC 382 §119.w.

[11:15]  ¹⁶³ tn The word “lift up” is chosen to recall Job’s statement that he could not lift up his head (10:15); and the words “without spot” recall his words “filled with shame.” The sentence here says that he will lift up his face in innocence and show no signs of God’s anger on him.

[11:15]  ¹⁶⁴ tn The form מֻצָק (mutsaq) is a Hophal participle from יָצַק (yatsaq, “to pour”). The idea is that of metal being melted down and then poured to make a statue, and so hard, firm, solid. The LXX reads the verse, “for thus your face shall shine again, like pure water, and you shall divest yourself of uncleanness, and shall not fear.”

[11:20]  ¹⁶⁵ tn The verb כָּלָה (kalah) means “to fail, cease, fade away.” The fading of the eyes, i.e., loss of sight, loss of life’s vitality, indicates imminent death.

[11:20]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb a “place of escape” (with this noun pattern). There is no place to escape to because they all perish.

[11:20]  ¹⁶⁷ tn The word is to be interpreted as a metonymy; it represents what is hoped for.

[11:20]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “the breathing out of the soul”; cf. KJV, ASV “the giving up of the ghost.” The line is simply saying that the brightest hope that the wicked have is death.

[15:23]  ¹⁶⁹ tn The MT has “he wanders about for food – where is it?” The LXX has “he has been appointed for food for vultures,” reading אַיָּה (’ayyah, “vulture”) for אַיֵּה (’ayyeh, “where is it?”). This would carry on the thought of the passage – he sees himself destined for the sword and food for vultures. Many commentators follow this reading while making a number of smaller changes in נֹדֵד (noded, “wandering”) such as נִתַּן (nittan, “is given”), נוֹעַד (no’ad, “is appointed”), נוֹדַע (noda’, “is known”), or something similar. The latter involves no major change in consonants. While the MT “wandering” may not be as elegant as some of the other suggestions, it is not impossible. But there is no reading of this verse that does not involve some change. The LXX has “and he has been appointed for food for vultures.”

[15:23]  ¹⁷⁰ tn This line is fraught with difficulties (perceived or real), which prompt numerous suggestions. The reading of the MT is “he knows that a day of darkness is fixed in his hand,” i.e., is certain. Many commentators move “day of darkness” to the next verse, following the LXX. Then, suggestions have been offered for נָכוֹן (nakhon, “ready”), such as נֵכֶר (nekher, “disaster”); and for בְּיָדוֹ (bÿyado, “in his hand”) a number of ideas – לְאֵיד (lÿ’ed, “calamity”) or פִּידוֹ (pido, “his disaster”). Wright takes this last view and renders it “he knows that misfortune is imminent,” leaving the “day of darkness” to the next verse.

[21:16]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “is not in their hand.”

[21:16]  sn The implication of this statement is that their well-being is from God, which is the problem Job is raising in the chapter. A number of commentators make it a question, interpreting it to mean that the wicked enjoy prosperity as if it is their right. Some emend the text to say “his hands” – Gordis reads it, “Indeed, our prosperity is not in his hands.”

[21:16]  ¹⁷² sn Even though their life seems so good in contrast to his own plight, Job cannot and will not embrace their principles – “far be from me their counsel.”

[22:18]  ¹⁷³ tn The pronoun is added for this emphasis; it has “but he” before the verb.

[22:18]  ¹⁷⁴ tn See Job 10:3.

[22:18]  ¹⁷⁵ tc The LXX has “from him,” and this is followed by several commentators. But the MT is to be retained, for Eliphaz is recalling the words of Job. Verses 17 and 18 are deleted by a number of commentators as a gloss because they have many similarities to 21:14-16. But Eliphaz is recalling what Job said, in order to say that the prosperity to which Job alluded was only the prelude to a disaster he denied (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 156).

[23:14]  ¹⁷⁶ tn The text has “my decree,” which means “the decree [plan] for/against me.” The suffix is objective, equivalent to a dative of disadvantage. The Syriac and the Vulgate actually have “his decree.” R. Gordis (Job, 262) suggests taking it in the same sense as in Job 14:5: “my limit.”.

[23:14]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “and many such [things] are with him.”

[23:14]  sn The text is saying that many similar situations are under God’s rule of the world – his plans are infinite.

[34:17]  ¹⁷⁸ tn The force of הַאַף (ha’af) is “Is it truly the case?” The point is being made that if Job were right God could not be judging the world.

[34:17]  ¹⁷⁹ tn The verb חָבַשׁ (khavash) has the basic idea of “to bind,” as in binding on the yoke, and then in the sense of subduing people under authority (cf. Assyrian absanu). The imperfect verb here is best expressed with the potential nuance.

[34:17]  ¹⁸⁰ tn The two words could be taken separately, but they seem to form a fine nominal hendiadys, because the issue is God’s justice. So the word for power becomes the modifier.

[24:22]  ¹⁸¹ tn God has to be the subject of this clause. None is stated in the Hebrew text, but “God” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:22]  ¹⁸² tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “life” at the end of the line.

[24:22]  ¹⁸³ tn This line has been given a number of interpretations due to its cryptic form. The verb יָקוּם (yaqum) means “he rises up.” It probably is meant to have God as the subject, and be subordinated as a temporal clause to what follows. The words “against him” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation to specify the object and indicate that “rise up” is meant in a hostile sense. The following verb וְלֹא־יַאֲמִין (vÿlo’-ya’amin), by its very meaning of “and he does not believe,” cannot have God as the subject, but must refer to the wicked.

[33:23]  ¹⁸⁴ sn The verse is describing the way God can preserve someone from dying by sending a messenger (translated here as “angel”), who could be human or angelic. This messenger will interpret/mediate God’s will. By “one … out of a thousand” Elihu could have meant either that one of the thousands of messengers at God’s disposal might be sent or that the messenger would be unique (see Eccl 7:28; and cp. Job 9:3).

[33:23]  ¹⁸⁵ tn This is a smoother reading. The MT has “to tell to a man his uprightness,” to reveal what is right for him. The LXX translated this word “duty”; the choice is adopted by some commentaries. However, that is too far from the text, which indicates that the angel/messenger is to call the person to uprightness.