Ayub 24:24

24:24 They are exalted for a little while,

and then they are gone, ¹ 

they are brought low ²  like all others,

and gathered in, ³ 

and like a head of grain they are cut off.’ ⁴ 

Yesaya 41:2

41:2 Who stirs up this one from the east? ⁵ 

Who ⁶  officially commissions him for service? ⁷ 

He hands nations over to him, ⁸ 

and enables him to subdue ⁹  kings.

He makes them like dust with his sword,

like windblown straw with his bow. ¹⁰ 

[24:24]  ¹ tn The Hebrew throughout this section (vv. 18-24) interchanges the singular and the plural. Here again we have “they are exalted…but he is not.” The verse is clear nonetheless: the wicked rise high, and then suddenly they are gone.

[24:24]  ² tn The verb is the Hophal of the rare verb מָכַךְ (makhakh), which seems to mean “to bend; to collapse.” The text would read “they are made to collapse like all others.” There is no reason here to change “like others” just because the MT is banal. But many do, following the LXX with “like mallows.” The LXX was making a translation according to sense. R. Gordis (Job, 271) prefers “like grass.”

[24:24]  ³ tn The verb קָפַץ (qafats) actually means “to shut in,” which does not provide exactly the idea of being gathered, not directly at least. But a change to קָטַף (qataf, “pluck”) while attractive, is not necessary.

[24:24]  ⁴ sn This marks the end of the disputed section, taken here to be a quotation by Job of their sentiments.

[41:2]  ⁵ sn The expression this one from the east refers to the Persian conqueror Cyrus, as later texts indicate (see 44:28-45:6; 46:11; 48:14-16).

[41:2]  ⁶ tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis.

[41:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “[in] righteousness called him to his foot.”

[41:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “he [the Lord] places before him [Cyrus] nations.”

[41:2]  ⁹ tn The verb יַרְדְּ (yardÿ) is an otherwise unattested Hiphil form from רָדָה (radah, “rule”). But the Hiphil makes no sense with “kings” as object; one must understand an ellipsis and supply “him” (Cyrus) as the object. The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has יוֹרִד (yorid), which appears to be a Hiphil form from יָרַד (yarad, “go down”). Others suggest reading יָרֹד (yarod), a Qal form from רָדַד (radad, “beat down”).

[41:2]  ¹⁰ sn The point is that they are powerless before Cyrus’ military power and scatter before him.