Ayub 22:24

22:24 and throw ¹  your gold ²  in the dust –

your gold ³  of Ophir

among the rocks in the ravines –

Yehezkiel 28:5

28:5 By your great skill ⁴  in trade you have increased your wealth,

and your heart is proud because of your wealth.

Lukas 12:20-21

12:20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life ⁵  will be demanded back from ⁶  you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ⁷  12:21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, ⁸  but is not rich toward God.”

[22:24]  ¹ tc The form is the imperative. Eliphaz is telling Job to get rid of his gold as evidence of his repentance. Many commentators think that this is too improbable for Eliphaz to have said, and that Job has lost everything anyway, and so they make proposals for the text. Most would follow Theodotion and the Syriac to read וְשָׁתָּ (vÿshatta, “and you will esteem….”). This would mean that he is promising Job restoration of his wealth.

[22:24]  tn Heb “place.”

[22:24]  ² tn The word for “gold” is the rare בֶּצֶר (betser), which may be derived from a cognate of Arabic basara, “to see; to examine.” If this is the case, the word here would refer to refined gold. The word also forms a fine wordplay with בְצוּר (bÿtsur, “in the rock”).

[22:24]  ³ tn The Hebrew text simply has “Ophir,” a metonymy for the gold that comes from there.

[28:5]  ⁴ tn Or “wisdom.”

[12:20]  ⁵ tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.

[12:20]  ⁶ tn Or “required back.” This term, ἀπαιτέω (apaitew), has an economic feel to it and is often used of a debt being called in for repayment (BDAG 96 s.v. 1).

[12:20]  ⁷ tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:21]  ⁸ sn It is selfishness that is rebuked here, in the accumulation of riches for himself. Recall the emphasis on the first person pronouns throughout the parable.