Ayub 31:38

Job’s Final Solemn Oath ¹ 

31:38 “If my land cried out against me ² 

and all its furrows wept together,

Ayub 34:28

34:28 so that they caused ³  the cry of the poor

to come before him,

so that he hears ⁴  the cry of the needy.

Ayub 35:9

35:9 “People ⁵  cry out

because of the excess of oppression; ⁶ 

they cry out for help

because of the power ⁷  of the mighty. ⁸ 

[31:38]  ¹ 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]  ² 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.

[34:28]  ³ tn The verse begins with the infinitive construct of בּוֹא (bo’, “go”), showing the result of their impious actions.

[34:28]  ⁴ tn The verb here is an imperfect; the clause is circumstantial to the preceding clause, showing either the result, or the concomitant action.

[35:9]  ⁵ tn The word “people” is supplied, because the sentence only has the masculine plural verb.

[35:9]  ⁶ tn The final noun is an abstract plural, “oppression.” There is no reason to change it to “oppressors” to fit the early versions. The expression is literally “multitude of oppression.”

[35:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “the arm,” a metaphor for strength or power.

[35:9]  ⁸ tn Or “of the many” (see HALOT 1172 s.v. I רַב 6.a).