Ayub 13:19

13:19 Who ¹  will contend with me?

If anyone can, I will be silent and die. ² 

Ayub 19:5

19:5 If indeed ³  you would exalt yourselves ⁴  above me

and plead my disgrace against me, ⁵ 

Ayub 30:10

30:10 They detest me and maintain their distance; ⁶ 

they do not hesitate to spit in my face.

[13:19]  ¹ tn The interrogative is joined with the emphatic pronoun, stressing “who is he [who] will contend,” or more emphatically, “who in the world will contend.” Job is confident that no one can bring charges against him. He is certain of success.

[13:19]  ² sn Job is confident that he will be vindicated. But if someone were to show up and have proof of sin against him, he would be silent and die (literally “keep silent and expire”).

[19:5]  ³ tn The introductory particles repeat אָמְנָם (’amnam, “indeed”) but now with אִם (’im, “if”). It could be interpreted to mean “is it not true,” or as here in another conditional clause.

[19:5]  ⁴ tn The verb is the Hiphil of גָּדַל (gadal); it can mean “to make great” or as an internal causative “to make oneself great” or “to assume a lofty attitude, to be insolent.” There is no reason to assume another root here with the meaning of “quarrel” (as Gordis does).

[19:5]  ⁵ sn Job’s friends have been using his shame, his humiliation in all his sufferings, as proof against him in their case.

[30:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “they are far from me.”